I own nothing the story is from my imagination but, the characters, concept, and plot are owned by Brenda Hampton, & producers of ABC FAMILY CHANNEL.
A LEAP OF FAITH (HOW TO SAVE A LIFE)
Marshall Bowman walked down the beach toward Ben, wearing a striped shirt khakis, and hiking boots with his blond hair blowing in the wind, and a bright smile on his face. Ben recognized him as being exactly as he remembered before his death two years ago. In those two years much had changed, his little girl had lost her virginity and given herself to three men. His secret family had also been revealed to the entire town when his illegitimate son, Jacob visited his wife in Glen Valley to get to know his brother and sister.
Ben however did not care about that seeing Dr. Bowman again was almost as surreal to him as seeing his daughter almost eight years old, and just a moment ago being able to speak to his mother once again after eight years. "Dr. Bowman you are here too", Ben said standing up on the beach and greeting Dr. Bowman with a warm handshake. "Yes, Ben I'm here too, and I think I've known you long enough to get a hug at least", he said wrapping his arm around Ben and embracing him in a hardy hug.
"So, how have things been since we've last met?" Dr. Bowman asked as he stood and looked at Ben who had now changed from the naïve boy he once knew, to a fine naïve young man. "Things have been, bad since the last time we have met, at least for me." Ben said as he spoke to Dr. Bowman. Usually Ben would have been shocked to be speaking to a man whose funeral he attended only two years ago, but after spending time with his daughter, and his mom he was at ease with this situation.
"So how does that go?" Marshall asked becoming intrigued. "I have done a lot of stupid things since you and I last saw one another", he said with a low grin. "I have broken up with Amy Jeurgens, dated your daughter, had sex with Adrian Lee, impregnated her on my first try, fallen in love with her, married her, lost a child, and divorced her. "Dated a crazy girl, burned down a school, almost got sent to jail, insulted a teacher and nearly got ex-spelled, experimented with both marijuana, and alcohol, and got punched in the face by my step mom, oh and I just walked in on my crazy girlfriend screwing Ricky Underwood's kid brother", he said with embarrassment.
"Man, be dead a couple of years and you miss the whole world going by" he said with a laugh. "So tell me since you have more access to my family than I do how are they? "They're okay, I think or becoming okay, I think" Ben said. "They are going through a lot of things since finding out about your other life, and there has been a lot going on in their lives as well," he said. "Such as?" he asked. "Well Grace and Jack broke up, got back together, broke up again, and got back together." Ben said with an annoyed tone. "But, then after they got back together, Jack was injured by a pimp after helping this girl escape a bad life." "The jerk came back, and beat Jack so badly he paralyzed him from the waist down." "Now I don't know where she and Jack's relationship stand," he said.
"How are they handling it", he asked looking very concerned for Jack and his little Goldilocks. "One day at a time I think, but they love each other", Ben replied as he felt remorse for Jack and Grace and what they were having to deal with. "Dr. Bowman, how could you betray your wife like that Ben asked looking at the man whom he respected almost as much as his own father?" "I'm sorry if I am out of line with my question, but I have to know." he said puzzled about what would possess Dr. Bowman of all people to marry Kathleen, and then betray her for his first love.
"I wish I knew the answer to that question, Ben." "But, even being dead and having nothing but time to think about my past and all of my mistakes I can't really give you an answer to help you understand." he said looking both guilty and sad. "When I met Jacob's mother it was when I was younger and before I ever met Kathleen and I was volunteering with many of the African villages along the Ivory Coast that had been devastated by malaria, and outbreaks of disease. "She was a village doctor, who came from a small village and worked her way through school to become a doctor, and help her people." "When I met her I admired her determination, and her dedication to medicine and to her people." "I couldn't help but to fall in love with her." he said being as truthful as he could.
"Then, why didn't you just marry her and settle down, if you loved her, wouldn't that have been simpler?" Ben replied. "It probably would have but Jacob's mother was a proud woman, and she was honoured by her tribe to follow their traditions, and those traditions kept her from marrying me." Then my work visa in that country expired, and I was forced to come back to America, where by an act of fate I met Kathleen, and fell in love with her." "But, just like Nenei was not allowed to marry me because of her people, Kathleen's parent's didn't want her to marry me because of their religous faith." he said.
"Well, if Mrs. Bowman or Segaiy wasn't allowed to marry you because of her religion, why did she? Ben questioned. Segaiy, Dr. Bowman said looking confused. "Your wife remarried, and is getting a divorce, and possibly getting remarried again, Ben said feeling bad about his last statement. "Don't feel bad Ben, I already know about Kathleen's last husband, and I unfortunately know about her desire to be back with George Jeurgens as well." Dr. Bowman responded with a sad smile. "But, Kathleen married me because she loved me, more than she loved her faith, and that is rare. To love someone who will literally deny even ther iown family for you, because they can't bare to imagine their life without you." he said remembering his wife's loyalty to him and guilt for his betrayal of that loyalty.
"So if she was so loyal to you how come you weren't that loyal to her", Ben asked. "Because I was being selfish Ben. I wanted it all. I wanted Kathleen and Nenei and I didn't want to give up either of them, because I loved them both the same. But that was wrong of me." he said feeling ashamed. "But, if you loved them both, and they were happy, and you were happy what was wrong with having them both?" Ben asked. "Because, Ben love is complicated to understand, but marriage and loyalty are not complicated." "I loved Kathleen, and I married her because I loved her, she loved me enough to reject her faith and her family for me." Dr. Bowman replied.
"I was being selfish for not giving up Nenei and allowing her to move on with her life. "Marriage isn't just an arrangement between two people, marriage is an institution where you have to love, respect, honor, and share your life with someone else, the same way they have to share their life with you. "I wasn't ready to marry Kathleen, and because of my betrayal I was never really happy, because I denied both Kathleen and Nenei the man they both deserved." he said.
"What do you mean, I thought both of them were happy." Ben asked still trying to figure the situation. "Ben, Kathleen's marriage to me was a lie, that she believed only because she thought I was the man she loved." "She thought, I was loyal, honest, and faithful to her and our family. Now that she knows the truth about me, she hates herself, and the life we built together with our children." "Nenie is the same because her love for me, and my desire to keep her, denied her the ability to find someone who woudl cherish her the way that I did. he responded.
"Jacob, Tom, and Grace are the ones who suffered the most because they were denied the right to know one another as siblings, and Jacob felt as though he should be ashamed for being born. At the same time Grace feels stupid for comparing every guy she has ever dated to me, because she knows that I am a fraud." Dr. Bowman truly looked ashamed as he spoke the area around him changed from a breezy beach at mid day, to a cold barren terrain in a cold desert.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Bowman I had no idea how difficult this would be for you to talk about", Ben said apologetically. "No, Ben I need to talk about this with someone" he said with a harsh tone, more at himself than at Ben. "I have to confess my sin's and you are the only one around unfortunately," he said. "I guess that is best for me to do since you are more of a man than I could be, he said." "Dr. Bowman, you must be talking about someone else, because I don't even match up as a boy much less a man. "Ben, look at what you did and then correct yourself." he said looking at Ben with a smile. "You were only fifteen years old and you stepped up to be there for Amy Juergens when she needed someone the most." "You stayed by her side as best you could even when the odds were against you."
"Even though you made a mistake with Adrian, in the car you still respected her and apologized for what happened." When she found out that you two were having a baby, you didn't run away or back down you stayed by her side as well, and showed her love, respect, understanding, and forgiveness. Things she didn't even show herself." "Don't tell anyone this, but I always wanted it to be you my daughter chose, not Jack and definitely not Ricky" he said with a frown. "Dr. Bowman compared to me, both Jack and Ricky are two really great guys." Ben said. "Ben, you should stop doubting your own worth," he said with a smile.
"Jack and Ricky are great guys, but you are a great man." "Unlike them you deny your own feelings so that Amy and Adrian can be happy, even though you are miserable. "Jack needs to truly understand his feelings for Grace, and the type of relationship he wants with Grace, and give her time to ask if she wants that relationship before being involved in one." "Ricky needs to do the same with Amy, he loves Amy, but he should really wonder if he is with her because of his feelings for her or his son." "And both should learn to respect women more, before either think about getting married otherwise they will end up having children just like them or worse having to endure guys just like them date their daughters, just like I had to do. Dr. Bowman said as he and Ben now appeared to both be standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea.
"So, now that we have gotten all of that out of the way, HOW DO I GET BACK HOME?" Ben asked. "Well that's why I brought you up on this cliff, Ben" Dr. Bowman said with a sly smile. "A Cliff is there an escualtor that will lead me to heaven and take me back, or something?" Ben asked. "No, nothing that complicated Ben. The way back is a simple path, at the same time its a difficult one." he said. "Well, what does that have to do with a cliff?" Ben asked. The way back is a test Ben, one that will help you discover, who you are, and help you move on." Dr. Bowman said. "Well, do I have to study for it or anything?" Ben replied being commical. "Ben this is no time for jokes," Dr. Bowman replied. This test will determine if you are really ready to go back, and it will also determine something else as well he said." "I'm kind of afraid to ask Ben responded placing his hands in his pockets and looking suspicously at Dr. Bowman.
"Ben the last test, is a test of faith. It will verify whether or not you are ready, both spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically to return. Dr. Bowman said becoming very serious. "What do I have to do?" Ben asked now taking what Dr. Bowman said very seriously. "This test is a leap of faith, Ben". Dr. Bowman replied back. This cliff is the highest point you have ever reached, and you have to jump off." Dr. Bowman said looking at Ben. "JUMP OFF!" Ben yelled looking at Dr. Bowman as though he were deranged. "Do you know just how HIGH WE ARE!" Ben screamed. "If I jump from here I could die, or do people not die in dreams?" Ben asked. "Most people, don't but in this case you just might." Dr. Bowman said looking at him with a worried expression.
"I don't understand," Ben said looking puzzled. "Ben remember what happened when you first got here," Dr. Bowman replied. "I was speeding down the road, when a truck came in front of me, and I swerved to avoid it, and then there was a crash, and I was here." he said. "That crash is what brought you here, Ben. This is a nexus point between the living and the dead. Ben you were brought here by the love of your mother and you daughter, and even me. "Had it not been for their love, and the love of you friends and family you would have died." "Huh,"Ben said bewildered. "Ben, in a way your spirit wants to die, so it can stop feeling the pain that you are in right now. "You feel angry, sad, and betrayed by all that has transpired in your life." "And of all people you have a right to feel all that, but that doesn't mean things will not get better for you.
"Get better, my girlfriend just had sex with Ricky Underwood's kid brother, after I nearly got sent to prison for her. I was literally turned into the school idiot, and laughing stock for what I did for Amy, and Adrian. Now they are living happily with Ricky, and Omar. "Ricky has taken everything from me. He is living my life with Amy in my family's apartment, and he even wants to take over my family's company"Adrian wants to start a family with Omar, in the condo that was supposed to be our home to start a family. "Neither of them loved them the way I did, neither of them suffered, or sacrificed for them, so why should I want to be alive." So I can see them live the life with other men that I wanted to live with them." Ben said filled with sadness, pain, shame, and most of all regret.
"I know I am being selfish Dr. Bowman, just like you were, but I have a right to be" he said angrily. "I never asked anything of either Adrian, or Amy all I ever asked of them was their love." So how come I was never enough, but Omar and Ricky are. "Why is it they never did ANYTHING, ANYTHING, but want from Adrian and Amy, and they are the ones they want." Ben said now crying the tears he had held back so long. "Ricky never wanted a child, but I fought for John, and he is the one that John calls Daddy." "So I gave him up, and I gave up Amy because I had Adrian, and I had Mercy."
"But I couldn't have my family, and I tried to do the right thing so how come that didn't happen "I even married Adrian, I didn't use her like Ricky did, but she still wanted him, then she wanted Henry, now Omar." "How come I am always the one left to bare the burden, and fix the scars that guys like them create, but they are the ones who get the girl." Ben said. "I don't know Ben, I wish I knew," Dr. Bowman said now crying for the young man whom he did envy for his pride, honor, and nobility. But most of all Dr. Bowman both envied, and admired Ben for his heart which he saw Ben used to endure the pain, the humiliation, and ridicule for being with both Amy and Adrian.
"I guess Ben love is blind, you don't know which one you love most, and they don't know if they loved you at all." he said. I am sorry Ben, I had two families, and I didn't deserve either, yet you were denied both of you families, and you earned them both. "But that does not mean you should give up Ben.", it also means that they have not given up on you either look he said pointing to the sky. As Ben looked up he saw his Dad, Camille, his sister Chloe, Adrian, Omar, Ricky, Grace, Henry, and Alice sitting in the waiting room along with Dylan, her parent's, and her friends and Ethan. As he looks on he see's himself in an emergency room barely clinging to life.
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
(Ben is lying on a bed covered in bruises as a doctor and nurses work constantly while he is connected to a machine, and barely breathing)
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came
(Leo and Camille along with Chloe hold on to one another as they wait for the doctor to give them information about Ben.)
CHORUS:
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
(Adrian sits beside Omar and stares off into space, while at the same time she has flashes of her first meeting with Ben as he sat in the back of her convertible and spoke back to her about Amy's choices now that she is pregnant.)
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
(Amy sits next to Ricky and has flashbacks of Ben when he first took her hand at the back to school dance and danced with her when the dance was over.)
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to God he hears you
(Ricky holds Amy's hand as he remembers his argument with Ben about how he should get out and away from Amy because the baby wasn't his.)
CHORUS:
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
(Henry and Alice sit side by side and remember how they all talked and laughed with one another in front of Ben's locker the first day of school.)
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
(Grace sits beside Jack who is in a wheel chair and holds tightly to his hand and reminisces about how Ben showed up at her house wearing a suit and tie for their first date.)
CHORUS:
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
(Amy, remembers how she saw Ben leave her home the day she and he decided to start relationships with Adrian and Ricky.)
CHORUS:
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
How to save a life
(Jack sits beside Grace, and remembers how he and Ben talked about his wedding to Adrian in the pool house with Tom and Grant.)
CHORUS:
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
(Ben stands back and looks at the scene of all of his friends and family who seem to be worrying about him, as he stands on the cliff with Dr. Bowman showing him these scenes in the sky.)
CHORUS:
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
(Adrian remembers kissing Ben in her kitchen for the very first time, and begins to let tears fall from her eyes, She knew then she loved Ben, she just doesn't love herself.)