Disclaimer: Sunset Beach and all the characters etc. belongs to Spelling/NBC. No profit of anykind is made out of this piece of fiction, I'm only doing it to entertain the fans. Any connection to the Tv-Serie Sunset Beach is for your pleasure. Do not copy or put this story on a webpage without asking me first. Anja

Lost memories

By Anja

Chapter 01

Meg Cummings thought content about her life on her way to the hospital. Now she was since a year back in Ludlow/Kansas again. She had studied medicine in Boston and had worked as an assistance doctor in the Boston General Hospital for one year. Although she had enjoyed studying and living in Boston, she was glad to be back in Ludlow again. She loved the little town, where she had grown up and everybody knew everybody. The small hospital where she worked now couldn't compare with the high technically General Hospital in Boston, but for this it was in Ludlow quieter then in Boston. Here she has always the time for a talk with the patients and listen to them.

If she returned a year ago, the most people here thought, she would marry her first love Tim Truman now. But she had noticed shortly after her return that Tim had another firm relation in the meantime.

Actually Meg would have been very sad about this, but somehow she had known, that Tim wasn't the man of her dreams.

It was Wednesday evening and she was on the way to her night shift. It will surely become a peaceful night as always. She enjoyed the late summer landscape during the journey. In a short time , the leaves would be beginning to change the colour. A swaying figure suddenly appeared at the roadside. Frightened Meg braked and her car stopped just in time.

"Again somebody, which have certainly drunk to much." Meg thought and got out.

When she approached the figure, Meg remarked that the man had a big cut at the head.

Meg: "Oh my God. What has happened? Let me look at this, I'm a doctor."

The man tried to approach to Meg, but he sank into himself. Meg could catch him just in time.

Meg: "Come, try to make it up to my car."

Meg just managed to take the man to her car in time. He hardly sat on the passenger seat, when he already had lost the consciousness. Meg looked at the cut at his head and found out, that this must be to sewn. She sat behind the steering wheel again and drove off. It was only few miles to the hospital. When Meg arrived there, she parked the car directly before the emergency. She ran quickly in to fetch help.

Meg: "Simon, Alan come fast with a stretcher! I have an injured man in my car."

The two men came fast with a stretcher. Meg went in front of the two outside to her car. She opened the front passenger door ant the two men took the still unconscious man out. They put him on the stretcher and took him to the emergency.

Meg: "In the treatment room 1 with him, I'll be immediately there."

She took off her jacket and pulled on a clean coat. She entered the treatment room and started to wash her hands. During this she gaves already reconciles instructions.

Meg: "Please, check the vital sings of the man Julie. He has been unconscious now for 10 minutes. And when you are ready with this, call the police. I have found the man at the roadside and it still must be cleared, whether he had an accident and if there were other persons still tangled up into this."

She dried her hands and pulled herself sterile gloves on. Meg carefully started to clean the head wound.

Meg: "Please Julie, register the patient to the radiograph. I would like to know for certain that he dosen't have a fractured skull. I will sew the cut with a couple of stitches first."

Julie: "Well and what is with the particulars of the man?"

Meg: "We care about this later. The patient must be provided first."

With nimble fingers she sewed the head wound and laid an association on.

Meg: "Now hurried up with him to the X-ray. I don't like it, that he is unconscious so long."

Nurse Julie and a young nurse pupil took the man to the radiograph department. Meg sat down to the desk to lie out a medical file for the man when it knocked at the door.

Meg: "Come in!"

A young policeman entered the room.

Meg: "Good evening Jim, you surely come because of our emergency."

Jim: "Hello Meg. Yes, this is correct. You still must answer me a couple of questions."

Meg: "Well, what do you wnat to know?"

Jim: "Where exact have you found the man?"

Meg: "This was over there at the Hansan Road. A half a mile after the entry to the farm of Steve Miller."

Jim: "Well. Was there a car nearby or could anybody else be seen?"

Meg: "I didn't see anybody else and I had no time to look for a car."

Jim: "Then I'll just go there at once and look around there."

He got up and went to the door.

Jim: "Something still occurs to me, what is the name from the man?"

Meg: "I don't know. Since I have found him, he is unconscious. If he come back from the radiograph, I'll look in his bags for a card or similar."

Jim: "Well, call me, if you know something. Bye Meg."

Meg: "I'll do that, bye."

The young policeman left the room. Julie brought the strange man back from the radiograph few moments later.

Julie: "The pictures are here."

Meg: "Thanks."

She looked at the pictures and noticed that he didn't have any fracture. Julie had got the man changed in the meantime.

Meg: "Let us see, if we can find any papers in his bags."

Both women searched all bags thoroughly repeatedly, however they couldn't found anything.

Meg: "Well. we then must take his personal information as soon as he wakes up. I'll start an IV and then we let him stay here, so that I'll see it when he wakes up."

Julie: "I put his things in the cupboard here. Well, it seems by the way to be a good and expensive suit."

Meg: "Yes, I also have the impression. I will down to my reports now, if something happens you know where to find me."

Julie: "Good, but it looks at we'll become a peaceful night."

The nurse left the room and Meg sat down at her desk again. However, she couldn't concentrate on her work again and again she looked at the stranger. She got up and went over to his bed. Of his thick black hair had been a strand into his forehead. Meg couldn't resist she had to move the strand form his forehead. The man moaned and opened slowly the eyes in this moment. He looked with tow blue eyes at Meg whose colour was indescribable.

Man: "Where, where am I?"

Meg: "You are in the hospital of Ludlow. I'm Doctor Meg Cummings."

Man: "How did I come here?"

Meg: "You are almost run into my car. Where did you get the cut at your head from?"

Man: "I don't know it."

Meg: "Well, I then still need your name for our documents."

Man: "Oh my God! I can't remember my name! Who I am?"(I think you are all know who the man is, aren't you? - Anja)

Chapter 02

Man: "Oh my God! I can't remember my name! Who I am?"

Meg: "Schsch, please calm down."

Man: "No, you don't understand me, I don't know who I am!"

Meg gave the man a smile and as a reassuring she put her hand on his arm. A shower passed through the man, but this touch and this smile just helped him to relax.

Meg: "You have a head injury and sometimes it happens after that that the patients temporarily suffer under memory loss."

Man: "And how long stops something like that, as a rule?"

Meg: "This is quite different. Sometimes only a couple of hours, sometimes a couple of days or weeks, but sometimes also ... "

Man: "For ever?"

Meg: "This quite seldom happens. If a human loses the memory, it is one mostly self-protection of the body and stops as long as the body or the soul needs to regenerate around himself."

Man: "And how long will it stop with me?"

Meg gave him a smile again.

Meg: "I can't say this at moment. You have a cut, which I have sewn. I also have had your head X-rayed to go for certain that there isn't a fracture. We only can wait at the moment. If you haven't got back your memory till tomorrow early, I still will have a couple of tests to make."

For the first time, the man gave Meg a smile.

Man: "Thank you Doc."

Meg: "Hey, this is why I'm here."

The telephone rang at this moment. Meg went to her desk over and removed the listener.

Meg: "Country Hospital Ludlow, Dr. Cummings is speaking."

Jim: "Hi Meg. It's me, Jim."

Meg: "Hi Jim, are there something news over my patient?"

Jim: "No. We haven't found any car or anything else which could point to this which had happened. And do you have something news?"

Meg: "Well, the good news is, he is awake."

Jim: "The good news? Then there is a bad too?"

Meg: "Yes, he lost his memories at the moment and can't remember nothing, not even to his name."

Jim: "And how long will this stop?"

Meg: "Something like that can't be predicted. Early tomorrow I still will make a couple of tests in any case."

Jim: "Well, I'll have a look through all missing person indications of the last days in the meantime, maybe I'll find something there."

Meg: "Good Jim and please let me know, if you find something out."

Jim: "Of course. But you also. Bye."

Meg: "Bye Jim."

Meg established the listener.

Man: "This was possible just around me anyway, wasn't it?"

Meg: "Yes, this was Jim. He is a police officer and a good friend of mine. He has looked around in the place where I have found you. Unfortunately, he couldn't find any clues to your identity."

Man: "And now, what shall become from me now?"

Meg: "Slow. We still don't know at all, for how long you lost your memories and Jim does everything what in his power stands to find out, you are who."

Man: "May I ask you something Doc?"

Meg: "Of course! What would you like to know?"

Man: "Where I'm here actually?"

Meg: "You are here in the Country Hospital of Ludlow, Kansas."

Man: "Aha, Ludlow in the lovely Kansas. Here it likes me."

He gave a smile to Meg at these words and Meg smiled back.

Meg: "I completely have the impression, you are flirting with me."

Man: "I try my best."

Meg laughed and looked at her watch.

Meg: "I must make my rounds now. When I'm back again, we consider a temporary name for you at once. I finally must address you somehow."

Man: "Good Doc, but don't you stay away too long."

Meg: "I'll hurry and if something should be, you ring simply after the nurse."

Meg smiled at him.

Meg: "I won't need for a long time and you try to relax in the meantime, promised?"

Man: "Promised."

Meg left the room. The man leant back and closed the eyes. He saw the face of the young woman doctor in front of himself and had to smile.

"I but don't know where I come from and who I am," he thought "but here likes me."

When Meg came back half an hour later, he had fallen asleep. She sat down at her desk again and concentrated on her work. The rest of the night went quietly. Meg looked at her watch and found out that her shift would be over in one hour.

Man: "Hi Doc."

Meg got up of her desk and went over to the bed of the man.

Meg: "Hi! How do you feel? Have you a headache?"

Man: "On the whole I feel quite good. I don't have any headache. I only still can't remember anything."

Meg smiled at him.

Meg: "Don't worry. This morning, I still will arrange for a couple of tests. But we still consider a name for you before. Have already you thought about this?"

Man: "Not really. Perhaps you have a suggestion?"

Meg: "Let me think about it. How it would be with John?"

Man: "This sounds good."

Meg: "Well, you are then John as from now. And you still need a last name now. You have a so nice British accent, what it would be like with English?"

John: "No! Not English!"

Horrifies John looked at Meg.

Meg: "Good, we will already find another name."

John: "Good, everything, but don't English. You simply call me Smith."

Meg: "Good, Mr. John Smith. So now I'll arrange some tests that you'll go on. We then see each other again tonight."

John: "You don't want to leave me, do you?"

Meg: "My shift is finished now, but tonight I'm back here."

John: "However, this will become a long lonesome day for me."

Meg: "Don't worry, you will be busy with the tests."

John: "And you really come back tonight?"

Meg: "Yes, I have night shift once again."

John: "Good, see you tonight. Bye."

Meg: " Bye John and try you to relax."

Meg gave him a smile once again, took his file and left the room.

Chapter 03

Meg sat at the kitchen table and was recessed into a medical book.

Joan: "Meg, you should put aside the book and start your breakfast."

Meg: "Hmm, what did you say Mum?"

She looked confusedly up of her book.

Joan: "I said you should put aside the book and start with your breakfast."

Meg: "You are right, I must go soon, my shift will begin."

She put the book away and started with the meal.

Joan: "Does the man, who has lost his memory, still keep busy you?"

Meg: "John have already been in the hospital for 5 days now and he still can't remember anything. And there still aren't any allusions to his identity."

Joan: "It must be terrible not to know who one is and where one belongs."

Meg: "Yes and he is a so nice and lovable man. I don't understand why he isn't missed anywhere."

Joan: "And what will happen with him, if he is discharged from the hospital?"

Meg: "Well, this is also such a problem. He could already actually be dismissed, since everything is all right physically again. But where shall he stay then?"

Joan: "Hmm, how would it be, if you bring him to us? He can still recover further and wonder what he'll do with his life."

Meg: "You are the best Mum. I have whole the time thought about, how I can help him."

Joan: "Good. When will you bring him?"

Meg: "If it will okay with you, directly today. I think John will be glad to come out from the hospital."

Joan: "Well, then I'll prepare the guest-room."

Meg looked at her watch.

Meg: "I must go. See you tonight, bye."

Joan: "See you, bye."

Meg made herself in a good mood on the way to the hospital. When she arrived there, she went directly to John's room. She knocked at the door.

John: "Come in!"

Meg entered the room.

Meg: "Good morning John. How are you?"

John smiled at Meg.

John: "I'm always feeling very good, when you enter the room."

Meg blushed.

Meg: "What do you think about leaving the hospital today?"

John made a sad face.

John: "Do you mean this seriously?"

Meg: "Yes. You aren't pleased at all, to finally get out of here?"

John: "Of course, but....."

Meg: "What but?"

John: " Firstly I don't know where I shall go and then secondly I don't get see you any more, Doc."

Again Meg blushed.

Meg: "And if I tell you now, that I wanted to invite you to live with my parents and me on the farm?"

John smiled at Meg.

John: "If you mean this seriously, I am very pleased about it. I can imagine the life on a farm is wonderful."

Meg: "It's settled then?"

John: "Yes."

The two looked each other deep in the eyes for a moment.

Meg: "Well, then I'll come and get you at 5 this afternoon, when my shift is over."

John: "Good, I'll wait for you here."

Meg left the room.

The hours passed quickly and punctual at 5 o'clock Meg knocked at the door of John's room again.

John: "Come in!"

Meg entered the room.

Meg: "Are you ready John?"

John: "Yes, let us go."

They left the room and the hospital together. They climbed into Meg's car and drove off.

Meg: "John, what do you think of this, if we still go to town briefly and buy a couple of things for you. I think you have just this suit and this one is far too fine for the life on a farm.

John: " Hmm, this is already correct, but I don't have any money anyway."

Meg: "You can pay it back to me later."

John: "Thank you Doc, you really get it back."

Meg: "John?"

John: "Yes Doc?"

Meg: "We are no more in the hospital now. Please, call me Meg."

John: "Okay Meg."

The both drove to town and bought a few jeans, shirts and a couple of Cowboy boots for John. He kept a jeans, shirt and the boots at once.

Meg: "The things suit you excellently."

John: "Thank you Meg, thank you for everything."

Meg: "It's pleasure John. Let us drive. My parents are already waiting for us."

They climbed in Meg's car again and made themselves on the way to the Cummings farm. After 10 minutes running time they arrived there. When Joan saw, that Meg drove up, she came from the house and her husband, Hank Cummings, also came out of the barn over here. Meg parked the car directly in front of the house and the two got out.

Meg: "John, may I introduce my parents Joan and Hank Cummings to you."

John shook hands with both of them.

John: "Mrs. Cummings, Mr. Cummings nice to meet you and thank you for letting me stay here for a while."

Joan: "You're welcome John and it a pleasure to have you here. But please call me Joan."

Hank: "And I'm Hank."

Joan: "Now let's us go into the house, the dinner is ready. Later Meg can show you around on the farm."

All four entered the house. Joan had set the table in the kitchen. As a dinner she served a meat loafs, fresh maize and potatoes. They sat down at the table and started with great appetite to eat.

Joan: "Would you still like more meat loaf John?"

John: "No thanks, it was exquisite, but I had enough."

Joan: "Meg, what do you think, if you show John around the farm now?"

Meg: "Shouldn't I help you with the dishes?"

Joan: "No, I make already this. A little fresh air will be good for you."

Meg: "Good. John do you feel like for a little guided tour?"

John: "Oh yes, that would be great. I would like to go for a walk after all the days in the hospital."

Meg: "Good, then let us go."

They got up and left the house.

Meg: "What would you like to see first? The stables, the barn or the pastures?"

John: "Mmm, first the pastures. Later we still can look at the stables and the barn."

Meg: "Well, but then we must walk for a while."

John: "This doesn't matter."

Meg led him along a way through the fields. They walked a while silently beside each other. John watched Meg at this how she enjoyed the fresh air and the wind played with her hair.

John: "Meg, do you think that I ever get my memory back?"

Meg: "John you should not give up the hope. Sometimes it needs only a little push and the memory is back again."

John: "However, where shall this little push come from?"

Meg: "This often happens quite suddenly and unexpectedly. John, enjoy your life and look forward in the future."

John: "But how shall I do this, if I don't even know yet who I am and where I come from."

Meg: "I'm convinced, that there somewhere are people who is missing you and looking everywhere for you. The police do their best to find out, who you are."

John: "But they search already so long without success now anyway."

Meg: "John considers, America is a big country and as it looks, you don't come from the area here. It perhaps still will need some time, but I'm sure, that the police find out who you are."

John sighed.

John: "I hope you will be right."

Meg: "Trust me John, all your questions will be answered one day. And till then you are to relax and don't brood, this is a medical order."

John: "Okay, I want to try it."

Meg: "Good and I'll try to help you with this. However, now we should go back, it gets slowly dark."

John: " I want to thanks once more, that you made it possible, that I can stay here."

Meg: "You're welcome."

The both went slowly back to the house.

Chapter 04

Two days later.

Hank watched John from the stable door as he curried with the horses and talk to them gently. Hank was sure that this wasn't the first time John worked with horses. Hank slowly went into the stable.

Hank: "Hi John! How are you?"

John: "Hi Hank. Thanks, I'm fine. I'm feeling very well. Thanks again, for letting me stay here with you."

Hank: "You're welcome. I get the impression, that you don't work with horses for the first time."

John: "You really have a couple of terrific horses here. I particularly like the black one here."

Hank: "This is actually Meg's horse. But unfortunately she hasn't much time to ride on Prince."

John: "Well, she is working too much, isn't she?"

Hank: "Yes. Since she noticed that Tim, her ex-fiancé, had fallen in love with another woman, she buries herself in work."

John: "Meg was engaged?"

Hank: "Yes, Tim Truman was her first love. She always say, that she is over it, but she doesn't really enjoy life because she work to much."

John: "You are worried about Meg, aren't you?"

Hank: "Which father wouldn't be? I'm just would like my little girl to be happy. Well, the next three days she has off from work. She has promised to take care of the farm, while Joan and I are away."

John: "Oh, you are going away? Joan still has said nothing at all of this."

Hank grinned.

Hank: "That's why she still don't know we are. We have our 35th wedding anniversary tomorrow and I'll surprise her with a short trip to Las Vegas. Only Meg knows and has promised me to tell her mother nothing about it."

John: "A very beautiful idea. I'll help Meg so good as I can."

Hank: "Thanks. And I hope Meg will think about other thing than her work."

John: "And when you'll drive off?"

Hank: "Still tonight. Our airplane takes off at 8.00 o'clock. I wanted to ask you. If you can take Joan and me to the airport?"

John: "I like to do this. When we shall drive off?"

Hank: "In two hours."

John: "Oh then Joan hasn't much time to pack."

Hank grinned again.

Hank: "Meg has already done this in secret for her. Joan needs after all only to get into the car."

John laughed now, too.

John: "Good, I'll be there in time."

Hank: "Thanks."

John: "Nothing to it. This is the least I can do for you anyway."

Hank left the stable again and John provided further the horses. He joyfully remembered that Meg would be at home the next three days.

In the meantime in Sunset Beach/California

Mark Wolper entered the building of the SBPD and reached directly the desk of detective Ricardo Torres.

Mark: "Hi Ricardo, do you have time for a moment?"

Ricardo: "Hi Mark. Of course, what do you want?"

Mark: "I'm worried about Ben."

Ricardo: "Why? What is with Ben?"

Mark: "He has been missing for a couple of days."

Ricardo: "How do you mean, he is missing?"

Mark: "Well, he claimed to be alone a couple of days. You know Maria's day of death was two weeks ago."

Ricardo: "You don't need to remind me of when my sister died."

Mark: "I know, she was your sister, but also Ben's wife and he also isn't over her death after three years."

Ricardo: "It finally has been his fault, that Maria drowned."

Mark: "Ricardo, Ben tried everything to save Maria. Stop now with that. I'm really worried about Ben."

Ricardo: "Well, well. Since when has Ben disappeared, then?"

Mark: "For almost two weeks already. He actually wanted to stay away only a couple of days. He didn't want to be in Sunset Beach the Maria's day of death. After three days he briefly reported to me and told me, that he would be home in a short time."

Ricardo: "Ben is an adult man, perhaps he simply went on vacation somewhere."

Mark: "You know Ben, he doesn't do this. Ricardo can try to find something out?"

Ricardo: "Do you know, where he was?"

Mark: "No, he had only told, me he wants to be somewhere, where nothing reminds him of Maria."

Ricardo: "Mmm, then this will get very difficult. Have you asked Annie, if she know something?"

Mark: "Annie has been out of town the last three weeks. Today she will be back from New York."

Ricardo: "Good. The most that I can do at the moment is to check his credit cards. Maybe we receive a note through this."

Mark: "Thanks Ricardo. Please, let me know, if you get to know something."

Ricardo: "Of course. However, don't worry about Ben so much, he can look after himself very well."

Mark: "Yes, nevertheless I have a bad feeling. Bye Ricardo."

Ricardo: "Bye Mark!"

Back again in Ludlow

Punctual John waited for Joan and Hank in the car two hours later. Hank came out from the house with a suitcase in the one and Joan at his other hand.

Joan: "Can't you finally tell me, where you want to take me Hank?"

Hank: "No Jonie, this is a surprise."

Joan: "However, we can't leave here everything!"

Hank: "We can. Meg has taken a couple of days off and John also wants to help. Let's go!"

Joan laughed.

Joan: "Hank Cummings, you are unbelievable."

They got into the car with John and he drove off. When John came back from the airport after two hours, Meg had prepared a dinner for them both. They sat down at the kitchen table and started to eat.

John: "Your father told me, that Prince is your horse."

Meg: "Yes, I got him at my 16th birthday. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to ride lately."

John: "Yes, your father also told me this. He is worried, that you work too much."

Meg smiled.

Meg: "Typical Dad. He thinks I'm still his little girl."

John: "But isn't this normal for a father?"

Meg: "Can be. However, since I have left Tim it has gotten particularly bad."

John: "He only want that you are happy. What do you think of this, if we go together for a ride tomorrow?"

Meg: "Mmm, to once again go for a ride would be great, but I don't know if I'll have the time for this tomorrow?"

John: "Why not? Hank has told me that you have taken the next days off."

Meg: "This is right, but there is still some things here to do ."

John: "I'm still here and can help you."

Meg: "You are our guest."

John: "But I'm really pleased to help. In addition, it's a way to say thank-you for the hospitality of your family."

Meg: "Mmm, good...."

John: "It's settled. Tomorrow after the lunch we go for a ride together."

Meg: "Okay, tomorrow after the lunch. What do you think of this, if I make us a coffee?"

John: "Sounds good, but let me do this. You have had an exhausting day in the hospital."

Meg: "Okay, but then I'll wash the dishes."

John: "Not be possible at all. You get into the living room and relax and I'll wash the dishes. When I'm ready with this, I'll bring the coffee and we still can talk for a while."

Meg: "However, this really isn't possible now."

John: "So? And why not?"

Meg: "I don't know. I can't let you do all the work alone."

John: "Hey, you have already cooked, therefore I can wash the dishes."

He got up and pulled Meg up of her chair and led her into the living room.

John: "Here Meg, sit down in the armchair in front of the fireplace and relax and I'll come back as soon as I'm ready in the kitchen."

Meg: "But........."

John: "No buts!"

He looked at Meg and smiled.

Meg: "Ok you win."

John: "Well, I'll soon back with the coffee."

He went into the kitchen again and started to wash the dishes. When he returned with two cups of coffee into the living room 20 minutes later, he noticed the Meg had fallen asleep.

"Oh Meg," he thought" do you know, how beautiful you are? What shall I do with you now? I can't let you sit in the armchair the whole night anyway."

He raised Meg carefully from the armchair and carried she up into her bedroom. He carefully put her on her bed, took her shoes off and covered her up.

"Sleep well." whispered John, left the room and closed quietly the door behind him.

Chapter 05

Full of energy John woke up the next morning. He got up and took a shower. Cheerfully he remembered that he would go for a ride after lunch with Meg. In a good mood he put his jeans and a pullover on. He briefly stopped at Meg's room on the way to the kitchen. Quietly he opened the door and saw in. Meg was still asleep. As quietly as he had opened the door as quietly he closed it again. In the kitchen he first made coffee. Then he prepared a few sandwiches and sat down at the table to eat and drink his coffee. When he had finished, he put the remaining sandwiches into the refrigerator and poured the coffee into a thermos jug. He took a piece of paper and wrote a message to Meg, which he pinned on the refrigerator door.

He left the house and went over into the stable. First he fed the chickens and pigs. When he had finished this, he cleaned up the stable. After this he went over to the horses. He provided they with oat and fresh water and also clean up this stable. When he had finished with that, he started to curry Prince. He softly talked with the horse at this.

John: "Do you know, that you are exactly as beautiful as your mistress? She has lovely eyes and I would like to take her in my arms and kiss her. Do you think she would like this?"

As Meg woke up, she noticed that she has slept in her clothes.

" Oh," she thought "I must have fallen asleep in the living room and John has taken me to bed."

She got up in a good mood. As she looked at the watch, she got frightened as it was almost noon already. She remembered, that she wanted to go for a ride together with John after lunch. She went fast into the bathroom to take a shower. During the shower, she got the idea, that a picnic would be better than a lunch. She got out from the shower and dried herself. She put on blue Jeans and a sweater. Cheerfully Meg went down into the kitchen. She found the note from John at the refrigerator door.

Hey sleepyhead,

finally woke up? Coffee is in the thermos jug and a couple of sandwiches are in the refrigerator. I'm outside.

John

Meg smiled, as she read the message. She poured herself a cup of coffee and started to pack everything together for a picnic. After this she went outside to search for John. She found him in the stable with the horses. She stopped in the door and watched John at this as he curried Prince and during this he spoke softly with him. Suddenly John looked up and they saw each other deep into the eyes for a moment.

John: "Good morning sleepyhead. Have you slept well?"

Meg: "Good morning John. Yes, I have slept very well, thank you. However. you didn't have to take me into my room last night."

John: "I didn't want to wake you up, you slept so tightly. However, you couldn't spend the whole night in the chair either."

Meg smiled.

Meg: "Thanks."

John: "It was my pleasure."

Meg: "And have you also slept well?"

John: "Yes like a baby."

Both laughed.

Meg: "So and what must still be done here?"

John: "Well nothing, all the animals are fed and the stables I have also cleaned up."

Meg: "John! You shouldn't have done this alone."

John: "I have enjoyed it. Fortunately you don't have any cows, which must be milked, that I certainly wouldn't have fixed."

Meg laughed.

Meg: "Who knows, with all your many talents, you would certainly have made it. So since you have done the whole work alone, what do you think of this, if we go for a ride now and take everything along for a picnic?"

John: "Sounds great. I'll take a quick shower and get changed."

Meg: "Good. I saddle the horses in the meantime. I think, the best would be, if you ride on Lucky. He is not quite as vivacious as my Prince."

John: "Lucky is the great brown one, isn't he?"

Meg: "Yes, however don't be afraid, he is quite gently."

John: "I'm not afraid, I trust you completely."

They saw each other deep into the eyes for the second time in this morning.

John: ", Ehm, I think ......I believe ......I should better go to take that shower now."

Meg: "Yes."

John smiled at Meg and then he went back into the house.

Meg sighed. For a moment, she wished, she had pulled John's face to herself and kissed him.

"Stop dreaming Meg." thought she "A man like John surely has a wife and children. Such a man certainly isn't alone."

She sighed once again and started to saddle the horses. When she was ready, she went back into the house. She almost at this ran in John's arm.

John: "Ops! Where you so quick?"

Meg: "Ehm, I only wanted just to fetch everything for our picnic. I just got back again."

John: "Good."

John went out to the horses and Meg went into the kitchen and fetched everything, which they needed for the picnic. With the things she went outside again and packed everything into the saddlebags. John kept the horses and watched Meg at this. When Meg had put everything in place she smiled at John.

Meg: "Ready? Shall we start?"

John smiled back.

John: "Yes, we can try it."

Meg: "Don't worry, you'll certainly make it. The way you handle the horses, you certainly have ridden before."

Both sat up and started slowly to ride. At first Meg observed John, but soon she got the feeling, that John could ride very good.

Meg: "You do very good."

John: "Thanks. It's easier than I thought."

They silently rode beside each other for a while. John couldn't stop to observe Meg. The wind played with her long brown hair and Meg tried again and again to paint a strand from her face. They rode along the fields first. A short time later they reached a little wood.

Meg: "There is a little clearing with a lake in the wood. This is one of my favourite places. Shall we ride and have our picnic there?"

John: "Sounds great."

They followed the woodland path and reach the clearing after 15 minutes. The sight was breathtaking. The lake lay there quietly and the colours of the fall leaves were mirrored in the water again.

John: "This is really a very beautiful place."

Meg: "Yes. I have always come here, when I wanted to be alone."

John: "I can understand this very well."

They got off their horses. Meg spread the blanket she had brought and started to unpack the meal. Both sat down.

Meg: "Go on, you must be hungry after all the work."

John: "Yes."

Both silently enjoyed the meal. When they have finished the meal, Meg packed the remains back into the saddlebags again.

Meg: "John? Shall we to ride just back or shall we stay here a little bit longer?"

John: "I would still like to stay a while. It is so peacefully here."

They both laid on the blanket. Meg nipped off a short time later. John laid next to Meg and watched her. A strand of hair had fallen into her beautiful face and John couldn't resist to stroke it away from Meg face. Meg slowly opened her eyes. She looked directly in John's eyes. They looked each other deeply in the eyes for a moment, then John bent forward and kissed Meg tenderly. At first Meg was surprised, but then she replied the kiss and it became more passionately. They were both breathlessly, when they broke loose of each other again.

Meg: "Wow, you know how to kiss a woman."

John: "I've wanted to do this from the first moment, when I have woken up in the hospital and saw you standing in front of me."

Once more he pulled Meg to himself and kissed her. Meg replied this kiss first too, but she suddenly broke loose form John and shoved him away easily.

John: "Meg? Did I anything wrong?"

Meg: "No John. It's only, we still don't know, who you actually are."

John: "Are you afraid, that I'm a bad person?"

Meg: "No John, no this isn't it. You aren't a bad person, I can feel this. I'm, simply afraid for this ....."

John: "For what are you afraid?"

Meg: "I am afraid of this, that a woman waits for you somewhere. A woman who loves you and whom you love."

John: " Mmm and if there isn't any other woman?"

Meg: "I don't know. We should wait till we know who you are."

John: "Well, however I believe that I never had such feelings for a woman as I have for you."

Meg: "Please, stop, John. We better ride back to the farm before we do something, that we will regret afterwards."

They silently rode back. When they arrived on the farm, they saddled the horses of and provided for them together.

John: "Meg?"

Meg: "Yes?"

John: "Thanks for this beautiful afternoon."

Meg: "It was my pleasure and I also have enjoyed the afternoon."

Both returned silently in the house. Meg frightened when the telephone rang. She removed the listener.

Meg: "Meg Cummings!"

Jim: "Hi Meg! It's me Jim."

Meg: "Hi Jim. Are there any news?"

Jim: "Yes. Could I speak with John?"

Meg: "Of course."

She passed the listener on to John.

John: "Hello!"

Jim: "Hi John. Here is officer Jim Miller."

Jim: "Oh, hello officer."

Jim: "John could you come to the police station?"

John: "Did you find something out about me?"

Jim: "Yes, however, I wouldn't like to tell you this on the telephone."

John: "Well, I'll come at once. Jim?"

Jim: "Yes John?"

John: "Do you know who I am?"

Jim: "Yes, however, I'll tell you this, when you are here."

John: "I'll come as fast as I can. See you."

Jim: "See you."

John established the listener and turned round to Meg.

John: "Jim has found out who I am!"

Meg hugged John.

Meg: "John this is wonderful."

John: "I shall come to him at once, and then he tells me everything. Meg?"

Meg: "Yes John?"

John: "Do you like to accompany me? I'm a little afraid of what I will find out."

Meg smiled at him.

Meg: "I very much like to accompany you."

They left the house and drove to the police station.