Chapter 11

 

 

 

After Ben have gone through some papers together with Mark for two hours, his head started to buzzing.

 

Ben: "Was this everything for now, Mark?”

 

Mark: "I guess. And sorry once again, that I have annoyed you already today with that, but these orders can’t be made without your signature."

 

Ben: "Mark, that’s okay. Even if I don't remember at the moment I am still the owner of the Java Web and the Deep.”

 

Marks: "However, you still need rest and I guess, that a pretty woman doctor waits for you at home."

 

Ben smiled at the thoughts on Meg.

 

Ben: "You are absolute right there and Meg is really beautiful, isn’t she? Oh, I just remember, we had a strange visitor last night. Do you know a woman with the name Annie D….”

 

Mark: "Oh, don't tell me, that Annie has already showed up at your place.”

 

Ben: "Yes, last night, she suddenly showed up. Do you know maybe, if I had once a relationship with that woman?”

 

Mark: "I bet if you ask Annie, then you belongs to her. You are very good friends now. Annie was the best friend of your wife Maria and you two have already gone through a lot together. But as far as I know, there was nothing between you both. But on the other hand, you have never spoken much about something like that and Annie has a key to your house and can show up in your house at day and night.”

 

Ben sighed.

 

Ben: "Okay, I think, then I must speak with Annie about this at once. It wouldn't be good, if she can go in and out at my place.”

 

Mark grinned.

 

Mark: "I don't envy you this."

 

Ben: "I will leave now. If something comes up, just call me.”

 

Mark: "I will, but you should rest now.”

 

When Ben wanted to leave the Deep, he bumped in the door into a dark-haired man.

 

Ricardo: "Ah Evans, I heard that you are back."

 

Ben wrinkled the forehead and looked at this, for him strange, man.

 

Ben: "I am back since yesterday and who are you?”

 

Ricardo: "Do you just say that or do you really don’t know who I am?”

 

Ben: "I am sorry but I have amnesia.”

 

Ricardo: "How practical for you Evans. So you have also forgotten what you have done to my sister?"

 

Ben: "Pardon?”

 

Ricardo: " I am Ricardo Torres, the brother of…"

 

Ben: "Maria, my died wife."

 

Ricardo: “Oh look, you still remember her?”

 

Ben: "No, I have merely read it in the documents over myself".

 

Ricardo: "Don’t think that you will come through with it. I will prove that it was your fault that Maria drowned.”

 

Ben got angry and his head slowly started to be sore.

 

Ben: "I am sorry about what happened to Maria. But I can’t talk about something about that I can’t remember. If you will excuse me now, I have to leave.”

 

Ben shoved Ricardo aside.

 

Ricardo: " Remember always, that I will I watch you very well Evans.”

 

Ben: "Do what ever you want.”

 

Ben climbed into his car and drove back to his house. Before he opened the front door, he rubbed his forehead being sore once again and took a deep breath.

 

Ben: "Meg I am back!”

 

Ben didn't get any answer. He went upstairs.

 

Ben: "Meg you are here?"

 

He opened the bedroom door and looked inside.

 

Ben: "Meg? Have you laid down for a nap?"

 

But the bedroom was also empty. Ben looked in every room at the upper floor, but nowhere could he discover a trace of Meg. Then he went downstairs again.

 

Ben: "Meg are you here?"

 

He searched over all rooms, unfortunately without success also here. Then he stepped out on the terrace. He looked down at the beach.

 

Ben: "Maybe she takes a walk on the beach."

 

Ben took a deep breath, because the pain in his head grown more and more. He decided to go in again and to take one of the pills, which Meg has given him. He found the little bottle with the pills in drawer of his night table. He took one and decided to lay down on the sofa in the living room for a while. So he wouldn’t miss Meg, when she returned. He went down into the living room. When he sat down on the sofa, he noticed an envelope with his name on it at the table. He took the envelope into his hand and opened this. He got the letter out and started to read.

 

Dear Ben

 

To write these lines is the hardest thing to do in my life. When I met you the first time and looked into your blue eyes, I fell in love with you.  The more I got to know you the more my love to you grew deeper.

 

The evening, when you told me about your feelings for me, was the happiest evening in my whole life and I never will forget this night, it’s burning deep into my heart.

 

 

It’s so hard for me, that do what I must do now, but we have agreed on, that if you would have a family in Sunset Beach, we wouldn't destroy this. Everything looked good for us first, but then, Annie Douglas appeared. I know you have assured me last night, that you feel nothing for Annie, but there are more between you two.

 

Ben, it is difficult for me to tell this to you, but Annie was here this morning once again and we talked. I have found out, that Annie is pregnant. She expects your baby as she assured it to me. She and the baby need you now.

 

I won’t make the farewell to us harder, so I will leave as long as you are still with Mark in the Deep. Ben, I ask you for, not try to get in touch with me. I will still make use of my vacation and will go somewhere. The time with you was wonderful and I will never forget it, but now it’s time for me to let you go. You have another life, a life into I don't fit.

 

Good bye!

 

Love

Meg

 

Ben sat there stiffened and had to read the letter three times before he understood what had happened there. Meg had left him and Annie was going to have his baby. Ben didn't know how long he sat there and stared at the letter when the doorbell rang. A little hope came back to him and he rushed to the door and opened it. But he was disappointed.

 

Ben: "Annie!"

 

Annie shoved herself past Ben and entered the house.

 

Annie: "Right, it’s me, darling."

 

She looked around and couldn’t discover a trace of Meg.

 

Annie: "Where is Meg, then? We had a nice conversation this morning.”

 

Ben moaned.

 

Ben: "That I can imagine, because that she left.”

 

Ben closed the front door.

 

Ben: "She has left a letter for me, in which she writes, you would expect a baby from me, is this true?”

 

Annie: "I’m sorry, that you have learnt it in this way, but it’s true, we both gonna have a baby"?

 

Ben felt as if the ground was just pulled away from him and he blacked out.

 

 

 

Chapter 12

 

Annie looked at the unconscious Ben on the floor.

Annie: "Ben, what's wrong?"

She kelt down next to Ben and tried to wake him up, but it didn't work. Then she looked around in the room and discovered a vase with flowers. She jumped up, pulled the flowers out of the vase and tilted the water into Ben's face.

Annie: "Ben please wake up!"
 
Slowly Ben opened his eyes.

Ben: "What happened?"

He sat up and looked around.

Ben: "Annie what are you doing here?"
 
Annie: "Are you okay Ben? You scared me."

Slowly Ben got up.

Ben: "Yes, but now just tell me, what you are doing here?"

 

Annie: "That's such a stupid question. I just told you, that we will have a baby and you fainted."

Ben laughed dryly.

 

Ben: "Shall wee both have a baby? How did you get this idea?"

Annie: "How I got this idea? Before you left for Kansas, you finally told me, that you love me and we made love."

Ben shook his head.

Ben: "We haven't done anything like that."

Annie: "Come on Ben, you just can't remember it yet."

Ben: "I am sure, I would remember something like that."

Annie stamped with the foot.

 

Annie: "You are mean. You just don't want to remember it, but I am pregnant now. I have finally managed to comfort you over Maria's death."

Ben: "Maria!"

 

Ben turned around and ran over to the front door.
 
Annie: "What are you thinking, you can't leave now. We have to talk a lot. Our wedding…"

Ben turned briefly around again.
 
Ben: "Just stop it Annie. We never made love. If you are pregnant, then it isn't  baby. Please close the door behind you, when you are leaving."

Annie didn't get the chance, to replay something, because Ben already has left the house.

Ricardo's apartment

Breathless Ben stood in front of Ricardo's apartment and knocked at the door.

 

Ben: "Ricardo, if you are at home, please open the door."

 

The door opened a moment later.

Ricardo: "Hey Evans, is your guilty conscience taking you by?"

Ben shoved Ricardo aside and entered the apartment.

Ben: "Just skip it. I haven't killed Maria."

Ricardo: "Well, I am of a different opinion there."

Ben: "That I know, but Maria is alive."

Ricardo looked surprised at Ben.

Ricardo: "Are you completely crazy now?"

Ben shook his head.

Ben: "Not at all. I just got my memory back."

Ricardo: "So sudden?"

Ben nodded.

Ben: "Yes. Meg, my doctor said, it could be happen suddenly."

Ricardo: "And now you want to tell me, what happened with Maria?"

Ben shook his head.

Ben: "I can't, because I don't know."

Ricardo: "Listen Evans, I don't have the time for such games."

Ben grabbed Ricardo's arm.

Ben: "Ricardo, you just don't understand. I have seen Maria. In Kansas, just before I lost my memories."

Ricardo starred confused at Ben.

Ricardo: "What do you mean?"

Ben rubbed his forehead.

Ben: "Do you have a glass of water for me? Then I will tell you the whole story."

Ricardo nodded and got a glass of water for Ben.

Ricardo: "And now tell me."

Ben: "I was in Kansas City to this meeting. In the afternoon we finished early and I returned to my hotel room. I ordered some coffee and looked out of the window. Then I saw her. Maria just entered a house across the road."

Ricardo looked doubtingly at Ben.

Ricardo: "Ben that was maybe a woman, which just looked like Maria."

Ben shook his head.
 
Ben: "That I thought first too, but at the same time, I knew, that I couldn't be so wrong. I ran out and knocked at the door opposite. And then she opened the door. We both have just starred at each other. Then she said scared: Oh my God, Ben!"

Ricardo jumped up.

Ricardo: "And then you just left again? Why didn't you bring her back home?"
 

Ben: "Ricardo there is still more. Maria was pregnant, well advanced in pregnancy. I didn't know what to say. I then heard a noise behind myself. From the eye angle I just still could recognize Derek, then I got a blow on the head and everything got dark around me. I then woke up in the hospital."

Ricardo: "With the alleged amnesia."

Ben: "I really had amnesia."

Ricardo crossed the arms in front of the chest.

 

Ricardo: "I don't believe any word of it, Evans. You only try to turn away from your crime. If Maria would still be alive, she would have let me know." 

Ben shook his head.

 

Ben: "I am not so sure about it. It seems that she ran away with Derek…"

Ricardo dryly laughed.

Ricardo: "If Maria wanted to be with Derek, she just had to break with you."

Ben: "She knew that I wouldn't have agreed to a separation straight away. I loved her, Ricardo."

Ricardo: "Yeah, you loved her so much, that you killed her and now you are telling me this unbelievable story, so that I won't confront you with what you have done. But I won't stop."

Ben: "As you want. But I will prove you that Maria still lives. I will find her and bring back here."

Ben went over to the door.

 

Ben: "Really, I will prove it, Ricardo."