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Sunset Beach Discussion Group
Part 74:
**** The table became really quiet when the food was served by the waiters. Things were so intense on the table no one could really understand it, while now and then they exchanged a stare at Ben and Meg then at Maria. Maria thought she said enough for tonight, yet she could feel a guilty conscious rise inside her. It wasn’t her intention at all to let it go this far. She was very much aware by tomorrow everyone will be talking about what took place tonight.
Annie kissed Maria on the cheek, as Maria looked back at her. “what was that for?” “for being the best friend in the whole entire world. I’m so proud of you,” Annie tells her, while she throws a half smile back at Annie. Meg looked tensed and unease still, as Ben now and then eyed Maria.
“she’s so amazing,” Leo expresses to Emily. “how many people do you know that can make such observation.” “why are things so tense between them two?” Emily questions. “so dad, how come you left sunset beach all those years ago?” Leo changes the subject wanting to know more about Elaine and AJ’s past. AJ was quiet for few seconds. He eyed Elaine, as Jude had bad feeling against this. If his observation was correct about Elaine’s reason in coming back to Sunset beach again, then he knows the truth will burst out. “well go on Armando, tell your son the reason or do you want me to tell him instead…on how you’d failed to win as you and I both know I’m far more superior then you,” Gregory gloats.
“I left for many reasons Gregory. And one may had been the fact you indulged fake evidence on me at that trial,” AJ reminds Gregory. A smirk appeared on Gregory’s face. “I did no such thing AJ. If you have forgotten there was a witness who gave a statement of what really took place during that incident, who happened to be then Olivia Blake, who soon fell into my charms and had to marry me to become Olivia Richards,” Gregory exploits the facts. “look Leo what’s important is that the fact AJ left he married your mother and had you,” Jude interrupts.
“yes and left his pregnant girlfriend behind to raise a child on her own. A very noble thing for you to do AJ,” Gregory digs in. “remember something Gregory I knew nothing about Elaine being pregnant with my child and beside it was Elaine choice to not come away with me.” “wait a minute you wanted Elaine to leave sunset beach with you?” this was all new to Leo. “so why didn’t you Elaine?” Leo was now really interested, as well as everyone else began to pay attention to their story. “well as much as I wanted to go with your father, I couldn’t. not when I had priorities. I just couldn’t pack my bag and leave my life behind,” Elaine explains. “yeah well it wasn’t a problem for Meg,” Annie throws in. everyone ignored Annie’s comment.
“Annie behave your self,” Jude whispers in her ear. “I had Paula to think about. It wasn’t going to be fair on her if I did. It would in fact been very selfish of me I was to. But I’m surprised you didn’t receive any of my letters AJ,” Elaine mentions, although she knew the real truth. “I was travelling Elaine. Stopping from one country to another on a boat.” “you mean you’ve sailed the world!” Maria interrupts her eyes widens in excitement. “yes I have, why you seem interested,” AJ states. “that’s always been one my ambitions to sail the seven seas.” “your not jealous are you Maria?” AJ jokes. Maria laughs. “jealous, well of course I am!” as everyone burst into laughter. “you used like sailing didn’t you?” “yeah I did. Sailing was my blood. My father had boat and him and my brothers we used to go sailing with him. When he died, Ricardo continued the tradition, and the after I got married…” Maria paused, while everyone watched the emotions feel her face. She couldn’t get to finish her sentence. “you found Ben, who happened to loved being on the water as you,” Gregory finishes her sentence for her. Everyone could feel the tension rise between Ben and Maria. She wouldn’t dare look at Ben, as Ben only still eyed her. He could see she couldn’t keep on the act for any longer. Her emotions were leaking out and it clouding up the whole table.
Maria nods and throws a quick smile. “do you ever see yourself getting back on a boat?” AJ asked. Flashes of memories came flooding back of the night she almost drowned, she couldn’t crack. She closed her and took in a deep breath. “I don’t know. I don’t think I will because I have a phobia of water,” Maria fills AJ in. “although I do miss it. Its part of me and I can’t change that,” she explains. “maybe that’s what you need to do then,” AJ suggests. “what do you mean?” “maybe you need to get on a boat again and face your demons and then let them go,” AJ states. “I don’t think I’m ready to get back on a boat.” “you won’t know until you get back on it Maria. I give you and example, when you get on a two wheel bike and you fall off it. You will get back on it because you want to learn to ride it. Just like sailing. If its part of you, you can’t neglect it because all you will be doing is hurting yourself,” AJ observes.
“thank you, for being so wise,” Maria thanks him…
**** “how are things with you and Gabi?” Paula asked. Ricardo doesn’t answer. “I don’t know,” Ricardo replies. “I know I hurt you when you found out I betrayed you with your sister.” “I’m sorry I had so little faith in you to think you raped her,” Paula apologises. “I guess we both screwed up,” Ricardo implies eyeing her. “we’re humans Ricardo and we were bound to make mistake. The important part is that have we learnt from the past actions we’d made.” “I have though Paula,” Ricardo agrees. “I know you have. Your so much more wiser and you would have made a wonderful father,” Paula lets out as the tears began to fill her eyes.
“what do you mean I would have made a wonderful father?” Ricardo questioned. “I should check on Mariah,” Paula wanted to leave but Ricardo stops her back. “Paula, what the hell do you mean. Are you pregnant?”
**** “I saw an opportunity and I grabbed it,” Alex mentions talking about her career. “you have to chance everything you are for everything you want to be, just like you have to chance everything you want for everything you want to have,” Maria comments while everyone eyed in interest. “that’s also very true Maria,” Gregory states. “someone told me that a long time ago, when I was afraid of the consequences,” Maria continues and eyes Ben. It was he who told her that. “and a noble advice he gave you,” Gregory mentions. “how do you know it’s a he?” Alex wondered. “because dear, as Maria has said I am a wise person, and its only another wise person in her life that will give her such advice that she will keep and treasure,” Gregory explain. “I always had respect for you Gregory. One of the reasons was, underneath that scary surface of you, you were a loving and caring father that would do anything to protect his children. And you won’t express that side of you to anyone other then the very people who are precious to you,” Maria observes.
“not many people would say that about me Maria,” Gregory makes her aware. “I know, and just because you murdered Franchesscca Vargous some will see you as a cold blooded killer who took ones life with the intention to kill yet still didn’t get the real punishment you deserved,” Maria admits, while Gregory eyed her in great interest. “but then I see you as a loving father who was only trying to protect his children. And you know something Gregory I would have done the same if I was to be in that situation.” “you are the first person to tell me this Mariah,” Gregory lets her know. “and I guess I will be the last,” Maria replies. “well we could say the same about Elaine too,” Gregory realises. “she killed Dell Douglas due to a duress off circumstance. Elaine only killed Dell because he threatened to kill Paula, and as any loving parent she had to protect her child and did,” Gregory finishes off.
“yeah and no thanks to her I was accused of killing daddy,” Annie adds in. she still can recall al that pain, how lost she felt. “the reason we do what we do because during that time, it seems like the right thing to do. Its only later when we’ve committed the act and see the consequence its had we realise whether it was the right think we did, a bit like you,” Maria expresses to Annie. “I don’t have to list all the scheming things you have done, because you know what they are.” Annie could feel emotion fill her up. “but hey that doesn’t mean you are bad person,” Maria quickly says realising what Annie was thinking. “its just means not everyone understand you and they don’t know what your intention was. When something becomes almost goal to achieve and you get to the end of that road, you will realise that the fantasy is completely different from the reality. Things are not how you may have fantasized it to be,” Maria continues as Annie nods her head. It was all true. Annie didn’t expect all the staff she did end up the way she thought would.
“and when things don’t go according to plan. That don’t make you a failure. It only means you made a mistake and you should learn from that mistake. As human being we will make mistake and it through these mistakes we learn and we become stronger and wiser. But the most important part is have you learnt from those mistake and do you accept you were wrong. Because when someone does admit to their fault, it shows that your humble and your not arrogant and proud,” Maria expresses. “and I won’t change you for the world. Its hard to accept someone for their negative qualities they have in them, but when one as I have their respect for you will be more then ever. And besides its in your nature to scheme. Get in trouble…” tears began to discharge Annie’s cheeks, as water began to fill Maria’s eyes. “then get me involved and then Ben coming to the rescue and bailing us out. Come on lets go and freshen up,” Maria and Annie leave the table…
**** “no Ricardo I’m not pregnant,” Paula tells him. “I was pregnant with our baby when I left sunset beach,” Paula reveals. Ricardo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I started to date Joshua about 2 months after I left sunset beach, and when he found out I was expecting…we got in to a fight and he hit me, that caused me to miscarry,” Paula explain. “you mean you stayed with that scum after what he did to you?” Ricardo felt his blood beginning to boil. “I thought he changed and I wanted to tell you the truth about my pregnancy but I then found out you were with Gabi. I didn’t want to cause trouble, cause you more heartache, that’s why I didn’t come back and thought I should try and make a new life. But then when I found out everything that happened to you, your stroke, Maria coming back, Antonio betraying you, I had to come back and see you. I knew you wouldn’t hate me no more. Not when you understood.”
“who else knows?” “my Mum and Maria.” “Maria!” Ricardo couldn’t believe how he sister could keep something like this from him. “I made Maria promise not to tell you. I guess that’s one of the reason why I’ve become so attached to Mariah…”
**** “you know Maria you sound just like Father Antonio,” Emily informs her. “well where else do you think Antonio gets his wiseness from,” Maria says giving a cheeky smile back at Emily. “can I ask you something AJ about the legend?” Maria asked. “of course.” “my whole life I was told who ever you see at the far side of the pier and your eyes meets with them during the sunset you were destined to be with them,” Maria remembers. “but there’s something that doesn’t quiet makes sense to me,” she expresses. “which part Maria?” “well what made your parents sunset so different. I mean I’ve watched number of sunsets on the beach and my eyes have met with others eyes too, yet I don’t think I was destined to be them. How do you know if the legends is true or not.” She had a very good point. And AJ in away was expecting Maria to ask her that question.
He smiled at Maria. “when my father came to sunset beach and saw my mother on that beach at sunset…” AJ pauses. “he took one look her and he knew loved her instantly. His feelings for her didn’t come close to anything or anyone he felt for before. He knew he loved her and he wanted to be with her forever,” AJ explains, while Maria felt a cold shiver go down her spine. Her eyes met Bens. “and as for my mother, although she was widow at the time, when her eyes met my father she told me that she was attracted to me. She found herself drawn to him and there was something about him that made him special to her. She just didn’t know what it was.”
Maria mouth was slightly open when stared back at Ben. “so your saying your parents when they met they were physically attracted to each other?” Maria asks again her eyes still locked into Bens. “yes, you could call it love at first sight I suppose.” Maria doesn’t answer, as she lowered her gaze from Ben. “mama was right,” she thinks to herself. When she talked about Ben was her fate and she was destined to be with English, she meant Ben. True fate had taken over.
“why Maria why do you ask?” Bette was keen to know, although she knew the reason behind her question. “such detail changes the whole concept of the legend…”
