Wayside: A Serial Novel - Episode 18
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Episode 18: Dive
“Pick one,” Ben told Olivia. He outstretched his arm toward the line of Wayside’s fleet vehicles, which were parked on the first level of the parking deck adjacent to the Gateway Lodge. “Whichever you think would be most comfortable for getting some sleep while I drive.”
“Are these all yours?” Olivia eyed the lineup of cars, trucks, and SUVs.
“No, we adopted a community carshare program here,” explained Ben. “Some residents have their own vehicles parked in the upper levels of the parking decks, but most of us decided to sell or give our cars away once we moved in. We bought this fleet of vehicles and made them available for any resident to check one out and use for as long as they need. We just ask that they bring it back with a full tank of gas, or if it’s an electric vehicle, leave it plugged into a charging station for the next person who needs it. That, and report any maintenance issues they encounter to security.”
“That’s really smart,” said Olivia as she eyed each vehicle, weighing its merits. “How about that dark blue Toyota SUV?”
“You got it,” said Ben.
After they climbed into the vehicle, Ben waited for Olivia to settle into her seat and buckle up before starting the engine. Moments later, they were on I-40 Eastbound toward the coast.
“Remind me, how long is the drive?” Olivia asked. “And… also why we’re going?”
“It’s around six hours,” said Ben.
“Yikes,” Olivia winced. “I didn’t realize it was that long a haul.”
“I mentioned it yesterday,” said Ben. “Do you remember, we spoke about it over dinner? I told you I own a home on the coast, and I thought it would be nice for us to get away from Wayside for a bit and talk about some things there before you finish up your visit.”
“Yeah… I vaguely remember. I’m sorry, Ben, I was kind of glued to my phone yesterday evening. Between looking for a makeup tutorial video for the dance and trying to answer texts, I wasn’t giving you my full attention. I’m still really worried about my mom. And… some other things. Anyway, I apologize. It was rude of me.”
“It’s okay. Hopefully I can help you figure some things out. We’ll talk about it all tomorrow.”
Ben’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached for it, handing it to Olivia.
“Can you see who’s messaging me? I don’t want to take my eyes off the road.”
Olivia stared down at the screen. “It says ‘2 notifications from Josina Hussein.”
The phone buzzed again.
“Josina Hussein sent an image,” read Olivia. “And another image. Can’t see what the pictures are. Do you want me to enter your passcode and tell you?”
“No thanks,” said Ben. “Hopefully she's having fun at the dance and is sending pictures. I can look at them later.”
“Hey, your battery is low,” said Olivia. “I forgot to pack a charging cable. Did you bring one?”
Ben sighed loudly. “Unfortunately, I also forgot. Can you look in the glove box and the storage compartment under the drink holders? Maybe someone who used the car previously left one behind.”
Olivia searched, but to no avail. “Sorry, Ben. No luck.”
“It’s fine. I’ve got charging cables at the beach house. Just power my phone down for me for now, if you don’t mind. You might want to turn yours off too. As we get closer to the coast, the signal will get more and more spotty, so it will quickly run the batteries down.”
“Done,” said Olivia after turning both of their phones off.
“Thanks. You’re welcome to get some sleep.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Olivia kicked her shoes onto the floorboard. “I’m worn out from dancing. It was a lot of fun.” She rolled her jacket into a makeshift pillow, rested it under her neck, and reclined her seat back. “Ben?”
“Yes?”
“I just want to say thank you. For everything you’re doing to try and help me.”
“You’re welcome,” said Ben.
“I... don’t feel like I deserve it.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t know.” Olivia yawned, pulled her knees up to her chest, and rolled toward the window. “I haven’t done anything to deserve your help, your generosity.”
“Everyone needs help at some point in their lives, Olivia. People should help each other. And no one should have to worry about whether or not they’re worthy of it.”
“You’re right,” she murmured. “That’s how it should be, in a perfect world. That’s not how it is in real life.”
“Maybe not. But we’re trying to get as close as we can to a perfect world at Wayside.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I’ve seen it all week long and it’s beautiful. I wish… I wish I had known about you sooner. I wish I would have… found you before…” Olivia’s voice trailed off as she relaxed into sleep.
“Good night, Olivia.”
Ben fixed his eyes on the road and kept driving.
***
“Answer, Ben, answer!” Josina pressed the call button again, sighing with frustration when it went straight to voicemail. Resisting the urge to hurl her phone across the room, she sank down into a chair across from Joel in the Wayside security office. “He must have left for the beach already. He probably turned it off. Or maybe Olivia did.”
On the table between them, the container of vials sat waiting to be opened, like a Pandora’s box. Joel gave it a solemn look before turning his attention toward the laptop computer in front of him.
“I’ve pulled up Olivia’s visitor record,” he said. “Try calling the cell number she listed.” Joel read the digits aloud.
Josina dialed the number to find the call going straight to voicemail as well. "I wouldn't have known what to say to her, had she answered. If she's done anything to hurt him, I'm telling you right now, I can't be held responsible for my actions." She placed the phone down on the table and cracked her knuckles.
They stared at each other for several seconds.
“What do we do, Joel?” Josina’s voice warbled as her eyes drifted down toward the mysterious container on the table. Then she looked down at her hands, which were trembling in her lap. “Do you think I’ll be okay, after bringing that case to you?”
“I don’t know.” His tone was serious, his expression even more grave. “I don’t know what this is. All I know is it’s not supposed to be here. Thank God the vials are sealed and don’t appear to be tampered with. But you really should have left them where they were and called us to come onto the scene. This isn’t something we can handle ourselves, like the mural. I don’t have a choice, Josina. I’m going to have to call in Pine County Law Enforcement and—"
They both jumped in their seats, startled by a loud alert tone that sounded from Joel’s walkie talkie. He wrestled it out of his belt and pressed the talk button. “Go ahead,” he instructed.
“Joel, something’s going down at the dance,” said Randall through bursts of static. “Three people got sick out of the blue and are throwing up. A couple of others have said they’re starting to feel nauseated. There may be more affected, go ahead.”
Josina’s eyes grew wide. Oh shit, she mouthed silently to Joel.
“Roger,” Joel replied to Randall. “Can you and Mitch move those who are sick away from the rest of the crowd and ask everyone else to stay put until we figure out what’s going on? I’ll dispatch medics right now, go ahead.”
“Roger. Mitch is already on crowd control. I’m going to ask the deejay to stop the music and announce to everyone they need to take a seat and wait until we know what’s happening, go ahead.”
“Roger that.” Joel returned to his laptop, opened a computer-aided dispatch application, and keyed in the incident. Seconds later, another alert tone sounded simultaneously on all of the radios in the security office, followed by a robotic voice speaking the incident location and a quick summary of the details Randall had conveyed to Joel. Next, the emergency medical dispatcher at the Health Center chimed in over the airwaves to indicate that two ambulances had been dispatched to the Carolina Corral.
“We need to lock down the campus and begin HAZMAT protocols,” said Joel, typing frantically on the laptop keyboard. “I’m calling in everyone on the security team who’s on call this evening, then I’m going to call Pine County Law Enforcement to report these incidents. First, I’m going to send out a shelter-in-place order over the Wayside communications app. Nobody comes or goes –with the exception of law enforcement– until we know what’s going on.”
“Good,” Josina nodded, doing her best to appear composed. “I’m going to step outside and try again to call Ben.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Distracted, Joel’s eyes remained on the screen, fingers still typing.
Josina rose from her seat, stepped outside of the security office, then dashed toward the main gate, waving at the attendant in the booth to raise the barrier arm. She sprinted into the parking deck just as the lockdown message from Joel hit her phone. Ignoring it, she jumped into the nearest fleet vehicle, a small red sedan. After retrieving the key from over the visor, she started the engine.
Josina backed out of the parking space too fast, squealing tires as she threw the car into drive and sped away from the Wayside campus. She reached for her phone and dictated a text to Joel.
“I’m sorry Joel,” she began, “but I have to go after Ben. I have all confidence in you and the security team to handle everything. I’ll update you as soon as I can catch up with him.” She pressed ‘send,’ then powered her phone off.
Josina gripped the steering wheel with both hands, pressed her foot down on the gas pedal, and merged onto the interstate.
“I’m coming, Benjamin,” Josina whispered. “I’m not running away this time. I’m diving in, headfirst.”
***
Ben yawned and stretched his legs as best he could behind the wheel of the SUV. He blinked his eyes several times, witnessing the dark of night retreating from the rising sun. He’d made one stop for gas along the way. Olivia had slept soundly in the passenger seat the entire trip. At least one of them would be well rested.
Childhood memories came flooding back as he crossed the bridge to the island. Ben vividly recalled his mother in the driver’s seat, making the same trek across the bridge countless times throughout his youth. He'd often reclined the passenger seat just like Olivia had to rest during the ride home, overwhelmed from the sensory overload of shopping with his mother, visiting her friends, or even the occasional movie, concert, or sporting event. As Ben got older, his mother would make the trip to the local regional airport to pick him up during his Christmas breaks from college, as well as when he’d visit from his job on the west coast after graduation.
Crossing the bridge had always felt good to Ben. It felt like coming home.
He remembered coming home for good to care for his mother when she was discharged from the hospital in 2020, having barely survived her Covid infection. That time, he was the one to pick her up and drive her home. He was in the driver’s seat from that point forward.
Ben imagined Josina making that same drive across the bridge in 2020, heading toward her new job, her new home. It hadn’t hit him until that moment just how much strength it must have taken her to uproot her life and move to North Carolina. Ben knew he never could have done the same thing, had he been in her shoes. There would have been too many unknowns. Too much beyond his control. He loved that Josina wasn't like him in that way. She was able to face uncertainty with much more confidence and courage than he'd ever had. She was the bravest person he knew. He’d always admired that about her.
He’d always loved that about her.
He wondered if he’d ever get the chance to tell her, or if her heart already belonged to the mystery man he’d overheard her talking to inside the villa the other day. He'd come to her doorstep hoping they could have the long-awaited talk they needed to have; he left without knocking after hearing them speak about kissing each other.
As the SUV passed over a concrete speed table between the paved road and the bridge, the vehicle rattled slightly from the impact; the noisy WHUMP WHUMP WHUMP sound of tires rolling across the metal grate filled the interior.
Olivia startled awake. She looked around to see the water below them, the sunrise ahead.
“Good morning,” said Ben. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Believe it or not, I did,” said Olivia. “I told you, my mom and I moved around a lot when I was a kid, so I’m no stranger to going on long road trips and sleeping in cars. Whatever it took to get somewhere safer than the places we left behind…” her voice trailed off as she stared out the window. “Anyway… I desperately need to pee.”
“We’re almost at my house. Less than five minutes.”
"Good. I'll catch up on texts and voicemails in the meantime." Olivia reached for her phone and powered it on. "Hmm," she said a few seconds later, "It isn't finding a signal."
"That's typical out here, unfortunately," said Ben. "Sorry about that."
Olivia shifted nervously in her seat. "Well... I... um... I'll need to check in soon, to make sure my mom is okay. And to let her know I may not be back as soon as I'd originally said."
"Sure," said Ben. "Once we get to my house, we'll take a quick trip out on the water and head back shortly after. If we can't get you connected from the island, we'll head back to the mainland.
Once they crossed the bridge, Ben continued driving until they arrived at a three-way intersection. The main road ended where the oceanfront dunes began, giving Ben the option to turn left or right onto the beachfront boulevard. He turned right, driving at a snail’s pace to avoid breaking the 15 mile per hour speed limit.
Olivia craned her neck around, taking in the sights. Beach access parking every few blocks on the left, with occasional glances of rolling waves behind the dunes. On the right were beachwear shops, restaurants, ice cream shops, all with signs announcing they were closed for the season.
“Looks like a ghost town,” she observed aloud.
“In the off-season, it is,” said Ben. “It’s not a bad thing, though. I grew up here. It’s quiet, safe, and very peaceful.”
The beachfront parking lots and businesses abruptly gave way to a stretch of hotels and condominiums lining both sides of the boulevard. Less than a mile later, all of the buildings and man-made structures faded in the rearview mirror. The road continued through a wooded stretch of the island, with tall oak trees towering over them on both sides of the SUV, their branches locking together overhead.
“Almost there,” said Ben, slowing his speed a bit more through the tunnel of trees. A few minutes later, the road ended at an electronic gate. Ben reached into his wallet for a plastic keycard and swiped it over the gate’s sensor. The arm of the gate raised slowly, allowing them to pass through before closing once more.
On either side of them, sprawling mansions lined the street. Olivia swiveled her head from side to side, taking in the sight of them.
“They all look empty,” she said. “No cars in the driveways. No windows open. No lights on. Do people use these homes just during the summer?”
“For the most part, yes,” said Ben. He slowed to a near stop, making a left turn onto the paved driveway of his beach home.
“This is your place?” Olivia asked. “It’s beautiful. Looks smaller than all those other houses.”
“Not by much,” said Ben. “It’s one of the older properties on the island. Originally, it was a small beach bungalow built in the 1970s. It used to belong to a fisherman, so there’s a private pier behind it. When the original owner died, my father bought it, renovated it, and kept adding onto it to make it a vacation home. Now it’s barely recognizable from the modest little bungalow that was here originally – and a bit too indulgent for my tastes – but it’s still home for me.”
Ben put the SUV in park and cut the engine. He led Olivia inside and pointed out the bathroom, waiting for her to disappear down the hallway. Then he stepped into the kitchen to find a set of keys on the counter with a handwritten note. He lifted it to the level of his eyes and read the words aloud.
Ben,
Hello, neighbor! Thanks for renting my cabin cruiser for the day. You’ll find it docked at the end of your pier. I’ve left your spare house key on the counter next to the boat keys and I put together a picnic basket with champagne, fresh fruit, and pastries for you and your guest to enjoy out on the water today. You’ll find it in the fridge with plasticware and napkins tucked in the side pocket. Enjoy!
Jewel
P.S.
If you get the chance, stop by and say hello while you’re here. Miss seeing you around since you moved to Pine Tree!
Ben retrieved the picnic basket from the fridge and placed it atop the counter, then fumbled through the kitchen cabinets until he found a charging cable for his phone. He opened the lid of the picnic basket just as Olivia joined him in the kitchen, eyes glued to her phone.
“I still can't get a signal," she sighed as she looked up, then grinned once she spotted the picnic basket. "Please tell me that has food packed inside."
“Yes, there’s quite a spread packed up in here for us,” said Ben. “My neighbor Jewel did that for us. Her family used to spend summers here, but she and her husband divorced last year. She got their beach house, so she’s one of the few year-round residents on the island now. Jewel also got the boat in the divorce, which she rents out to people visiting the island. I snagged it for us for today.”
Lifting the lid of the basket, Olivia peered inside. “Oh wow. Everything looks amazing. What a nice perk to go with your boat rental!”
“Jewel has always been a great neighbor. Hopefully you can meet her while you’re here on the island.” Ben threw the phone cable inside the basket, closed the lid, and handed it to Olivia. “Would you mind carrying the basket for us?”
“My pleasure,” said Olivia as she hooked her forearm through the handles.
“Great. I think we’re ready to go, then.”
Ben grabbed the boat keys and exited through the back door, Olivia following behind him.
“Should I lock it?” She asked.
He shook his head. “Not necessary. Other than Jewel, there’s no one around here right now. We’ve pretty much got the neighborhood to ourselves.”
Side by side, they walked through a gap in the sand dunes and onto the pier. Olivia stumbled on her feet when a chilly burst of wind blew past them. Ben grabbed her arm to steady her.
“Thanks,” she told him. “As cold as the wind is, I don’t even want to think about how cold the water must be.”
“Indeed,” said Ben. “Rest assured, we won’t be getting in the water.”
The boat came into view as they approached the end of the pier. Painted on the back of the cabin cruiser was the new name Jewel had bestowed upon it: 4 Better or Worse.
“Oof,” Olivia said. “A not so subtle jab at her ex-husband, I guess?”
“Something like that.”
“I get it,” she murmured. “Not all marriages are built to last. Some are just huge mistakes. At least she got a house and a boat out of hers.”
Ben stepped onto the boat first, then held Olivia’s arm for support as she stepped into the cabin. Once they were settled inside, he started the engine, pulled up the anchor, and steered out into the water.
The boat rocked haphazardly as they passed through a line of breaking waves, then settled once they moved past it into calmer waters. Ben increased the speed and followed the coastline of the island for a while. When the shore had nearly disappeared from view, Ben turned the boat into a sound between the mainland and a neighboring island. He slowed to a halt and dropped the anchor.
Olivia stood to look around, sweeping her hair out of her face as the wind blew it astray. “This is beautiful,” she said. “You’re right, it is really peaceful here. Perfect place for a picnic, in fact. Would you mind if I dig into the picnic basket?”
“Great idea,” Ben nodded. “Would you mind passing me the charging cable while you’re at it?”
Olivia chomped down on a croissant as she handed him the cable. Ben fished his phone out of his pocket and plugged it into a port on the console before him. He powered on his phone as it began charging, grateful to see he had just enough battery power left to check messages until it could fully charge.
He stared down at the image on his home screen.
It was a picture of him and Josina standing at the gate in front of YOLO Park, holding up the poster announcing it was the future home of Wayside. Chris had taken a screenshot of the two of them on the videocall in which they had announced they’d won the auction.
It had been Ben’s favorite picture ever since. The quality wasn’t great. It was grainy, the colors were muted, and attempts to edit and enhance the image hadn’t helped very much.
He loved it anyway.
Ben traced his finger over Josina’s face on his phone. His heart was aching, overwhelmed by feelings of both love for her and sorrow over his silence, his inaction. He had so much to say to her. He’d waited far too long. The next time they were face to face, he would tell her everything.
Then the notifications began popping up on his screen.
A flurry of them.
Hundreds of text messages. Dozens of images. Six missed calls. Four voicemails.
Ben’s heart dropped. Something was wrong.
He dismissed the notifications and opened his message app to see that most of the missed texts were from the Founders’ Council group chat. He bypassed them and went straight to Josina’s texts.
He read each of them.
He viewed all of the images she’d sent. His heart began to pound.
Ben closed his messages, tapped another icon on his screen, and set his phone aside.
He rocked back and forth slightly, worked his hands, took deep breaths.
“Ben… what’s going on?” Olivia quickly noticed his change in demeanor. “Can I do anything to help you?”
Ben shook his head. “I just need a minute.” He closed his eyes, tried to slow his breathing even more. He allowed his fingers to keep fidgeting, his rocking back and forth to continue.
He was scared.
Confused.
Worried about what would come next for Olivia. And her mother.
And Josina.
And himself.
And all of Wayside.
He silently prayed to God, asking for courage and strength. He asked his mother’s spirit for guidance. He thought about what Josina, tried to envision what she would do in this situation.
To his surprise, a calmness settled over him.
Ben rested his hands in his lap and took another deep breath. He opened his eyes to find Olivia watching him with concern.
“Ben?” She said meekly. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “There are some things we need to talk about, Olivia.”
Her eyes grew wide. She nodded in return.
“First, I just want to say that I’m glad we met. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you and getting to know you this past week. I believe you're a good person and I see that you're trying to build a better life for yourself, and your mother, however much time she has left. And you deserve it, Olivia. You both deserve a better life, and a home you never have to run away from, ever again.”
Olivia opened her mouth, but no words came out. A tear slid down her cheek.
“I want to offer you my home at Wayside,” Ben continued. “We can go get your mother, wherever she is, and move her in. I’ve already had a crew come out to pour cement for a ramp so she can be moved in and out in a wheelchair, or hospital bed if needed. I wouldn’t expect her to quarantine at the Gateway Lodge. I know she doesn’t have much time left. I don’t know if my fellow leaders at Wayside will agree with breaking the quarantine protocol, but I can deal with it if I need to. She’d be safe behind our gates, she’d have medical care and would be kept comfortable. The two of you would have everything else you need."
"Ben," she whispered, wiping tears from her eyes. "It's too much. I don't deserve that."
"If for some reason you don’t want to bring her to Wayside, you’d be just as welcome here on the island, in my beach home," Ben continued. "It would be harder for you to access care for her here on the island, but not impossible. At any rate, she’d be safe here. You see how deserted it is. No one would bother the two of you. So it’s your choice, Olivia. We can go back to Pine Tree and go get her today. We can make this happen.”
Olivia blinked, scattering more tears down her face. “Why? Why are you doing this for me?”
“Because, as I said, you deserve it. But…” began Ben, “I also think we’re connected in some way. Since we met, I can’t shake the feeling that I should know you, Olivia. There’s something familiar about you. I don’t know what it is, and I’ve been trying to figure it out, but haven’t been able to just yet. So I’m hoping you can help me. We didn’t meet randomly, did we? You knew who I was. You knew how to find me. So you reached out on the dating app and waited until I responded.”
Her eyes grew even wider. “Yes,” she said softly.
“Someone made you do it,” Ben added.
She nodded.
“You can tell me the truth,” Ben said as gently as he could. “You’re safe, Olivia. No one is going to hurt you. That’s why I rented the boat and brought you out here, so you’d feel safe again. I remember what you told me at the mall, about the raid at the restaurant and how the owners took you and your mother out on the boat to keep you safe. I’m doing that again for you, right now. Whatever, or whoever you’re afraid of is far away from us. They can’t see you, can’t hear you, can’t touch you out here. I’m offering you refuge. You’re safe. I just want to know what it is you’re up against. Who put you in this situation?”
“Ben,” Olivia broke into sobs. “I messed up. I trusted the wrong person. When I found out who you were, I should have come to you first. I should have trusted you.”
“Who is the person you trusted?”
“He has my mother. He won’t let me have her back unless…” Olivia covered her face with her hands and wept.
Ben reached for his phone, pulling up the pictures Josina had sent him of the mysterious case and the vials it contained. He held it out toward Olivia.
“Does it have something to do with this?” He asked.
Olivia lowered her hands, wiped the tears from her eyes. As the image on Ben’s phone came into view, she screamed.
Then she leapt to her feet, stumbling backward as if the phone itself were the threat.
“You know what this is?” Ben asked, rising to his feet as well.
“You can’t touch that!” Olivia shrieked. “If you touched it you might… oh my God, we’re both fucked if you opened those!”
Ben froze.
It was the expression on her face. He’d seen that same look before. The fear in her eyes, the tears on her cheeks, her jaw dropped as a sorrowful wail escaped her mouth.
At last, he put the pieces together.
Ben knew who Olivia was.
“It’s okay,” Ben cajoled. “You’re safe. I didn’t—”
Before he could finish, Olivia spun around and threw herself off the boat.
A loud SPLASH rang out across the sound.
“Olivia!” Ben raced toward the side of the boat she’d toppled over, staring down into the water, shouting her name. When he didn’t see her surface to catch her breath, he ran to the other side of the boat, searching the water below for signs of her.
He continued calling her name, listening for the sound of her splashing in the water or gasping for air.
Nothing.
Ben reached for his phone, dialed ‘911’ and hit ‘send.’ The call failed.
He tried again.
Again, the call failed.
He turned on the marine radio and read the handwritten note Jewel had taped to the console.
Channel 16 Mayday x3 + red distress button - location to Coast Guard
Ben’s eyes glazed over as he struggled to make sense of the shorthand directions. He turned to channel 16 on the radio, shouted “Mayday” three times into the handheld microphone, then waited for a response. Next, he tried pressing the red distress button. He waited.
Nothing but static.
Ben felt panic setting in.
Had he done it correctly?
How long was it supposed to take for someone to respond? A few seconds? A few minutes? Hours? Jewel’s note didn’t provide any additional details.
“Olivia!” He cried again.
Silence.
Without knowing what else to do, Ben kicked off his shoes and dove into the water.
***
Six hours after she’d left Wayside, Josina arrived at the beach house. To her relief, the SUV that Ben and Olivia had taken from the vehicle fleet was parked in the driveway. She pulled up the sedan behind it and put it in park.
She powered her phone on, dismissing the flurry of missed text, call, and voicemail notifications. She tried once more to call Ben before entering the house.
As she expected, the call went directly to voicemail.
Josina jumped out of the sedan and raced to the front door. She tried the doorknob, found it had been left unlocked.
“Benjamin!” She called out as she stepped inside. “Benjamin? Olivia?”
Silence.
Josina did a quick pass through the house, checking each room. Once she confirmed no one else was inside, she stepped out the back door. She hovered her hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun as she scanned the oceanfront, searching for signs of them.
No Ben. No Olivia.
She sighed as she spun around and started back toward the house.
Then she stopped again.
The muffled sound of a boat engine carried on the wind.
Josina turned to see a cabin cruiser approaching the pier, with Ben behind the wheel.
“Benjamin!” Josina sprinted toward the pier as fast as her legs could carry her.
At the end of the pier, Ben dropped the anchor and cut the boat engine. He climbed out on his hands and knees, soaking wet, shivering from head to toe.
“Benjamin!”
Upon hearing Josina’s voice, he looked up to see her running toward him.
“Jo!” He called out, summoning the strength to stand upright and jog toward her.
They met in the middle of the pier, throwing their arms around each other, holding on for dear life. Josina was the first to break into sobs. Ben followed. Their faces brushed together.
To his surprise –and hers– she kissed him.
“I love you!” Josina cried out.
“I love you too!” Ben wept.
“No,” Josina choked out, “I mean I’m in love with you!”
Ben pulled her closer toward him, held her even tighter. “I’m in love with you too, Jo. I think I've been in love with you since the moment we met."
“What?” She pulled back, fixed her eyes on his. “I thought you were going to ask Olivia to move in?”
“I did,” he said.
“What? Why? How could you ask her to move in with you if... you’re in love with me?” As the realization of what Ben had said finally sunk in, a smile spread across her face. Josina wiped her eyes, only to find that it sent a cascade of fresh new tears down her cheeks.
Happy tears.
"You... you actually said that, right?" Josina asked. "I didn't just imagine it?"
"I love you, Jo," he repeated. "And yes, I asked Olivia to move in. I didn’t ask her to move in with me,” Ben clarified through chattering teeth. “I want to give her the container home so she can live there with her mother. And I want to move back into the villa with you.”
“What?” Josina gasped. “But…I didn't realize..." she paused, taking note of Ben's trembling body covered in wet clothes. "Wait, what happened to you, Benjamin? Why are you soaking wet? And where is Olivia?”
“She jumped in the water,” he wept. “I got your messages, Jo. I read them on the boat and confronted her about the vials that were in her drawer. She panicked and jumped. I tried calling for help over the boat radio but I don’t know if I did it right or not. No one was responding, so I panicked and jumped in. I swam around the boat several times, and under it, but couldn't find any sign of her. We have to call the police. We have to get the Coast Guard out here to search for her.”
Josina’s jaw dropped. She blinked her eyes several times, trying to process all the new information she’d just learned. “Oh no. If something happens to her, you’re going to be a suspect. The police will think you did it on purpose.”
Ben shook his head furiously. “No,” he insisted. “They shouldn’t. After I read your messages and saw the pictures, I realized things were more serious than I ever could have imagined. I started a voice recording on my phone before I talked to her… just in case.”
Josina cupped her hands over her mouth, sighing into them with relief. “Thank God.”
“I’m sorry for all this, Jo. I’m sorry for everything—"
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Benjamin. This isn’t your fault.”
Ben frowned. “There’s something else I have to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I know who Olivia is now. I figured it out.”
Josina’s eyebrows shot up on her forehead. “Who is she?”
“I believe she's my stepdaughter,” said Ben.
Josina froze. “Your what?”
“She’s my stepdaughter. She has to be. She looks just like her mother. That’s why she seemed so familiar to me. I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out.”
“You’re… you’re married?” Josina asked, her voice strained to almost a squeak.
Ben nodded.
“But… why have you never mentioned it?” Josina took a step back, shaking her head with disbelief. “And where is your wife?”
“I don’t know,” said Ben. “It’s a long story. You’ll think I’m insane when I share it with you, Jo. And I probably am. But I’ll tell you everything, once we call the police and make a report. We have to do that first. The water is so cold Olivia will freeze out there if we don’t find her. We’re running out of time.”
“Then let's not waste another minute." Josina wrapped her arm around his back, nudging him forward. “Let’s go make the call.”
You can support my work by signing up for a membership to The Guiness Pig Diaries, sending me a tip, or buying me a coffee. You can also grab a Wayside Ninjas tee from my shop on Bonfire.