EPISODE 89 A WALK TO REMEMBER

 

EPISODE 89 A WALK TO REMEMBER 

## 🌊 The Walk on the Beach

She walked down the beach with him as he told a brief story of his dramatic past, as well as the funny and heartwarming stories he shared. 🐚 She was so happy. She felt that click when she talked to him. She knew that in the morning she would have to work, but she was going to think about him all day, and she didn't want to ever say goodbye to him. But she was nervous because she didn't know if she had said too much, if she would appear crazy, and she didn't want to drive him off.

While walking on the beach, Ted really felt a pull towards her, more so than he ever did Shelly or even Allyson. ⚡ The thought trucked in his mind: *I think I like her more than Allyson.* That thought was in his mind for a moment. *I really like her. I don't want to screw this up,* he thought.

They each had their thoughts of wanting this to continue and fearing it wouldn't work that way.

## 🐋 Pausing at Whale Park

They were approaching Whale Park. They got off the sand, sat at Whale Park, brushed off the sand, and put on their shoes, knowing they'd have to go somewhere and rinse the sand off. 👟 They giggled and laughed, and they continued to tell stories.

When they were laughing, the sun had gone down completely. 🌅 Their skin grew cold in the evening air, but everything between them felt lighter and full of fun.

## 🤫 A Painful Subject

Then he wondered, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" he asked her.

There was a long pause, and she instantly felt the air grow cooler around them. ❄️ He knew, accidentally, that he was diving into something serious due to how her mood changed so suddenly.

She sat up, looked right at him, and said, "I do, but he's dead now. And I think whatever this is between us, I really want it to continue. I really like you, Ted, but I'm just not ready to share any details. It's a painful subject." 🖤

Ted stood up and just gave her a hug. She melted straight into that hug. 🫂

## 🏡 Walking Through Cannon Beach

They just walked in silence into town where the shops were bustling with people. 🏬 They walked back up the street of the conference center and proceeded to walk to her house several blocks down, further to the inside of Cannon Beach. They walked all the way there.

He walked her right to the door. 🚪 They shared a loving kiss, and then she said nervously, "Ted, I... this is silly. I really like you. I know that you've had women around you, circling you, but you know that I'm more traditional. It's fine for you to date multiple women, but I... I don't want to go that way. If you want to pursue me, I'd like that, but don't pursue me and another girl—a girl you might like. If you want that, I'll wait. You can pursue those other girls and maybe I'll be here when you get tired of them... or, why not just see if something works between you and me, and nobody else?"

She stammered, looking incredibly nervous. "That's just how I feel, right or wrong. I'm just trying to protect my heart," she said, looking away at an angle. 💔 He could tell that tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"I understand," Ted said gently. "You've been hurt before. But I've never felt like this before, especially not on a first date. It might seem crazy, but it's not. I... I really don't like the pizza, but I liked the view," he said, reaching out and using his fingers to gently raise her chin so she would catch his eye. 👀 "I was hoping for you every time I came in, for a long time. I want this to work, too. I'm not going to pursue anybody else."

They shared a brief, tender kiss, followed by a long, deep hug. ✨ She turned and went inside, and Ted started his walk back toward the conference center, feeling light, cheerful, and incredibly excited.

## 💔 Shelly’s Discovery

Shelly decided to put on some comfortable clothes eventually and just go for a walk. 🚶‍♀️ As the noise died down, she thought, *I'll just go and sit at Whale Park and just watch the ocean.* That always gave her peace.

As she walked into Whale Park, with the sun having gone down, she crossed the street and got a view of the park. And there she saw Ted, laughing and joking with a blonde, cute woman with long, curly blonde hair. 👱‍♀️ They were laughing and joking. Her jaw could have dropped to the floor.

She turned right around and walked back to her dorm room. She took off her shoes and thought about what she had just seen. 🛋️

## 💥 The Confrontation and the Shove

Then Maria came in, her roommate. Shelly was still bothered about all of this.

"I'm sure Ted will change his mind," Maria said. "Yeah, he will. You don't have anything to worry about."

Then, with tears in her eyes, Shelly said, "I would believe that, but I just went to Whale Park, and I saw Ted with this gorgeous blonde, talking and laughing. I just left. I didn't confront him." 😢

Maria stepped up and said, "I know this may hurt. I know this may make you angry at me, but you weren't really that excited when you first saw Ted. And rightfully so, you're angry because of the breakup. You wanted him to squirm a little. That's fine, I don't blame you. But he wanted things to work. He was counting on it. He was hoping. Then you showed your cards as soon as Gage showed up, talking the way you thought that Ted should talk, liking things you thought Ted should like. He got an upper hand by them, and you pursued Gage. And when Gage turned you down—and believe me, it wasn't me, but word is going out that you got rejected by Gage—and so that's the reason why you're upset. And why do you not leave Gage alone and pursue Ted with that passion that you gave Gage? Things aren't right. But you chose Gage, and then when Gage didn't want you, you thought you could flip back to Ted. You know, I'm all for girls, stick up for girls. I never said it publicly, but you wanted Gage. You put all your cards out there and he didn't want you. Everyone expected you to go back to Ted. You know, and Ted had the self-respect and he said he cut it off," she said to Shelly.

Just hearing that, even though she knew it was true, stirred an intense anger in Shelly. 🔥 Her roommate didn't have her back; her roommate was not responding the way she thought she would. The anger built up rapidly.

She stood up and pushed Maria. Maria flew backward, crashing hard against the corner dresser, and collapsed straight to the floor. 💥

## 🚨 The Emergency Call

The dorm room door was open, and a girl who was just visiting a friend in the building walked past the doorway at that exact moment. 🚪 She saw the whole thing happen—Shelly shoving Maria full force, causing her to crash hard, hit her head against the corner dresser, and collapse onto the floor.

Terrified by what she had just witnessed, the girl immediately spun around, ran down the hallway to the dorm's public phone, and dialed 911. ☎️

## 🚓 The Police and Paramedics

Cannon Beach is a small town, so the rescue crew and the police arrived at the dorms in mere moments. 🚒

Shelly didn’t try to get away. She didn't try to talk to the witness, either. She just sat down on her bed, completely frozen.

The paramedics rushed into the open room and immediately got to work, taking Maria's vitals and assessing what stage of consciousness she was in after hitting her head. 🚑 While they worked, the police took Shelly out of the room and escorted her down to the far end of the hallway. Another police officer took the witness and led her outside of the building. With the two separated, the officers began gathering statements from both of them. 📝

The paramedics stabilized Maria as best they could, then wheeled her out to the waiting ambulance, and the vehicle took off into the night with its lights flashing. 🚨

The police escorted Shelly down out of the building and advised her of her rights. Right then, she chose to keep silent. 🤫

She looked at the officer, her voice shaking. "I've never been in trouble before. Um... how does this go?"

"Well, I'm going to book you for assault," the officer replied calmly. "We'll process you and release you. And then it will be determined if she wakes up and she tells us it's an accident and doesn't want to press charges. We'll let it go. That's how it goes on our end. But your employers have to be notified. I'm sure they'll want to talk to you. I'll advise them if they want to fire you... I'll advise them that really they should wait until Maria wakes up before they do anything. It may be simply a case of tempers gone out of control. It may be just a minor thing. That's for them to decide. I can only deal with what's in front of me."

With that, she was put into the back of the police car, and the cruiser slowly drove off. 🚓

## 🗣️ Amanda’s Gossip

Nearby, the firemen were packing up their gear and getting ready to pull out. And just as the police car was turning out of the conference center driveway, Ted sees the flashing lights. He sees her then... she's right there in the back of the police car, being driven away.

The ambulance had pulled out a few minutes ago, and the fire truck was just putting away its gear, getting ready to pull out next. Ted was absolutely shocked. 😲

One police officer was still standing nearby, gathering the last of the witness statements. Ted walked up toward the crowd and spotted a person he knew—Amanda. Amanda was the gossip of everything going on at the conference center. 🗣️ He didn't really like Amanda because, at times, she had spread completely false rumors about him. But if he wanted to get the instant lowdown on what people were saying and what she had overheard, there was not a better person in the world. Gossip was her bloody superpower.

So, he went straight up to Amanda and said, "What the hell is going on? Please tell me, but tell me *only* what you have verified happened. No stories. I don't have time for stories."

Amanda was bubbly, completely elated to tell what she knew. 🫧 She said, "Well, what I've pieced together is Shelly... she went out because everybody knows that she got rejected by this Gage fellow. And so after you called it quits with her, she was like, so, so depressed. And then she went on her pity party, and then she decided eventually this evening to go out and just stretch her legs, I guess. And then she quickly went back—and I can support this with what the witness says—she went back up to her room... Something upset her. I don't know what. Like I said, she returned right away. Ah, well, then Maria came in the room. Saw... saw that she was on the bed crying. And there's no witnesses to what they're talking about, and I... I don't eavesdrop. And something happened and little Shelly, who you wouldn't think could even lift a two-pound weight, shoved Maria so hard she fell back against the dresser with her head, fell, and is unconscious. That's what I know."

Hearing all this, Ted took a deep breath. "I know you like to get the dirt on everything. And I know the walls are very thin. Do you have any clue... did anybody say what... what was being talked about? 'Cause I know they keep their doors open so the dorm rooms don't get too hot," Ted said. 🪵

"Okay, this isn't verified. Don't... don't shoot the messenger," Amanda said, "but I heard basically she was like bitching about the breakup and rumor is somebody heard them talking. I... I mean Maria saying something like 'what do you expect' or maybe it's what she just says, 'it's all your fault.' That's pretty clear, but she like, still held her ground and like, called her out like majorly. And that truly... that's all I know. And trust me, if I knew anything else, you would know it."

Ted took a deep breath, said thank you, and proceeded back to his dorm room. 🚶‍♂️