When Calls the Heart Doesn't belong me

A Season for Everything

Frank Hogan was afraid.

It wasn't easy for him to admit it but ever since Jesse had shown up in Hope Valley, Frank had known that his past was going to catch up with him. It wasn't fair, he told himself, but then again, when had life ever really been fair. He had paid his dues and even changed his name and now he was doing good work, giving hope to people who really needed it; the past should have stayed dead.

"There you are."

He looked up and saw Abigail standing infront of him. "I was beginning to think that you wouldn't show."

Frank hadn't been looking where he was going; he'd just been wandering around the town but now he realised that he'd somehow ended up at Abigail's café.

"I'll just get my coat," Abigail said, she didn't seem to notice how distracted he was.

"I'm sorry," he told her, "I really should have informed you earlier, I can't go walking with you today."

"That's a shame," Abigail said, "but don't have to go far, we can take a very short walk."

"No," he forced a smile, "I'm really sorry."

"Tomorrow, then," Abigail insisted.

"Tomorrow," he closed his eyes briefly, "that won't work either."

"Frank," Abigail touched his arm," is everything alright?"

"I'm really sorry, Abigail," Frank looked at her, "I have to go."

He left her staring after him and he knew that she was puzzled and a bit hurt by his behaviour but he didn't know how to tell her about his past; he was so ashamed of the things he'd done and he knew that when she found out – and chances were very great that she going to and soon – she would reject him like everyone else had done and he didn't want that to happen.

000

Frank listened in dismay as Abigail, Elizabeth and Jack discussed Matt Landry's past. He wished he had come clean sooner because now she had found out about his criminal, and not from him, she was going to tell him to leave Hope Valley as fast as he could.

"He's not a wanted man, after all," he heard Elizabeth say. The look on Abigail's face almost made him want to keep on hiding but he took a deep breath and made his presence known.

"No, I'm not."

Of course Abigail wanted to know about Matt Landry and as much as he hated rehashing his past he had to tell her; and obviously she was finding it hard to believe that he would have told her if Jesse hadn't made his past known to her first but he told her as sincerely as he could that he had decided to and then left her to think about it.

000

Even knowing how small Hope Valley was, Frank was still surprised about how quickly the word about his past spread; what didn't surprise him though was how quickly the people turned their backs on him, it was as if he had suddenly become leprous. He had expected it but still it was hard to take.

000

Frank wrote and rewrote his note wondering what to write – he'd heard somewhere that the written word was permanent and if these were to be his last words to Abigail he wanted them to mean something, he wanted them to be words could help her, so he thought and thought until finally he remembered a verse that would suite the occasion, 'to everything there is a season'.

He hoped that she would have a great life, he had very much wanted to be a part of her life but this was not to be. After signing his name, he couldn't help himself, he had to say something more…'I'll miss you', he added and he would. He would miss Abigail Stanton, more than he ever thought possible. Still, at least he'd got the chance to know her however briefly.

000

Frank wished he could say that he was surprised to see Abigail standing infront of him in the woods; he wished he stop the quickening of his heart at seeing her but he couldn't. He would have smiled had the situation not been too dire but there was no time for that, Abigail didn't want him to leave like a thief in the night, she wanted him to fight and she was going to be right there with him. Suddenly, his life wasn't as bleak as he'd thought, the people of Hope Valley would probably not let him stay on as their Pastor but at least they'd hear his side of the story.

"Let's get you packed," Abigail said, and she began to gather his things.

"I can always ride back to town tomorrow," he told her.

"There is no way I'm spending the night out here," Abigail assured him, "and neither are you."

"I can't go back to the preacher's house," Frank reminded her, "The mayor threw me out."

"I have room enough at the café," Abigail told him.

His belongings were few, and after putting out the fire they begin their journey back to Hope Valley.

"When I suggested a walk, "Frank told her, attempting to joke, "this isn't what I had in mind."

"It's a beautiful night for a walk," Abigail replied, "and there's no one else I'd rather be walking with."

He ducked his head and thanked God for bringing such an amazing woman into his life.

"Thank you," he told her sincerely.

"For what?" she asked him. "I didn't do anything that a friend wouldn't do." She was gladder than he could ever know that she had found him, she wouldn't have stopped until she had, but it was good that he hadn't gone too far, she hated riding in the dark.

"That's what I'm thanking you for," Frank told her. "Thank you for being a good friend, Abigail."

"You're welcome, Frank," Abigail smiled at him.

000