Summary: A sequel to As Time Goes By. The Thorton and Hogan children are growing up. See what adventures await them, their parents, and the town! Please R&R!
Chapter 1: Introduction
*Disclaimer: I do not own When Calls the Heart.
Abigail Hogan was busily cooking breakfast for her family. The biscuits were almost ready to come out of the oven, and the eggs were done. Just then, she heard little footsteps coming down the stairs. She looked up to see her adopted daughter, Iris, slowly coming down the stairs, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"Good morning sweetheart! Did you sleep well?" Abigail asked her.
"Morning. Yes." The seven year-old responded, not fully awake.
"That's good. You'd better eat quickly! Elizabeth will be here soon to walk with you to school!" Abigail said, placing breakfast before the girl.
"Okay." Iris replied.
Just then, cries of "Mommy! Mommy!" were heard.
"I guess your siblings have decided to get up!" Abigail said, hurrying into the bedroom to get the other children.
Soon, four year-old April, three year-old Lydia, and two year-old Caroline came running out of the bedroom. Abigail went into the bedroom next to theirs, and soon, Lydia's twin Johnny came running out. Abigail followed, holding the youngest member of the Hogan family, Luke, who was just over a year old. Abigail never expected to have so many children! She and Frank had adopted Iris and April shortly before the twins were born, but Caroline and Luke had been very unexpected. She had thought the twins would be her last babies, but God had other plans, and now they were the proud parents of all six of them, plus Clara, who had recently gotten married to her now husband, Michael.
Abigail got all the children seated at the table and eating before sitting down and feeding Luke. Shortly thereafter, Elizabeth entered the café with her two children, Paul and Abby. Abby was named after Abigail, who had been thrilled when she had been told of the girl's name. Elizabeth was expecting her third child, but was going to finish teaching the term. The baby wasn't due for another five months, and school ended in two.
"Good morning!" Abigail greeted her and the children.
"Good morning!" Elizabeth replied, smiling.
"Come have some breakfast children!" Abigail said.
"Okay!" Paul said, running over to the table. Abby followed close behind.
Paul, who was the same age as the twins, loved her biscuits, as did Abby, who was two. Abigail and Elizabeth had a whole system figured out so they would each be able to keep working while being mothers. During the school week, Abigail watched all the children, except Iris, who went to school, and after school, Elizabeth would watch them while Abigail opened the café for dinner. On the weekends, the children would go to the Thorton's house to play, and Abigail could serve all three meals at the café. On some weekends, if his sermon was done, Frank would take all the children fishing with Jack, and sometimes Elizabeth, to make sure nothing happened. The system worked quite well, and both children and parents were happy.
This morning, the younger children were quite active, and after Elizabeth and Iris had left, Abigail whipped up some cookie dough for the girls to make into shapes, and pulled out some toy soldiers for the boys. Soon, everyone was preoccupied, and Abigail was able to clean up the kitchen. Soon, however, she heard Luke start to cry. She discovered that the boys had taken away the toy he was playing with, and soon, the issue was resolved and the baby was happy again. Abigail also turned on the oven, so the girls could bake their cookies. April was fairly good at making flat, even shapes with the dough, but Lydia, Abby and Caroline understandably still had some trouble.
"A bunny!" Caroline said, holding up a lump of dough for Abigail to see.
"Very nice sweetheart! Can mommy flatten it so it will bake?" Abigail said, smiling at the little girl.
"Okay. Caroline responded.
"I made a bunny too! It's best friend is Caroline's bunny!" Abby said, giggling.
"That's so sweet Abby! They can bake right next to each other!" Abigail said, adjusting the two "bunnies" and smiling at the girls.
"Mommy, I made a tree!" Lydia said, holding up a lumpy, long piece of dough with a round top.
"Good job Lydia! I'm sure it will be very tasty!" Abigail said, putting the tree on a cookie sheet.
"I made a flower! See?" April said, displaying what looked like a slightly lumpy rose.
"Wonderful! These will all be so fun to eat!" Abigail said, putting the cookies into the oven.
The little girls quickly started making more shapes, and Abigail decided to go see what the boys were up to.
As she entered the small living room, she found herself in the midst of a "war" between Paul's army and Johnny's army. Luke was proving to not be a very good general for Johnny, and had more fun knocking the soldiers over than marching them off to war. Abigail picked her youngest up and took him over to a corner in the kitchen where he could play with some baby rings and other toys that were his. She played with him for about an hour until the girls were done with all the cookies. Then, she put the cookies in the oven, put Luke down for a nap, and read all the other children a couple stories. After the stories, the children played with each other some more, and after Luke had woken up from his nap, Abigail prepared lunch for them.
The little children eagerly awaited lunch, and soon, they were eating happily. After lunch, Abigail put them down for a nap, except for April, who had recently stopped taking naps, and Luke, who wouldn't go down until 2:30. The children usually would sleep for about an hour or two, and then would wake up with lots of energy. Luckily for Abigail, Elizabeth would usually arrive at the café around 3, and provide some backup support!
The children slept for an hour and a half, and soon, Abigail was hurrying to soothe them when they woke up. After they were awake and happy, they started playing with some toy blocks, dolls, and soldiers. Abigail bounced Luke on her lap, making the baby giggle. Suddenly, the door to the café opened. Abigail turned around and gasped. A man entered the café, a man she never thought she'd see again. A man who had broken her heart, and had also been imprisoned for a year.
"Good afternoon Mr. Avery. What brings you here?" Abigail asked coolly.
"Abigail! I just decided to come by Hope Valley and see how things were. Do you have a daycare now?" Bill asked, looking at all the children.
Before Abigail had time to respond, little Caroline ran up to Abigail with a doll whose dress was torn.
"Mommy! Can you fix her dress?" The little girl asked, almost in tears.
"Of course darling. Give me a few minutes, and it'll be as good as new!" Abigail said, taking the doll from her youngest daughter.
Bill stood there in shock. He felt like he had been slapped. After his divorce was finalized a month ago, he had decided to return to Hope Valley and see if Abigail would possibly forgive him, and of course, court again.
"Are they all yours?" He gasped.
"All except Paul and Abby, who are Elizabeth and Jack's." Abigail said, rising and hoisting Luke onto her hip.
"I see. And who's the lucky father?" Bill said, smirking.
"My husband is Pastor Frank Hogan. I believe you two have met." Abigail said, giving him a warning look, and emphasizing the word husband.
"Mommy, who's that?" Johnny asked, pointing at Bill.
"This is Mr. Avery. I knew him a long time ago, before you were born." Abigail said to her son.
"Oh." Johnny said, rather uninterested.
"What are all their names?" Bill asked.
"Well, the tallest girl is April, next to her is Abby, Elizabeth's daughter, and the other girl next to her is Lydia. The one who gave me the doll is Caroline. Johnny's the one who just asked about you, and the other boy is Paul, Elizabeth's son. And this is Luke." Abigail said, indicating each child.
"My, you have a lot of children!" Bill said, still slightly shocked.
"Yes, and there's also Iris, who's at school, and Clara of course. Iris and April are adopted too." Abigail responded.
"And you watch them while Elizabeth works?" Bill questioned.
"Yes, but Elizabeth watches them in the evening."Abigail said, going over to fetch a needle and thread.
"I see." Bill said, still observing all the children.
"How long will you be staying Mr. Avery?" Abigail asked cooly.
"I'm not sure. Probably awhile. But, seeing as I still need a place to stay, I better be off to get a room at the saloon. Goodbye." Bill said rather abruptly, exiting the café.
"Goodbye." Abigail said coolly, watching him leave.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth and Iris came in.
"Hi mommy!" Iris said, running to Abigail and giving her a hug.
"Hi darling! Did you have a good day?" Abigail asked, hugging her back.
Iris nodded, then ran over to the other children to play with her dolls.
"Abigail, did I just see Bill Avery walking out of the saloon?" Elizabeth asked quietly.
Abigail pursed her lips and nodded.
"Why is he here?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'm not really sure, but I don't like it." Abigail said, glaring out the window.
"Well if he causes any trouble, just let Jack know." Elizabeth said, giving her friend a hug.
Abigail just nodded, reminiscing on all that had happened with Bill Avery many years before.
*Author's note: This sequel is going to be little moments that happen as the kids grow up. Bill Avery will also be around (hmmm….). I've kind of made Abigail & Frank a little younger, but the other characters are still close to the ages they are in the tv show. I'm planning on doing about two, maybe three, chapters for each year, until all the kids have turned eighteen (meaning the kids that have been introduced in this chapter!). I'll try to update at least once a week! Please Review! Your reviews are so helpful and encouraging!:)