Disclaimer: I own nothing at all, except my clothes. They're mine.
Author's note: I dunno why fanfiction doesn't like the lines I use to separate all of this babble and the story so I'll try something new. Just in case though I'll bold all non-story parts. Enjoy!
Laying in bed next to Jimmy was a pleasant way to awaken in the mornings. Usually he was out fishing on the ocean to bring food into the harbour of the city and earn. Jimmy had never lost his love of the sea and boats so his job naturally happened to be centred on that. This meant Abby most mornings woke up alone as he was off working from 5am and back depending on if he was working ON the harbour or out on the sea itself.
This also suggested Jimmy got out of bed at ungodly hours, hours Abby refused to even open one eye for. So, on the rare occasion that she found his handsome face sleeping soundly next to her own Abby would lie there and just watch him for a while. It wasn't as though she was acting like a normal girlfriend. The reason Abby watched him was because she worried one day he wouldn't come home.
She liked her alone time, but every now and again the panic and anxious feelings resurfaces and Jimmy seemed to sense those moments.
Abby let her hand find his and held it for a few moments. Even if she didn't know if she was in love, she knew that no matter what she would always need him. Was that selfish? Maybe.
Just as her hand was pulling away she felt his grab on and let out a small squeak. His rumbling laugh lifted from the covers into the open as one blue eye cracked open to stare at Abby. "Where do you think you're going?"
Trying to look annoyed and not amused, because Abby so wasn't amused, she pursed out her lips and said "To get food, maybe shower, definitely grab some caffeine." She tugged her hand but Jimmy held tight, a cheeky grin on his face.
"I was thinking you should stay here and I'll go grab us some breakfast to eat in bed." Without waiting for a reply he was up and walking out, all Abby could do was watch his half naked form trudge out of their bedroom. This left the young woman there in her thoughts and she started to think about the other day.
Abby hadn't told Jimmy about the Will or anything of that, the box hidden safely in the closet and under a pile of unused rubbish. Not that she didn't want to have 'The Conversation' eventually, but for her own mind and confused feelings Abby felt it best to work through it alone for now. He wouldn't understand anyways.
She could see it now, Jimmy would get that look; the one that said 'I'm trying to support you but if that man were here I'd kill him all over again.'
When it came to Henry Dunn and all he'd put her and himself through it was understandable that her boyfriend would become a bit unreasonable. Or, was it unreasonable? Maybe it had something to do with her that she thought he were being a little over the top. What if Jimmy felt he had to be angry and upset for the both of them? She never did show her feelings on the matter.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Abby sat up and waited for her man to bring food. He was too sweet and kind, yet he loved to tease her mercilessly. To her that was perfect.
And so the rest of the morning was spent being hand fed, smushing food over Jimmy and spending quality time together. All in all it left the brunette in a very good mood! By mid afternoon said Boyfriend was out doing some jobs and Abby was left to potter about the house mind entirely on the handsome male.
So what if she didn't know whether it was love yet, there was a certainty for sure that she was at least happy and content to be with him and so whatever emotion grew or didn't grow would just have to be put aside until that day. Easy to say to herself now but each time Abby would stick to it for a little longer than the last.
Maybe that was a good sign.
Going into her room Abby pulled the closet open to put away some clean and fresh clothes when her dark eyes fell on the large heap tucked into the back. Remembering what was under that pile and pausing. Jimmy was out and she was in a pretty good place today so should she really bring all of those memories out right now? Glancing at the clock Abby decided she had about an hour or so until he returned home.
'Couldn't hurt to spend a few minutes, right?' Kneeling down she dragged it out and wandered back to the living room.
The first thing Abby did was make herself a warm drink and set that on a coaster next to the box that sat on the table. Then she pulled it open and removed the things she had already looked at. Next item lay neatly on top and Abby picked it out carefully, letting it unfold as she stared at the soft material. Bringing it close to her face, she kept it there for a moment as this brought back a much different time.
It was Henry's 'Harvard Business School' sweater, worn a thousand times and so familiar she ached.
Wasn't that long ago that he'd been at University, had started just before the first set of Murder's on the Island. Abby liked to hear all of the things he did there and all the stories Henry brought with him in the Summer. The first year he had worn this very sweater and been so proud, Abby had felt proud of him.
That was the time when Henry had found new friends in his life and understandably, Abby also became familiar with those people. Malcolm, Joel and Danny. Why oh why was it now that he had killed them, or at least played some part in their death? Even his best male friend Sully was gone by his hand and Abby could still feel the sting of her realization when the man she had trusted with her life, admitted to taking the lives of her loved ones instead. Irony hadn't lost its touch.
Coming back to the present the female noticed she was now clutching it close to her chest, tears threatening to fall. Sniffing them away, Abby put the sweater to the side with Purple bear, Pen and letter (still unopened) then reached for her drink.
A moments breather, that's all she needed.
The warmth from the mug made her hands tingle as they fed on the temperature, like when you slip into a hot bath and the fingers and toes go a little numb with that same feeling. It centred Abby as she focused on that and not her emotions. Sipping the liquid, bitter coffee swallowed with no amount of reluctance, she found a small thought growing at the back of her mind.
If he had planned all of this why leave her these things? Mr. Trevor had said Henry wrote his Will 'just in case' but that day had been enough for her not to think through it properly. Now sitting here without that initial shock, Abby wondered on it a little more.
Henry was a forward thinker thus he would have undoubtedly anticipated the very idea that something could go wrong. So in that respect he decided the plan was to...leave the rest of his belongings to her. Was there a meaning behind that or did he really just want her to own what was left behind?
'The only way I'll know for sure would be to read his letter.' Glance shifting to the very item, Abby considered ripping it open right there.
For some reason she didn't want to just yet. She wasn't ready to take that step, and her reaction to his University sweater had proven it. No, it had to be done right. Closure took longer than jumping ahead of the finish line.
That decided Abby put the mug back down where she had before and reached into the Box again, pulling out an item that quirked her lips into a reluctant smile. It was the present she had bought Henry for pure and utter amusement. 'Fishing for Dummies'. The look on his face and the laugh that had risen forth and lasted for minutes had been worth the wait, nothing in the world would have been traded for that very moment. Abby spent hours searching for the right gift to buy him one day, something a little different from what she knew he would be getting; and there, sitting in a quaint little book shop was the most perfect gift idea ever.
Henry knew fishing inside and out. He'd love it.
The handsome male didn't waste any time reading it though which had added even more amusement to her. She asked why he was reading the book when it wasn't more than a gag gift. Henry had said "Because you bought it, so I'm going to enjoy all of it." He'd given a very cheeky grin, Abby loved that.
That was always how it was with him and now that it made more sense those memories sometimes felt tainted. He was in love with her! Back then it'd just felt as though he always wanted to make her happy, but it had gone much deeper. How could he have been with Trish for so long when he'd wanted her!?
Was it normal to be mad at your half-brother for never telling you his feelings and going on a murder spree instead? Maybe she could have changed it if she'd known or...
'No no! Remember, you can't think that way it makes things worse.' Weeks of therapy taught Abby to focus on healing the reality and not to remain on the 'what if' situation. It was hard but she wouldn't give up trying to put those thoughts away.
Forcing them into the little room she reserved for her more contemplative thoughts on everything Henry/Wakefield, she put the book down and then took out a specific looking wooden box with designs on the top. Abby opened it up to find a nice array of Lures sitting soundly within. This was not something that she had given him or would remind Henry of her in the least.
No. These were given to him by Mr. And Mrs. Dunn, a birthday present for his 13th and one he'd been delighted to receive. Top of the range, Mr. Dunn had said proudly. Best money could buy. Abby didn't know anything about Lures of Fishing except what Jimmy or Henry had babbled about as she listened absentmindedly. Still, they were quite fancy looking, she thought. Taking out another item Abby found it to be Henry's first Sea Compass, very nice and old.
"So, this is where you keep all the old 'first time stuff'. I did wonder." Shifting a couple more 'fish' or 'boating' things out of the Box, Abby felt happy that he left these to her. It was as though while going through their memories he was toying with her, in a way. These items felt more personal to Henry himself and...a piece of his self. The whole situation prompted the Brunette to delve further for more instead of pulling back from the emotions, and earned her a reward she did remember personally.
Henry's framed Photo of the Annual Fishing Competition. A ten year old boy posing with the fish he'd caught; won the biggest catch in his age group.
The whole thing had been featured in an Article that year on Harper's Globe; they had all been so pleased it had cause for celebration. That was the first time Henry felt his father proud of him, though Abby tried later on to convince him how much his parents cared. They say a child can feel when things aren't as they appear to be, maybe they're right.
Regardless of his feelings on the family however, Abby found a picture of importance. The photo held a younger Henry of about 14 with his brother J.D and their parents. Out on a boat, probably on the way to a Summer visit at Harper's Island even. They all looked so happy then, maybe it was caught at a time when they were.
Just as Abby was going to look for the last things within the Box she heard the door close shut. "Abby? I'm home, where are you?"
"Ah! Oh, Jimmy! Um, I'm err..in the front room!" Abby tried to pile everything in as fast as she could, but it was no good. Just as he rounded the corner Abby was lent over, hand in the Box and looking flustered. "You're back so soon?" She squeaked.
Jimmy raised an eyebrow and looked around at everything "whatcha doing Abbs?" He asked, staring at the Photo of Henry which had somehow fallen to the floor.
"Um." She certainly couldn't hide it any longer.
Weeelll guess I'm going to have to make this story four chapters! I'm thinking there will be a lot of bonding next one for these two and then a flashback of sorts. I have a bit planned but not sure how long the chapters will be up until this point. I'll aim for a similar amount though.
Just to say I'm going to be mentioning Abby's profession (writer) next time and was wondering what she writes about. Can't find anything online as concrete so ideas would be good!
Bye!
