"Journey"
Hayden Macleod was quite on the drive to Everwood. It had been almost six years since she had been there last, and that was like an eterinty.
Dr. Harold Abbott had been much like an uncle to her; he had been the life long friend of her god-father. Now, Hayden was back in Everwood to pay a visit to the Abbott family.
As she drove into the city limits, Hayden smiled, Everwood was still as beautiful as she remembered. Stopping in front of Dr. Abbott's office, Hayden locked her car door, and went inside.
"Can I help you?" the nurse at the desk asked. Hayden smiled, "I'd like to see Dr. Abbott if he has time." she said, speak in a strong Scotish accent. "Do you have an appointment?" "No, I'm not a patient, but if you tell him a Ms. Macleod is here, he'll see me." Hayden replied with a smile.
"Just a moment." the nurse said as she headed in the direction of his office.
Hayden could remember when is was Harold Abbott, Sr. who had this office, and now, just as it should be, the son had taken over the family business. She was still smiling when she heard that familiar voice call her name from behind. "Hayden, is that really you?" Harold said, not waiting for a reply as he pulled her close for a hug. "You look great."
Hayden smiled, he hadn't changed. "And so do you, Harold, maybe a bit more gray, but no less handsome." she said, running her fingers through the sides of his hair.
"What brings you back to Everwood after what, six years now."
"I thought it was time." she said, but something didn't seem right. "What's wrong, Hayden?" Harold asked. For a moment, she was silent, turning her eyes downward from his gaze.
"It's been a year now since Joe died. I came more for him then anything else, he wouldn't have liked my staying away so long." Joseph Macleod, older brother to her father, close friend to her mother, and god-father to her. He had been her world since the death of her parents when she was 8 years old, and he was gone now, leaving Hayden to be the last in a long blood line.
"I still can't believe he's dead." Harold said, putting his arm around her, and leading her to his office.
Hayden couldn't speak for the knot in her throat. Joe had been a father to her, more than her real father, and there were times that she believed he really was her father, she was more like him than the man who had been called father.
"I want the years I lost with him back." she said softly, as a single tear escaped from her eye.
"It's not fair." a bit of anger in her voice as she brushed the tear away, and took a deep breath.
"So, " she said, changing the subject before she gave in to the urge to cry. "how's everyone at your house?"
Harold smiled, she could always change topics so fast. "They're fine. Wait until you see the kids."
Hayden listened as he talked about his two children, Bright was now 17, and Amy, 15. Six years will have made a world of difference in these two kids, and Hayden could easily remember when they were born.
She had been 15 when Bright was born, and had enjoyed babysitting hiim when she could. Then Amy came along when she was 17. This one was totally different then the little boy that had come 2 years earlier. Hayden had returned to Scotland when Amy was a year old, and had been back several times since then, but this six year span had been the longest she had been away.
Things had changed, and although Amy wrote her letters, Hayden still felt as if she had been gone forever.
Hayden Macleod was quite on the drive to Everwood. It had been almost six years since she had been there last, and that was like an eterinty.
Dr. Harold Abbott had been much like an uncle to her; he had been the life long friend of her god-father. Now, Hayden was back in Everwood to pay a visit to the Abbott family.
As she drove into the city limits, Hayden smiled, Everwood was still as beautiful as she remembered. Stopping in front of Dr. Abbott's office, Hayden locked her car door, and went inside.
"Can I help you?" the nurse at the desk asked. Hayden smiled, "I'd like to see Dr. Abbott if he has time." she said, speak in a strong Scotish accent. "Do you have an appointment?" "No, I'm not a patient, but if you tell him a Ms. Macleod is here, he'll see me." Hayden replied with a smile.
"Just a moment." the nurse said as she headed in the direction of his office.
Hayden could remember when is was Harold Abbott, Sr. who had this office, and now, just as it should be, the son had taken over the family business. She was still smiling when she heard that familiar voice call her name from behind. "Hayden, is that really you?" Harold said, not waiting for a reply as he pulled her close for a hug. "You look great."
Hayden smiled, he hadn't changed. "And so do you, Harold, maybe a bit more gray, but no less handsome." she said, running her fingers through the sides of his hair.
"What brings you back to Everwood after what, six years now."
"I thought it was time." she said, but something didn't seem right. "What's wrong, Hayden?" Harold asked. For a moment, she was silent, turning her eyes downward from his gaze.
"It's been a year now since Joe died. I came more for him then anything else, he wouldn't have liked my staying away so long." Joseph Macleod, older brother to her father, close friend to her mother, and god-father to her. He had been her world since the death of her parents when she was 8 years old, and he was gone now, leaving Hayden to be the last in a long blood line.
"I still can't believe he's dead." Harold said, putting his arm around her, and leading her to his office.
Hayden couldn't speak for the knot in her throat. Joe had been a father to her, more than her real father, and there were times that she believed he really was her father, she was more like him than the man who had been called father.
"I want the years I lost with him back." she said softly, as a single tear escaped from her eye.
"It's not fair." a bit of anger in her voice as she brushed the tear away, and took a deep breath.
"So, " she said, changing the subject before she gave in to the urge to cry. "how's everyone at your house?"
Harold smiled, she could always change topics so fast. "They're fine. Wait until you see the kids."
Hayden listened as he talked about his two children, Bright was now 17, and Amy, 15. Six years will have made a world of difference in these two kids, and Hayden could easily remember when they were born.
She had been 15 when Bright was born, and had enjoyed babysitting hiim when she could. Then Amy came along when she was 17. This one was totally different then the little boy that had come 2 years earlier. Hayden had returned to Scotland when Amy was a year old, and had been back several times since then, but this six year span had been the longest she had been away.
Things had changed, and although Amy wrote her letters, Hayden still felt as if she had been gone forever.