"Ms. Stanton, could I have a word with you, please?" Tobias Langley asked Abigail.

Abigail had gone to drop off Cody to college in the morning. It was almost the end to his last week at College and he was sad that his training course was coming to an end. He had thoroughly enjoyed the course and had made a few new friends with whom he exchanged contacts so that they could write to each other.

"Sure…" Abigail said as she followed Tobias into his office.

"Please have a seat." He said as he sat down on his chair. Abigail sat on the chair on the other side of his table. "Well, as you are aware, Cody's training ends in two days…" He said.

"Yes, I am aware. He has learnt a lot in these few days." Abigail replied politely.

"He has been a pleasure to teach, according to the course instructors." Tobias said. Abigail smiled proudly.

"Well, he is just so grateful for this opportunity." She replied kindly.

"This is for you…" Tobias said as he reached for an envelope inside his drawer and handed it to Abigail. Abigail received it with furrowed eyebrows. She held on to the flap of the envelope to open it but looked at Tobias.

"May I?" She asked.

"Yes of course…" he said. Abigail opened the envelope. It read:

Dear Ms. Stanton,

We are pleased to inform you that Cody Stanton has been selected to feature in Hamilton College of Engineering's Dean's List.

We are impressed by Cody's industrious nature and his zeal to gain knowledge. We applaud his commitment to excellence and trust that the success he has achieved thus far will become the foundation for even greater accomplishments in the future.

We trust that he will keep up with the good work.

Sincerely,

Alice H. Watford, Dean,

Hamilton College of Engineering.

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Abigail said, as she folded the letter.

"It is…this means that Cody is in the running for our annual college scholarship to study at a leading college in America." Tobias said.

"That's really great news! Thank you very much." Abigail said as she struggled to contain her excitement.

"Oh the pleasure is all ours." Tobias said, "He is a hardworking boy. He deserves it."

"Thank you. I appreciate this…and I speak on behalf of Cody too. Thank you again." Abigail said, humbled.

"You're welcome." Tobias replied.

"I will get going now…" Abigail said as she got up. She wanted to call Elizabeth back home and inform her.

"Abigail…" Tobias said as he got up from his chair. Abigail was startled at the fact that he decided to use her first name to address her. "Can I speak to you on an informal note?"

"Of course…" she said as she turned to face him fully.

"I…uhhh…have really liked the few times that we have interacted…" he said and Abigail waited patiently for him to finish what he was saying. "And…I would like to get to know you at a personal level…if that's fine with you." Abigail opened her mouth to say something. "You don't have to answer me now. You can take as much time as you'd like." He said and went over to his desk and scribbled something on a piece of paper, which he then gave to Abigail. "This is my phone number. You can call me even when you go back home."

"Mr. Langley…I…uhhhh…" she fumbled.

"You cannot possibly call me Mr. Langley after this conversation…" he joked. Abigail chuckled at that.

"Sorry…Tobias…" Abigail said. "I am…flattered…at your proposal. I really am…" she said "However…" She said.

"There it is…the 'however'…" he said, smiling sadly.

"I'm sorry. I would have liked to give you a better answer. I'm afraid I will not be able to give you or any other relationship my best at this point." She said politely.

"I understand…" he said gently. "That is why I gave you my number. I really like you Abigail…and I would love to get to know you better, when you are ready." He said.

"Thank you." she said and looked at him awkwardly. "I think it is time for me to leave." She said symbolically.

"Of course…" he said and nodded.

"Goodbye Tobias…" Abigail said and walked out, sighing.

AFTER TWO HOURS

"Hello? Elizabeth?" Abigail said into the telephone at her hotel.

"Hi Abigail, how are you?" Elizabeth asked, excited to hear from Abigail. "I was forgetting what you sounded like! I've missed you."

"Aww, I have missed you too. I have excellent news…" she said excitedly.

"Oh? Do tell…" Elizabeth said.

"Cody got into the Dean's List and has a chance of receiving a scholarship to study further!" Abigail exclaimed.

"Ohhhh!" Elizabeth squealed in delight. "Oh that's the best news I have heard in a while…ohhhh…congratulations to you!"

"Oh Elizabeth, I owe this to you. It couldn't have happened without you." Abigail said humbly.

"Well, Cody and you both worked hard. I am sure he deserves this." Elizabeth said happily as Abigail smiled into the phone. "Where is Cody? I would love to speak to him."

"Oh, he has gone out with a few of his training course mates but I will wish him on your behalf." Abigail replied.

"Great…how have you been keeping?" Elizabeth asked, more seriously. "Have you seen Henry?"

"I did…" Abigail said quietly.

"And…how is he?" Elizabeth asked.

"He is doing well." Abigail replied.

"Did you get an opportunity to talk?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not yet. He wants me to go and see him. I have my reservations…" Abigail said.

"Well…I am sure you know what's best…" Elizabeth said, her comments in the air.

"I know what you are thinking." Abigail said.

"I know you know." Elizabeth said cheekily and Abigail smiled and sighed.

"I really don't know what I will say to him." Abigail said.

"How you feel about him could be a good start to that conversation." Elizabeth said gently, knowing she was treading in unchartered waters. She knew Abigail could get emotional about this.

"He already knows how I feel." She said.

"Then you could start by asking him how he feels about you?" Elizabeth proposed.

"I know how he feels about me too." Abigail said.

"Then I really don't know what could possibly be holding the two of you back." Elizabeth said.

"It is not as simple as it seems." Abigail said.

"It seems to me that you are the one who is unsure of this." Elizabeth said.

"I will be lying if I said I don't think of his past…" Abigail said.

"Well then, we know what the problem is now, Abigail. Not until you let go of his past fully, you will not be able to accept him." Elizabeth said and Abigail knew she was right.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I really do like him. I really do. I miss him so much. But the people of Hope Valley, they lost so much. If I advanced this relationship with him, I am not sure how things will go down." Abigail said.

"Is that what is worrying you? The people of Hope Valley?" She asked.

"Yes, they have entrusted me with the responsibility to do the best for the town. What if they find out about how I feel for him?" Abigail asked.

"The people of Hope Valley love you as their mayor, Abigail. I am sure they will have no objections. Also, what you do in your personal life is your business, not theirs." Elizabeth said.

"Yes but it is not that easy for me to make this decision." Abigail replied.

"No one expects you to make a decision right now. You can take all the time you want." Elizabeth said and that relaxed Abigail a little bit. "I think you should go and see him. Do not commit to anything. Just to hear his side of the story perhaps?" she asked. "Think about it."

After that conversation, Abigail thought about what Elizabeth told her. She knew Elizabeth was right. She couldn't decide what she was unsure of…her views on his past of the views of the people of Hope Valley. She shook her head to wish the thoughts away. Elizabeth was right. She should see him. Apart from talking about what transpired, she needed to see him in person. She had missed him too much.

LATER THAT WEEK

It was Saturday and the Cody had gone for a college picnic hosted by Tobias Langley to signify the successful completion of their course. The other students from college would be there too, which would be the perfect chance for Cody to socialize and get to know other children.

Abigail figured that would be the best time to go to Henry's.

She clutched the piece of paper in her hands and looked up ahead at the main door to his house. She was at the address he had given her.

Abigail knocked gently but no one answered. It was just as well, she told herself. She doesn't even know why she had decided to go see him. Just as she was turning to leave, the door opened and there he was, in his shirt and pants. It was the casual look she loved on him.

"Abigail…" he called out, surprised. "Please come in…" He said.

"You seem surprised…" Abigail replied as she walked into his house. He followed her inside.

"Yes, I wasn't expecting you." Henry said, requesting Abigail to sit in the living room.

"Well, you gave me your address…" Abigail said and she couldn't understand why she was very irritable about this.

"I know…I was just…" Henry started explaining. Abigail's face softened as she sighed.

"I'm sorry…" Abigail interrupted him. She took a deep breath and blew out loudly. "It is very unlike me to react this way. I just don't know…" Abigail was explaining.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. You haven't done anything wrong." Henry said gently as he took a chair and sat opposite her.

"After you left…" Abigail choked as her voice quivered. "…I tried…" she said shakily as tears formed in her eyes. "I tried to…move on…but…" She stopped as the tears spilled over on to her cheeks which she wiped away with her handkerchief. "I know that…" she started again, her voice shaky again. "…that I said hurtful things to you that night…" she said and continued "But I knew how I felt about us…and I had indicated the same to you as well." She finished, the tears in her eyes reflecting the sunlight seeping through the windows.

He leaned forward and held her hands.

"I know how you feel…felt…" Henry corrected himself. "…about me. I didn't doubt that. But when you said those things to me the other night…It showed that somewhere in you, that bothered you. So I decided to walk away, without telling you. I knew you would try to stop me and I wasn't sure whether that would be because you want to or because you said those things to me and you were feeling guilty about it."

Abigail looked at him compassionately.

"You should have spoken to me, even if your decision was to leave." Abigail maintained.

Henry moved his face dangerously close to hers and said "I wouldn't have been able to leave if you stopped me." She was dumbfounded. It was this proximity that she feared. She wasn't able to keep a check on her emotions when he was around her, leave alone when he was this close to her, physically. He sensed that she was vulnerable and moved his face away, to her relief. He smiled slightly at the fact that he still had that effect on her. But making her feel vulnerable was the last thing he wanted. He loved her strength and how she handled things maturely. She was lost in thoughts momentarily. "Abigail…" he said, bringing her back to the present. "I sense something else on your mind…more like reservations." He said. She said nothing but just looked at him.

"I have a lot on my mind Henry." Was all she could muster.

"I understand. I do not want you to rush into things." Henry said compassionately. Abigail nodded slightly at that. Abigail visibly relaxed a little on the couch. "So…" Henry said as he sat back on his chair. "How have you been?" he asked.

"I have been well for the most part of the days." She said. "It took me some time to accept that you were gone…but I did well I think."

"I am sorry about that Abigail. I really did not…" Henry began.

"I think you should stop apologizing. We both were and were not at fault. It had to happen. This distance…it had me experience all layers of life and I am glad that I did. It's made me stronger as a person." She said.

"You have been the strongest person I have known. You make me want to be a better person." Henry said. Abigail was going to react to that but then looked at the time. She was late in picking up Cody. She got up immediately and Henry did too. "Everything alright?" he asked, concerned.

"Yes, I am late. I need to pick up Cody from college." Abigail said worriedly.

"Oh, would you like me to come with you?" he asked.

"No, thank you, I will be fine." She said as she started walking to the door, Henry following her. She walked out of the door and turned back. "I…I have really missed you." she said sadly.

"I have too." He said as he stepped closer to her. His face again was inches away from her. She felt the heat of his body around her and despite the cold, she felt her cheeks flush.

"I…Henry…I…" she fumbled but then remembered Cody. "I need to go." She said.

"Please have dinner with me tomorrow night. You and Cody. I know the both of you leave the next day for Hope Valley." Henry said quickly. Abigail's mouth was open slightly at that.

"I would love to." She finally resigned to that.

"I will wait for you." he said.

"Goodbye Henry." She said. She wanted to kiss him and to hug him but she stopped herself.

"I will see you tomorrow." He said as he watched her disappear around the corner.

Henry's heart was filled with joy and hope, a little more than usual.