Chapter 1:

Abigail was busy in the kitchen this afternoon with Bill and Clara. She was very well helped at Abigail's Cafe. She was never understaffed despite her time-consuming role as mayor. She was only in the cafe in the mornings now and sometimes in the afternoons when her duties as mayor permitted. Clara usually took care of the rest with Bill in the afternoons. Everyone had a job other than the cafe now. Clara worked at Dottie's shop with Rosemary and Bill was the town sheriff. Now it was more about finding a way to take turns running the cafe while continuing to do their other job.

Clara was an angel; she had decided to come back and help Abigail with the cafe since she had become mayor again. She loved sewing; it was her passion. But she had her heart on her sleeve, this young woman. Just like Bill, who, at difficult times in Abigail's life, had helped her. Despite the differences they may have had at the very beginning of their relationship. Elizabeth also sometimes came to help after class. She came with baby Jack who, still happy, watched his mother busy in Abigail's kitchen.

In the cafe were some of Bill's, Clara's, and Abigail's close friends. There were Molly, Florence, Rosemary, and Lee who were having lunch at a table together. There were also other people from the community in the cafe, having a leisurely lunch and gossiping about the town. Bill stopped for a second at the table with Florence, Molly, Rosemary, and Lee to joke and chat a little with them. Bill was happy to work and own half the cafe with Abigail. He had missed everything with her. He still regretted what he had done to her. Their romantic relationship had empathy for it but not their friendly relationship fortunately. He should have just told her the truth and none of this would have happened. At least he had been able to redeem himself a little bit by helping her at the cafe and in her role as mayor.

Bill had just received an important proposal. Become a judge. He had not told anyone yet, but he thought he would tell Abigail before the others. For the moment he was still sheriff of the city, and he was talking with his friends who were having lunch at the cafe while serving them. Florence was telling Rosemary and Lee about what she saw in the saloon last night with Molly. An incredibly attractive and handsome man had walked through the saloon doors. He was new in town, that was undeniable. No one new went unnoticed in a town like Hope Valley, despite the development and growth of the latter.

This man had black hair and very bright blue eyes. He was tall and dressed in a suit. He had a very nice appearance. Needless to say, he was noticed in the saloon by women like Florence and Molly but also by men like Henry and Bill. Indeed, Bill had also noticed this man who had an unusual appearance. If Bill was not a confident man, he would almost say that he was jealous of this gentleman's physique.

It was undeniable that he had made a strong impression. He walked confidently to the counter, ignoring the looks and whispers directed at him. He spoke quickly with the bartender who brought Lucas Bouchard back to him a few moments later. Then, Lucas and he talked for a little while before Bouchard gave him the keys to his room. The man went back outside, came back with his bag, and went up to his room, from which he did not come out during the evening.

Bill, as a good man of justice, called Bouchard to ask him questions about this individual. His name happened to be Theodore Richardson. He intended to stay here for a little while, being in town on personal business. Florence and Molly did not hide from listening to the conversation of Bill and Lucas and asked them what personal business they were about. To which Lucas replied that he obviously had not asked Mr. Richardson. It was none of his business. Bill, although of this opinion, would not hesitate to ask this dear gentleman.

The rumor was then spread in the city that a mysterious man was planning to stay in town for a while. Florence and Molly, completely under the spell of this foreigner, only talked about that and therefore shared this little story with the Coulter couple. Much to the delight of Rosemary, always a big fan of stories and gossip. Lee also seemed uncomfortable with this conversation, which Bill particularly enjoyed while he stayed a little at their table to discuss.

Clara was serving another table when the door opened. Bill turned back to the door and was stunned to see the man they were just talking about. Thereby, his friends turned towards the door and were in turn speechless to see him just as they were talking about him. Rosemary and Clara – who also had her gaze drawn to the door due to the sudden silence of her friends – gaped at the look of this man as well. They had heard about him, but they had really thought that Florence and Molly were exaggerating as always. But no, this man really had an unusual appearance.

Theodore Richardson closed the door behind him and stood still looking at the kitchen. He seemed to be looking for something. For some reason, he did not move or try to sit down at a table. Bill then walked over to the man.

"Hello sir, I'm Sheriff Avery. Bill Avery. You can sit down, and I will come and show you the menu of the day." Bill introduced, looking the man in the eyes as the customers and Clara tried to pretend not to be interested in the conversation.

"Hello Mr. Avery. My name is Theodore Richardson. Thank you, but I'm not here for lunch or to buy something." spoke Mr. Richardson in a rather deep voice.

Bill, a little surprised by the man's response, replied:

"But it's a cafe here sir. »

"I know, thank you Sheriff Avery." Declared the man while advancing towards the kitchen by looking in this one.

Bill followed Mr. Richardson with his eyes, frowning. This man was acting strange, and Bill did not like it at all.

"Mr. Richardson, you can't go that way, it's the kitchen." Bill's tone was starting to rise. He was about to grab the man by the arm when Richardson froze in place.

Abigail had just walked into the room having heard Bill's pitched tone. When she saw Mr. Richardson, she froze in turn. The entire cafe was silent, everyone's attention was focused on this individual. Bill moved forward to lead the man out of the cafe when he heard Abigail speak.

"Theo?"

Bill saw Abigail's look change. She was surprised and seemed almost moved. She put her hands over her mouth without taking her eyes off the man.

"Abigail. Look at you. You're even more beautiful than I remember." The man spoke in a voice shaking with emotion.

Abigail sighed in emotion. The two walked towards each other and shared a firm hug.

Abigail's customers and friends looked at them in complete amazement. There was no longer any sound in the room. Only completely stunned looks.

Abigail and Theo pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes as if to check they were not dreaming. Theo gently stroked Abigail's hair and Abigail cupped Theo's face. She could not believe it. Theo. Her first love. She had not seen or heard from him in about twenty-five years.

"You are wonderful. More than ever. More than I could remember. How is it possible? Are you ever getting older?"

Abigail laughed softly as a small tear rolled down her right cheek. A tear that Theo tenderly wiped away.

The two slowly pulled apart but Theo was still holding Abigail's hands.

"Come with me. Please. We have loads of things to talk about. I was searching for you for a while now. I can't believe I find you. This is incredible."

"I can't come now, Theo. I work and I'm also the mayor of this town, I go to my office after that. And I have my son too. »

"You are the mayor. It doesn't surprise me about you. Are you married? »

Abigail looked down and quickly back up to Theo.

"We have a lot to talk about."

Theo kissed Abigail's right hand. He walked quietly towards the door of the café, ignoring the looks that were thrown at him. He then turned to Abigail and said:

"375. This is my room number. I'll take you for a ride."

"Okay. I will try to come. And you will take me for a ride. I hope you have motorbike of course."

Theo laughs.

"Yeah of course." He winked at her and left the cafe.

Abigail stood confused for a few seconds before stepping back slightly to return to the kitchen. She was still staring at the door Theo had exited through and grabbed the wall behind her in the shoulder. She turned then, her cheeks flushed, trying not to meet the gaze of her clients and friends. She least wanted people to ask her questions. She went as quickly as possible to the other side of the counter to be out of sight of the others.

Theodore Richardson. How could he be here in Hope Valley. They had lost sight of each other for so many years now. How had he found her? They had so much to tell each other.

Theo was her childhood sweetheart. She had met him in her village when she was 15 years old. For more than three years they had not left each other. They spent their whole days together in secret so that Abigail's parents could not get indignant and prevent her from seeing this boy again. They were madly in love with each other at the time. Then one day, sometime after her 17th birthday, Theo disappeared. Him and his entire family. Abigail had suffered so much. She had cried and cried for months. She had always had the feeling that he would come back for her and tell her that it was all a misunderstanding. That he never intended to abandon her.

She had done everything with him. They had done so many stupid things. She loved getting on his motorbike and hanging on to him as he rode faster than lightning. She had posed for him, an eternal artist. It was his dream to be an artist. He had a crazy talent in painting, drawing, sculpture, and music. His father did not allow him to develop his talent. Theo was practicing on the sly in Abigail's presence. Initially she watched him paint the landscape. Then he asked her to paint her. Then, with each new painting, she stripped a little more for him. Until she finds herself almost naked. That is when it happened. The summer of her 16th birthday, they made love. She lost her virginity in a haystack with Theo. They made their first time together. Abigail was young. She knew she had to keep her virginity before marriage and that she had sinned. But, being covered with a promise of marriage by Theo, she had not seen fit to wait. They wanted it so much. And it had been so wonderful that they had done it again, again and again and again and again.

When Theo disappeared and she met Noah when she was 18, she fell in love with him. She never knew if she liked Noah or Theo more, but it did not matter. Noah had made her forget about Theo. They had married very quickly and, terrified by the idea that he no longer wanted her, she had confessed to him in tears that she was no longer a virgin. Noah only showed signs of empathy and love towards Abigail. Although jealous of this man he will never have been able to meet, he made love to Abigail in the sweetest of ways, showing her all his love, devotion, and admiration. Abigail became pregnant with Peter, they moved to Coal Valley, met the community and the people who later became their dearest friends. They never spoke of Theo again, although Abigail sometimes wondered where he might be. She always had a picture of him and her in her trunk that she never looked at.

Note: Well, I hope you like it a bit, I'm not very good at writing, especially in English.