Chapter 5:

Note: I just wanted to thank you for reading my fiction. And I also wanted to let you know that it's a long fiction that I had almost finished writing last year, and that I'm reworking to try to make it more interesting (when I say long it's like 30-35k words something like that.) I hope you'll keep reading. Let's go!

When Abigail returned to the cafe that night, she found Clara sitting at the living room table with a book in her hand.

"Ah, Clara, thanks again for babysitting Cody while I was out for a few moments."

"Don't worry Abigail, I always enjoy spending time with him. He is an angel." Clara said getting up from the table and walking over to Abigail. "Is everything alright?"

Abigail slowed down, hanging up her coat as she considered her answer.

"Yes, everything is fine." she hesitated.

"Are you sure? You can tell me anything, you know?"

Abigail softens at her daughter-in-law's concern. She approached Clara and took her hand.

"I know Clara."

Abigail said nothing more and went upstairs to check if Cody was sleeping.

Clara looked towards the stairs where Abigail had just disappeared. She was worried about the woman who had come all the way to Hamilton to help her a few years ago. Without Abigail, Clara would most likely still be in the claws of this hideous man who made her work endless hours for less than minimal pay.

Abigail looked so different since she and this man had seen each other today. Who was he? It was disturbing for Clara to realize that she did not know everything about Abigail. As if, in the end, she did not know her. She had realized that this man and she were not only "old friends" but rather former lovers. However, Clara knew that Abigail had met Peter's father when she was 18. Did she know Mr. Richardson before Noah? Or during Noah?

The next morning, Abigail was working in the cafe by herself. Clara and Bill would go there in the afternoon. There were more customers than usual for breakfast. Not that Abigail was complaining, besides she knew perfectly well that people had come because of the rumors about her and Theo. They were hoping to see another interaction between them. Abigail had seen Molly and Florence arrive for breakfast – which was rather rare – and stare at her insistently.

Abigail walked over to Henry who was, like every morning, on a small table in the middle of the room. He came as many times as he could. Abigail realized that. He did not come as much when they had a complicated relationship. But now Abigail saw him eaten at the cafe every day. She liked his presence. She liked to know him around. Henry was an unpredictable man; she was always anxious that something would happen to him. She trusted him completely, she knew he would not intentionally do anything wrong again. But she felt better when he was where she could see him. She could not explain this feeling. Why did she always need to know that he felt good?

That morning, she went to Henry to clear her table. He smiled at her when he saw her.

"Is everything okay Henry?"

"Thank you, Abigail, it was excellent as usual." He continued to smile at her as he replied. He could not stop looking at her, smiling at her. He still worried about her. He liked to come and eat at the café because he could watch over her in his own way.

"And you Abigail? Are you doing good?" Henry could not help but return the question.

Abigail momentarily lost her smile.

"Henry, I…"

Abigail was interrupted by the sound of the cafe's front door. She looked up and saw Theo walk into the establishment. The customers stopped talking when they saw Theo enter. Henry looked at Abigail's changed expression. Mr. Richardson nodded at her and walked towards the kitchen, stroking her arm quickly as he passed.

"Please, excuse me." Abigail said distractedly. She went to the kitchen to join Mr. Richardson.

Henry could see Molly and Florence leaned over to the kitchen to see what was going on. Henry could not help but do the same until Abigail closed the curtain covering the kitchen from the eyes of the customers.

When Abigail entered the kitchen, she saw Theo with his back to her.

"Are you okay, Theo?"

He turned and looked her in the eyes.

"I didn't sleep well to be honest."

Abigail moved closer to him. She and Theo were off to the side of the kitchen curtain.

"Abigail…every time I had my eyes closed, I saw your face…over and over again…"

"Theo…"

"I know. Sorry."

"No… I… It's just…" Abigail hesitated. "I do not know what to say."

"You don't need to answer."

Theo's face was very close to Abigail's. Abigail could not explain how she felt. She felt a strong attraction to Theo, both emotionally and physically. Ever since Frank left, she felt alone, despite her family and friends. But above all she felt an enormous physical attraction. Since the death of her husband several years ago now, she had not been touched or had intimacy with a man for a long time. She had not had time to think about intimate relationships since her husband's death. She had only had sex with two men in her life, after all. But seeing Theo again, after all her years of loneliness, was driving her crazy.

At the last moment Abigail turned her face away from Theo's and she whispered to him:

"Not now…"

Theo understood immediately how Abigail felt. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. He was still deeply in love with her, and he hoped that he would succeed in seducing her again.

The kitchen door suddenly opened giving way to Elizabeth who, again was very surprised to see the same man at Abigail's side.

Elizabeth walked in without saying a word, just eyeing the couple suspiciously.

Theo, suddenly feeling too much, turned back to Abigail, and whispered in her ear:

"I'll wait for you in your office."

He then kissed her softly on the cheek and walked out the kitchen door, bowing slightly to say hello to Mrs. Thornton.

Elizabeth then looked at Abigail for a few seconds.

"Abigail…I don't know where to start. I have so many things to ask you…"

"I understand…I'm a little bit lost myself, to tell the truth."

Elizabeth walked over to Abigail and took her hands.

"Do you want to talk to me about it?"

Abigail sighed and looked down as she walked away from Elizabeth. The latter was very surprised by the recoil of her friend. It was not in her habits. She seemed extremely confused and insecure.

"There's nothing to say Elizabeth…Theo…" Abigail hesitated. "Theo was…" Abigail sighed again and turned her back to her best friend.

Elizabeth was seriously starting to worry. She had never seen Abigail in such a way.

There was a silence during which Elizabeth thought Abigail did not want to talk to her. Then suddenly, her best friend took over what she was saying.

"I really waited for him." Abigail turned to Elizabeth with tears in her eyes.

"I lived in a small village in northern Canada with my brothers and my parents. Theo and his family were our neighbors. You know, I loved my husband, Noah, really, he was everything. He was handsome, kind, patient, caring. But, I think, deep down, I knew I didn't feel the way I felt for Theo when I met him. I met him long before my husband. We were like transit lovers…" Abigail paused as the color crept up her cheeks thinking of the pleasure and heights they had reached together. Elizabeth saw the blush creeping up her friend's neck and could easily detect her discomfort. This in turn made her uneasy as she realized that Theo and Abigail had not just circled around. She tried not to think of her friend that way, it was very strange and disturbing.

"He promised me things, Elizabeth. He had promised me the world. He promised me that we would get married and run away from our families who didn't… who weren't… who didn't take care of us…"

A tear rolled down Abigail's cheek.

"Then he disappeared. Him and his family. Overnight…"

More and more tears streamed down Abigail's face.

"I waited for him. He broke my heart, Elizabeth. I was madly in love with him. And he broke my heart. I…" Abigail could not finish her sentence because of the tears that were falling more and more.

"Oh Abigail…" Elizabeth moved to hug her best friend.

Abigail hugged her back while trying to suppress her tears. She thought that wound had long been closed. But ultimately, it was not. Theo had even just opened it again.

After a while, Abigail managed to control herself and freed herself from the teacher's arms.

"Excuse me."

"No, Abigail, don't apologize."

"Since he came back yesterday, I feel weird. As if I wasn't myself. You understand?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"I understand very well."

"He explained to me that he had to return to France because his brother was sick. Then, when his brother died, Theo decided to return to my village to pick me up as he had promised. But I had already left. I met Noah and came here to Coal Valley."

"I'm sorry Abigail."

"It was a long time ago."

"But it still hurts…"

Abigail nodded slowly.

Suddenly, Bill walked into the kitchen through the back door. He saw that Abigail had red eyes but did not comment on seeing Elizabeth's insistent gaze on him.

"I'll go to my office." Abigail suddenly declared. "Have a nice day."

Once the door closed behind Abigail, Bill looked at Elizabeth with concern.

"What is happening? Does Abigail have a problem?"

"No, she was telling me her story with Theodore Richardson. The new in town."

"Oh, yes… This man does not inspire confidence in me."

Elizabeth frowned slightly.

"He doesn't really inspire confidence in me either, but I don't think it's a question of ambiguity. I have a feeling he's going to upset Abigail. As if he was going to mess her up, I don't know how to explain my point of view."

"I see what you mean." Bill nodded. "And I agree, Abigail seems completely disoriented."

"Try to keep an eye on her please Bill."

"Yes, and on him too." Bill insisted.

"Thank you." Elizabeth walked towards the door. "Have a good day, Bill."

Note: Thank you again for the review I received on my last chapter! And thank you also to people reading my story!