Chapter 27:

When Henry and Abigail came through the back door of the cafe, Bill and Clara were busy in the kitchen, in the middle of lunch service. There were plenty of customers in the cafe and the hubbub of conversation was almost deafening.

"Everything's going good here?" Abigail asked, almost waxing to drown out the customers' voices.

"We are a bit overwhelmed! You can help us?" Clara questioned as she ran a little all over the kitchen.

"Yes!"

Abigail rushed to put on her apron, and she saw Henry about to do the same, but she stopped him.

"No, no! Henry, sit on the couch, just wait for the service to be over, please. Then we'll get your stuff from your house, and I'll show you to your room."

Henry huffed in exasperation as he sat down heavily on the couch, feeling utterly useless. Was it going to be like this all weekend?

"What is happening?" Bill frowned upon hearing Abigail's words.

Abigail saw Clara prick up her ears as she cooked two omelets in two different pans.

"Henry felt unwell. Carson took his blood and asked him not to exert any physical effort and not to work until the results. He told him that he could go home while he waited for the results, on the only condition that someone be there permanently to watch him just in case. So, I offered to host him just until the results arrived in a few days." Abigail explained, her hands already dipped in pie crust.

Bill nodded without saying anything. He still was not Henry's biggest fan, but he had come to terms with his relationship with Abigail. He had seen them that night. At Thanksgiving Day. They were really in love with each other. And even if he had a hard time understanding how they had managed to fall in love with each other after everything that had happened between them, he was happy for them. And he somehow hoped Henry was okay.

Clara looked at Henry sitting on the couch, looking dejected. She had, for her part, despite what she had seen, she too, at Thanksgiving, had trouble accepting their relationship. For her, Abigail would quickly realize that Henry was not a good person, even though he was able to "change thanks to Abigail" as Elizabeth kept telling her. So, the idea that Henry was going to live in the same house that she did not necessarily enchant her. She also knew that Cody had become very attached to Henry since he had done his internship at his place and that he would certainly be delighted to hear that the one who had recently become his male role model was going to live with them for a few days.

Once the lunch service was over and there was not a single customer left in the cafe, Bill and Clara left. They went back to their other jobs, sheriff/judge, and seamstress. Abigail turned to Henry who had stood up.

"I really can't help you. Even to put away?" begged Henry. "Look at the mess it is now in your kitchen."

Abigail smiled and approached Henry she took his face in her hands and kissed him softly.

"It's like that every day, Henry. I am used to it. Just wait until I finish, and we'll get your things." Abigail assured.

Henry scowled and sat down on a stool in the kitchen. His companion laughs at his sulky air and his bad mood. She tidied up the kitchen under Henry's gaze.

"Henry…stop looking at me." Abigail begged after a while.

Henry straightened in his seat confused.

"Why?"

"You trouble me." she whispered without looking at him.

"I trouble you." Henry stood up slowly and walked over to Abigail who was with her back to him cleaning something in the sink.

He put both hands on Abigail's hips and moved closer to her until he smelled the scent of her hair without even having to bend down. He lifted a hand to her hair and slid it to the left side to gently kiss the back of her neck and he heard her sigh as she continued to wash a now pristine plate.

"Do I have the right to do what I'm doing right now. Or is this considered too strenuous physical exertion?" teased Henry.

"As long as you don't venture further, you can continue." Abigail followed him into his nonsense with a mocking little sneer.

She slowly turned around and put her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

"You are preventing me from working, Mr. Gowen."

"Then you should complain to the mayor of the town, Mrs. Stanton." he replied before leaning down and kissing her chastely.

"Come on, as I see you can't stand still, we'll go get your things now. That way I'll show you your room and you'll put your things away."

Abigail pulled away from Henry's arms to take off her apron and put on her coat.

"Say it right away if you want to get rid of me. I won't take it badly." Henry feigned a vexed head.

"I wouldn't want to hurt you any more than you already seem to be." laughed Abigail.

Henry pouted for a few seconds and then smiled, unable to resist his mate as they both walked out into the cold Hope Valley.

Note: Clara still doesn't seem to accept Henry and Abigail's relationship! Thanks to anyone who continues to read my story.