I Am Not Yours

Missing Pieces

April 1916

Henry,

                I am writing to you one week after my arrival. My mother isn't doing very well, but she smiles every time she sees Cody. He has taken to her well and is quite excited to have a grandmother and a grandfather. My father has taken him under his wing on the farm which I am grateful for, because I can tell Cody misses Becky and Robert and would not know what to do if it weren't for the farm work. He loves the cows and the chickens and is, surprisingly, terribly afraid of the pigs. He says he is glad to eat bacon now. Daddy lets out a laugh every morning at breakfast as Cody takes down the bacon faster than ever. Becky will be visiting us on her next school break. I am not sure how long we will be staying, but I hope things in Hope Valley are okay in my absence. Bill is to take on the mayor's duties for now, but I hope that you will be able to help him from time to time. I wrote him to go to you if he needed anything, though I am sure he won't, so you may need to ask him how things are every now and then. He is not much of a businessman, as you know. I did not write this letter just to ask that favor of you but to sincerely apologize for my hurtful words before I left. It was wrong of me to push you and to tell you how you should feel about me. I would like to hear from you and discuss this further. Please write back.

                 Abigail

Henry sat at his desk in Lee's office as he read Abigail's letter. The look on his face was both confused and uncertain. He finished reading and let the parchment fall out of his hands onto the desk in front of him. Leaning back in his chair, he let out a soft sigh, folding his hands together in his lap. His eyes stayed fixated on the letter in front of him as he wondered how he could decide what to say to her in a reply.

"Is something wrong, Henry?" Lee asked from the desk across from his own.

"Hm? Oh. No, Lee. Everything is fine. I am going to go for a little walk." The former mayor said as he stood up and stepped around his desk, heading for the door.

He walked up and down Main Street a few times, trying to ask himself what he would write back to Abigail. He wasn't sure what he would even say in the letter. He didn't know if he even wanted to write back to her. He knew that it was wrong of him to ignore her questions that night. To act like them being together would be a crime. And thus he understood that his actions caused her to say what she said to him. It wasn't her fault. And he DID want her to know that. He just didn't know how to tell her.

Late that night, he sat on the bed in his room at the saloon, using the hotel's Bible as a writing surface under the parchment.

Abigail,

                 I was glad to hear that Cody is enjoying his time there. I bet you are excited to see Becky. I hope she makes it there safely. How was the journey there yourself? Hope Valley was hit with a pretty nasty wind storm. Lee Coulter was badly injured. But he is home and safe now. I hope the storm did not hit you and Cody on your trip-...

He stopped writing. His mind now falling blank as he almost picked up the paper to crumble it up and throw it in the trash bin by his nightstand. But instead he just froze, looking down at the paper in front of him as he tried to picture Abigail right in front of him in the hopes that it would give him a better idea of what to write. He closed his eyes briefly and pictured her face in his mind. He couldn't help but smile to himself before he continued to write.

               -...on your trip. The town misses you and your cooking. Bill and Clara are doing well taking care of the cafe and all, but it is not the same without you and your recipes. I hope your mother is getting better. Hope your father is well too. As for Bill, I will try my best to help out if he allows me to. You know he does not enjoy my company much...let alone, heed my advice. But I will try.