When Love Comes To Town - Gabe Brown

Chapter One - The Storm

Gabe woke up restless and queasy. He and his three older brothers had just spent the night on the Integrity. Normally this wouldn't bother them but last night the great Alaskan winter unleashed a brutal storm that made it unsafe for them to go home. After finishing a four day delivery they docked in Hoonah well after dark and tried to get some sleep before the brunt of the storm hit. Even though he slept through till morning Gabe felt clammy and cramped so he quietly picked up his jeans, boots and flannel and made his way upstairs for some fresh air. He got dressed on the deck then assessed the damage to the boat from the storm. Apart from it looking like a bear had just ransacked it it wasn't actually damaged. Not wanting to be left to clean it all up by himself he thought he would leave his brothers sleep and go for a walk through town.

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In the cold and wet Gabe walks down the main street and starts to get a picture of how hard the storm actually hit. There are tree branches over roads and on top of cars, leaves and puddles everywhere and majority of the shops have someone picking up debris or signage. Gabe walks over to an old man who looks about 60 struggling to pick his cafe sign off the ground.

"Let me help you with that" Gabe smiles and takes the weight of the heavy sign.

"Thank you" the old man says breathless

"I'm Gabriel Brown" He says reaching out his hand while the other one held the sign with ease

"Harold Iven" The man shakes Gabes hand "You've got a good shake on you there kid" Harold coughs drly "come inside"

Both men walk out of the cold air into the empty cafe. Gabe feels the warmth of the open fire in the corner immediately. He rests the sign against the wall next to the door and goes over to warm his hands.

A few minutes later Harold comes back with a hot chocolate and sets it on the coffee table next to Gabe.

"You don't look like a coffee kinda guy" he smiles

"Thank you" Gabe picks up the mug to warm his hands

"I don't usually ask of this but I was wondering if you would be able to do me a favour" Harold asks "The delivery van is coming today and I usually carry it in myself but" Harold starts coughing again "as you can see" he clears his throat "I'm not as young as I used to be"

"Sure" Gabe says always willing to help out

They both turn their heads to the sounds of a horn.

"He just parks out the back follow me" Harold says

Both men walk behind the counter and into the back of the shop where a man was waiting at the screen door

"Frank" Harold exclaims "Good to see you"

"Didn't think I would make it in this weather" Frank laughs

He's a big man with broad shoulders and a long black pony tail. Frank and Gabe move crates of drinks and cafe supplies from the truck to the kitchen in little under half an hour while Harold worked at the front of the shop.

"All done?" Harold asks as Gabe walks around the front of the counter and sits on a bar stool

"All done" Gabe pants under his breath

"Here" Harold slides some bills across the table "thanks for helping today kiddo"

Gabe smiles and slides the money back "that's okay, you keep it"