Chapter 7

"Hayden? Oh my God, it is you!" she said loud enough to cause people to look.

Abigail was speechless. She was confused and embarrassed. She just reacted. She hugged him tightly, then suddenly remembered where she was. She let go and stepped back, flustered.

They both tried to remain calm. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't. Their hearts were racing, and there was so much to say and ask, but the words couldn't come. Finally, Hayden broke the silence.

"Abigail, err, Mrs. Perry, I would like to ask you some questions about this presentation. Could you come with me?"

Abigail nodded. "Let me tell my colleague, and I'll be right back."

Hayden watched her walk over to the other teacher. His mind was racing, but he couldn't really think.

After Abigail told Mr. Williams, they left together. Mr. William gave her an odd look, and some of the students appeared curious. "Well, what questions would you like me to answer?" she said upon her return.

Abigail hadn't changed. She had those same sparkling eyes and winning smile. Her figure had filled out. She has bigger breasts and fuller hips, just like her mom.

As they walked, all the stories about what happened came pouring out. After Hayden left, her dad confronted her. He knew what happened that night, and he knew what just happened in the barn. He blew up. He forbade her from seeing Hayden again, took her out of college, and told her she was going to marry Ranger Perry. It was like a house arrest. She fought back all summer but finally gave in. He just wore her down. She agreed to marry Ranger, even though she didn't love him. She gave in because she felt trapped. She finished her education and became a teacher. She stayed married to Ranger for 10 years, and they had one child, a daughter who is now 14 years old. Her dad made sure that she had everything. Big house, big car, big deal.

Ranger became a big name in politics, just like her dad said he would, but he cheated on her a number of times after the baby was born. The final straw was finding him in their own bed with a 20-year-old intern. She threw him out then and there. She never changed her name again because of her daughter. As she finished, she said, "I am sorry," and she began to cry.

Hayden pulled her close. He held her tight. It was like the years just washed away. He lifted her chin and began to kiss away her tears. He knew right then that he would not let her get away again.

They were gone for almost two hours. They walked aimlessly through the museum. Even though there were large crowds, it seemed as if there were only them. If Hayden had had his way, they would have been gone much longer. Before he let her go, they exchanged phone numbers, e-mails, and promises. He held her one more time and kissed her in front of her students, much to her embarrassment and the students' delight.

For the rest of the week in Washington, Abigail was a wreck. She couldn't decide if the chance meeting with Hayden was a blessing or a curse. At one moment, she wanted to throw it all away, call him, and run off somewhere together. The next moment, she felt they could never go back to the way it was, so it was a waste of time. She needed to talk to someone, and Seth Williams, the chaperones, and the students were not the people to talk with.

Upon returning, Abigail spent the weekend trying to decide what to do. She was always very logical, but this time logic didn't help. She realised that she wasn't really happy with her life. Oh, she had a great daughter and a job where everyone liked and respected her, but it was time for her to do what made her happy. After thinking it over, she came to a decision. She was going to contact Hayden and see if there was any magic left.

When Abigail arrived at school, she was greeted by a huge bouquet of flowers. Everyone was very curious about where they were from. Abigail didn't want to tell, but the word was already spreading about her meeting Hayden, so she didn't try to hide it.

There was also an email from Hayden. It said that he wouldn't call unless she wanted him to. All she had to do was reply. Also, he was inviting her to come to Washington for the weekend. The date was the first weekend after school ended. When she came in that day, she knew what she was going to do. Now, when it came time for her to take the step, she had second thoughts.

The week was terrible. The students were painful. The teachers and even some parents kept asking questions. There were endless and meaningless meetings. She found it hard to concentrate on her classes. The principal called her in to ask what was going on and what about the missing two hours. By the time Abigail got home Friday, she was emotionally and physically beat. She found a note from her daughter, Carol, saying she was staying at a friend's house. "Good," thought Abigail as she went to the cabinet for a glass and a bottle of wine. She needed time alone.

Abigail spent the evening sipping wine, listening to music, and looking through old photographs. She found one of her and Hayden. It was taken on July 4th. She wiped the dust off of it. It was a great picture of the two of them. Abigail sighed as she said to no one, "How young we look and happy too." She also noticed how much her body has changed.

Ranger didn't like the changes her body went through. During her pregnancy, he hardly touched her, but her hormones raged. She needed to be loved and touched, as her body felt foreign to her. She became so frustrated that she bought a vibrator to ease her tension. It helped a little, but it couldn't hold her in its arms. After giving birth, her breasts grew from a C-cup to a D-cup, and her hips flared. She was no longer the same girl that Ranger married, but a 36-27-36 woman. Ranger wanted a trophy wife, not a woman. He became more distant after Carol was born. She tried everything, but nothing worked. She found putting herself, her daughter, and her work together easier. Sex was the furthest from her mind. She tried dating after the divorce, but it didn't work. Seth Williams, her co-teacher, kept trying, but she wasn't interested. She hadn't made love to anyone since Ranger left. Actually, before he left,.