Part 13

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Chapter Seventeen



It was a Sunday afternoon when Lincoln's life suddenly changed.  He was sat behind the counter reading a magazine.  The shop wasn't busy and he was the only person there.  Mr Cassidy had gone to church, as had most of the village.

The bell rang as someone came through the door.  He heard a soft voice call before he saw them:

"Uncle George, are you here?"

A girl walked towards him.  He was stunned by her.  She was beautiful, with long brown hair that hung straight.   As she got nearer, her dark green eyes searched his face.

"HI, is Mr Cassidy here?" she asked.

"He has gone to Church.  He won't be back until closing time.  I can get him to contact you.  Who should I say came by?" he asked politely.

"His niece, Ababa"

"Ababa, that is a strange name.  I mean unusual.  I mean it is beautiful" said Lincoln, unusually nervous.  The girl giggled.

Lincoln broke out his cutest smile.

"That was pretty stupid.  Let me start again.  Hi Ababa, nice name, I am Lincoln Taylor."

"Lincoln?  Now that is a strange name" she said grinning.  "It is nice to meet you.  But Ababa isn't my real name – it is Abbie.  Ababa is Uncle George's nickname for me.  Apparently I couldn't say my own name when I was little."

Lincoln laughed.  "You are cute.  I mean that is cute" What was wrong with him?!

She laughed again.

"I take it you are new around here.  I haven't seen you before."

"Yeah I just moved from London to live with my Dad and brother and sisters."

"Kat and Connor Taylor?"

"Yeah" He was getting used to everyone knowing everyone round here.

"Cool, we have been at school together for years.  Kat went out with my brother last year as well."

"Why haven't I seen you around school?  I am sure I would have noticed your beautiful face lighting up the place" said Lincoln.

Abbie blushed slightly.  "I was on the French Exchange and then was off with flu for like two weeks.  I must have missed your arrival."

"We should make up for lost time" said Lincoln, the words sounding clumsy as soon as they were out.

"I'd like that" she said shyly. There was a ring on the bell as someone came into the shop.  "See you at school then?"

"You can count on it" he replied with a grin.


It wasn't until afternoon break that he saw her.  The halls were filled with students.  As he came out of Maths, he saw Abbie coming out of a classroom further down the hall.  She stopped at a locker and Lincoln jogged down towards her.

He put his arm against the locker next to her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Long time no see."

Abbie turned and smiled at him.

"Hey Lincoln, how are you?"

"Good now I have managed to bump into you" He smiled. "How about you?"

"I am great.  Just getting back into it after so long away!" she said, holding up her timetable.

"What lesson do you have next?" he asked.

"I have Sociology with Mr Overly" she replied.

"In room 310?" She nodded in reply. "Can I walk you?"

"Sure," she said, blushing slightly.  "What do you have?"

"PE"

"But that is the other end of school.  You will be late!" she exclaimed.

"It is worth it" He said, picking up her bag. 

"Thanks for carrying that" she said as they began to walk.

"My mum always taught me to never let a lady carry anything" he said.

"You will change your mind if you ever come shoe shopping with me" she laughed.

"A vice?"

"A terrible vice" she laughed.

"You're only one?"

"You'll have to find out" she said with a flirty look.

Yep, she was definitely flirting back, he thought.

They arrived at room 310.  The buzzer sounded.

"So I was wondering if you were free to go out on Saturday night?" asked Lincoln.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Ladies choice..."

She mused for a moment.

"How about bowling?"

"I have only played once before" admitted Lincoln.

"I will teach you" she said.  "Give me your number"

He gave her his and hurried off to class.

When he came out of school later on he had a text on his phone.

"This is my number!  Can't wait to kick your butt on Saturday– Abbie."

He smiled to himself: finally something to look forward to.

Saturday couldn't come soon enough. 

Best clothes, check.  Shaved, check. Aftershave, not too much, check.  Money, check. 

Just after 7.30pm, he knocked on the door of 64 Cressley Drive.  The door opened almost immediately.  He came face to face with a woman in her Forties, who he assumed was Abbie's mum.

"Hi, I am Lincoln.  I am here to pick up Abbie."

"Come inside Lincoln.  She is not quite ready yet."

"Thanks" said Lincoln, stepping inside.

"Come and sit down" said Mrs Cassidy, ushering him into the living room.

"You have a nice place Mrs Cassidy"

"Thank you.  Please call me Lynda." She laughed.  "Mrs Cassidy sounds so formal.  Hold on and I will go and see what is keeping Abigail."

She disappeared.

Lincoln looked around at the family photos. 

"You are Lincoln then?"

He turned to see a teenage boy in front of him.  He was a big guy with short dark hair.  He looked familiar.

"You are mates with my brother, right?"

"Yeah, we play football together.  I'm Nathan, Abbie's brother."

"Right" said Lincoln.

"Look, I will get to the point.  As far as I can see, you are trouble.  My sister seems to think otherwise.  If anything happens, I will beat the shit out of you.  I hope the two of you going out won't become a habit" Nathan scowled.

"Whatever" said Lincoln, giving him a nasty look.

They were interrupted as both mother and daughter entered the room.

"You looking stunning!" said Lincoln.

Abbie blushed.

"We'd better get going."

"Bye Lynda, it was nice to meet you" said Lincoln as Abbie pulled him away.  "Nathan."

The evening of bowling went by far too fast.  Abbie creamed Lincoln three games to nil but he didn't mind.  They had a great time together and the conversation flowed, especially as they both shared a love for banter.  The bus dropped them back in town and they walked through and sat down at the fountain. 

"So have you lived in Hartley all your life?" asked Lincoln.

"Yeah, I was born here" she replied.

"Your Mum seems really nice.  Your brother on the other hand..."

"What about him?"

"He told me he'd beat me up if I hurt you.  I don't think he likes me."

"God!  Trust Nathan.  He is such a macho idiot.  Ignore him" she said gruffly. "The rest aren't so bad."

"The rest?"

"I have three older brothers: Mark, David and Simon."

"So just to be clear, you have four older brothers?"

"Yep, well, Nathan is only 11 months older – we are Irish twins"


He smiled at the joke.

"Still, four older brothers.  I better watch out!"

"Is there much age gap between you and the twins?" she asked.

Lincoln wasn't looking forward to airing out all his family's dirty secrets but it would come out sooner or later.

"Well, I am seven months younger than them.  We have different mothers" he added.

She nodded.

"You don't seem surprised?" he asked.

"I knew that.  I asked around."

"You asked around about me?" he asked, looking at her shyly.

"I did" she said smiling.

"What else did you find out?"

She looked at the floor for a moment, then directly in his eyes.

"Um, that your Mum died".  She looked sad for him.

He didn't know what to say.

"I'm really sorry" she said, nervously. "Wait, that always sounds such a stupid thing to say."

"It's ok" he calmed, "What is there to say? It is what it is."

"Can I ask how it happened?"

"She was caught in crossfire and was shot.  Wrong place at the wrong time" he said.  He felt his emotions begin to stir so he decided to move the conversation along.  "So that is why I had to come here and live with Sam".

 "You don't call him Dad?" she asked.

"No, he hasn't had anything to do with me until now, that isn't a Dad is it?"

"I guess not.  It must have been hard, having to leave your friends and move out here."

"It has definitely been an adjustment.  Sam is very stuffy and old fashioned.  He is all God Squad as well – which I find hilarious given how I came to be created!"  He laughed.  "I had a lot more freedom in London.  Mum worked a lot so couldn't know where I was all the time.  But Sam has to know where I am and when I will be home.  It is ridiculous."

"Maybe he does it because he loves you?" she ventured.

"He doesn't even know me though.  How can you forget about someone for more than 10 years and then say that you love them?" 

She shook her head.  "I just don't know."

They were quiet for a moment.

"So I guess you haven't spent any time with your brother and sisters?  What is that like?" she asked.

"They all seem really nice.  We have had a few small clashes but I guess that is inevitable."  He smiled broadly at her.  "Enough questions about me.  What about you?  Tell me about yourself."

"Not much to tell really.  Lived here all my life with my four brothers, Mum and Dad.  I like to dance and I hope to live in France when I am older" she said quickly.

"That is it?  No skeletons in the closet.  No step-parents, step-siblings, half-siblings, no black sheeps.  Nothing?" he questioned.

"Nope" she grinned, "Clean as a whistle!"

They laughed softly.  Lincoln leant over and kissed her softly.  She responded. 

He pulled back. 

"Is that ok?"

She nodded and they kissed again.  Lincoln began to feel the familiar stirrings of desire.  He kissed her harder and she wrapped her arms around his body and twisted his hair into her fingers.  After a few minutes they stopped and smiled shyly at each other.

"We better head back.  Curfew is almost up" said Abbie.

They walked back and she slid her hand into his.  He felt warm inside from this simple gesture.

As they reached the steps of her house, she leant in and they made out for a few minutes.

"Can I see you again?" he asked.

"You can line up with my other suitors" she said in a false posh accent.

"Oh" he said, suddenly worried.  Maybe she wasn't interested in him that way. "Are you seeing other people?"

"Oh, no!  I am totally joking.  I would love to go out with you again." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.  She paused.  "Are you seeing other girls?"

"No.  And I won't be.  I only want to see you" Lincoln meant every word.

"I feel the same way" she said blushing.

"So what does that mean?  Do you want to be my girlfriend?" asked Lincoln.  "Or is that too soon?  I mean you don't know me yet.  You might not like me."

"I will find out soon enough if we are going out" Her face lit up and then she covered it up.  "Is that what you want?"

"Definitely" said Lincoln.

"Me too"

There was an awkward silence and then they both laughed.  Lincoln kissed her and they started making out again.

After a few minutes the front door flew open and Nathan stood there with his arms crossed.

"Get lost Nathan!" snapped Abbie.

He gave Lincoln a dirty look.

"It is 11pm" He stated simply.

"Who are you, Dad?  Go away!"  She reached in and closed the door on him.

"Sorry about that.  Overprotective brothers, eh?!" she smiled, embarrassed, at him.

He laughed.  "Goodnight then"

"Goodnight my new boyfriend" she laughed and planted another kiss on his lips.

He remembered that kiss as he walked home, happy.

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