The next day, Abby was at home, helping Alice, baking cookies.
"Great-Grand," said Abby. "Have you and Great-Grandpop have a complicated relationships?" Alice look at her, stunned.
"Well, why that makes you ask that question?" she asks. Abby shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know. I was just wondering," said Abby. Alice look at her.
"Tell me, what's in your mind?" Abby look at her, sadly.
"It's just...I met Max, yesterday." Alice smile at her. They went to sit on the table. "I was...so happy to see him. But...I know that...I cannot get a chance to be with him." Alice look at her, sadly.
"Abby dear, people change their mind...and they want to have another chance." Abby look at her and smile. "So, don't gave up." Alice stood up as she went to step out to the living room, while Abby watch after her, sadly. Then, her cell phone ring.
"Hello?"
"Abby, hi," it was Chelsea.
"Hi Chel, what's up?"
"Grandma had this party at the pub and I'm inviting you."
"Oh, thank you, Chelsea. But, I cannot go."
"Why not?"
"I'm not ready, you know. I just want to stay home for a while."
"But, what about Grandma? She wants you here." Abby sighs heavily.
"Okay, whatever you say," she said. "I'll be there."
"Great! I'll wait for you." They hang up. Abby sighs, heavily as she think about if she get there and she will meet Max again.

Later on, Abby got to the pub. She look through the window and saw the family were gathering together. She take a breath before she step in. She open the door and step in. They turn around and look at her. Steve look stunned.
"Abby?"
"Hi Uncle Steve," she said. He walk to her and hug her.
"How come I didn't know that you're here? When did you come here?"
"I'm sorry about that," she giggle. "I came yesterday."
"So, how's my brother?"
"He's great. Him and Mom were having this journey going on."
"Hmm..that's great." Then, Kayla came by.
"Hi Abby," she said. Abby smile at her.
"Hi, Aunty Kayla." They hug each other.
"You look so great."
"So are you," they giggle. Then, they went to meet the others. Abby was greeted from Bo, Hope, Shawn-D, and the other family. Then, Chelsea came by and hug her.
"I'm glad you came here," said Chelsea.
"For you," said Abby.
"Come on. I just want to make you happy that you're back in town. That's why I asked Grandma to make a party for us."
"Oh please, Chelsea, you guys don't have to celebrate that I'm back."
"Abby?" Abby turn around and look stunned that it was Stephanie.
"Stephanie, hey," she said as she hug her.
"I'm surprise that you're here," said Stephanie.
"Yeah, I know. Everybody were suprise," said Abby. "But, look at you. You're look amazing."
"Oh please, I'm still in town. But you...you came from Europe." Abby smile.
"It's just the same, you know." They hug each other as they were happy to see each other. Then, they went to get themselve the food.

Later on, Abby watch them, dancing: Bo and Hope, Shawn and Belle, Steve and Kayla, Chelsea and Nick, then, Max and Stephanie. She watch them, sadly as they were happily dancing. Then, Caroline came by.
"Hey honey," she said. "How are you?" Abby smile.
"I'm great," she said. "And you?"
"I'm fine," said Caroline. They were quiet for a while as they look sadly.
"I'm sorry about your husband," said Abby. "I know that you wish he's here." Caroline look at her.
"Yes, that's true," she said. Then, Lucas came by.
"Hello my niece," he said and they giggle. "You want to dance? Sami has to feed the twins." Abby look out and saw that she was feeding Johnny.
"I'll help her with Ali," said Caroline as she went to help Sami. Abby took her uncle's hand and they went out to dance.
"How's my sister?" he asks.
"She's doing fine. Mom and Jack Jr. will be alone when I'm here and Dad goes to work."
"I see," he said. Abby look at Max and Stephanie as they were smiling at each other. "Sami told me to ask you for the dance. She hate seeing you watching them like that." Abby look stunned at him.
"I...I was watching them?" she ask in a nervous voice and he chuckle.
"We can see the way you look at them."
"I was just watching you guys. You know...I'm bored." Lucas nodded.
"You still have feelings for Max, don't you?" She look stunned at him.
"Max...is just a friend to me. Even though, he's with Stephanie. So, there nothing to do with my feelings for him."
"Some day, you will realize that you still have feelings for him." Abby look sadly at him and then, she lean her head on his chest, sadly, while Lucas look confuse. He look at Sami as she raise her eyebrows at him. He shrugged his shoulders, while they keep dancing.

The party was over and Abby helped Stephanie and Chelsea clean up the mess, while their uncles were having a beer. They started to laugh and they look back at them. Bo, Steve, and Lucas were laughing.
"Wow, they might rewind the story of their past," tease Stepahine. Shawn came by and giggle.
"If Grandpop is here," he said. "It's going to be a big growl." They laugh.
"Yeah," said Chelsea. "You know when him and Dad got into an argue about the Irish story...I forgot." They laugh.
"Yeah, that one," said Stephanie. "I was here too." Abby look at the cousins as she was listening. She put on her jacket.
"Hey guys," she said. "I'm going and thank you for tonight." She went to hug them.
"Oh okay," said Shawn. "Tell Great-Grand, we'll come by tomorrow."
"Okay, I will. And you two...thanks." She hug Stephanie and Chelsea.
"You're welcome," they said.
"I'll call you," said Chelsea.
"Okay. See you guys later," said Abby as she turn to step out. She step outside and she take a breath as she close her eyes. She wants to take a walk. Then, she went to the dock. When she get there, she went to sit on the bench and look out at the sea, wondering what her parents are going to do. Then, she think about Max, sadly. She think that she cannot go between him and Stephanie as she can see that they're happily together. Then, she heard the footsteps and she look up surprise. It was Max. They look each other stunned.
{To be continue}

Abby and Max look at each other, stunned as they were surprise.
"Max," she said. "What are you doing here?"
"I...I was taking a walk and I stop by here."
"Oh."
"What about you?"
"I was taking a walk too...and I stop by here." He nodded, slowly.
"Um...I was kind of tired...so, I step out to take a fresh air." Abby smile at him.
"I was suppose to go home, but then, I take a walk instead." They were standing, facing to the ocean for a while. "So, how are you, Max? I thought you would go back to college."
"Yeah, I suppose to...but, I didn't. I just want to stay and help Mom with the Pub." Abby look at him, sadly.
"I'm so sorry about your father," she said. He look at her. "I wish I can be here...for you and the others."
"That's okay," he said. "I know you cannot come here...because you're busy in Europe." She nodded, slowly. Max look at her for a while. "But, why you come back?" She look at him, stunned.
"I...I just want to come back...to check how is Salem...and I missed Great-Grand." He nodded, slowly.
"Have you ever think about me...when you came back?" Her heart started to beat.
"Well...yes. But, it's not like what you were thinking. I mean...I was excited that I will see you again...especially you're with Stephanie."
"Abby, I never...never gave up on you. Even though, you're in Europe, I still think about you." Abby can feel the tears in her eyes, but she tried to hold them back.
"Well...thank you, Max. I...I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything." She smile sadly at him.
"Um...I gotta go now. But, it's nice to see you, Max."
"You too, Abby." She walk pass him to walk away, shivering as she fold her arms across her chest. She take a breath, heavily as she remember what Max had told her. The tears roll down on her cheeks and then, she walk away before Max will find her again.

The next day, Chelsea stop by to see Abby at the Horton's home. Abby was doing her chores, while Chelsea step in.
"Hey girl," she said. "What are you doing now?"
"Oh,hi," said Abby. "I was doing my chores."
"You don't have any plan to go?" Abby look at her.
"No, why?"
"Let's go to the Cafe and have some dessert there."
"Um...I can't."
"Why not?"
"I just want to stay home for a while." Chelsea sighs as she went to her.
"Tell me. What's going on?" Abby look at her.
"I met Max at the dock last night." Chelsea raise her eyebrows as she look surprise.
"What happen?"
"Nothing happen, really. It's just...the way he talk...I mean, he told me that he never gave up on me. And, I was stunned." Chelsea smile sadly at him. "I just felt sorry... that I wasn't here for his father's death. All I want to do is comfort him."
"Abby, do you still have feelings for Max?" Abby look stunned, but sadly.
"I...will always love him." Chelsea smile at her.
"Then, what are you waiting for? Tell him how you feel now!"
"I can't, Chelsea. I don't want to destroy him and Stephanie. And Stephanie is my cousin!"
"But, Stephanie is Max's adopted neice. That's why Aunt Kayla doesn't want them together." Abby sighs, heavily, while she shook her head.
"I..I can't. I can't do this to them, okay?"
"All right, whatever you say," said Chelsea. Abby look at her.
"You know when I was in Europe, all I think is about him. I was wondering if he ever forgot about me. But, when he told me last night, it's like...I was suprise and of course I'm happy. But, I can't get the chance that I was hoping for." Chelsea went to her as she hug her.
"Someday, he will change his mind." Abby look sadly as she was still comforted.

Finally, Abby was in the backyard, reading her book. Then, she heard someone came by. It was Max. She look stunned.
"Max, what are you doing here?" she ask.
"Sorry, Bo ask me to come and get his tool box here. He left it here."
"Oh, I see," she said.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine. I was reading a book."
"Wow. Well, can I go in? He says it's in the kitchen."
"Oh, sure," she said. Then, they went inside the kitchen. Max open the cabinet and bring out the tool box.
"I found it," he said and she smile.
"Well, then you might be busy about your shop."
"Actually, I sold the shop." She look confuse.
"Why?"
"It's a long story."
"Oh."
"It's because of your cousin, Jeremy." Abby raise her eyebrows.
"What Jeremy had to do with it?" Max look at her for a while.
"You want to go to the club tonight?"
"Um...I can't."
"Why not?"
"I'm not in a mood to go."
"Come on, I'll tell you everything." She look at him for a while and then, she nodded.
"Okay, I will." He smile.
"Good," he said. "So, see you at 6pm."
"Okay," she said as he step out from the house, while she smile to herself.

Abby got to the club and found Max at the table. He look up and smile as he wave at her. She went to him and sit on the chair.
"Wow, this club never change," she said.
"Yeah, I know," said Max. "So, what you want?"
"Um...just a coke."
"Okay," he said as he went to get their drinks.

{to be continue}