It happened on a Sunday morning before the church service in Virginia City began. School teacher Abigail Jones was back after a long absence and of course as first in church. Reverend Nick Wilson was amazed to see her again. But Abigail hoped that Adam Cartwright would come and they would further build up their good relationship again.
The Cartwright family arrived by the church. Ben and his two youngest sons, Hoss and Little Joe, came on their horses. Just like Mitch, the grandson of Ben. The father of Mitch, Adam Cartwright, had taken the carriage to bring his wife Sally and daughters Pam and Rose to church.
When Sally with Rose came into the church Abigail saw them right away. The teacher got up and walked smiling towards them.
“What a sweetie. What is she called?”, Abigail asked as curious as she was.
“This is Rose Cartwright, the daughter of Adam Cartwright”, replied Sally.
Abigail thought that she would sink through the ground when she heard that Rose was the daughter of Adam but that didn’t happen.
“I am Abigail Jones. And you are?”, asked the teacher.
“Mrs Adam Cartwright, also called Sally Cartwright. Adam and I have more than a year a relationship together. We got married in December and in May Adam helped me with the birth of our baby. The twins are fond of her”, said Sally.
Now Abigail felt inhumilated totally. She walked to her seat and sat down. Sally went to sit as well but in the back. Adam and the twins came to sit by her and Rose.
“Adam, I am warning you now: Ab Jones is back. She just came to me and admired Rose. Though when she learned that she is our daughter and that we are married madam was insulted”, whispered Sally.
“I really don’t go back to her school. She never explains anything to me”, Mitch said directly.
“I agree with Mitch”, said Pam.
“You just get classes from me. If she is there or not”, Adam said determined.
Ben, Hoss and Little Joe had come in as well in the meantime and they too had discovered Abigail Jones.
The service started. The Reverend took the word.
He started, “I want to begin to welcome a new sheep into our church. I hope that she will come here lots of times.”
Then it was quiet. Abigail thought that the Reverend meant her but then the Reverend continued.
“I welcome Rose Cartwright”, he said.
Abigail thought that she was fainting and so that happened too. Everyone except the Cartwrights ran to her.
“We go along to church for once, first we run into Ab Jones and then she faints”, Mitch remarked.
His family members couldn’t stop laughing. Doctor Paul Martin helped her up and the teacher woke up again.
“Doc, I m so dizzy”, said Abigail.
“Some fresh air will do you good”, said Paul.
Abigail left the church and there she came by. Meanwhile Ma Jones had come there too.
“Ma, I cannot face nobody anymore. Not after this scene”, confessed Abigail.
“Nonsense. It can happen to everyone so you too. Adam Cartwright has no time for you anymore now he has a family again”, reacted ma.
Now Abigail was insulted at all but she also knew that it was true. She conquered her pride and walked proud back the church in. Not even the Cartwrights got as look from her.
The service continued without incidents.
After the service the Cartwrights waited to get away. But Abigail Jones entered a conversation with Adam and Sally.
“Adam, now that I am back again I do expect that you send your twins to my school”, she said.
“Why? You never explain Mitch anything when he asks for that. They get class at home and much better that they ever had gotten at school. Besides, I take the decisions together with my wife Sally”, reacted Adam.
“Alright, then only Pam have to come. Just leave Mitch at home then”, said Abigail.
“That won’t do as they are twins and they really can’t be without each other”, said Sally.
What excuse the teacher made up, she wasn’t believed.
The twins saw their parents talking to Abigail and became worried.
“Daddy and mamma are not going to send us to school?”, asked Mitch.
“If that happens I run away from home”, his sister replied.
“I go then with you and Cody too”, said Mitch.
“You surely won’t go to her school. Not as long as your father and mother decide about that. You are doing it excellent at home so why should that be changed. Besides we live too far away from the school and I really have no plans to move the Ponderosa closer to the school. And only because Miss Jones demands that you are becoming pupils of her again”, Ben replied who had heard the words of his two eldest grandchildren.
The twins looked up and were relieved by the words of their grandpa who had their little sister with him.
Adam happened to look in to the direction of his family and said, “Abigail, it was nice to see you again but the others are waiting for us. Besides our youngest must have her beauty sleep.”
He walked away with his wife and left Abigail alone behind. The teacher looked him go smitten. Even though she knew that she would never get him.
On the way home Mitch said, “Well, my Sunday has been ruined very well.”
“Why?”, his uncle Hoss asked amazed.
“Because Missy Ab Jones is back again. Now she will come to the ranch with every little excuse to so called teach us but the real reason is to see daddy for sure”, the boy replied.
“Mitchy, your father loves Sally too much to leave her and you for a smitten teacher”, replied Hoss.
He stopped for a second and started to smile then.
“Besides he can’t do it to your Joe to let Abigail Jones become the sister in law of him”, Hoss said with a wink to his nephew.
“She wouldn’t last for a second with us Cartwrights”, reacted Mitch.
He felt a bit better though but didn’t like it at all that his previous teacher was back again. But his father and sister thought so too.
To see Abigail Jones again made sure that Adam and Mitch showed themselves as less as possible in town. But their family members avoided rather Virginia City than they had to make a conversation with Miss Jones.