The Revelation ~ The Wedding
The morning of our wedding turned out to be more spectacular then I ever imagined it could! The sun was shining bright and there was just the slightest breeze blowing. It wasn't too cold considering it was autumn and the temperature could have dipped without warning, but it didn't. My prayers had been answered for this day. Nearly everything was ready for our day. The only thing that I was to concern myself with today, according to my mother anyway was to make myself beautiful for my husband! As I looked in the mirror this morning I felt rather plain and ordinary. I wondered how I would achieve beauty from the person I saw looking back at me this morning! Suddenly I felt inadequate for the task set before me. Not just in 'making myself beautiful' but for everything that I would be presented with today…marriage, a husband, a home and eventually a family! There were a lot of responsibilities involved in this marriage today. I had been so busy up to this point thinking, planning, preparing, not to mention hunting down Neil to tell him that I did indeed love him! I hadn't the time to think about the responsibilities that lay ahead…I prayed silently for wisdom and strength. After the past few days and spending an entire evening praying and thinking about this decision one last time before we were married I knew that this was the path I was to follow and that I was to continue to embark on it. I had now doubts as to what I was to do today but I wondered how I would handle my new life. Would I be a good wife for Neil? What about this evening? Would I be a disappointment to him? Would I be a good mother one day? As much as I continued to ad the words 'one day' to that statement I knew that the chances were very great that it might be 'one day-soon'!
I slowly brushed out my hair and wondered what Neil was doing this morning. Was he having the same thoughts as I was? Was he as nervous as I? Did he have any doubts or regrets about asking me to marry him? We had been friends almost since the day I moved to the cove, our friendship had only grown deeper with time and had blossomed, almost without our realizing it, into true love. We had been through hard times together already, I had proven to him that I could help him in his medical practice and I hoped to continue to do even more of that after we were married. It would cut down on the amount of time that we were separated from each other. Everything about our lives was going to change drastically. I knew how Neil and I could argue! What would happen when we were with each other every single day? I hadn't been accustomed to coming to Neil with my problems, but now I would be expected to do that, as of course it should be. Nothing would be easy, but as my father told me, and I observed myself, Neil was first and foremost a gentleman. He would help me out to the best of his ability, as I would try to do for him.
Mother had come to check up on me this morning. I told her I was doing all right, at least for the moment anyway. I didn't have regrets about today, but I did have questions! All of which could not be answered by anything but time and experience.
How strange life and love seemed at that moment, in my eyes! I had lived all of my life in Asheville, pampered, spoiled, sheltered, but with parents who were giving and understanding. Moving to these mountains to be a teacher…oh! That first trip up that mountain! It was a day to remember! The feuding, violence, hatred, death, destruction, desolation, disease, every evil imaginable lived in these mountains; they were awful, yet beautiful. Yes this was the life I had chosen, this was the life that God would have me lead, it was the life that I loved more then anything else in the world! It was where I belonged. It was where I found true love. Yes, Love! I chuckled slightly to myself. Love. In the midst of everything going on around us, we had found true love and happiness. I closed my eyes and pictured Neil in my mind. That was where I had found true love in the heart of the mountain doctor whom I had witnessed that first day I arrived in the cove! I pictured those eyes that looked so intently at me back on that first day as he bent over Bob Allen to examine him and he had told me specifically to 'step aside please'. I remembered how wild his hair had been and how he had come riding in and completely took command of the situation the moment he arrived! I smiled at the look on his face a month later when David left me at Neil's cabin after I fell into the river and got soaked to the skin! The look on his face as he turned around and saw me in his wife's dress. The argument we had about the shooting of Tom McHone, as well as his contempt at least at first, of our mission. Then I moved forward to the thoughts of only a month ago…the desperation in his face as he said, "I'm in love with you, and I've come back here to ask you to marry me!" My reaction was one of shock, but I was trying to remain true to the decision that I had made to marry David. Of course it wasn't until later that I looked back and realized the mistake I was making. The night David had offered to hang the moon for me, I was having doubts about marrying David, but I wouldn't admit that those feelings were anything more then pre-wedding jitters. I was flustered and confused, but didn't accept the fact until later that they were all misgivings about marrying David, and wondering how Neil was doing alone in Baltimore! I could still feel my heart thrill as he spoke to me upon his return to the mission! I had never felt emotions like that before. Of course, now I realize that it was the love I felt for him that made my heart race so. There was so much to be thankful for! So much to wonder about!
Ruby Mae's knocking on my door jolted me back to reality. "Come in!" I called.
"Miz Christy? Is there anything you'd like for me to do for yah this morning?" Ruby Mae offered.
"Not that I can think of at the moment, Ruby Mae, but thank-you! If you hear any news of Dr. MacNeill, would you please tell me right away?"
"What news are yah talkin about Miz Christy?"
"Oh, when he arrives, if he's nervous! If he's having any second thoughts about today?"
"I'll let yah know if I hear anything Miz Christy. He ain't here yet though. I don't expect he'll be here for quite sometime yet. I hope he don't get called away on an emergency today!"
"Oh no! I never thought about that Ruby Mae! Now I've got one more thing to worry about!"
"I'm sorry Miz Christy! I didn't mean tah make yah worry about anythin!"
"That's all right Ruby Mae! I guess I'm looking for things to worry about today!!"
"Why on earth would yah do that fer?"
"I don't know! I'm worried that Dr. MacNeill might suddenly change his mind or something will go wrong and we can't actually get married today."
"I don't think yah have tah worry about Doc! He's right fond of yah Miz Christy! I see it in his eyes when he looks at yah! Even when yah ain't lookin at him. He's a special way of lookin at yah that he ain't got with no one else!"
"Really Ruby Mae? I never noticed that."
"Well, maybe cause you're lookin at him the same way! But I seen it! From both of yah! There's a spark in your eyes that ain't there for no one but the Doc! Just the same as he has for you!"
"Thank-you Ruby Mae! That makes me feel better! I appreciate that!"
"Are you sure there ain't nothing I can do fer yah?"
"Ruby Mae, you've already done more for me then you realize!!"
"Could I help brush out yer hair?"
"That would be nice Ruby Mae, thank-you! I have to admit my hands are little shaky today."
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The morning pasted quickly. Ruby Mae presented me with my grandmother's veil, the one that she and Zady and Clara and some of my other student's had worked to sew the seed pearls on to for me! I was so pleased that I broke down and cried. Ruby Mae thought I was disappointed, but I assured her that they were tears of joy, not sadness!!
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Mother came later in the afternoon and put up my hair for me. She helped me with my gown and positioning the veil. I looked at myself in the mirror, mother looked over my shoulder, "I hope I don't trip."
"You won't dear, just put one foot *slowly* in front of the other."
"You look just like a princess." I smiled at her.
"Thank-you mother."
"Christy, I just have to say that you have made the right decision."
"Do you really think so?"
"I've never told you this, but when I was your age there was another man in my life besides your father. And I had a choice to make too. I know how hard it can be to hold the hearts of two men in your hands. But I also know the relief of finally giving one of them back."
"Even if its broken?"
"Time heals all wounds Christy. Even a broken heart."
"I hope so."
"And in the mean time there is a wonderful man down there waiting to begin a new life with you." Mother paused. "Are you ready?"
I smile, "I am now!"
Mother walked to the door and opened it. "William, we're ready!" Mother announced.
Daddy walked into the bedroom. "You look beautiful Girlie!"
"Thank-you Daddy!"
"Are you ready to take one last walk with me as my Girlie?"
"Yes, Daddy. But I'll always be your Girlie!"
Daddy smiled and offered me his arm. Mother handed me my bouquet and we walked out the door and down the hall, outside and down the stairs.
Ruby Mae and Zady were waiting at the foot of the stairs for me.
"You look as pretty as a pumpkin patch." Ruby Mae declared to me.
"Thank-you Ruby Mae." I answered.
"Are you ready Zady?" She nodded her head.
Ruby Mae announced our arrival.
It was a wonderful day, a day that I will never forget as long I shall live. I still felt somewhat anxious walking down the aisle, but the amazing look on Neil's face as he approached me at the end of the aisle, I knew then that my fears were all unfounded! I had never seen a man so much in love and eager to be married! He was absolutely beaming!
I was relieved to hear Neil say 'I do', I swallowed hard as Dr. Ferrand turned to me and set my vows out before me, but I knew I was doing the right thing and it was easy for me to say 'I do' also! I couldn't help but smile! I had truly made the choice of my heart!!
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The End of Fan Fiction: ~*~Choice of My Heart~*~ Omitted Scenes/The Revelation