Author's Note: I'm sorry if anyone is confused when reading this. I'll clarify a wee bit. Christy's part in this chapter and possibly the next takes place a little before Neil's. Sorry for any confusion!!
-=*=-To Austria With Love -=*=-
Chapter X
Neil met George down the hall. "Christy's decided she doesn't want to marry me any longer…" Neil paused as he looked at George. "Take care of her will you? Make sure she gets the best care there is?"
George could see the tears in Neil's eyes. Sadly he nodded his head in agreement.
"Good-bye, George." Neil turned abruptly to leave. George reached out and seized Neil's arm.
"Neil! I'm sorry you aren't going to be my brother-in-law. I was truly looking forward to it. I'll miss you more then you'll know--so will Christy. She wanted to be your wife so badly. She's just angry right now, about facing reality. When she settles down again she'll find out how much she really wants to be with you."
"We'll always be friends George." Neil said, ignoring George's remarks about Christy. "If you ever need anything, let me know. Come to the Cove to hunt sometime, I'd like that." Neil paused as he looked away sadly. "If Christy needs anything--contact me. I'll get her whatever she needs--somehow…" Neil strode down the corridor without saying another word.
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Before Neil could leave the hospital, he had to speak with Dr. Wagner one last time…
"Dr. MacNeill--I was just heading over to your fiancée's room. I hear she's sitting up today?" Dr. Wagner commented.
"Yes--she is." Neil said sadly.
"Is something wrong?"
"Christy has begun to realize the swelling is gone and she still can't see, though her eyes are open."
"I understand…" Dr. Wagner replied. "Yes, this stage is going to be difficult, possibly the most difficult phase of all. Come--let's talk in my office, Doctor."
In Dr. Wagner office they could speak more freely of Christy's medical condition.
"Dr. Wagner, what exactly did you find when you operated?"
"Just as you had originally said, a severe concussion of the Frontal bone. With bleeding contained to the Frontal Lobe of the brain and most especially the area around the optic nerve. The swelling in that area was pronounced. The optic nerve, as you well know is extremely sensitive. When Miss Huddleston laid there for over twenty-four hours without having the pressure released, the nerve must have been permanently damaged. Now I'm not saying she won't get some sight back, with time, but I have to speak plainly to you Doctor--there isn't much hope of that, from what I've witnessed.
"Of course we are very limited in our knowledge of the brain, it's functions and surgery on it, in this country. In places such as Germany, Austria, even Scotland, they are far more advanced in this area of the eye and brain then we are. But since there isn't much hope of her ever seeing any of those physicians… Her future is pretty clear. She'll need to go home and recuperate, preferable her parent's home. Then they, or you, will need to enroll her in a school for the blind. The best I know of is the Perkin's Institute in Boston Massachusetts."
"Yes, I've heard of that before." Neil paused, not sure if he should go on, but he had to say something. "Christy has already told me she doesn't want to be my wife any longer…"
"I'm sorry, Dr. MacNeill." Dr. Wagner said. "But I have to tell you, I'm positive that a life in the city would be much easier for Miss Huddleston then a life in the mountain's of Tennessee. I'm not saying anything against *you*, but I think her life would be much better if she had the conveniences afforded her by a life in the city, and not the ever changing life in the wilderness of the Appalachian Mountain's." …
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-=*=- 6 Weeks Later -=*=-
"Hellooo! U-u-nited States Mail!!" Came the cry toward the cabin.
Neil was packing his bags for a trip to Knoxville as Ben Pentland arrived with the mail.
Flipping quickly through the letters Neil noticed one addressed to him from his mentor 'Professor Kinnigan'. Opening the letter quickly to find out what news there might be and as Neil read the letter his face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning! He raced out the door, letter in hand, ignoring his bags on the table.
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Arriving at the mission Neil dismounted before Charlie had come to a complete stop. He bounded into the house yelling, "Alice!!"
"What is it, Neil!?!" Alice called from the kitchen as he burst through the side door. "Is there an emergency?"
"Read this!" Neil exclaimed with breathless enthusiasm as he thrust the paper in Alice's direction.
Alice cautiously took the letter and read it. "Oh Neil!! This is wonderful! You've been dreaming this would come to pass!! I'm so happy for you! You've been asked to be an Associate of Dr. Ernst Fuchs in Vienna, Austria!! When will you be leaving?"
"I have to wait for a letter from Dr. Fuchs, but I should think it would be soon. Within the next six months at least. Oh Alice! This is what I've always wanted to do!!"
"I know you have Neil. Now we'll need to search for a replacement for you while you're away."
"I'll begin contacting medical college's when I get back from Knoxville. While I'm visiting Dr. Seymour I'll ask him for recommendations as well. I need to be going Alice, but I just couldn't wait to show you the letter and tell you the good news!"
Alice was ecstatic to see some of the 'old' Neil returning again. She had prayed long and hard for him these past six weeks. They were difficult for them all, of course, but nothing like the emotional upheaval Neil had been faced with. Only a week before he was to be married, he nearly lost his fiancée and then to have her cancel everything before they could get married when she had begun to recover. Alice's heart ached for Neil, but she knew only time and the Lord would heal his broken heart. She stood on the porch and watched as Neil rode off toward home.
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Silently Neil made his way back to his cabin. He was elated, but yet there was more then a note of sadness about the situation.
Even after six weeks he still had not forgotten he was supposed to be married to a beautiful young woman right now, who would have been overjoyed for him at the prospect of this new position. But she wasn't here and she had no intentions of coming back to him. Not because she didn't love him, but because a riding accident had left her blinded and she would be better off in the city.
Neil had heard not a word from the Huddleston's in the past six weeks. George was the surprising character in this. He had been a good friend to Neil but now even he had seemed to have abandoned Neil…
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My recovery was slow, but progressed normally, or at least at this new level of normalcy it was progressing as it should. Dr. Wagner had told me the extent of my injuries, but not having studied medicine it was all foreign to me. It all boiled down to the fact that he had little hope my eyesight would ever return. Only a miracle would bring that about.
It was six weeks later and my miracle still had not come. I doubted that it ever would.
I still pictured Neil in my mind. The incredible times we had shared together. I wanted to recall everything. Oh! How I wished we could have been married as we had planned and not had to live these separate lives which were thrust upon us!! I hated this new way of life, I wanted to rid myself of it more then anything in the world!
Mother and Father didn't want me to be hurt by the past, so they had forbidden me to contact Cutter Gap and George was not to do so either. I wanted to know how everyone was--how were the Spencer's getting along after the death of Fairlight? How was the rest of the Cove recovering after the deadly Typhoid outbreak? How was Ruby Mae adjusting to married life? Had David made any progress against the moonshiners? But most of all I was desperate to know how Neil was faring through all of this? I had promised him I wouldn't leave him alone, but what was I to do in my present condition? It pained me to think of him all alone in his cabin once again, facing the lonesome days and nights without someone at his side to share his hopes, dreams, pains and sorrows…
The same instance kept flooding my head, time and time again-dancing with Neil at Ruby Mae's wedding. How he hadn't the boldness to come right out and kiss me, but his lips had brushed my forehead.
Oh, but that shivaree!! Neil certainly found his boldness to proclaim what was going on upstairs in that bedroom!! I was so mortified that evening! I was terribly relieved when David came and rescued me! But yet, in accepting Neil's proposal I had all but agreed to do the same thing! Neil and I never discussed that aspect of our wedding--I wonder what he would have done about it--if anything!?!
Sadly I came back to reality time again. This dream would never come to pass--I could never live in Cutter Gap again. I couldn't even feed myself, or even change my clothes! How could I sit here and daydream about becoming a *wife* of all things!!
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Neil arrived back at his cabin. Astonishingly more forlorn then when he had left. But knowing deep down inside he had to continue on with his life. There was no way he could turn this opportunity down. It would be a blessing for him to get away--far away--from these mountains and everything they involved. Most of all he would distance himself from what "might have been…" The marriage, wife--family--happiness, which he so desperately desired. He had told God he didn't know such love existed in this world as he felt for Christy. Then she had come back to him after nearly dying of Typhoid. The most difficult for him to understand was why she had been taken from him yet again? The miracle he received from God at that time seemed to be the answer for his loneliness. *Christy was the best 'sparring partner' I had ever had!* Neil chuckled to himself at that thought.
He picked up his bags and left. This invitation from a former medical school colleague had been a Godsend. Christy had been on his mind incessantly of late and he needed to leave Cutter Gap behind for awhile. Of course that was before this letter, but maybe Dr. Seymour could help him find a new Doctor for the Cove in his absence. It would probably only be a year or two at the most that he would be in Austria.
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"Christy?" Mother called out as she knocked on my door.
"Come in, mother." I called to her.
"Your father and I have been discussing something for a while now, since you came back here to live…" Mother began.
"Little Girl?" Father began. "Your mother and I have written some letters on your behalf. One in particular we've been extremely anxious to receive a reply from. Well, today we've heard. It's from the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston. They've agreed to take you on as a pupil!"
"Isn't that exciting?" Mother added.
"What will I do there?" I asked.
"Well, that's the beauty of this!" Father beamed. "Not only will they teach you how to do everything you need to know to function day by day, but they can also teach you a skill-- a profession which you can perform to earn a living. They say you may even become a teacher again!"
"Christy dear, this is the best school for the blind that there is. You couldn't ask for a better place to learn. They will even teach you how to cook, clean,…care for a home. Maybe even live on your own one day. Doesn't that sound exciting?"
"I suppose…" I answered, unsure what I was expected to say. I knew they wanted me to be ecstatic about this announcement, but I was not. I wanted more then anything to make everyone happy. It was frightening to think of leaving the comfort and security of my parents home to live at a school that wanted me to learn to care for myself, on my own!
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End of Chapter 10.
Chapter 11 Coming Soon!!