-=*=-To Austria With Love -=*=-
Chapter V
Neil had to go to the hospital for a while to check on some patients after we arrived at home. I asked Berta if she could leave me alone while Neil was gone, I needed some time to myself for a while. She said she understood.
I actually had something else in mind. But I did wish to be alone to accomplish it.
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I tacked a note to the front door for Neil, and then I placed notes all around the house. Each had a different direction on it, which led to the next note. At the end the last note told Neil where to find a surprise.
I had been practicing my handwriting and wanted to show Neil that I could do it. It took me quite some time to write the notes but I wanted to do something special for Neil this evening. I had only begun to actually *write* notes and letters without using Braille a short time ago. In fact so short a time ago that Neil didn't even know that I could do it, yet.
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I heard Neil arrive. I could almost track his every move as he followed my instructions from note to note. My only regret was that I couldn't see the look on his face as he found each note!
I could hear him calling out to me as he walked from place to place.
"Christy, what is this?"…
"Christy, where are you?"…
"Christy, what's going on here?"…
I chuckled as I listened to him, but I wouldn't answer. He'd find out what was going on when he found the last note.
Finally I heard Neil ascending the stairs. Now I was a bit apprehensive, if not exactly nervous. I prayed he wouldn't be *angry* with me.
He removed the note I left on the bedroom door. A short while later I heard the door open. "Christy?" He said softly as I heard his foot steps inside the room.
The last note for him to find was on the bed. He picked it up and read it softly, out loud. "Turn around for your surprise." I was standing behind the now open door. I tapped the door to close it and stood, hopefully before Neil, holding the final note in my hand, wearing the flower-sprigged dress he had given me the day I fell into the river near his cabin. I smuggled it here without his knowing of it. (He had given Miss Alice all of Margaret's things when he and I became engaged the first time. I had asked Miss Alice if I could possibly have the dress for memories and she had agreed.)
I heard Neil's breath catch as he turned around. "Christy?"
"I wanted to surprise you Neil." I paused as I walked toward the sound of his voice. "Something Prof. Kinnigan said to me today set my mind to thinking. He asked me if you had been married before you left Pennsylvania. I said you were, and then I remembered all that you told me of Margaret, as I explained to him why you were no longer married to her. I thought of your son and what you told me about him… You deserve to fill that void in your life Neil. I want you to know the joy of having a child, or children, of your own. Listening to you speak of your son I knew how badly you wanted him…" I paused as I reached out my hand toward Neil, praying he was there and that I didn't look the complete fool wandering around the room! I stretched out my hand and to my delight Neil took it and held on to it.
"I've been praying for two days Neil. I know I'm doing the right thing. I love you, and I want to have your children. I can learn to care for them just as I've learned to read, write and do everything else I've learned. I *can* do this Neil. I'm sure of it. You'll help me as much as you can, I know you will." I moved as close as I could to him. I wished I could see what was going through his mind right now. He was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. "I want to fill that empty place in your heart where your son would be. I know I can't *replace* him, I won't even try to do that, but I *can* give you someone else to love and care for the same way." My tears were flowing now. "Besides, I'm pretty sure this is the right thing for our marriage well. We both need this togetherness more then we realize, I think..."
I reached up my hands to feel Neil's face to see if there were any harsh lines in it. But what I found were tears. I wiped them away with my fingers. Then I placed my arms around his neck. "Hold me Neil. Please?" I asked.
He slid his arms around me as he moaned softly. He rubbed my back as he whispered into my ear, "Thank-you Sweetheart!"
"It is my pleasure, Love." I whispered as I turned my face toward his and he claimed my lips in an astonishingly passionate kiss, as the tears streamed down both our faces.
Neil lifted me into his arms and carried me to our bed. He set me down and then sat on the edge of the bed. "Are you absolutely sure about this Christy?"
I sat up beside him and whispered. "Completely!" I handed Neil the final note and I could tell he was crying harder as he read it. "What is it Neil?"
"God told you exactly what I asked Him to! I prayed that if it was His will we go ahead with this, that He would tell you how badly I want to be a father."
I drew his head toward mine as my tears flowed again. "I love you Neil."
"I love you too, Christy." He slid his arms around me and I knew deep down in my heart that everything was going to be just fine!
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In the morning the birds outside of our window awakened me . Neil's arm was still around me. I reached out my hand to find his face only to discover he was leaning on his elbow looking down at me already! "Good morning, Love!" I said. "What are you doing?"
"Good morning Sweetheart!" Neil said softly. He touched my face, tracing the outline of it with his finger. "I've been admiring the stunning woman in my arms. I kept thinking of what it will be like when she opens those extraordinary blue eyes and I can look into them to see the love she has for me and *only me* inside." Then he touched my lips ever so gently with his fingertips. "I was gazing at her lips, remembering how soft and warm they are, how they made me feel as they kissed my neck last evening." He picked up my hand and kissed each fingertip then turned my hand over to kiss the palm. "I was adoring her delicate hands. The fingers that drove me wild last night with their feather-soft touch." Neil sighed breathlessly as he entwined his fingers into mine. "I am madly in love with you Christy MacNeill. Promise you will be mine forever." As he spoke he leaned in so close that his lips brushed mine and I sighed softly.
"I promise Neil, forever…now and throughout eternity." I said just above a whisper. He cradled my head lovingly in the crook of his arm as he kissed me…Breakfast could wait for a while.
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An hour later I lay with my head on Neil's chest. He was fanning my hair out across his chest, neck and shoulder as he ran his fingers through the length of it. He kissed the top of my head.
"I love you Neil." I sighed.
"I love you also, Sweetheart." Neil replied softly.
"Now I know why the Bible tells us not to forsake this. I feel closer to you now then ever before. Thank-you for not saying 'no' to me. I needed this far more then you know… far more then *I* realized." I admitted.
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As I was dressing later, I suddenly felt embarrassed and anxious about facing the world after what had happened between us! "What am I going to tell Berta about why we're so late coming downstairs this morning!?!"
"Tell her the truth!" Neil replied slyly.
I turned to slap him playfully. "I don't think so!"
"Why do you have to tell her anything, Sweetheart?"
"She's been my friend as well as a big help to me. I don't want to be rude. I hope we didn't ruin her breakfast!" I said.
"That still doesn't explain why you have to tell her what happened up here? Unless you want her to know?" Neil teased.
I looked toward him with a shocked expression on my face. "Neil MacNeill!" I declared while placing my hands on my hips. The teacher in me rears its head again!
Neil playfully tweaked my cheek, "Besides, Christy, the glow in your cheeks and the expression on your face say everything." He said as he took me around the waist and held me close. "I can't thank-you enough for last night…and this morning. It means far more to me then you will ever know Sweetheart."
"It does to me as well Neil. I hope we'll make a habit of this from now on." I teased.
"I wholeheartedly concur, Mrs. MacNeill!!" He said as he slid his arms up my back and kissed me passionately one last time.
This evening would be the ball in honor of Mrs. Fuchs birthday. I was terrified, but I had to trust Neil. He would help me as much as he possibly could.
"Today is the big day Neil." I declared. "Are you ready?"
"Oh yes, I have my tuxedo ready to wear."
"Now that's a sight I wish I could see! Neil MacNeill in a tuxedo! You'll be the most dashing man at the ball!"
"I wouldn't go that far, Christy."
"I would." I stated emphatically. "What color is it?"
"Black." He said matter-of-factly.
"I'll see what kind of a mental picture I can conjure up for this event!" I giggled.
Neil chuckled warmly as he took my arm and walked with me down the stairs.
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"I'm sorry we're late Berta!" I apologized as I came to the Dining Room door.
"It's quite all right! When I heard I would be working for newlyweds I expected to have many days like this. I'm surprised it has taken this long!" Berta exclaimed. "There's nothing to be sorry about! I was a newlywed myself once! I know what it's like!" She turned and left the room.
Neil walked up and hugged me, chuckling again. I felt my face blush. "See Sweetheart," he whispered. "I told you your face gave you away."
I slapped him playfully on the arm once again.
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End of Chapter 21.
Chapter 22 Coming Soon!!
