I'm sorry for the delay! I've posted two chapters today to make up for it. Make sure to read both 17 and 18 and then please leave a review! Thanks!
Mrs. Elizabeth Grantland was more perfect than Christy could have ever imagined. She was a true woman of God, and Christy had no doubt that David's faith originated from his family. The woman was much older than Christy had expected. David was her youngest. She had been thirty-four when she had him. He and Ida had been two of five children born to the Grantland family, and the only two who had lived past the age of six. Now, the fifty-eight year old woman was a widow living alone on the east coast, worlds apart from both of her children. She owned a city-home, had a loyal staff whom she treated like family and worked equally alongside of, and was involved with many women's groups. Despite her current financial position, she did not shy away from work or from the impoverished cove. The moment she arrived, it had appeared that she had lived in the cove all of her life. She was at ease anywhere she went, and had the ability to put everyone else in her presence at ease as well. Christy without a doubt loved the woman who would be her mother in law.
"Christy, darling, why don't you have a seat?" Julia asked her daughter for seemingly the hundredth time.
Christy gave in with a sigh, settling herself into the chair in the kitchen. "I just hate for everyone else to have to do all of the work. This is my wedding."
"Which is exactly why you should be letting everyone else do the work," Julia told her.
Christy sighed once more, Alice catching her eye and sending her an encouraging smile.
"Well, I can't just sit by and watch. I'll go absolutely crazy."
Margaret handed her a pair of scissors along with the paper she had been shaping into rings and gluing together to make streamers. "Here, at least keep your hands busy, Christy."
"Thank you," Christy smiled at her friend.
Elizabeth appeared, unwrapping something that was tied up in brown paper. "I finally found it in all of my trunks, Christy. This is the angel I was telling you about. I've been saving it for David's wife since he was two. It should be a lovely topper for the Christmas tree."
Christy reached for it in interest. "Oh, it's beautiful!"
The blond headed angel was wearing a crisp white fabric dress and had large, beautiful wings. Her face was painted a beautiful pale color, with perfectly pink cheeks and bright blue eyes.
"It looks much like you, dear," Elizabeth said, looking Christy over. "I always imagined it would."
Christy looked up at David's mother with tears in her eyes and tightly clasped the older woman's hands. "Thank you, so much. It will be on our tree every year. And one day, I'll give it to my daughter in law."
"That would be lovely," Elizabeth whispered, squeezing Christy's hand.
"Hello, ladies," David grinned as he entered the room, Neil right behind him.
"Did you get the tree?" Ruby Mae asked, bounding in from the pantry where she had been searching diligently for ingredients.
"We did," David nodded.
"And, may I add, it is quite perfect," Neil said proudly, reaching for one of the cookies Alice was decorating with powdered sugar. Alice let him have one and then smacked his hand away when he reached for another. He grinned at her.
"It's on the porch," David announced, and all of the women moved to look at it. David looked at Christy, helping her to her feet.
"I see Mother gave it to you," David grinned.
Christy nodded, lovingly fingering the wings on the angel in her hand. "It's one of the best gifts I've ever gotten, because it means so much."
David kissed her forehead. "She loves you very much, Christy. And so do I."
They held hands tightly as they went to join the group on the porch.
"It's certainly large," Alice was saying. "It will take up a good portion of the living room. I certainly hope there will be room for everyone."
"Now, Alice, you are of little faith" Neil teased her, his arm around Margaret's waist. "David and I made sure that the measurements would fit."
She looked doubtful.
"If it doesn't fit, Margaret will take the blame. She measured the corner of the living room."
"Neil MacNeil," Margaret scolded. "Be careful where you put your feet, darling. They're getting dangerously close to your mouth."
He smirked down at her.
"Where's William?" Julia asked.
"Right here," William's voice sounded behind them.
They all turned to see him standing there with pieces of lumber, a hammer and some nails.
"We have to build a base for that tree," He explained.
"I think the tree is quite lovely," Elizabeth announced. "I may send you fine gentlemen to get another one for the church."
"The church?" Julia asked.
"Yes, it would make a lovely backdrop for the wedding, don't you think?"
"What a marvelous idea!" Christy grinned.
"Well, if Christy wants a tree for our wedding, a tree she shall have," David agreed. "After I have a cup of coffee."
Neil and William agreed, and they all returned to the warmth of the indoors. Christy loved having the house full of the people she held closest to her heart. Hearing the chatter, laughter, and seeing the smiles, filled her heart with joy. Everyone seemed to be getting along seamlessly, including Margaret and Julia, two personalities Christy had expected to clash. Neil and Margaret seemed to have their own source of undisclosed joy, which Christy noticed with great curiosity.
Once the men were gone again to find another perfect tree, Fairlight asked Christy to retrieve her veil from her room so that she could finished the embroidery on the bottom. Christy nodded and moved up the stairs. As she passed Neil and Margaret's room, she heard coughing and gagging coming from behind the closed door. She paused, realizing with great pain that Margaret must be sick again. She immediately wanted to help her newest friend, and she knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Margaret gasped out.
"It's Christy. Are you alright?"
"Come in."
Christy entered the room and found Margaret laying on her back on the bed, her face pale.
"Margaret, are you alright?"
"Just perfect," Margaret told her.
"I heard you getting sick. Does Neil know?"
"Yes," Margaret told her.
"Is it bad?"
"It was worse the first time."
"Are you going to have to leave for treatment again?"
"No," Margaret sat up, slowly, a smile on her face. "It's not tuberculosis, Christy. I'm pregnant."
"Oh!" Christy gasped, and then laughed. "Thank goodness!"
Margaret nodded and Christy moved toward her.
"Why haven't you told anyone?"
"Because we're afraid I might miscarry again…like last time."
"You won't," Christy assured her. "Everything is different now."
"Yes, it is. But I also have a much weaker body this time. Neil is very concerned."
"How far along are you?"
"About ten weeks. It's very special…because we think it happened our first time together again."
Christy nodded in understanding. "Oh, Margaret. I'm so happy for you. God is blessing your marriage with a baby. It's wonderful."
Margaret allowed Christy to hug her.
"You musn't tell anyone. It's just our secret, okay?"
"Alright…but can I tell David? We've agreed to stop keeping things from each other, and I really want to keep that promise."
"That's fine. But no one else. This is your time, Christy. We can tell everyone after the wedding, but you're first, alright?"
Christy nodded and then giggled again and gave her friend a squeeze.