River Deep, Mountain High
Standard disclaimers apply to this piece of Christy fan fiction.
This story continues where the TV series left off. Any similarities to other works of Christy fan fiction are purely coincidental.
A/N: Another quick chapter before the weekend. Enjoy!
Chapter 45
The Cove was in full bloom as late spring began to lead way into the longer, hotter days of summer. Everything was so green and fragrant, and the assortment of plants and wildflowers that were native to the area painted the landscape with a myriad of bright and cheerful colors.
Christy could hardly believe that she and Neil had been courting for almost two months now. Not long after their admission of love for one another, word of their new relationship seemed to spread through Cutter Gap faster than a wildfire. Everyone was happy for the couple, though not many were terribly surprised.
Perhaps more unexpected to the families of the Cove was the formerly agnostic doctor's first appearance in Church one Sunday morning. Neil MacNeill soon became a regular fixture in Church as his newfound faith grew deeper and began to feel more comfortable to him. At first, it felt strange to Neil. He had not stepped foot inside a church or took part in a religious service in more than a dozen years. His only religious ceremonial attendance had been at weddings and funerals. But eventually, Neil started to gain more confidence and security with the increased exposure, and along with his continued theological discussions with Reverend Grantland, he became more and more at ease.
The two men, once rivals, developed a true friendship, having been able to put aside any previous differences. David happily helped Neil explore his faith and examine the questions that still remained. They still thrived on religious debate, which Neil now participated in with an open mind rather than his former condescension. Christy knew she extremely blessed that the two men in her life had fully reconciled at last; though she felt a twinge of pain thinking that David would be leaving at the end of the summer.
***
School had just let out for the day. It was a fine afternoon in early June, when Christy spotted a horse and rider trotting toward the Mission at an easy pace. Though the face of the rider was eclipsed in shadow by the blazing afternoon sun hanging in the sky behind him, she knew almost instantly from the familiar horse and way the man sat in the saddle that it was Neil. She grew alight with happiness. Then she saw that he was followed by Jeb Spencer in his wagon and another rider on what appeared to be Prince. She slowly gravitated toward the travelers without thinking, a quizzical expression on her face.
As the riders came closer, Christy noticed that Jeb was not alone in his wagon. She held her hand in front of her eyes to shield them from the blinding rays of sunlight that were obscuring her vision. Squinting her eyes for a clearer view, sudden realization washed over her, and she took off running in the direction of the approaching horses and wagon.
"Mother! Daddy!" she cried happily, skipping towards them.
Neil and her father, who was riding alongside him on Prince, picked up the pace and quickly eliminated the distance between them and Christy. The men dismounted from their horses and Christy immediately threw her arms around her father's neck and embraced him. William Huddleston wrapped his arms around his daughter in return.
"Daddy! I didn't know you were coming to Cutter Gap!" Christy exclaimed. She threw Neil a smiling glance from across her father's shoulder as they hugged. He was grinning at her like a schoolboy.
"Look who I happened to stumble upon on my way back from El Pano?" Doctor MacNeill teased her. The fact that her father was riding on Prince, along with his mischievous expression, made it obvious to her that he was in on the surprise.
Pulling away slightly from her father, Christy shot the doctor a sideways look. "You can't fool me, Neil MacNeill. It's as plain as day that you knew about this. You're not the only one with a keen sense of observation."
"I just told you I was going to town to pick up some essential supplies, Christy" he said in his own defense, even though there was no need. "I don't believe I stretched the truth all that much."
"Don't be so hard on him, Little Miss," William intervened, though he knew his daughter was only teasing. "It sounded as if it were no easy task to keep the secret from you."
Neil simply continued to smile at Christy as she turned to her father and began to pepper him with questions about the journey and the visit. "How was the trip from Asheville? How long are you and mother staying in Cutter Gap, daddy?"
"Hold on a minute, Little Miss," William Huddleston attempted to temporarily cease the ambush of inquiries. "We'll have plenty of time later to discuss all that. Let me just take a look at you." He held Christy at arm's length and surveyed her from top to bottom, his face beaming with pride. "Seems like you've grown up even more since the last time I saw you. Soon you won't be my Little Miss anymore," he sighed.
"Oh, Daddy, I'll never stop being your little girl," she reassured him. "I'm so happy to see you."
Jeb Spencer pulled his wagon up next to Christy and the others. Her mother rode in the wagon next to Jeb, and based on Julia Huddleston's grimace, Christy could tell that it had been a bumpy ride.
"Welcome back to Cutter Gap, Mother," Christy said gleefully.
Always a gentleman, Neil went to the wagon's side and graciously helped Mrs. Huddleston descend to the ground. She smiled at him appreciatively.
"Thank you for your assistance, Doctor MacNeill," Julia told him.
"It is my pleasure," he replied.
"Thank you, Jeb, for you help also," Christy commented.
Tipping his hat at her, he said, "No trouble a-tall, Miz Christy. I'll jes' park the wagon in front of the Mission house an' start to unload."
Jeb slapped the reins again to set the mules back into motion. As the wagon rolled past, Christy gasped and brought her hands to her mouth when she saw the back was heavily loaded with suitcases and several large trunks. She turned to her mother, who was dabbing the perspiration from her brow with a dainty handkerchief.
"Mother, don't you think you over-packed just bit?" she asked. "You should know from your last time here that there is no need for any fancy extras in Cutter Gap."
Smiling sweetly at her daughter, Julia batted the lashes of her soft doe eyes and spoke in a refined Southern drawl. "Christy, dear, I only brought the barest of essentials."
Christy could not help but sigh and smile in return. "Alright. I just hope poor Mr. Spencer doesn't strain his back unloading the wagon."
Neil volunteered to help Jeb with the Huddleston's belongings. He took the horses and tethered them to the post by the front porch while Christy and her parents walked the short distance to the Mission house. Christy was thrilled to see her parents in Cutter Gap, especially since her last visit home during Christmas was not so long ago. It was Thanksgiving the last time her parents had come, and she was looking forward to showing them another glorious season in the Cove.
Miss Alice was waiting on the porch to greet them. When she saw Christy and her parents approaching, she smiled and raised her finger to her mouth in the characteristic fashion of hers. She had known about the visit in addition to Neil, and despite her ability to enter into long Quaker silences, she never liked keeping secrets. However, seeing the shining expression on Christy's face walking up the steps of the Mission, she knew that this one had been well worth keeping.
"Mr. and Mrs. Huddleston, welcome back to Cutter Gap," Alice stated.
"Ms. Henderson," Julia said warmly, extending her hand out to the missionary, "thank you once again for your generous hospitality."
Neil and Jeb began to laboriously haul the many trunks and bags up the stairs to the room where the Huddlestons would be staying. Again, Christy shook her head at her mother for having brought so much with her. The painful grimace on the mens' faces when they carried the trunks made her wonder what the devil her mother had decided to pack. She shook the thoughts out of her mind as they sat down to afternoon tea in the parlor to rest for a bit after the long and exhausting journey.
Christy spent an enjoyable few hours with her parents, relaxing and then helping them get settled into their room. They caught each other up on the current events in their lives and in their respective communities. The Huddlestons had been informed a while back that Christy and Neil were courting. Not long after they professed their love for each other, Doctor MacNeill had telephoned her parents to ask their permission to court Christy. William and Julia both gave their blessing to the relationship, especially after learning of the doctor's recent salvation. Having witnessed Christy and Neil's close friendship during their last visit to the Cove and reading between the lines in their daughter's letters home, it did not come as much of a surprise. Understanding that a courtship typically preceded a more long-term understanding, the Huddlestons let go of any last remaining hope that Christy would ever think of Asheville as her home again. At least she was only a couple hour train ride away. Besides, they were so happy for their daughter, and they had come to think very highly of Doctor MacNeill after his tireless efforts to help William recover from his stroke.
Neil was asked to stay for supper that night, and he gladly accepted the invitation. Most of the dinnertime conversation was light and pleasant, but then the topic turned to current world events and the state of affairs in Europe. Much of the continent had been at war for the past year as a result of the unraveling of military and political alliances, leaving many regions unstable and volatile. The spreading of imperialism and nationalism further added to the complex diplomatic relationships. The balance of power in Europe had been changing for decades, but the war fundamentally erupted out of tensions over territory in the Balkans. Austria-Hungary was competing with Serbia and Russia for land and influence in the region, and they soon pulled the rest of the great powers into the conflict through their variances alliances and treaties.
The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria the previous year, in June 1914, was the spark that eventually ignited the powder keg. The United States had employed a policy of neutrality and isolationism over the years, but with the recent sinking of the Lusitania just a month earlier in May, which resulted in the loss of over one hundred American lives, William Huddleston thought for certain that President Woodrow Wilson would enter the conflict. Thankfully, the U.S. had not; though he wondered how much longer the country would be able to avoid entering the spreading war. It had extended to several different fronts across the world now – the Eastern and Western fronts of Europe, Africa, and even Asia and the Pacific. It seemed only a matter of time before the United States was forced to get involved in the foreign conflict.
Discussion of events taking place so far beyond the reaches of Cutter Gap was usually rare. Most of the families Christy knew were simply concerned with their day to day survival and subsistence. She began to feel uneasy thinking that, if the president did not maintain his current policies, the lives of everyone she knew and cared about might be suddenly and dramatically changed. Even the remote mountain community could not stay isolated forever. Christy tried to push the ominous thoughts out of her mind for the time being. She hoped the conversation would soon turn toward a less weighty subject.
Fortunately for Christy, Julia Huddleston had also tired of listening to such serious and depressing conversation and decided to be vocal about it. "William, Doctor MacNeill. Let's please stop all this talk of war for the evening. It hurts my head to think of it."
The men complied, and the remainder of the evening meal was spent in enjoyable company discussing more pleasant subject matter.
Later that night, Christy stepped out onto balcony outside her room to enjoy a few quiet moments in the fresh air before retreating to her bed. She had already undressed and stood outside wearing only her white cotton nightgown, absently removing the pins from her hair until it fell in long loose waves that cascaded down to the middle of her back. She smiled to herself contentedly, feeling the clean mountain air fill her lungs and her soul with joy. Her hand traveled to her cheek, where she swore she could still feel the soft imprint of Neil's warm lips when he kissed her goodnight.
With one final glance at the full moon shining gloriously in the night sky above, Christy went back into her room and closed the balcony doors behind her. Sliding beneath the light quilt, she sighed blissfully. It had been a wonderful day, Christy mused. Her parents visit had been the ultimate surprise. She laid her head to rest on her pillow and closed her eyes, looking forward to days that lay ahead.
***
TO BE CONTINUED