Title: Through a Glass Darkly (A/U) Author: Lisa K. (Lisa_ca_girl@excite.com) I decided to do something I've had in the back of my mind forever - - creating a Christy fan fiction in an "alternate universe" or A/U. I read fan fiction for other T.V. shows too and oftentimes, I'll find that fanfic authors have placed the characters in a different time or place. Like putting the characters from the old west into a modern scenario. Now, I realize this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but my plan is to stay with the spirit of Christy while putting the characters into a modern-day scene. Thus, my fanfiction, "Through a Glass Darkly" is born! In this story, Christy is a modern-day missionary in rural Appalachia. The other characters play the same parts - - only modern-day versions of themselves. Through a Glass Darkly (A/U) Part/Chapter: Part 1 Summary: Young Christy Huddleston is intrigued with the stories told by an old missionary at her church. Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ************************************************************** Christy rolled down the windows on her small Toyota convertible as she sailed by the “Welcome to Tennessee” sign at the state line. A small smile played across her lips as a thrill of excitement swept through her. Finally, after months of planning, she was on her way to a new life, one she could not have imagined for herself six months ago. And she was on her own, for the first time in her nineteen year-old life. Shortly, the Newport city limits loomed before her. “Almost there,” she whispered to herself. Her hand crept over to the map and directions lying on the passenger seat. “Cutter Gap, here I come!” As her eyes sought a roadside sign for a Shell gas station, she thought back to the first time she heard of the mission at Cutter Gap . . . . . . . . . “Christy, it’s time for church. Hurry up!” George shouted as he raced by her room, headphones firmly attached to his ears. Christy appeared in the doorway of her bedroom and rolled her eyes at her younger brother. She shut the door to her room and followed him down the stairs and out the front door. She climbed into the back seat of the family Lexus and settled her short skirt under her as her father backed out of the driveway. Little did she know that this particular day, which seemed like so many Sundays before it, would change her life forever. “Brother, sisters. We have a visitor who will speak with us today.” At the sound of Reverend Taylor’s voice addressing the congregation, Christy reluctantly tore her eyes away from the pretty patterns being made on the carpet by the stained glass windows. With a sigh, she tried to focus on what was being said. Christy often struggled with finding the relevance of Reverend Taylor’s sermons to her own life and therefore she found herself easily distracted. “I would like to introduce Dr. Ferrand . . . . “. Christy’s eyes sought the object of the Reverend’s introduction. It appeared that Dr. Ferrand was the small, white-haired old man seated on the dais. “Oh boy,” Christy muttered to herself and slowly sunk down into the pew. However, the sound of Dr. Ferrand’s booming voice startled her and she straightened up to look at him a second time. It didn’t seem possible that such a commanding voice could come from such a man, but even more startling than his voice was his message. “Do you know of the poverty that exists within a couple of hours’ drive from Asheville, North Carolina? It is poverty like none of you can imagine. People living in conditions like you hear about in other countries.” At some of the disbelieving looks he saw in the audience, he went on, “So, you think I’m making this up? Believe me folks, I’m telling you the truth - - my missions serve the people of rural Appalachia. To illustrate the conditions that can still be found back in the hills of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky in these modern times, let me tell you the story of Mountie O’Teale. . . . .” Dr. Ferrand went on to tell the congregation about the desperately-poor life of this eight year-old little girl. Mountie was the youngest of seven children, living in little more than an overgrown shed with no indoor plumbing with her out-of-work mother. Christy shuddered to think of not having indoor plumbing. “Good heavens, what’s wrong with these people?” she thought to herself. She felt anger at this woman, this mother, who would bring seven children into the world and couldn’t support them. However, as Dr. Ferrand continued on with other stories about families living in abject poverty, she began to see that it wasn’t their fault. Despite the gains of the twentieth century, rural Appalachia was still poor and hopelessly isolated from opportunities available in cities and towns. Mountie’s mother and the other people that Dr. Ferrand described weren’t cruel or mean-spirited people - - they were simply living lives of ignorance. Ignorance of opportunities, possibilities and worst of all, according to Dr. Ferrand, ignorance of God. Christy felt something stirring in her heart and she felt a rare feeling of purpose steal into her. Since she graduated from high school and began attending UNC Asheville, she felt adrift. Her academic major was still listed as ‘undecided’ and she didn’t have the faintest idea of what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. While she waited for “the great revelation” as Christy liked to tell her parents, she took classes, hung out with her friends, and held a part-time job. But, she also felt an emptiness inside of her - - inside her very soul. She could not begin to articulate what she felt was missing - - but she was sure it was the “something” that other people in her church seemed to have. And so it was for all these reasons that, when Dr. Ferrand finished his speech with a call for volunteers to help these poor families in rural Appalachia with basic needs like teaching life skills, repairing substandard homes, and spreading the word of the Gospel, Christy knew exactly what she must do. She made her way to the front of the church before she could second-guess herself and thrust out her hand to a startled Dr. Ferrand. “Dr. Ferrand, my name is Christy Huddleston and I’d like to help.” Part/Chapter: Part 2 Summary: In our alternate universe, Christy begins her journey to Cutter Gap in the year 2001. Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. *************************************** Christy finally spotted the Shell gas station and pulled off the interstate. As she filled up her car, she chuckled to herself and recalled the look on Dr. Ferrand's face at her bold offer to "help" at the missions in rural Appalachia. Of course, Christy couldn't have known what kind of picture she made as she stood with her arm outstretched to Dr. Ferrand. As he took her hand, Dr. Ferrand doubted to himself that this young lady before him was even out of high school yet. Her face reflected extreme youth and a naivete born from a life of privilege. He shook himself, however, at these thoughts. He knew that a maturity earned from experience and a rock-hard constitution were not prerequisites for mission work, but Lord knows it helped. He wondered what this Christy Huddleston would look like after a year in the mission field. Would she still have the freshness of youth shining in her striking blue eyes or would they be tinged with disillusionment and disappointment? Dr. Ferrand opened his mouth to ask her where her parents were when he caught the look in her eyes. Her eyes pleaded with him, "Please take me seriously. Don't dismiss me before I've had a chance." He promptly shut his mouth, only to open it again a moment later to ask simply, "Why do you want to help?" Now it was Christy's turn to look startled. Why did she want to do this? Why would she offer to help people she had never met, in a place she had never been before? But miraculously, a sense of calm came over her suddenly and one clear thought stuck in her brain. "To make a difference", she answered. Dr. Ferrand smiled. "Well then, let me know show you some information about our mission and how you will be able to help. Our mission at Cutter Gap is in desperate need of volunteers . . . . . . . " ******************************** Christy found that volunteering was the easy part - - convincing her parents that this is what she wanted to do was much, much harder. Of course, her parents thought she had taken leave of her senses at the notion of their young, inexperienced daughter doing mission work. They offered argument upon argument on why she shouldn't leave everything she had ever known to work in some "God-forsaken backwater", as her mother put it after one especially exasperating discussion with her stubborn daughter. Finally, she wore her parents down and they finally agreed to support her while she spent her summer vacation working at the mission in Cutter Gap, Tennessee. She wanted to go earlier, but neither of her parents would hear of her dropping out of college mid-semester. "Girlie, just try this out during the summer. If you don't like it, you can always come home and go back to school," her father said logically. While her parents prayed this would be the case, Christy latched on to this small promise and began planning in earnest for her mission trip. And now the time had finally arrived. Was it just a few hours ago that she loaded the trunk of her car, kissed her parents goodbye, and gave her brother a quick hug before hopping into the driver's seat and driving away? This morning, she had been surprised and touched that the church had decided to give her a going-away breakfast party before leaving. Everyone had been so kind to her, patting her on the back and giving her hugs and good wishes. Her friends had been especially wonderful, despite their initial shock and reservations upon hearing about her plans for serving in the mission field. But no matter, she was on her way now and nothing was going to stop her! She paid for her gasoline and got back into her car. She picked up the map and studied the directions to Cutter Gap. Dr. Ferrand had apologized for the difficult directions to the mission that he attached to his email. "I hope you won't have too much difficulty in finding it - - the problem is that some of the roads up there in the hills are not marked well or not marked at all," he wrote. "If you have any difficulty, just stop and ask one of the locals - - they will know where it is." The miles stretched out behind Christy as she left the interstate behind and she headed her fast little car toward the towering mountains of east Tennessee. As her car began to climb the first mountain, she had to pop the transmission down into second gear to successfully rise to the top of it. By the second mountain, she had to move the transmission in and out of first gear to climb the steeper parts of the narrowing road. By the third mountain, Christy began to see wisps of steam coming out from underneath her hood. In fright, she watched the temperature gauge edge closer and closer to the red mark. "Good heavens, I'm in the middle of nowhere! What I am going to do?" She tried to remember how long ago she had seen a gas station or any other kind of business for that matter. She realized that it had been miles and miles ago. Just as she decided that she would pull over at the next wide spot in the road and call her father on her cell phone, a gas station came into view. "Thank you, God", she prayed silently. She pulled her steaming car in behind a mail trunk parked near the first (and only) gas pump and got out. She stared in disgust at her little car and she felt a small sense of panic as she noticed that the late afternoon sun was sinking at a fast rate in the western sky. Within an hour or two, the sun would be set and then what would she do? There didn't appear to be anything else around for miles except this little ancient gas station. A man in a bedraggled postal uniform appeared at the door of the gas station. He studied her car and then her for a moment. He turned his head and spit a long stream of tobacco juice onto the ground. He finally decided to speak. "Looks like you got yourself a problem there, little lady." Part/Chapter: 3 Summary: Car problems - - how will Christy get to Cutter Gap? Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ****************************************************** Christy withstood the temptation of answering the postman's obvious statement with sarcasm and instead only said, "My car has overheated. Is there a mechanic here who can look at?" Again, another long look from the postman before he turned and yelled out, "Junior, there's a lady here with a car problem." He turned back to Christy and said, "Junior's the best mechanic 'round these parts. He'll figger it out." Shortly, the man named Junior came out from the back of the station. Junior looked to be in his mid-twenties with a beer belly and an unkempt, reddish-brown beard. Silently, he lifted the hood on Christy's car. The postman joined him and both stared into the engine compartment. "Thermometer," Junior stated flatly. "Thermometer?" Christy asked hesitantly. "Thermometer's busted," he answered and closed the hood of the car. Christy cleared her throat and asked, "Well, can you fix it?" "Sure," was the short reply. "Lordy, this man is economical with words," Christy thought to herself. Aloud, she asked, "When can you fix it?" "Wednesday," Junior replied as he walked back into the office. Christy couldn't believe her ears. "Wednesday?! I can't wait until Wednesday. Today is Saturday and I'm due in Cutter Gap in a few hours. Can't you fix it any sooner?" "Gotta order the part," Junior answered in his maddening way of talking, which Christy was growing to detest. "Won't get here 'fore Wednesday." "He's right, Miss." Christy turned to the postman. "I deliver the parts he orders and it'll take a spell." Christy sunk dejectedly to the rickety chair that apparently the postman had recently vacated. "I need to get to Cutter Gap. Perhaps I can call a taxi . . . . " Christy's voice trailed off at the sight of amusement on the two men's faces. "No taxi 'round here, Miss," the postman said with a chuckle. "Why don't ya take her up thar," Junior directed his question to the postman. "You told me you got to go up thar today anyhow." "Junior, you know better. I'm a duly-appointed employee of the U.S. Postal Service," he said importantly. "I cain't be takin' no riders." Christy swung her hopeful face to the postman. "Oh please, you must help me!" "C'mon on, Ben. What's she supposed to do? Sleep in her car 'til Wednesday? Ain't no place to stay 'round here." Christy was surprised to hear Junior take her side. She felt like throwing her arms around his huge stomach and giving him a big hug. "Well, I guess it won't hurt to do it this one time. Fetch your things, miss. I gotta git goin' here right quick." Christy turned and ran to her car. He called after her, "I got one of them overnight packages to deliver so I gotta step to it." In a few seconds flat, Christy had pulled her suitcases out of her trunk and took them to the mail truck. Ben, the postman, took them from her and loaded them up in the back. She left her name and the phone number of the mission offices with Junior so he could call her when her car was ready. With one last grateful smile to Junior, she ran back and jumped into the passenger seat of the mail truck. "You ready, miss?" "Yes, and by the way, my name is Christy, Christy Huddleston. I'm headed for the mission at Cutter Gap." Ben pulled the truck out onto the road and let out a low whistle. "What's a little girl like you going to that mission for?" He chuckled. "You gonna build some houses or sumthin'?" Christy straightened her back and answered sharply, "I'm nineteen years old and yes, I'm here to build houses or whatever else they need me for. I'm here to help people." "Whoa, little lady. Don't get your back up. I didn't mean nuthin' by it. It's just that . . . . . . " "What?" "Well, it's pretty rough up there. Are you ready for life in these mountains?" Part/Chapter: 4 Summary: Christy learns a lot from Ben Pentland Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ****************************************************** Christy sighed. Even this man, a postman she didn’t even know, was questioning her decision to go to Cutter Gap to serve at the mission. Did she really look that young and incapable of taking care of herself? Christy answered him as she had answered all of the other skeptics at home, “I am prepared and able to take on the challenges at the mission. I’m young and strong. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. I will . . . . . . . “ Ben interrupted her, “No, I don’t mean that. You look like you kin do a full day’s work.” He took his eyes off the road for a moment to assure her with a smile that he hadn’t meant to insult her. “No, I mean are you ready for how things are up there? Folks up there are poor - - I mean really poor. They live in old shacks and rundown trailers. In most of ‘em, you got seven or eight grownups and kids livin’ in one or two rooms. Most of ‘em don’t work - - heck, there’s no place to work up there. No factories, no businesses, no nuthin’! Why I know of one family . . . . . . “ It was Christy’s turn to interrupt. “I know things are bad. That’s why I wanted to come here. I know I can make a difference in these people’s lives.” Christy looked out the window at the beautiful mountain scenery as they sped by. She breathed in the sweet, warm smell of the blooming honeysuckle growing by the side of road and she felt elation. “I know this is where I’m supposed to be,” she half-whispered to herself as her eyes continued to drink in the rural mountain beauty. Ben Pentland stole a sideways look at the young woman beside him. He heard her words, the confident tone in her voice and he realized that he was wasting his breath trying to warn her of what she was facing. She wouldn’t believe him anyway. He decided to change the subject. “Like I told ya b’fore, I got this overnight package to deliver. That Doc MacNeill, he’s always getting ‘em. He gets lots of mail and boxes from all them medical supply places. So, we’ll need to stop at the Doc’s first before we go on up to the mission.” “Doctor? I didn’t know there was a doctor in this area. Dr. Ferrand told me that one of the challenges up here was access to adequate medical care. Is the doctor a recent addition to Cutter Gap?” Christy queried. Ben chuckled. “No, Doc’s from here. Born and raised. But he went off to medical school when he was still a young’un. I guess he missed this place, ‘cause he came back here after he graduated and started doctoring folks. But, he’s only one man and there’s a lot of sick folks up here.” Christy digested this information. Dr. Ferrand said there were about 70 or so families living in Cutter Gap. Surely, one doctor would be sufficient, wouldn’t it? Ben saw the confusion on Christy’s face and added, “The doc is only up here two or three days a week. The rest of the week, he’s in Knoxville. He got himself a practice down there.” Well, that explained it! No wonder the mountain people didn’t have access to good medical care - - the doctor was hardly there! Christy resolved to find out why this situation was allowed to continue. If this Doctor MacNeill wasn’t interested in helping these people, maybe they should find another doctor! During their conversation, the road to Cutter Gap continued to narrow and grow rougher to drive on. Ben had to keep lowering his speed as the conditions worsened. By the time Ben said, “We’re almost there,” he was hardly doing 35 miles an hour on the straight-aways. For the many hairpin turns in the road, speed was reduced further to only 10 miles an hour. Secretly, Christy was glad that she hadn’t had to drive this road by herself for the first time. She knew that it would have made her a nervous wreck. However, with her newfound friend Ben Pentland at the wheel, she felt safe on the dangerous road. “Well, here we are! This is Cutter Gap,” Ben announced. It appeared that Ben was referring to the small cluster of buildings in front of them. Dr. Ferrand had told her the town was small, but she didn’t dream he meant THIS small! There looked to be only five or six building altogether and half of them were boarded up and vacant. Ben pulled the mail truck up in front of the first building on the right hand side of the road. The sign beside the door to the building said, “Neil MacNeill, M.D.” Ben opened her door and helped her out. He led her to the front door. “This here is the Doc’s place. See how this building has two floors? The doc sees people on the bottom floor an’ he lives on the second floor when he stays up here.” Christy had to admit that this building helped to change her opinion of the doctor somewhat. She had imagined this Doctor MacNeill to be a rich doctor playing at charity work. However, she couldn’t imagine a rich doctor living and doing his work in this very humble building. Ben pushed open the door to the clinic and called out, “Yoonited States Mail!” Christy jumped at the sound of his loud announcement. “Heavens Ben, you scared me with your yelling! I . . . . . “ Whatever Christy was about to say was lost as the much-speculated about Doctor Neil MacNeill strode purposefully into the room. Part/Chapter: 5 Summary: Christy has an unforgettable meeting with Dr. Neil MacNeill Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ****************************************************** Christy didn't know what she expected the doctor to look like, but this man did not look like any doctor she had ever seen. He looked like he could be in his early thirties; six feet tall with a face that no one would characterize as handsome, if one were to use the modern definition of the word. His broad face was a strong one with classical features: a roman nose, piercing blue eyes, and a firm mouth. But it wasn't these things by themselves that caused Christy to be struck dumb. It was that Doctor Neil MacNeill looked like he could have stepped out of the movie "Braveheart". His face, the curly reddish-blond hair that fell to the base of his neck, his broad shoulders and barrel chest all combined to make him the most Scottish-looking man she had ever seen. Instead of the non-descript buttoned-down shirt and khakis he was wearing, she could easily imagine him clad in a Scottish kilt, charging forward with his claymore to attack his enemies. Christy was unaware of how long she stood there staring at him. However, by the amused look in the doctor's eyes, it must have been some time. Christy flushed with embarrassment as she realized that he had been very much aware of her studying him. "Hello, Ben. I see you brought a package for me. Thanks.” He took the package from him. “And it looks like you brought a visitor too. Or is this a patient?" The doctor's rich, deep voice only served to complete the picture of a burly Scot. He turned to Christy, "Are you ill?" "I'm Christy Huddleston." "Er, it's nice to meet you." The doctor stepped forward to shake her small hand with his large, strong one. He did not immediately let go of it as he went on to introduce himself. "I'm Neil MacNeill. I'm the doctor here. Are you ill?" he asked again. Christy took a deep breath. Good heavens, she was acting like a foolish schoolgirl! "I'm sorry Dr. MacNeill, you'll have to forgive me. I'm terribly tired after this horrendously long day!" Christy laughed self-consciously which caused Neil to smile at her. Neil’s eyes missed nothing of this newcomer - - not her long, honey-colored hair, her sapphire blue eyes, nor the creaminess of her fair skin. She was quite young, but there was something that attracted him to her. Was it her intelligent eyes that met his with an honest frankness or was it simply her sweet young beauty that drew him to her? Neil mentally shook himself. ‘Enough,’ he told himself. He tried to focus on what she was saying. "Thank you Doctor but no, I'm not ill. Mr. Pentland was kind enough to give me a ride here to Cutter Gap after my car broke down. You see, I'm here to join the mission staff." Something darkened in the doctor's eyes at her mention of the mission. He dropped her hand. “Oh, I see,” he said slowly. A spasm of emotion crossed his face as he added derisively, “So you’re one of them.” Christy looked confused. She looked to Ben for some clarification but he was pointedly ignoring the both of them by pretending to look at the latest issue of “Sports Illustrated” from the stack of magazines in the waiting area. She looked back to the doctor. “One of them? What do you mean?” Christy asked. “You’re one of them ‘do-gooders’”. Christy’s mouth dropped open. She started to speak but Neil wasn’t finished. “So what’s your quota? How many souls must you claim to save before you can consider your short time among us sinners a success?” Christy gaped at him. Her mouth worked but no words would come out, so Neil continued. “Why don’t you people just leave them alone?” Christy finally found her voice. “Them?” she croaked. “The people who live here. The people who have lived here for generations and will continue to live here long after people like you are gone.” Neil sighed and looked away. He ran his fingers through his hair, as he was apt to do when he was distracted or upset. He knew she didn’t deserve his diatribe. She wouldn’t know why he felt so strongly against the missionaries working here in Cutter Gap. But, his famous Scottish temper had run away with him again. He knew he owed this woman an apology. Before he had a chance to speak however, he heard her sharp, angry intake of breath. He looked up to meet her blazing eyes. Christy was furious. Her angry words came all out in a rush. “You think you know me, huh? Got me all figured out? How dare you! At least I’m here in a full-time capacity. How about you? How do you manage to find the time to come up here at all? I mean, between raking in all that easy money down there in Knoxville and playing golf, you must be pretty busy!” Neil’s eyes narrowed and he stepped closer so he could look directly into her eyes. “I see you have already judged me,” he said in a low, dangerous tone. “No more than you have already judged ME, Doctor.” With that parting shot, Christy whirled around and stalked out the door. As he watched, she practically ran to Ben’s mail truck, climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. Ben put down the magazine and sauntered to the door. On the way, he gave Neil a measured look. Neil’s face was beet red as his eyes continued to watch Miss Christy Huddleston sit stone-faced in the truck outside. He finally noticed Ben’s calculating appraisal of him. Neil had had enough. He turned to face Ben. “What? What?” Neil bellowed. “I think you met yer match, Doc!” With a sharp cackle, he pushed open the door and was gone. ************************************************** Ben was still laughing as he got in the truck beside Christy. Christy stared at him as if he had grown horns. “What are you laughing about?” Christy demanded. Ben’s laughter finally quieted down. He wiped his eyes. “Lordy, miss. I’ve never seen ANYONE talk to Neil MacNeill like that before. I knowed he could be an ornery cuss but I’ve never seen him so fired up.” Christy knew she would later regret her behavior but at this very moment, she was still too angry. “I hope I never see that man again. I hate Neil MacNeill!” Part/Chapter: 6 of ? Summary: Christy arrives at the mission Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ****************************************************** Twilight had begun in fall in the Tennessee mountains. Ben started up his truck and they were on their way again. He pointed to a hill located on the edge of the "town". "There's the mission." Christy could barely make out the faint outline of a building at the top of the gentle slope. However, it wasn't far away and she was nervous to see that they would reach the mission in just a few short minutes. Christy was trembling now in reaction to her run-in with Dr. MacNeill. Her father had always teased her about her temper. "Christy is not quick to anger, but watch out when she gets mad!" her father had warned her brother on several occasions. She was afraid her temper had really gotten her in trouble this time. Surely, she would have to come face to face with Dr. MacNeill again. How would she be able to get through it? She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself as Ben pulled up in front of the mission "house", for a house was exactly what it looked like. It was two-story with a wide porch that extended from the front to around the side of the house. A balcony on the second floor stretched across the breadth of it. Wisteria vines climbed the columns on the porch and added to the overall stateliness of the old home. As Ben pulled her suitcases out of the back, Christy got out of the truck and continued to survey her new surroundings. Just as Ben came to join her, they both heard the slam of a screen door. A dark-haired young man stepped out of the house and moved to the edge of porch. He called behind him, "Alice! Ida! She's here." The young man was slender and tall, probably three or four inches above six feet and he appeared to be about 25 years old. He looked liked he smiled easily by the laugh lines she saw around his mouth and his sparkling brown eyes. With his thick black hair and sculptured facial features, he was very handsome. If his confident grin was any indication, he was also well aware of it. A wide, friendly smile spread across his face as he came down to the steps to Christy. He held out his hand. "You must be Christy. I'm David Grantland. I'm the minister here." She took his hand. "It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Grantland." David laughed out loud. "Mr. Grantland is my father. Please call me David." He continued to shake her hand absentmindedly as he stared into her eyes. Uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny, Christy finally looked away and he released her. He turned to the postman. "Hi Ben! It looks like you had a special delivery, " he said with a nod in Christy's direction. "The little missy had car problems so I brung her up here." Ben put down her suitcases and rubbed his neck. "Her car'll be ready next week." "Did you run your car off the road?" asked a pinched voice from the porch. A woman who looked somewhat like the reverend stepped forward. She had dark hair like David and the same brown eyes, but the resemblance stopped there. Where David looked like he laughed all the time, this woman did not look like she ever laughed. Her eyes were squinty in her thin face. Her expression was like that of someone who smelled something bad. "Oh Ida! You always assume the worst!" David looked at Christy apologetically before nodding to the woman behind him. "This is my sister Ida. Ida, are you going to come off of that porch and meet our newest member of the mission staff?" "I've got dishes to finish." Ida stepped to door before turning around. "David, I could use some help," she asked pointedly. "I'll be there in a minute. I'm still greeting our guest," David answered his sister with an edge in his voice. Her answer to him was to slam the screen door. David turned back to Christy. "Don't mind her. She really is an old softy once you get to know her. She's my older sister, she's 33, but I still feel very protective of her." Good heavens! Christy figured that the doctor must be around that age too but she looked at least ten years older. Neil MacNeill again! Why was she still thinking about him? “Come on, let’s get you in the house. Ben, I’ll help you with the suitcases.” David picked up one of the suitcases and showed Christy and Ben inside. An older woman was coming down the stairs as the three of them entered the house. “There you are! Christy Huddleston, meet Miss Alice Henderson.” Once he had dispensed with the quick introduction, he and Ben took the suitcases upstairs. So this is Miss Henderson, Christy thought. Dr. Ferrand got a fond, faraway look in his eyes when he talked of Alice Henderson, the director of the Cutter Gap mission. He had made a point of telling Christy all about her. She was a Pennsylvania Quaker who had devoted her life to serving the Lord through missionary work. She had lived and served at several missions in rural, poor areas during her life. Now in her late forties, she had been with the Cutter Gap mission five years and was, in Dr. Ferrand’s estimation, one of the finest missionaries he had ever blessed to work with. By the look on his face, Christy had wondered if Dr. Ferrand was secretly in love with Alice Henderson. Actually they would have made an interesting couple, Christy thought absurdly. While Dr. Ferrand was small and wiry, Alice Henderson was tall and sturdily built. She had long, blond hair that was streaked with gray and wound up in a knot at the base of her neck. What stood out most about this woman however was her air of calm serenity. Miss Alice Henderson clearly knew her place in this world and in His plan and was blissfully happy with the assignment. “Christy Huddleston! What a blessing it is to have you here!” Alice Henderson came forward to welcome her. “Please come into the sitting room and rest a bit.” She led the way into a comfortable seating area and gestured to one of the overstuffed armchairs. Christy sank into it gratefully. “What a lovely room!” Christy exclaimed. It truly was a wonderful room. Several comfortable chairs and sofas were scattered around the large front room. The walls and tables had been tastefully decorated with care. “Did you decorate this room yourself, Miss Henderson?” “Yes, I did. And please call me Alice or Miss Alice, if you prefer.” Miss Alice looked around the room fondly. “We use this room for small bible study groups and for our women’s group. As I was decorating it, I knew I wanted this room to make each visitor feel comfortable and welcome here.” “It certainly does! I’m afraid I could easily fall asleep in this chair,” Christy said with a yawn. “Oh, forgive me! You must be exhausted. I’ll show you up to your room in just a moment. There will be plenty of time to talk tomorrow and to get to know each other better,” Miss Alice said with a smile. “But I have just one question for you. You don’t need to answer it now; in fact, I hope you’ll sleep on it and we can talk about it tomorrow.” Christy nodded and waited. “Why did you come to Cutter Gap?” Part/Chapter: 7 of ? Summary: Christy meets another Cutter Gap resident Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ************************************************************* Christy awoke to the bright morning sunshine streaming through her bedroom window. She sat up and stared at the unfamiliar surroundings for moment, trying to remember where she was. Then, it all came flooding back to her. She was in Cutter Gap. She flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Despite her troubled mind, she fallen fast asleep soon after her head hit the pillow last night. There was no time to contemplate Miss Alice's cryptic question. Or was it cryptic? Actually it was a fairly straightforward question - - why did she come to Cutter Gap? So why did she feel turmoil within her at this seemingly innocuous question? Christy rolled over and saw the clock. She realized if she didn't get moving, she would be late for church. Miss Alice had shown her where the bathroom was on the way up to bed last night, so she ran there now and jumped into the shower. Thirty minutes later, freshly showered and dressed for church, Christy made her way down the stairs in search of breakfast. The sound of a T.V. blaring from the sitting room caused her to stop and peek in the room to see who was watching T.V. at this time of morning. Christy's eyes fell on a girl sprawled on the rug in front of the T.V. Just as Christy started to say 'good morning' to her, the girl turned towards her and her eyes widened in surprise. She jumped off the floor and slapped the button on the T.V., turning it off. "Oh Lordy, ma'am. Please don't tell Miss Alice I was watching 'Jerry Springer'!" The girl, a teenager really, started twisting her fiery red curls around her finger distractedly. "She gets all fired up and tells me it's a sin to watch stuff like that! But it's just so interesting, doncha think?" "Um, I agree it's interesting, but Miss Alice is probably right." Christy stepped forward. "My name is Christy Huddleston." "Oh, you're the new person, aren't ya? Lordy, you should have heard the fit Miss Ida threw when she heard there was going to be someone else living here." The girl then began to imitate Ida's sharp voice. "'I hope she don't think I'm going to cater to her', she said. 'I got enough chores to do around here', she said. 'I ain't waiting hand and foot on no little rich girl', she said. And then she said . . . . ." Goodness! This girl sure liked to talk! She was talking a mile a minute and would have continued if Christy hadn't interrupted her. "And what is your name?" "Oh heavens, I done forgot to tell ya, didn't I? I'm Ruby Mae Morrison." The teenager stuck out her hand and shook Christy's enthusiastically. "You're pretty. A lot prettier than Miss Ida," Ruby Mae smirked but then the look on her freckled face turned to admiration. "Gosh, I love your earrings. They're so pretty." She reached out to touch them, startling Christy with her familiarity. "I asked my pa for some earrings like yours once and he told me that I'd have to be older. Fifteen is old enough, doncha think? But, he told me that I don't deserve them anyhow. That it would be a waste of money to buy me pretty things. You don't think it'd be a waste, do ya?" Christy wondered if this girl ever stopped talking long enough to catch her breath. She also wondered if the girl lived here at the mission house, but instead of asking her, she decided to wait and ask Miss Alice. Instinctively, she knew that this young girl was one of the people that the mission was there to help. "No, I don't think it would be a waste. Ruby Mae, maybe you can show me where the kitchen is? I'm looking for some breakfast." "Shorely, ma'am. This way." With Ruby Mae in the lead, she headed to the back of the house and into the kitchen. Ida was at the sink rinsing dishes. She turned at the sound of the girls entering the room. She quickly turned back to the sink and said, "I wondered if you were going to sleep all day. Your breakfast is sitting on a plate in the microwave. You won't always find it like that - - if you're late normally, you just have to fend for yourself." It appeared that Ruby Mae had been telling the truth about Ida’s feelings towards her. Christy bit her lip. She decided to try to calm the troubled waters. "I'm sorry, Ida. I was just so tired from yesterday that I overslept. Thank you for saving me some breakfast." A grunt from Ida was her only answer. Ruby Mae rolled her eyes at Ida’s back and pointed out the microwave to Christy. In a few minutes, Christy was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying Ida's home-cooked breakfast. "Ida, these potatoes are wonderful! And these eggs are so delicious! You are a wonderful cook," Christy enthused. Ida turned and gave Christy a jerky smile. "David always likes my breakfasts. He says that he doesn't know how he would survive without me around to cook for him and take care of him. That man is useless around the house. Well, you better hurry up or you'll be late." She turned her back to Christy, as though embarrassed that she had appeared friendly. Christy finished quickly and took her plate to the sink and began washing it herself. “It’s the least I can do, “ Christy said to a surprised Ida. Christy put the plate in the rack to dry just as Alice Henderson walked into the room. “Ladies, are we ready for church? Ruby Mae, isn’t there something you need to do?” Ruby Mae looked confused until Miss Alice pointed to her hair. “Oh lands! I gotta find my brush!” Ruby Mae exclaimed as she rushed from the room. “Christy, I see you have met one of our very special residents,” Miss Alice said as she gathered her purse from the sideboard. Miss Alice was dressed in a plain dark blue dress with a simple dove-shaped broach as her only adornment. “I will have to tell you all about Ruby Mae, unless of course she has already managed to tell you her life story, “ Miss Alice said with a smile. “That girl can talk bark off a tree!” Ida added sourly. “Well, she did talk quite a bit this morning, but she didn’t get around to her life story, Miss Alice. I hope you’ll fill me in. Does she have problems at home?” Christy asked. “You’ve guessed the heart of the problem. After church, I’ll tell you about it. And I hope we can continue our discussion from last night,” Miss Alice added meaningfully. “Yes, I’d like that.” Christy nervously fidgeted with her simple button-down blouse. Christy wasn’t sure she had an answer to Miss Alice’s question yet. Christy suspected that Miss Alice would see through an off-the-cuff, glib answer like the one she provided Dr. Ferrand. She didn’t see Miss Alice being very impressed with her desire to “make a difference”. But what was the right answer? “Christy, are you ready to go?” Christy nodded. “Well, then. Let’s have you meet the people of Cutter Gap!” With that final pronouncement, Miss Alice led the way out the kitchen door. Stay tuned for Part 8! Summary: Christy goes to church and meets the rest of Cutter Gap in this alternate universe set in present day Tennessee. Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. *********************************************** Christy, Miss Alice, and Ida began the short walk to the church. The only one missing was David and according to Ida, David was always up early on Sunday because he headed to the church before everyone else to turn on the heat or air conditioning as the season warranted and to ready the place for the worship service. A breathless Ruby Mae caught up with them as they neared the church. “There’s the church, Miss Christy! Is it O.K. to call you ‘Miss Christy’? I mean, if you’d like me to call y’all somethin’ else, that’s fine. . . . . “ Miss Alice smoothly intervened as Christy looked at her questioningly. “That will be fine, Ruby Mae. Christy, I imagine your church in Asheville was quite a bit larger than this one. Of course, the important part is that when one or more are gathered in His name, He is there.” “Of course.” Christy was a bit surprised at the small, simple church. It looked to be a one-room church with no education wing or meeting rooms, like her church at home had. The building appeared to be quite old, but very well kept. Miss Alice guessed her thoughts. “The church and the mission house were built about 100 years ago. They were built when the very first missionaries came to Cutter Gap in the early 1900’s. Oh, it was a much different place then, but in some ways, very much the same. It was nearly a wilderness then - - no roads, no utilities, no communication with the outside world except for letters and the occasional newspaper or magazine that was brought up with the mail. Can you imagine how isolated these people were from the rest of the world? For the early missionaries, it must have felt like a trip into the deepest, darkest part of Africa for all the connection they had with the outside world! How challenging it must have been for them!” Miss Alice had a faraway look in her eye, as though she were imagining herself transplanted to that time and experiencing the excitement of bringing the word of God to those early residents. But Christy was still awestruck by Miss Alice’s first words. “You mean that missionaries have been here in Cutter Gap for over 100 years?” Miss Alice chuckled. “It doesn’t seem to you that missionaries in Cutter Gap have made much progress if they are still needed here after 100 years, eh? While Cutter Gap is no longer cut off from the rest of the world, it still has its challenges. That’s why Cutter Gap in the year 2001 is very much the same in many respects as it was in 1910. It is still a wild, isolated place with few opportunities to make a living. Many of the children grow up, leave this place for the big city and plentiful jobs, and never come back. The people who remain eke out a meager living with small craft jobs, like beekeeping, home crafts, and unfortunately, illegal liquor. “ “Moonshine?” Christy asked incredulously. “I didn’t know that was still going on!” “Ah, yes. As long as there is a market for it, illegal liquor will continue to be made. It is an old and oddly revered profession in these mountains.” Miss Alice shook her head. “My grandpap was a moonshiner!” Ruby Mae chimed in. “Ruby Mae! Good heavens girl, I wouldn’t go around bragging about that!” Ida sniffed. “Well, he was and that’s a fact! My daddy told me all kinds of stories about Grandpap and his having to run away from the police with his car trunk full of ‘shine more than once! He told me that’s how NASCAR got started - - a bunch of them fast ‘shine runners getting together to race their cars. Did ya know that, Miss Christy?” “Ruby Mae,” Miss Alice interjected, “we have arrived at church. I don’t think that is an appropriate topic for church. Do you?” “No, ma’am.” But Ruby Mae hid a giggle behind her hand and her eyes flashed at Christy. Christy was sure that she would hear more on the topic later from the very mischievous Ruby Mae Morrison. ************************************************** The next hour was overwhelming for Christy. She was introduced to a sea of people. The residents of Cutter Gap shared many similar traits. Many wore simple clothing for church; some of the dresses and shirts were obviously hand-me-downs because they were ill-fitting and somewhat worn. Many of them had red-hair and freckles, like Ruby Mae - - a tribute to their Scotch-Irish ancestry. Some of the names were odd and old-fashioned - - Opal, Lety, Lulu, Ault, Della May, just to name a few. Most of the people Christy met that day were friendly, but reserved in their welcome to the newcomer. She could see the wariness in their eyes as they briefly shook her hand. Christy wondered if their wariness came from meeting such a young missionary or whether they were like this to all outsiders. One person stood out among the crowd however. Fairlight Spencer was a young wife and mother with five children. Christy met her husband Jeb and thought him to be one of more handsome men of the cove and the most cordial. He shook her hand with a welcoming, “How do ye do?” and a broad smile. Fairlight was unusual though. In her cotton dress and old, ill-fitting shoes, she was dressed like most of the other women there. But her face and bearing were different. Christy thought she could have been a model with her flawless skin, huge blue eyes, and her tall, straight-shouldered walk. She looked oddly out of place amongst the simple folks who inhabited these mountains. Fairlight shyly shook Christy’s hand, her hand feeling as small and as weightless as a feather. “I hope you’ll stop by our house. Miss Alice can tell you where it is - - it’s not far,” she said in a soft voice. Christy smiled at her and promised that she would. Christy wanted to get to know this special woman better. Everyone began to find their seats as the church bell pealed. Miss Alice led to the way to the front pew. Christy glanced up to the pulpit to see David’s eyes following her as she sat down. He smiled briefly as she met his eyes. His eyes lingered on her a moment more before the pianist caught his attention with a question. Christy studied her hands on her lap, suddenly feeling shy by the attention paid to her by the reverend. She looked up and glanced around, wondering if anyone else had seen his warm look. The look of displeasure on Ida’s face before she turned her head away told Christy that at least one other person had noticed. Jeb Spencer stepped to the front of the room and led the congregation through several songs of worship. He then stepped aside for David to take the pulpit. Christy would have to plead ignorance later if anyone were to ask her about the content of David’s sermon. She spent most of the time studying him in his handsome suit and watching the other members of the congregation - - Ruby Mae twisting her hair around her finger, Miss Alice and Ida paying rapt attention to David’s words, women trying to keep their children from running up and down the aisles and making noise, and some of the men outside who did not come into the church with everyone else. Christy had a fairly clear view of them from the window next to her. She could hear them talking in the gravel parking lot amongst the old Ford pickups and ancient sedans. As the service progressed, their talk and laughter began to grow more loud and boisterous. It made Christy wonder what was in the clear glass jar that the men were drinking from and passing around amongst themselves. Then it was time to stand for the final hymn and David dismissed the congregation. While the rest of the congregation poured out of the church and onto the front lawn, Miss Alice, Ida and Christy went to the front of the church to meet David. “David, you did a fine job today. Just remember that you need to bring the message to their level - - make it easy to understand and easily relatable to their circumstances. These people are not stupid - - but their faith is simple and straight-forward. And they need straight-forward guidance on how to lead a God-filled life,” Miss Alice patted David on the arm as she delivered her critique. “Miss Alice, I am hoping to bring an enlightened viewpoint to these people. Faith is more than just the Ten Commandments.” David seemed peeved by Miss Alice’s suggestions. But Miss Alice was undaunted. “I agree that faith is understood and debatable on many levels. But David, these people are still working on throwing out their old notions that their God is demanding and punishing - - a God that requires too much of them and sends untold suffering to those who displease him. Maybe a few sermons focusing on God’s love are in order.” “I’ll think about it. But right now, I’d rather talk about walking back with Christy to the mission house. I’d like to get to know her better.” David looked down at Christy with the same warm look he gave her earlier. “I’d like that,” Christy replied. Christy thought that she would like to walk along with this man and get to know him better too. She enjoyed his smile and his warm brown eyes that continued to linger on her. “Can I come too?” Ruby Mae asked eagerly. “Maybe another time, Ruby Mae,” David answered smoothly and took Christy’s arm. “We’ll see you back at the mission.” Miss Alice spun Ruby Mae around and pointed her towards the mission house. As she and Ruby Mae started forward, Ida gave David and Christy one last displeased look before joining them for the walk back. “Well, we’re alone now. Let’s have that chat.” David began to slowly follow the threesome back to the mission. Part/Chapter: 9 of ? Summary: If you recall, Christy is a modern-day missionary in Cutter Gap, Tennessee in this story set in an alternate universe. By her second day on the job, she has met the all of the primary residents and visitors to the cove, including the handsome young minister and the rugged, yet taciturn doctor. In this episode, Christy gets to know David better and has a heart-to-heart talk with Miss Alice. Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. We are in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement only. ***************************************************** May was a special time in the Tennessee mountains. Honeysuckle, trumpet vines, and roses of all varieties were in full bloom and they filled the air with their sweet fragrance. The summer humidity that the south was famous for had not yet become stifling, so the walk back to the mission house was a pleasant one. As Christy and David walked, he made idle chatter by pointing out several landmarks and talking about the people Christy had met that morning at church. Christy offered politely, “I liked your sermon, David.” David glanced quickly at her and then looked away. He laughed ruefully. “I’m afraid Miss Alice doesn’t share your sentiment.” “Oh, it didn’t seem that way to me,” Christy protested. “I think she was just trying to offer some helpful suggestions.” A dark look crossed his face. “That’s Miss Alice - - always helpful,” David answered sarcastically. At her surprised look, his face cleared and he chuckled apologetically. “Never mind me - - tell me all about you. Tell me about Asheville.” Christy related her growing up years in Asheville and she told David about her family, her friends, and her lack of plans for her future, until she met Dr. Ferrand. “And so, that’s my life story. How about you? How did you come to Cutter Gap?” David explained that he was from Pennsylvania too, just like Miss Alice. He told Christy about his family - - his father, who had passed away, his mother, brothers, and sisters. He talked about his love of baseball and how he would have loved to try out for the pros, but other dreams intervened. “Seminary school seemed to be a foregone conclusion. Mother wanted a minister in the family and my brothers didn’t go into the profession, so that left me.” Christy stopped walking and looked at him uncertainly. “You mean that you only became a minister because your mother wanted you to?” David stopped walking too and turned to Christy. “No, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad I’m a minister.” He started walking again and Christy followed. “No, it’s just that Mother helped things along, you know? I love getting up in front of people. I love preparing a sermon and imagining how it might change people’s hearts and minds.” He then added with a chuckle, “And I get to dress up pretty nice, don’t you think?” Christy laughed as David pretended to preen in his Sunday best. “Yes, I guess you do. But isn’t it hard?” “Is what hard?” “Ministering to these people. They are so poor - - they have so little. And they seem so different. Isn’t it difficult to bring God’s word to them?” David stopped again and laid his hand on Christy’s shoulder. “Actually, God’s word translates very well up here. You’ll see that the longer you are here.” His hand lingered on her shoulder for a moment before dropping back to his side reluctantly. “I hope you’ll like working here. We always need another pair of hands to help.” David took one of her hands in his and studied it. “And such pretty hands they are.” His eyes rose to meet her deep blue ones. Christy gently withdrew her hand with a small smile and glanced away shyly. They continued their walk in silence and before long, they had arrived back at the mission house. ********************************************************* Christy found Miss Alice in the living room. “Miss Huddleston, please come in and join me,” Miss Alice said. Miss Alice was working on some sewing. Her fingers flew nimbly as she continued speaking, “I hope you enjoyed your walk.” Christy flushed slightly as she remembered David’s intense eyes and his strong, brown hands as they held hers. “Yes, I did. It’s a beautiful day.” Miss Alice lay her sewing aside. They chatted amicably for a few minutes about the weather, that day’s church service, and other inconsequential items before Miss Alice turned the discussion to a more serious topic. “I hope you had a chance to think about my question from last night. Why did you choose to come to Cutter Gap?” “Well, here it comes,” Christy thought to herself. She took a deep breath and dove in. “I came here to make a difference.” Miss Alice cocked her head to the side. “What kind of difference?” “Er, I want to . . . I mean these people are poor and . . . . .well, they could use some help, you know, with learning the Bible and fixing their houses and . . . . things like that,” Christy finished lamely. Miss Alice smiled. “So, you felt a general sense of urgency to help these people that you had never met and knew nothing about. Why?” Christy rushed in. “No, I knew something about these people; Dr. Ferrand told us, the church that is, about some of the people who live here, like Mountie O’Teale. He told us about their poverty and their need to know God better. He said they were living lives of ignorance.” “That’s sounds like Jacob,” Miss Alice said fondly. “But where do YOU fit in? Why did you offer to come here?” Christy stood and paced the room. She felt like crying. She remembered having a dream once about taking a test in college for which she hadn’t studied. In her dream, the test seemed to be written in a different language, for all the sense it made. She didn’t know any of the answers and she wasn’t sure she even understood the questions. She was panic-stricken. Christy had woken up in a cold sweat. She felt like that now. She knew she must be a terrible disappointment to Miss Alice and this was painful because she so wanted to impress this woman. Miss Alice sensed Christy’s discomfort and relented. As Christy passed her chair, she reached out and stilled Christy’s frantic pacing. “Please don’t struggle. If you don’t know the answer now, I’m quite sure you will know it soon.” “How will I know? I thought I knew why I came, but something seems missing. I was wandering aimlessly through life before now and I thought. . . . . I hoped, that coming to Cutter Gap would give me . . . . .. purpose, I guess.” With this declaration, Christy turned her eyes to the floor and shook her head. “I wanted something more out of life than going to school, going to work, going to sleep, and waking up the next morning only to do it all over again.” Christy lifted her head and met Miss Alice’s level gaze. “Do you understand what I mean?” “Yes, I do. But I also suspect that God had more in mind when he directed Christy Huddleston to this mission,” Miss Alice answered. “But what?” Christy cried. Miss Alice’s answer was to pick up the well-worn Bible next to her and her reading glasses. She flipped towards the back of the book. “Are you familiar with 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, verse 12?” Christy shook her head mutely. Miss Alice perched her glasses at the end of her nose and read, “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” Miss Alice pulled off her glasses and pinned Christy with her stare. “Do you understand what Paul was saying here?” Again, Christy shook her head. “Paul was trying to explain that it is not possible for us to always understand God’s ways and God’s purposes. So, perhaps we do not know at this moment why you are here.” With a gentle smile, Miss Alice stood up and embraced Christy. “But I know that He has a purpose for you.” She drew back and met Christy’s eyes reassuringly. “And I know that He will reveal it to us in His time. In the meantime, we must be patient. Fair enough?” Christy smiled. It was O.K. to not know all the answers right now and her heart lightened with the realization. “Fair enough!” Part 10 to come soon!