CROCUS IN THE SNOW by Rose M. Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. I am in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. I am merely continuing the story of Christy for my own amusement only. Any additions to the storyline were invented by me. [This short little fanfic takes place in mid-March, during Christy's first Cutter Gap springtime.] Christy plumped her pillow for the seemingly hundredth time. She was having a hard time sleeping. Zady Spencer weighed heavily on her mind. "Oh, drat it all!" She flung her quilt onto the floor. Bare feet touched icy cold floorboards and Christy let out a squeal. Snuggling into her woolen robe, Christy lifted a corner of the homespun curtain to view a bright moonlit night. In spite of the recent cold snap, she slipped into her shoes and pattered down the staircase. "A little fresh air is what I need to clear these cobweb thoughts from my mind!" Outside, Christy snuggled onto the porch swing, tucking one foot up under her leg, using the other to push the swing back and forth. The squeak of the chains was the only sound in the night's silence. Her eyes scanned the landscape, the snowy field made crystal white by eerie moon-glow. Earlier that day, a late winter storm had come barreling through the mountains, sweeping away the first sign of warm spring-like weather and leaving in it's wake a blast of snow and cold. Christy let out a long sigh. "And what is that sigh about, Christy?" The deep brogue broke the stillness and Christy's thoughts. "Oh! Neil! You startled me!" "I apologize. I thought you heard me approach. I didn't mean to frighten you." "It's all right. I'm just not used to your being here. Oh! Not that I don't appreciate it! It was kind of you to offer to stay in the bunkhouse this week while David's been visiting his family, however unnecessary it was." "David and I agree on this one thing ... until we're absolutely sure the feud is over, you won't be left alone without a man on the property." "Hrmph! As if Miss Alice and I couldn't have stayed alone. I appreciate your being here, but honestly, one would think you and David believe we are not able to ..." Neil raised one hand, interrupting her tirade. "Tis out of your hands, Miss Huddleston. You'd best just give it up and stop your arguing. I promised David I'd stay while he was gone, and stay I will. Truce... for now?" She couldn't resist the impish grin under that thatch of bright curls. Christy smiled and nodded. Neil pulled a pipe from his pocket and proceeded to tamp down the tobacco. "May I?" Christy nodded again. He smiled into her eyes as he worked on lighting the pipe. "I noticed when I approached that you were a million miles away in your thoughts, Christy. Just what are you doing outside this hour of the night? Or..." He pulled out a pocket watch and squinted at the face, "Should I say morning?" "Can't sleep. Too many thoughts clouding my mind, I guess." She shivered and clasped her robe tighter. "Clouding your mind and your face, Christy. Just a moment..." Neil stepped into the mission house and returned with a fluffy blanket, tucking it gently around Christy. "There. Warmer?" At her nod and thanks, he continued. "So, what about these troubling thoughts? Care to share them with an old doctor friend? Some people say I've a sympathetic ear." He leaned back, the porch railing behind him. Neil lifted his eyebrows in question. "Well?" Christy plucked at a stray thread on the edge of the blanket. "Oh, aside from the feuding, the illness, the weather, well... it's just everything!" Christy left off abruptly. "And...?" She looked up, narrowing her eyes as she replied, "How do you read me so well, doctor?" "Your expressions shout your thoughts, Christy. I've told you that before. And don't change the subject. What is it that's really troubling you?" Christy let out another sigh. "Zady." "All right." Neil waited a few seconds for her to continue, then coaxed, "So, what about Zady?" Christy's eyes lit in excitement. "She's so smart, Neil. Brilliant, actually! I'm having a hard time keeping ahead of her in math and science. I have so many hopes and plans for her, and then... " She sighed yet again. "It just seems there's always something that will hold her back. Poverty, her family. Oh, Fairlight and Jeb are proud of her, that's not what I mean. But you know - life is hard in these mountains. Fairlight needs Zady to do so much - cooking, cleaning, working in the garden, watching the little ones. Zady can't spend much time on her schoolwork." "She's still getting by?" "Oh, yes, she's doing well. It's just... " Christy's face clouded again. "It's like I said, I fear there will always be something that holds her back." Both were silent for a few minutes, absorbed in their thoughts. Neil drew deeply on his pipe, then exhaled. "Care to hear a story, Christy?" "Oh, Neil, I really don't think..." "Be patient, Teacher. Now, that story...?" Christy smiled weakly and shrugged. She knew enough of Dr. Neil MacNeill that when he wanted to speak his mind, nothing would stop him. She settled in for his story. "You know I grew up in my cabin. It was my parents' before mine, and my grandparents' before theirs. My mother was a lovely woman. She enjoyed lovely things. We were poor - as poor as any other family in the Cove. We couldn't afford fancy doo-dads and frills. So she would go into the mountains and dig up plants - flowers - then carry them back to the cabin to transplant into her garden. I've done a terrible job of keeping the flowers alive. Being the only physician hereabouts leaves little time for weeding." Neil smiled to himself when Christy encouraged him to continue, "Go on." She reminded him of a little bantam hen that had finally settled into her nest. "Well, my father was able - once - to send away for some flower bulbs for my mother. Crocus. You know the flower?" "My mother had those planted around our house in Asheville! Little purple flowers, right? They come up in the Spring?" "That's right. Well, my mother used to tend those flowers - the crocuses - treated them better than any of her other plants. They were special, she said. I asked her once what made them so special. ‘Aside from being a gift from your papa, these little buds give me hope. Small and delicate little things, they are, but hardy, too,' she said. My mother went on to tell me that as hard as our winters ever were, it only took a few warms days of sunshine to cause those little bulbs to sprout up out of ground barely thawed. It was inevitable, Christy, that more snows were to follow, and more cold weather. But the crocus stem would stand there, peeking out of the snow, waiting for another burst of warmth and sunshine, waiting to pop open that purple blossom. No matter what obstacles came against it, no matter how many setbacks, it still blossomed eventually. Against all odds. Every time." He paused, allowing her to think a bit. "Do you understand, Christy?" Christy's face worked in thought, then broke into a smile. Neil wasn't only speaking of the crocus flower. He was referring to Zady. And Rob, Mountie, Opal, Fairlight, Ruby Mae. All the people who find life difficult in these beautiful mountains, but who stand against the storms and stay strong. And grow. And bloom. Against all odds. He saw by her _expression that she understood his meaning after all. "You do have a sympathetic ear, Doctor, and a knack for telling stories." "I accept the compliment, Miss Huddleston. And, is your heart any more at peace? It won't be long till morning brings a passel full of noisy children to your schoolhouse door." He chuckled, "You'll need your rest to face them." "I think I can sleep now, thanks to you, Neil." "Well then, I'll say goodnight." "Goodnight, Neil. And thank you again." She stood on tiptoe to plant a gentle kiss on his stubbled cheek, then slipped through the door into the house. Neil waited a bit, just to make sure. He took his time finishing his pipe, admiring the snowy scene. Then he made his way back to the bunkhouse. Neil turned for one last look at Christy's window, whispered something under his breath, then turned and went inside. "Goodnight, Crocus."