MY, WHAT BIG MUSCLES YOU HAVE, DOCTOR!

“I burned the chicken… and the vegetables!” Christy said with a half grin trying to be serious. It had been weeks
since the incident but Christy remembered it as if it were yesterday. Fairlight listened as she hung the newly
washed sheets. Hanging laundry always did make for good gossip. “What got into ya Christy? After I go and tell ya
all I know’d bout gettin a man to listen to ya, you go and burn the dinner? Where was yer mind girl?” Christy
remained silent deciding whether or not to tell Fairlight about what distracted her that day. Did Fairlight know Neil
MacNeill’s kitchen window overlooked the river where he bathed? She guessed that Fairlight did not for it was
very surprising to her when she stumbled on it. 

“Christy???” Fairlight questioned “Cat got yer tongue?” Christy decided to tell Fairlight. After all, she was her
“secret sharin friend” as Fairlight put it. Yes, she would tell Fairlight. The question was, how much? 

“Well, you see Fairlight,” Christy started reluctantly, “when I got to the cabin the Doctor was … well he had been
working under the house and was pretty hot and sweaty. I hinted that he needed to clean up by suggesting that he
pick some flowers, of all things….” Christy rolled her eyes realizing how un-subtle she must have sounded. “He left
and I was alone in the kitchen.” She stopped short wondering what Fairlight would think of her if she got carried
away with the story and told her everything. It would be so easy to do. She would need to have self-control and be
careful, very careful. 

Fairlight’s laundry basket was empty now. She walked closer to Christy’s clothesline to help her and to hear
Christy better. Her voice was becoming almost a whisper as though there was a secret she was about to reveal.
Fairlight loved secrets. “What happened? You look like the cat that just ate the canary.” She questioned again. 

Remembering the sight of Dr. MacNeill in the river put a rosy glow on Christy’s face and made her heartbeat
sound in her ears. She lost all concentration and her voice became nervous and excited. She struggled to put her
thoughts in order. “After awhile the kitchen got hot…. I decided to open the window to get a breath of fresh
air…..just for a few minutes…..and there he was…. I didn’t mean to spy on him but….” 

Fairlight struggled to put together the meaning of Christy’s ramblings. “Calm down, girl. What do ya mean, ‘There
he was’?” Christy’s face continued to flood with color as she wriggled around saying exactly what she meant. 

“You see Fairlight he was… was… washing up….. kinda…” Fairlight nodded pretending to understand more that
she actually did. “Oh…. So you are saying that………..” Fairlight was fishing, hoping for Christy to explain more.
“YES! ” Christy exploded. “I saw Dr. Neil MacNeill bathing in the river behind his house!” Words began flowing
from her, as fast as that mighty river itself. “I didn’t mean to stare, it’s just that it surprised me and all. There he
was… big as life… all wet and glistening in the sunlight and I don’t know what came over me…. I could not take my
eyes off. I don’t know how long I had been watching but before I knew it there was smoke …… I was trying to put
it out….everything was ruined.” Christy tried to keep her revelation in a whisper but did not succeed. “Oh Christy,
I’m surprised you didn’t burn the whole cabin down too.” Fairlight laughed, eyes shining. “ I almost did!” Christy
said and both women began giggling like schoolgirls. Fairlight could not enjoy this more. ‘So much for self- control.’
Christy thought. 

Movement behind the sheets was unnoticed as the two women enjoyed their secret. Christy’s whispering voice was
forgotten as she unveiled more of her inmost thoughts to her friend. “Oh Fairlight, I sat there hiding a smile,
pretending to be upset with my cooking skills, and watching him wipe burnt chicken crumbs off his face. He pushed
the charred carrots around his plate with his fork and claimed he was fond of over-cooked food hoping not to hurt
my feelings.” A clever smile crossed her face as she remembered those moments. “I tried to look innocent as if I
had no idea how his dinner burst into flames and I could say nothing for fear of blurting out……..” Christy using her
best Southern drawl cooed, “…. what big muscles you have, Doctor.” With this said both women burst into
sidesplitting laughter. Tears squeezing from their eyes. 

Finely Fairlight struggled to speak. “Christy Huddleston, I have never in all my born days heard of such.” A sound,
moving from behind the hanging sheets past Christy made Fairlight’s eyes as big as saucers and ended her
laughing fit instantly. 

“And neither have I, Fairlight.” The voice was deep and taunting and immediately recognized. He continued, “I had
no idea Miss Huddleston was sooo interested in human anatomy." Christy’s laughter turned to panic as she swung
around. “Dr. MacNeill!!!!???” 

The End (I love cliffhangers) 

By Tina