MY, WHAT BIG MUSCLES YOU HAVE, DOCTOR!

Part: 1/1 Disclaimer: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story Christy is owned by the LeSourd family. We are in no
way seeking credit or profit for her story. We are continuing the story of Christy for our own amusement. Any
additions in storyline or characters were invented by the author of this story. Summary: On a dark and stormy night
Christy calms the fears of her daughter by telling her the story of how she and her father got together. 

The normal peaceful tranquillity of the Great Smoky Mountains was disrupted by the stormy and often
unpredictable temperament of mother nature. As the wind ripped through the trees, the thunder sounded its
ominous call and the fierce rain beat down on everything in its path, a tiny little girl with flaxen hair, in a small
rustic cabin in the distance cowered under her covers. The room was pitch black, illuminated only occasionally by a
lightening bolt streaking right outside her window. Just then a flash of light came into the room as a young woman
of about 25 entered carrying a lit candle. The young woman was of average height with long chestnut hair around
her shoulders and deap blue eyes. She spoke in a soft voice. "Sweetheart are you all right." An even softer voice
could be heard from under the covers. "no mommy I'm scared." Said the little girl. The young woman walked over
and sat in a chair next to the bed and placed her candle on a nearby night table. She slowly lifted the covers that
were covering her daughter's head and gently brushed her daughter's cheek with the palm of her hand and in a
soothing voice said "Everything is going to be all right my darling Amy Fair, this storm can't hurt you." With those
words the young woman smiled a radiant smile and in her eyes was total love and devotion for her darling daughter.
Amy fair smiled back up at her mother as she pushed away curly strands of unruly blond hair, that were partially
shielding the little girl's radiant blue eyes from view. "Sometimes you remind me so much of your daddy Amy fair"
As she spoke these words she couldn't help but think how much her daughter reminded her of all those that she
loved so dearly. She was even named after two beloved people from her mother's life. The little girl's full name was
Amelia Fairlight. She was named Amelia after her mother's beloved baby sister who died in infancy and Fairlight
after her dearest and most trusted friend. The little girl's fair complexion and gentle demeanor lead to the
inevitable nickname and term of endearment Amy Fair. "Mommy" the little voice broke in interrupting her
mother's thoughts. "Yes sweetheart." "Have you ever been really scared?" As she looked at her daughter's
wrinkled up nose and serious expression and big blue eyes she couldn't help but see some of herself in her
daughter as well and smiled knowingly at her. "Yes sweetheart I have. In fact that first day I came to Cutter Gap I
was more scared than I had ever been in my entire life. But you know what sweetheart it was also the beginning of
the most wonderful part of my life filled with the greatest blessings that I could have ever received." "Tell me more
mommy, the little girl's eyes wide open with excitement and tell me again how you and daddy first fell in love." She
smiled at her daughter and said "all right sweetheart I'll tell you some of the story." It had to be some of the story
for her daughter was still far too young to hear all that her mother had experienced. She realized that while she was
a young woman when she first came to Cutter Gap she was still such a child in so many ways. She laughed to
herself as she reflected on how grown up she thought she was and on her first words to Mr. Pentland, the mailman
"I'm Christy Huddleston, I've come to teach school to the children of Cutter Gap." Teach, she replayed the word in
her mind. Little did she know then how much the children of Cutter Gap would teach her. How much they would all
teach her Miss Alice, Fairlight, David and even Neil MacNeill, especially Neil MacNeil. Neil forced her to look
deep into her heart and see what it was she really wanted out of life. Oh Neil, she remembered vividly the scene of
their first meeting. She could still smell the odor of that ether as Neil prepared to cut open Bob Allen and how that
smell made her feel so faint. Only now as she reflected back, she also remembered something else Neil's strong
arms. Strong enough to rip a patient from death's grasp, yet gentle enough to tenderly treat little Becky's infected
eyes and to make her feel safe, secure ,and loved. As she reflected back to the time Neil lifted her out of the
stream, where she had fallen from her mule, she thought back to what was going through her head as the doctor
carried her to safety "What big muscles you have doctor?" She chuckled to herself. Christy often wondered what
Neil's reaction would have been if he knew what was going through her head at that moment. Then again maybe he
already did. It always amazed her how Neil seemed to know what she was thinking and feeling even before she
knew herself. Like that fateful day when she stood posed between David and Neil, uncertain if she should do the
safe and predictable thing and accept David's ring or throw caution to the wind and run off with Neil. Just what did
that dream of Neil mean? Did she really want to go riding off into the sunset with him? Why did she feel so alive
every time he gently caressed her cheek or had his arms around her when he taught her how to fish? Now of course
she knew the answers but then she was just a scared young girl just beginning to know what real love was. She
remembered that day as if it were yesterday. Neil perched on top of his horse his eyes locked onto hers and how
she felt as though he could see into the very depths of her soul. David sensing the connection attempted to break
the spell by grabbing the hand which held his ring and gently whispered maybe now isn't the right time with
everyone here and all, you can give me your answer tonight. Poor David how his heart must have been breaking
inside, thought Christy. She remembered limply placing the ring in the palm of his hand, maybe that would be best
David was her only response. The spell was finally broken when Margaret rode up in a blind fury demanding that
Neil speak with her. At that moment Christy was grateful for the gentle tug at her skirt by little Moutie who wanted
her teacher to come inside the school house and practice her letters with her. As Christy watched Neil and
Margaret ride off into the distance to talk she thought her heart would break. She would later learn that in the cold
distance of the mountains Neil and Margaret had finally bridged the gap between the past and the present and put
their past to rest once and far all. They had the most honest and heartfelt conversation that they had ever had with
each other that day. They realized that theirs was a marriage born of two rebellious and tortured souls not of real
love. For real love involves running to something bigger than yourself, in the meeting of two souls, not in running
away from ones loneliness and one's self. Fortunately the fact that their marriage was undertaken in the folly of
their youth would ultimately be their salvation. The fact that Margaret was underage and lacked parental consent
when she married Neil meant that she could easily obtain an annulment and it would be as though they were never
married. In a sense they never really were married they never really loved each other as married people should.
Neil would be free to put the mistakes of the past behind him and have a future with his true soul mate, his beloved
Christy if she'd have him. Christy continued to reflect on the events of that day and the subsequent evening in her
mind. She especially remembered Ruby Mae's latest possum creation and how grateful she was that her emotional
turmoil prevented her from eating much of her dinner. Thankfully Miss. Alice's trip with Margaret back to Atlanta
to see a judge friend of hers and to put the annulment through had spared her from having to eat dinner at the
mission that night. Unfortunately David's anxiety over what Christy's answer would be caused him to eat more of
his dinner than he should have. His indigestion gave Christy a momentary reprieve from having to give an answer
to his proposal. She was glad he was in enough pain as it was. Christy chuckled to herself as she thought of dear
Ruby Mae and said a silent prayer for Rob Allen as he was now the nightly victim of her possum concoctions.
Christy reflected further on her activities that evening. On the stroll she took after dinner and her chance
encounter with Neil, his head bowed down. Christy remembered Neil looking so sad and dejected that evening. At
the time she thought that maybe ending his marriage to Margaret was harder on him than he was letting on. Maybe
he loved her more than he realized. She wondered why that thought should tug so at her heart. Christy was still
wrestling with her own conflicting emotions. Could she really be in love with Neil MacNeill? Neil looked up after
seeing her reflection in the stream she thought that she detected a glimmer in his eye. Then the sullen expression
returned and he spoke "I suppose congratulations are in order for you and the preacher Miss Huddleston?" His
question caught her by surprise. She found herself answering "for what?" Now it was Neil's turn to be surprised
"Why for your engagement of course. I saw the ring that he gave you earlier. I assumed, that is I thought that you
two must have…" "Oh" said Christy "I haven't answered him yet I mean we haven't… I'm not engaged to him
no". Christy could have sworn that she saw a gleam come into Neil's eyes and his sullen expression wipe from his
face. "I see, so have you decided what the future holds for you Miss Huddleston or are you still pondering the
possibilities?" Neil's face smiled at her knowingly, his features looking so handsome in the moonlight. She caught a
glimpse of his muscular arms. "What big muscles you have doctor." she thought to herself. Then she spoke "I'm
still pondering the possibilities doctor." With that Neil took her small hand in his and the two looked up at the stars
together wondering what the future would have in store for them. Just then Christy's thoughts were bought back to
the present with a soft voice pleading "Mommy please tell me when it was that you and daddy first fell in love." "It
was the moment when we looked up into each others eyes and saw more love than either of us could have ever
thought possible" responded a husky voice with a scottish accent. "And what are you doing up so late my little
lass" said Neil as he entered further into the room. "I was scared of the storm Daddy and mommy was going to tell
me the story of how you and she met and fell in love". "Well you already know the most important part Amelia and
that is that your mommy and I lived happily every after" said Neil. "Is that the end of the story daddy?" asked
Amelia. "No little lass it's only the beginning." With that Neil reached out both his big arms and embraced his wife
and daughter. Christy playfully patted Neil's arm and said "My what big muscles you have doctor." Neil laughed
that boisterous laugh of his, then turned serious and said "my biggest muscle is my heart because it's filled with
love for the two of you." A while later Christy and Neil left Amelia sleeping soundly in her room as the raging
storm died down to the quiet patter of tiny raindrops. In the quiet of their room Neil and Christy reveled in the quiet
storm of their undying passion for each other. Snug in his arms and showed with his kisses Christy felt herself
thinking "My what big muscles you have doctor and how lucky I am to be so loved. 

The End 

by Cristina