title: Only In A Moment Author: Sandra C. Christy looked longingly in the direction of the schoolhouse from her spot on the mountain. She was not to far nor not to near to any place where someone might find her. That was the last thing she wanted at the moment. All the stress she was under over the death of Margaret to Scarlet fever even though it was over half a year later, the complications of choosing between David and Neil, and the constant fixing of the mountain children's problems. If the children ever stopped feuding and fighting as some of their parents did, teaching them would become an even bigger challenge than she first thought. She decided she needed to get her mind of off all her problems and as she looked out to the mountain sunset she became totally enveloped in the warmth and beauty that god had once again granted her the chance to enjoy in the quiet of the mountain woods. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Christy awoke the next morning to the beautiful sounds of the birds chirping in the morning sky. The sun was just beginning to rise over the tops of the mountain peaks and she could already hear Alice up and about the mission. It was a wonderful Saturday morning and she, for once, had nothing planned. The only trouble now would be getting away from the mission without David catching her. He was the last one she wanted to see this morning. She just wanted to be alone so she could clear her head of all the things on her mind. She quickly got herself dressed and slowly walked out of her room. " Good morning Ms. Huddleston, I pray that thou have had a good night of rest." "Yes Alice, I did. In fact, I don't think I have slept this well in weeks. Nothing was on my mind, and I hope it remains this way." " Thou doesn't want anything on thy mind at all Christy?" "Only if it is a good thought that is haunting me. I was planning on taking a walk in the woods today Alice, I just wanted to see if you had any need for me before I left." " Not at all Christy, I am doing just fine this morning, but if I find myself in need of your service I will send someone to find you. Have a pleasant walk." "Thank you Alice, I am sure that I will." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Christy was just about to reach the end of the clearing from the mission to the woods when she heard a familiar voice call out her name. It was David. Pretending that she didn't hear him she began to quicken her pace to the beginning of the forest and the end of avoiding the preacher. After a few more shouts David gave up, and as she began her way down the path she turned to make sure that she was not being followed. Realizing that she was finally alone gave Christy a slight feeling of satisfaction, and relief. Now, to think. As she walked along she came to conclusions on everything that was on her mind and bothering her. Except for one thing. The choice she had to make between Neil, and David. She knew that if she chose David, she would have a good stable life. She would never have to worry about not being cared for, or going hungry. She also knew that she would have a good religious husband who loved god as much as she. Yet, if she married Neil, she could stay with the children, for he was not planning on leaving the cove at any time. She would have someone with a sense of humor, and a caring heart, no matter how gruff he seemed on the outside. The decision was just to much for her to make at the moment, and she feared that if she didn't think of a good enough reason for her to choose one of them she would probably end up an old lonely school teacher in Cutter Gap. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Christy had been walking for over an hour now and had slowly made her way to the river and the home of Dr. Neil Mc. Neil. She stood, leaning against a tree, listening to the sounds of the river and nature all around her. She didn't even realize where she was until she heard a deep, sweet, voice singing. She slowly turned around to see Neil bathing in the river in front of his small cabin. He was wearing nothing except the dusty brown pants that he usually wore when he made house calls on the mountain families. Christy knew that she shouldn't stay and watch him, but her eyes were fixed on his perfectly shaped arms, and his shining reddish gold hair in the sunlight. She stood much longer than she expected to as she watched the doctor and his every move. She began to drift off into thoughts of the doctor, when she heard the same deep voice call out "Who's there?" Christy became afraid and quickly scuttled off in the opposite direction, making sure that he didn't catch sight of her as she fled. Once she felt she was far enough away that it wouldn't look suspicious, she turned around and began to walk back in the same direction in which she just came. As she neared the area she had been in just minutes before, she noticed that Neil was now out of the river and making a small fire outside his cabin to dry both himself and the shirts he had washed that day. She kept her pace walking closer and closer to Neil. Suddenly, as though he knew she was there, he turned and gave her one of those smiles that made her weak at the knees. She began to slowly back away without taking her eyes of the doctor, her mind only on him, not worrying, about where she was going, or what was going on. Everything was on the doctor at that moment. As she took another step backward she slipped and fell into the river with a mighty splash! For in her trance, as she was backing away so as not to be seen, she had been edging her way to the riverside. She sat there for a few minutes shocked at what happened. She pushed the loose wet hairs from her face as she struggled to sit upright in the cold rushing waters. Once she had gotten herself to a sitting position she saw the first thing she saw was Dr. Neil MC. Neil standing at the waters edge trying the hardest he could not to laugh at her. He stepped down into the river and scooped her up into his arms. As he was carrying her back towards his cabin he began to laugh out loud. "What is so funny Neil?" Christy asked trying not to sound to upset with him. "Is just that you looked so silly in sittin' in the river the way you were! I can't help but laugh. I'm sorry lass." With his comment Christy thought of how she had looked and began to laugh with him. "To tell you the truth Neil, I felt like a frog the way I was stuck in there." "Aye, and you looked like it too!" The two of the stopped and looked at each other and began to laugh even harder than they ever had before. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Neil took Christy into his cabin and started a fire, then retreated to another room to get some blankets. He returned with two large quilts rather sloppily draped over his right arm. He dropped them on the floor, next to her, but as she reached down to get it Neil took her hand and placed it over her the other in her lap. He then reached down and took the quilts in had, and wrapped the gently around her and then, kneeling in front of her began to rub her arm to help her warm up a bit. For one moment they looked deep into each others eyes and before Christy knew what had happened she found herself wrapped in a deep, gentle kiss, with Neil. Though it had come as a surprise to her, she found it sweet and comforting, and she found herself never wanting it to end. When Neil slowly pulled away, he looked her deep in the eyes. " I love you Christy Huddlestone, and I always will. I know that this may not be the most romantic or heart felt, but it's the truth, and I wanted you to know the truth." "Oh, Neil! I love you too! I think I've always known it, but I just didn't realize it until now." "Christy, You complete me in every way possible, and I never want to lose you. And there is only one way that I know that will never happen. My dearest lass Christy, would you marry me?" Christy was completely taken a back, but she knew, deep in her heart what she really wanted. "Yes, Neil. I love you and I never want to be without you in my life. Yes" As she spoke these words, Neil gathered her in his great muscular arms and embraced her and then he leaned back and kissed her, in the same way that made her realize, only moments earlier, that he was her one true love. The only man she truly cared for. Her husband.