Title: Peace on Earth Author: Debra S. Summary: David and Dan have both returned to their homes for Christmas. Christy will be headed for Asheville soon. She and David have put the idea of marriage out of their heads as they realized their dreams are headed in different directions. Margaret has been back at Neil’s for a couple of months. The tuberculosis is spreading to her larynx and is continuing to progress. She is on opium treatment to control the pain in her lungs and suppress her cough. Neil and Christy realized that Margaret’s time is drawing to an end and want to try to have her and Alice reconcile before it is too late. PEACE ON EARTH Chapter 1 Inside the schoolhouse Christy is sitting grading papers. Neil comes in the door caring his microscope and some slides. “Christy, sorry I’m late. I couldn’t get away.” Christy looks up and smiles. “I am just glad that you are here, doctor.. Thank you for coming. The kids will be excited tomorrow to see all the slides you have for them to identify. Will you be able to come? After all, you can explain your slides much better than I can.” Neil sets his items down on her desk and opens his slide box pulling one out. “I hope to come by first thing in the morning for a couple of hours but I will need to head out to Raven Gap to check on Caleb MacKay’s leg. Snow might be coming any time now and I want to be sure he’s okay before we get snowed in and it is impossible to make it to Raven Gap. Anyway,” he hands a slide to Christy “I have labeled these and it will be very easy for the children to identify some of them.” Christy holds a slide up then quickly hands it back to Dr. MacNiell. Her nose is curled up, “Eugh, lice!” Neil smiles at her reaction. “Don’t worry, it’s dead. Actually it is a louse and a small nit next to it. Something I think the students might need to be able to recognize.” Christy looks at him disgustedly, yet amused. “So what other little surprises do you have in that box?” “Well, they won’t be a surprise if I show you, will they? The knowing is not always as fun as the waiting. Let’s say you find out tomorrow morning.” Mischief shows in his eyes and Christy smiles back. They are caught in each other’s gaze for a while. Neil puts the slide with the others in the box and gathers the microscope from Christy’s desk and puts them on a bookshelf behind her. “I hear the preacher headed back home for Boston this morning. He will have a long trip. I guess it has been a while since he has been back to visit his family and friends. Miss Alice will be delivering several sermons in his absence?” Neil asks. Christy looks at him curiously. “If that is your way of asking if Miss Alice is back from Lufty Branch, then the answer is yes on both counts. Honestly, doctor, why don’t you just straight out ask a question, you always have to be so evasive!” There is a long pause and Neil turns sullen, “Again she passes right by my cabin and didn’t stop in. I have told her that Margaret . . .” he turns away and walks toward the stove warming his hands. “ I have told her that if she is to mend the fence between herself and Margaret then now is the time. Alice may be running out of opportunities.” Christy gets up and walks to the other side of the stove facing Neil. Softly, “She is that bad?” Neil looks at her for a moment and then turns away, obviously upset. “She has her good days and bad days. Call it consumption, tuberculosis, whatever, but this plague has devastated this country and Europe for the past century. It has been the leading cause of death in the United States and no one knows how to stop it. She now has laryngeal tuberculosis. The disease is progressing. I know what is happening! But I am powerless to stop it!” Christy walks around toward Neil but he turns further away and shakes his head. “I don’t know. There are some doctors in Italy and other countries in Europe that are working on treatments, surgeries that collapse the diseases parts of the lungs in hopes of helping keep the unaffected parts free of the infection, but there is no scientific proof that it does any good. Maybe I should have tried it earlier on Margaret but I just thought that it would subject her to an unnecessary procedure that hasn’t been proven to work yet.” “Neil, stop it! Stop blaming yourself for what happens. You are a good doctor and I know, everyone in the cove knows, that you are doing the best that you can for her. You cannot blame yourself for what is happening to her. Before she left, you and Miss Alice both warned her to get treatment immediately. Miss Alice even gave her money and I know you’ve given her some as well. It is not your fault that she left without Alice, that she chose to spend the money some other way. Neil,” Christy touches his arm, trying to console him, “you are not responsible for her choices.” “But I am a doctor, and I am not doing her any good. Every day I see her getting weaker and weaker as the fever slowly rises. She wakes up at night covered in sweat and calls out for me to come to her.” Looking at her in desperation, “ She is afraid Christy, afraid of dying. She wants answers and I can’t give them to her. She insists that this is God’s punishment on both of us for the lives we’ve lead, for getting married in the first place, punishment on her for leaving me and Alice thinking she was dead . . .” “Do you believe God is punishing her, punishing you?” Christy is finally facing Neil now. He is silent. “Do you?! Is that the kind of God you can believe in, Neil?” Neil looks at her, confused and vulnerable for a moment, but then turns away. “All my life, I have seen so much pain and suffering. Everyone, I care for either dies or leaves, or both! Or something happens to them, like with Aunt Hattie. She becomes blind and loses her whole family to disease! And you think I am not cursed? That God doesn’t hate me!?” There is awkward silence. Christy, calmly, “No, Neil, I know he doesn’t. God doesn’t hate and curse his creation. Look at Hattie she has every right to be angry too, but she is not. She hasn’t turned from God. She is happy just to be alive.” Neil slowly turns back to Christy. “Then maybe I should get Hattie to talk to Margaret if Alice won’t. But you can see how little help I can be. She is looking for something, something that I can’t give her. Something that I can’t seem to find. I don’t want her to die afraid. I want her to be at peace for once in her life.” “You have forgiven her, haven’t you?” Christy gently touches his arm. He looks at her, resigned. “Yes, in a way. When she first came to stay with me we argued, cursed . . . maybe we just wore each other out. But seeing her suffering . . . Taking care of her has not been easy without Alice’s help. But the disease has taken away some of her fight and we can actually talk now and be in the same room without lashing out. After she ran away we stopped being husband and wife, Christy. That ended. Trust, love died especially after I found out about the life she has led, the men she has been with, and I know she hasn’t told me the half of it. She has secrets she won’t share. As her husband, I can’t forgive the unfaithfulness of my wife. She could have come back to me earlier, many times, instead of choosing that kind of a life. But now that she has come back, I must take care of her. Despite my feelings, legally, I am still her husband and morally, I am a doctor. I have forgiven her as a person, Christy, but not as a wife - that is gone forever. Now we are friends. That’s the way it should have been all along. We were so foolish to have ever gotten married.” “You both were young. David and I almost made the same mistake. You can care for someone and yet not share the same dreams. No one wants to think of going though life alone.” Neil and Christy look at each other for a long time. Neil looks though the window toward the mission house. “I don’t know for sure what happened to them. In the past Alice could always forgive Margaret, but now . . . . They need to reconcile. Margaret is scared and confused and . . . alone. She needs her mother.” “Talk to Miss Alice then, Neil. You two are always dancing around the fire, you need to jump in and deal with the consequences. I know that you and Miss Alice have a lot to work out too, between yourselves. She has been so hurt that she won’t go to Margaret. She just needs a push, or an open door. I know she wants to see her. ” Christy turns toward the window too. “Talk to her. I know it is hard, but someone needs to take the first step.” PEACE ON EARTH Chapter 2 Alice is standing in front of the fireplace at the mission house reading the Bible. Neil is reluctantly outside the door and knocks softly. “Come in!” Miss Alice removes her glasses and places them and the book on a lamp stand. “Alice . . . I would like a word with you.” Neil walks over near the fireplace. There is a long pause. “Well, Neil, you have my attention.” Alice looks at him curiously. “We need to talk about Margaret.” Neil says. Alice holds up a hand to her lips. “You will have to face this sometime Alice. Now is a good time.” Alice starts to walk off and stops as she sees Christy entering the mission through the side door. She hears Neil behind her, “And forgive us, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Neil walks over and picks up the Bible on the stand as Alice turns toward him. He holds the Bible up to her, “That is what Jesus said, did he not? That and love one another.” Alice angrily advances toward Neil. “How dare you! How dare you come in here and . . .” “What, Alice? Quote scriptures to you! Scriptures that you swear you live by and believe in but don’t practice with your own daughter!” Suddenly Alice approaches Neil and slaps him. Everyone in the room is stunned. As soon as it happens, it is obvious that Alice regrets it. Alice backs away from Neil. There is a long silence. Neil slowly advances toward her. “Shall I turn the other cheek?” “Oh, stop it Neil!” Alice turns away. “I know she hurt you Alice. She hurt me as well. I am her husband and, although you never have been able to accept it, I care for her too. When she left she ripped my heart out. I blamed myself. She has left me twice. And when she did leave, both times, whom did she return to first? Both times to you, Alice, not to me. How do you think that makes me feel? And this last time, I know she came to you first, maybe she was asking for money, but I know she was needing, wanting something more from you. I am not a total fool when it comes to Margaret, I know she only came to me because she had nowhere else to go and she needed me to take care of her.” He pauses and sighs, “She was strong-will, spiteful, and prideful. But the illness is taking some of that away. She’s afraid, Alice. And she needs you.” Alice turns to look at him, unable to speak. “And you need her” Neil insists. “You need to forgive her.” Alice shakes her head as tears begin to fall. “I see, you forgive all these people in the cover over and over again, but you can’t forgive your own daughter one last time . . . or her husband.” Neil and Alice gaze at each other. “Alice, I don’t know what was said between the two of you except that you told her that she no longer has a place in your life. Whatever she said, remember she was ill and afraid. Maybe it was partially the opium treatment they gave in Atlanta that did most of her talking. I don’t know. Plus, Alice, Margaret is afraid of something else. I don’t think it is just the disease. She won’t tell me what. Just that she is in trouble. Did she tell you?” Neil approaches her, hoping for an answer. “No, she mentioned some trouble but she never got a chance . . .” Alice looks at him questioningly. Neil appears disappointed. He reaches out a hand to place it on Alice’s arm. “Alice, remember when you came to my cabin, just before Margaret came back? I thought we had agreed to try to be friends. You asked for my help then, but now, I am asking for yours. Just talk to Margaret, see her.” Christy walks toward Alice, “Miss Alice, if you don’t, and Margaret dies . . . Do you want to live with that? You must go to her, for your sake as well as hers.” Christy approaches Alice and puts her arm around her shoulder as Alice starts to cry. Suddenly Ruby Mae comes bounding into the room from the side door. “Miss Alice, Miss Christy, guess what? The Spencers asked me over to spend Christmas Eve and into Christmas morning with them! Kinda like a sleepover. I ain’t never been to a sleepover before. Well, exceptin’ when we all had the scarlet fever and had to stay in the schoolhouse, but that don’t count. I know with preacher and Miss Christy gone you’ll be alone on Christmas Eve if I go, Miss Alice, but we will all be back to church on Christmas morning.” Rudy Mae looks around the room and finally notices the tension and Dr. MacNeill. “Oh, I am sorry, I didn’t know we had company and here I go just jabbering . . .” Christy gently grabs her by both shoulders and shushes her out the door stopping herself and turning back around to face Alice and Neil. Neil sighs and turns from Alice heading toward the door but stops up short. “I have asked Christy to come by the cabin tomorrow evening for supper. I know that Margaret and I would like to see her before she goes home for Christmas the next day.” He looks at Alice. “I would like for you to come too.” There is no response from Alice. “Very well, I need to get home. Evening ladies.” Neil suddenly realizes that he still has Alice’s Bible in his hand and quickly steps back to the table to lay it down but Alice steps toward him and takes it from him staring at him. “See you tomorrow night.” Neil says as he releases the Bible to her. PEACE ON EARTH Chapter 3 The schoolhouse doors burst open and kids begin running out. “Remember to bundle up, it is getting cold. We will have a very short recess today.” Christy yells to them. She turns and walks back to Dr. MacNeill who is smiling. “Well, that was exciting! I’d forgotten how intriguing a few bugs, close up, could be! I think Creed Allen might turn out to be an entomologist; he loves insects so much.” He begins putting the slides away and puts the microscope and box of slides back on the bookcase. Christy smiles at him. “Well, you are so good with the children. They love it when you come. You seem to know what they will enjoy.” She notices that Neil has put the microscope on the bookcase. “Aren’t you taking it with you? Oh, that’s right, you’re headed for Raven Gap. I will bring it to you tonight.” “Don’t bother lugging it to my cabin or we’ll just have to bring it back to the mission. It isn’t mine anymore. Keep it until you see Dan Scott when he gets back from Freedom and give it to him.” Neil says. “I don’t understand, doctor, you will need your microscope for your research.” Christy says, confused. Neil smiles, “Not anymore. I just received a package a few days ago in El Pano; an early Christmas present from St. Timothy’s Hospital in Baltimore. They sent me a brand new one along with some other equipment for my research.” Christy is elated. “Neil that is wonderful! I knew they would see how important your research is and help out! And I know that Dan will be excited to receive the microscope! What a wonderful Christmas present for him!” Neil walked over to a gunnysack he had brought with him that he had laid over in a corner behind Christy’s desk. “ Meant to bring this yesterday, but I chickened out.” He took out a rectangular shaped gift wrapped in brown paper and laid it to the side. Christy is curious, “What is it?” “Your Christmas presents.” Neil pulls out a stack of books and hands them to her. “Mark Twain, Frankenstein, Sir Walter Scott, Lord Bryon, Ivanhoe, Robert Burns, Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe? These are your books.” Christy looks at him, confused. “No, they are the library’s books. You ranted so much about needing to start a lending library that I thought I would support your efforts. But, I am warning you, you’ll have your work cut out for you.” Neil says. Christy smiles. “Thank you. David said he was going to bring a box of books back with him from Boston. He is going to ask the church members to donate some. This is a wonderful start, thank you Neil.” He reaches in for a wrapped gift and smiles, “I saw this in a catalog, and thought of you. Since my own gift is a little, well, crude, I wanted to give you a store-bought gift to help make up for it.” He hands Christy the package. Christy slowly opens it. When she does she discovers a beautiful music box and when she opens the lid, two dancers pop up. She winds it up and they begin to dance to the music. She looks at Neil. “It is the dance that matters.” he says to her, hoping she will understand. He reaches for his other gift. “I have been pretty busy lately. But, I started thinking about what you told me a while back, about getting my old college paints out and trying to paint again . . . and, well, I’m not very talented; not like you are with your drawings. But it was about all I could think of to make for you. I decided on a subject that, no matter how bad it really looks, will still make you feel good looking at it.” “Neil, quit apologizing, will you just let me see it.” Christy walks toward him reaching her hand out but Neil hesitates and sighs. “Are you going to take it back before you even give it to me?” Neil nervously pushes back a stray strand of hair that had fallen across his cheek. “I haven’t painted since college and even then the art teachers were glad that I decided to go into medical school and not art school. But, as you know, it is important for us mountain people to give something personal, handmade.” “Okay, so now I know not to expect too much. Honestly, you are as bad as my students, afraid to share a part of yourself on paper . . . or canvas.” She reaches out and snatches the present. She gingerly opens it and it reveals a lovely church in the middle of a field, Christy’s schoolhouse. She holds it out, admiring it. “Neil, it is beautiful.” She smiles up at him and he is obviously glad that she likes it. “I never though you, a practical man of science, to be such an artist.” “The inspiration came in thinking of whom the gift would be for . . .” Neil smiles at her and then looks at his pocket watch. “I need to head out so I can make it back on time tonight.” He turns and looks out the door, “And I suspect your children might be getting cold in their threadbare clothes. By the way, Alice is still coming tonight, is she not?” Christy looks at him. “I hope so. If not, then I will come alone to give you and Margaret your presents.” “Until tonight then, Miss Huddleston.” Neil leaves closing the door, leaving Christy as she holds out and admires her new picture. “You never cease to amaze me, doctor.” She says to herself. PEACE ON EARTH Chapter 4 Christy and Alice stand outside of Doctor MacNeill’s cabin. Alice is hesitant so Christy quickly steps forward and knocks. Neil opens the door and smiles. “Welcome, ladies, come in. I just warmed up some hot apple cider. I bet you are cold.” He takes their wraps and a package Christy has brought and lays them on a table in the corner. “Warm up by the fire, while I get you the cider.” On his way to the stove he stops by the stairway and calls up. “Margaret, you have company.” Neil pours the cider and takes it to Miss Alice and Christy just as Margaret is carefully coming down the stairs. Neil goes to her, helping her along. She is thin and make-up helps cover her pallor. There is a scarf tied around her neck. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs Christy also goes to her and directs her to the chair by the fireplace. Miss Alice watches from a little distance, obviously distraught at the deteriorating condition of her daughter. Neil gets a blanket and covers her legs. “I just got Alice and Christy some cider, would you like some too?” Margaret looks at Miss Alice and nods. Neil goes to the stove and stirs something in a pot and checks the oven. Then he gets the coffee pot from the stove along with two cups and goes back to the fireplace. He pours cider for himself and Margaret and lays the pot down next to the fire. He ends up sitting on a couch with Christy as Alice and Margaret look at each other from chairs on opposite sides of the room, not saying a word. Christy, “Well, whatever you have cooking smells delicious”. Neil says, “It is chicken and vegetables” he smiles, looking at Christy, “and no, the chicken is not burnt.” They exchanged knowing glances. “Well, I am just excited to be having something other than Ruby Mae’s possum.” Alice says, relieving some of the tension in the room as Neil and Christy laugh. “I hear Rudy Mae’s opossum is becoming famous throughout the cove.” Neil offers. “At our expense.” Christy adds. Alice looks next to her chair and touches an evergreen. “Why, Neil, I think you have a Christmas tree. I have never known you to have a tree before. It’s a nice tree but where are the ornaments?” “Mac thought it would be nice to have one this year, and we have been planning on decorating it . . .” Margaret offers, her voice is strained and raspy. She self-consciously adjusts the scarf around her neck. “But Margaret hasn’t been up to it, yet.” Neil admits. There is awkward silence. “Do you have anything to decorate it with?” Christy asks. “Miss Alice and I can help tonight, can’t we?” She looks to Alice. “I suppose we could.” Alice says. “Great, well, it will be a little while before we eat. How ‘bout I get some wild berries I have and we can string them while we talk.” Neil goes over to the corner and gets a basket full of needles and thread, pinecones, holly berries and other berries. Christy helps by threading some needles and handing them to Alice and Margaret. Neil and Christy look as uncomfortable as Alice and Margaret. “Well, I never got a chance to set the table and I should check on the food. Would you mind helping me, Miss Huddleston?” Neil asks as he walks a little ways away to the table. Christy starts to follow but looks over at Miss Alice. “You might want to move over here, closer to the berry basket, Miss Alice.” Christy says as she follows the doctor to the kitchen area of the cabin. Alice moves closer to the basket and to Margaret. Neil and Christy busy themselves in the kitchen, glancing now and then at mother and daughter. “Neil, tells me thou are not well, Margaret.” Alice ventures. Flatly, Margaret replies, “I have tuberculosis mother. I am dying.” Alice, startled, “Surely, Dr. MacNeill has not . . .” “Of course, he hasn’t told me mother. Mac would never do that. He thinks I should have hope, but I can see it in his eyes. Why else do you think he would get a tree and come to you to invite you here?” Margaret looks at her mother. “He did ask you to come, didn’t he?” Alice nods. “I should have come sooner. But . . .” she leaves the sentence hanging. “But last time we talked we hurt each other, again.” Margaret adds. There is silence. A tear falls down Alice’s face. “We said harsh words. And although I meant them at the time, thee knows, that as a mother, I will always love thee.” “Unconditional love, it that it mother? No mater what I do to you or to Mac, you two still care for me?” Margaret says sarcastically. “Why is that so hard for you to accept, Margaret? That someone loves you . . . and that God loves you?” Alice asks. “Oh, don’t start with me mother!” Margaret says loudly. “Why does every conversation we have always have to get back to God? You feel you have to save me! Save the world! Save Cutter Gap! You can’t save me if I don’t want to be saved!” Margaret says sternly then begins to cough. Neil goes to Margaret, grabbing a clean cloth from his desk on the way. Margaret violently coughs into the cloth for a little while. When she is finished Neil puts it in a can and hands her another cloth from his desk. Alice watches this in disbelief. Neil looks at Alice, “The tuberculosis has spread to her larynx. It is best if she not get upset or strain her voice. Swallowing or talking can be painful.” Neil goes back to the kitchen area and busies himself, washing his hands. There is a long silence between Margaret and Alice. “You are right Margaret. I raised you in the church but now you are an adult. I should respect your choice. It is just hard for me, since my religion is so important to me I want to share it with those I love. But, not another word . . . I promise.” She kneels down and takes Margaret’s hand in hers. “I should not have stayed away from you for so long. Please forgive me. And we should not have had that hurtful conversation. Let us forget it. Wipe it from our memory. Start from this moment on. I will not try to convert thee . . . you . . . , Margaret. I have been trying to do that your whole life. But I will simply love you, help you and be with you.” Margaret starts to cry and Miss Alice gets up and hugs her. Christy quietly approaches, “Supper’s ready.” Neil and Christy stand back as Alice helps Margaret to her feet and toward the table. PEACE ON EARTH Chapter 5 Later that night in the MacNeill cabin supper has ended and Neil and Margaret are sitting in chairs as Alice and Christy sit on the couch between them. The ladies are stringing popcorn or berries. Neil gets up and stands by the fireplace, smoking his pipe. “. . . . and when I get to Asheville, my parents said that they are going to take me to the store and buy me a new dessert called Oreo biscuits. They are chocolate wafers filled with vanilla cream. I will bring you all back some. And there is a new candy that just came out called Lifesavers.” Christy says excitedly. “Lifesavers? What kind of a name for candy is that? Do you have to have a prescription to buy it?” Neil asked smiling. “Very funny, doctor.” Christy says, almost ignoring his comment. “Why don’t you help me put this strand on the tree, Miss Alice?” Christy and Alice work on the tree as Neil looks on admiringly. “Well, what do you think Margaret? Isn’t it the prettiest tree we’ve ever had?” Neil asks. “It is the only tree we have ever had.” She replies. “So, now that we have a tree, it is time for presents.” Christy announces. She walks over to where Neil laid their coats and picks up a sack. She carries it over to the table pulling out a gift wrapped in brown paper and a string. She hands it to Margaret. Margaret is taken aback. Her voice is weak, “ But I didn’t get anything for you. I didn’t expect a present.” Christy and Margaret look at each other. “It is not much. And I like giving presents. Please accept it.” Christy insists. Margaret unwraps the gift. It is a knitted scarf. “Dr. MacNeill said he was afraid of you catching a chill when you sit outside on the porch. I wanted to give you something to keep you warm” she offered. “Oh, and one last thing.” Christy reaches again into the bag and pulls out a rolled up scroll. “I thought you might like to have this in your room.” Margaret unrolls it. It is a drawing of Miss Alice and Dr. MacNeill. Margaret is moved. “It is beautiful, thank you, Christy. You have always been so nice to me” she says, looking puzzled at Christy. Christy smiles at Neil. “And now, it is time for your gift. I told my parents exactly what I wanted and they had it made in Asheville. They were happy to send it after all you did for my father. It is really from all of us.” Neil is curious. He unwraps the gift. It is a beautifully carved, wooden humidor filled with tobacco with a pipe stand on the side. Neil smiles when he sees the carving. It is of a river running though the woods. Looking closely one can see the outline of a lone fisherman. They look at each other for a long time and a smile passes between them. Suddenly Neil realizes that Margaret and Alice are watching them. “Thank you Christy, and thank your parents when you see them.” Alice looks at the clock on the hearth. “Speaking of your parents, Miss Huddleston, it is getting late and we should be getting back to the mission so you can get a good nights rest before you head out early in the morning. I still wish you would let me ride along with you. I can feel a snow coming.” “Don’t worry, Miss Alice. El Pano will call if I don’t get there on time.” Christy offers. Neil places the humidor on the hearth, next to the clock. “Well, it just so happens that I got a message today saying that I have a package to pick up in El Pano. Mr. Pentland’s off on another route and can’t deliver it for a couple of days. I think it is some medicine I ordered that I need to have on hand. I should get it as soon as possible, before the weather takes a turn for the worst. I was planning on heading out in the morning, so I may as well escort you. When will you be leaving?” “I need to leave the mission around 7:30.” Christy offered. “That sounds perfect. I can ride over and pick you up then. Will that set you mind at ease, Alice? ” Neil asks. “It will indeed, Neil.” Alice replied. “And I think I will ride with both of you as far as the cemetery and then come by here to keep Margaret company while you are gone Neil, if thee . . . you . . . would like that Margaret. We could do some Christmas baking.” “I would like that.” Margaret admits. Neil walks over to collect Miss Alice and Christy’s coats. He helps Alice put hers on and looks at Margaret, “Margaret and I would like you to come back as well on Christmas Eve if you could Alice. Unless you have other plans.” Alice smiles at him. “I would love to, thank you both.” Alice walks over and kisses Margaret on the forehead. “I love you so, Margaret.” Margaret starts to reply but stops. As Alice turns to leave Margaret manages, “Goodnight, Mother.” Neil opens the door and Miss Alice walks out followed by Christy. “Until tomorrow” he says to her. PEACE ON EARTH Chapter 6 Neil and Christy arrive at the El Pano train station. Christy is seated behind Neil, leaning against him after the long, downgraded ride. Neil dismounts and then helps Christy off his horse and under a lee next to a building. He unties her luggage and places it next to her and then finds a couple of barrels to sit on to wait for the train. He looks at his pocket watch. “Well, we timed that right. We only have a few minutes to spare. Would you like me to find you some coffee to warm you up?” He says as he moves his barrel close to Christy to get out of the wind. “No, thank you, I’m fine. But I am glad that we have little while.” She pulls out a small package from her coat pocket and gives it to him. He looks at it, then at Christy. “For me? But you already gave me a present.” “If I recall, doctor, you gave me two. I am living in the mountains, I may as well abide by the mountain traditions, one store-bought gift and one handmade.” Christy smiles at him. “Open it.” Neil unwraps it and holds it up. It is an embroidery. “I hand-drew the designs then stitched them. Fairlight helped me, I couldn’t have done it without her advice and suggestions” Christy offers. Neil laughs. “I can’t believe it!” He smiles at her and hold up the cloth at arms length. Christy reaches across his chest and in front of him as he holds it up. In the middle is a blue flag with a slanted cross, the flag of Scotland. The name Neil MacNeill was also stitched below the flag with several designs off to the four corners. “I looked in a book so I would know what some of the places look like.” She points at the designs on the left. “This is Edinburgh Castle and it represents the city where you went to medical school. This is the Island of Barra to show where the MacNeills originally came from.” Then, pointing to the right, “And this is supposed to be the Smoky Mountains and below . . .” “My family’s cabin.” Neil added. “Christy, this is lovely. It must have taken you forever.” As Neil talks Christy turns toward him, their heads nearly touching, Neil’s left arm rests on her shoulder. They pause for a moment, staring at each other, and Neil slowly releases the stitching with his right hand and reaches down to touch his hand to her face. The touch of his cold hand brings Christy back out of his gaze. She reaches up and holds his hand in her gloved hand. In the distance they hear a train whistle. As Neil looks away in that direction the wind catches his hair and blows a strand across his face. He slowly gets up, his hand still in Christy’s until she releases it to gently move his hair out of his face. Neil looks back up the mountainside. “Cutter Gap misses you already, Christy.” The train comes to a stop as he carries her luggage for her. They stop at the foot of the steps. Christy looks around and notices, “Look Neil, it is snowing! Isn’t it beautiful!” Neil looks around. The snow is starting to fall heavily but Christy waits at the steps until the conductor yells, “All aboard!” “Have a nice trip and a happy Christmas with your family.” Neil says to her. Christy starts to board. “Oh, wait, I almost forgot. Margaret asked me to give this to you before you left. It is her present to you she said.” Neil looks at her curiously. Christy takes the small package. “All aboard!” the conductor yells again. Christy is the only passenger getting on. Neil quickly gives her her luggage bag and she goes up the stairs. At the top she turns to look at Neil. “I miss you already too” she smiles and goes inside, taking a seat next to an older lady by the window. She looks out at Neil who is waiting for the train to leave. As the train moves he slowly walks along to the end of the platform. Christy waves goodbye as Neil stands, watching her go. The old lady next to her asks, “Is that your husband, dear?” Christy looks at her surprised. “No . . . he’s my . . . a close friend.” “Oh” the lady says as she begins reading a book. Christy realizes she is still holding the small package Neil gave to her from Margaret. She unwraps it to find a jewelry box. When she opens it she is surprised to see Margaret’s beautiful blue locket. She opens it up to the pictures of Miss Alice and Neil. As the train slowly makes its way around a bend Christy looks back toward the platform at the El Pano Station. She can barely make out, through the falling snow, Neil’s image. He is still standing alone and in the cold on the platform watching the train. Christy isn’t sure if he is still watching her go or already waiting for her to come back.