Disclaimer:  This story is written for entertainment only.  The characters of Christy belong to the LeSourd Family.  I am in no
way seeking profit from the continuation of the story.  Any characters that are invented for the purpose of this Fanfic are from
the author's imagination. 


                                        

                                                 

                                                 

                                     The Surprise Party



Neil MacNeill wearily tied Charlie to the porch railing of the Mission house, careful to leave enough slack on the reins so the
horse could drink from the trough. It was 10am and he’d been up all night tending to a young boy over in Big Stone Gap,
having had to perform an emergency appendectomy. The lad’s appendix had burst but thankfully he had survived the surgery.
Neil had stayed a few more hours, keeping watch over the boy till he was sure there would be no further complications.

Bone tired, he had come home to find a note from Christy tacked to his door saying that his presence was needed at the
Mission. So, without taking the time to bathe or even change into fresh clothes, he had rode towards the Mission, hoping he
wouldn’t find anyone seriously ill, especially…

Christy opened the front door, trying to keep a silly grin off her face as she faced the doctor. But her slight grin died as she
gazed at Neil. He looked so tired. He must have been out last night on a medical call. She worried that now was not the right
time, but it was too late for second thoughts. 

"Christy, I came as soon as I read your note. What seems to be the trouble?" Neil said as he climbed up the porch stairs. He
stopped just in front of her, as she still barred the way into the Mission.

"I’m sorry, Neil. I didn’t mean for my note to sound that urgent. You should be home getting some sleep. You were up all
night, weren’t you?" Christy asked, concern masking her eyes, making them a deep shade of blue.

Neil nodded, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Aye, over in Big Stone Gap. But what is it? Why did you need to see
me? Is somebody ill?"

Christy gave him a small smile and opened the door "Why don’t you come in and have a cup of coffee, doctor, while I tell you
all about it."

Neil followed Christy into the parlor and was instantly caught off guard by the loud "Surprise!" that was yelled out by everyone
in the room as they jumped out from behind furniture. Immediately following that came "For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow", with
John Spencer playing his harmonica and Aunt Hattie leading the chorus of children. 

Neil looked around the room in awe. The Spencer’s, all of the Allen clan, the O’Teale’s, the Holt’s, the McHones and
Colburn’s…they were all there. Ben Pentland was standing next to Miss Ida over by the piano and Neil even caught sight of
Bird’s Eye Taylor looking in through a window. The grizzly old mountain man nodded his head at the doctor, then disappeared.
Neil’s attention was brought back to the parlor by an incessant howl. It seemed that even Singer Lee and Scalawag were
joining the festivities! 

When the song died down, Neil asked incredulously, "How did you all know? Ah, Aunt Hattie!" he said, eyeing his aunt in a
jocular way and wagging a finger at her.

"I might have let it slip a while back that today was your birthday," his aunt said in her soft-spoken way, " but this here party is
Miss Christy’s doing."

Neil turned his intent gaze to the small woman standing beside him, wearing a beaming smile that she could no longer hide.
"You, Miss Huddleston?"

"It wasn’t just me, doctor," said the teacher, hoping that the heat flaming her face wasn’t too noticeable. "We all wanted to take
this day to let you know just how much we appreciate you."

          "Dr. MacNeill, would you like the first piece of pie?" Miss Alice asked with 

a smile. It was then that Neil noticed that the parlor table was laden down with pies, breads and jams.

Just then, David came out of the kitchen. "Coffee is served everyone!" He carried a tray with mugs and a fresh pot of coffee, a
luxury in these mountains to be sure, and a pitcher of parsimmon juice. "Ruby Mae, would you and Bessie please help me
serve?"

Meanwhile, everyone started gathering round the doctor, either to pat him on the back or offer him best wishes. Christy stood
to one side, watching. Neil needed this, she thought as his rich, deep baritone laughter rang out. He needed to know that all his
dedicated hard work was appreciated, that he was loved here in the Cove.

The party went on for a couple hours as Neil talked and relaxed with his friends. For quite a while now, the children had been
making gifts for Dr. MacNeill during recess at school. Becky and Mountie O’Teale had drawn and colored a picture of his
special fly fishing spot on the river that ran by his cabin. Uncle Bogg had helped them make a frame for it. Sam Houston and
Creed said they’d come by his cabin every morning for a week and brush Charlie down. Ruby Mae, Bessie, Zady, Lizette and
some of the other older girls had made a quilt, their first one all on their own, just for the doctor. Rob Allen had even wrote a
letter to the Library in Knoxville to obtain some history on the MacNeill Clan, which he and John Spencer collaborated to
write a song about the Clan MacNeill.

As the final chorus of the boy’s song ended, Neil had to blink rapidly to keep the tears from falling. He was so touched by
these gifts the children had given him. 

"I thank you all. You’re gifts are so special to me and will be for all time. You all are bonnie children and your parents must be
as proud of you as I am."

The children were delighted that their hard work had paid off and that their Bonnie Prince Neil had loved their gifts. It was
written on their glowing faces as they stared up at the doctor.

"I’m so proud of you children," said Christy, her eyes shining with unshed tears. 

Jeb Spencer then broke the silence with the first few words to Shady Grove, which soon had everyone joining merrily in.

Neil gently touched Christy’s arm and indicated with a nod that he wanted to go outside on the porch. Once there, the two
were quiet for a while, each drinking in the events of this special day. Finally, Neil spoke.

"Christy, I want to thank you for this party."

"No need for thanks, doctor. It was my ple…"

"Now, let me thank you," Neil interrupted. "I once told you that you’ve got to learn how to take a compliment, remember?"
Christy’s face fused with heat once again as she lowered her head, nodding. "Well, then lass, accept my thanks, for it is indeed
in order." Neil was silent for a moment, his gaze looking out across the Mission yard, the glassy pond reflecting the mountains
and clouds like a mirror. Then he continued, "I’d just come close to loosing a patient last night."

Christy touched his hand, which was resting on the railing. "Oh, Neil, I’m sorry."

"It’s all right, Christy. The lad lived. What I want to say is that I was feeling drained after last night, but this morning has
rejuvenated my spirit. You did this for me, lass." As Neil’s had came up to ever so lightly caress Christy’s velvety soft cheek,
the lilting voice of Aunt Hattie and the melancholy melody of Down in the Valley filtered out onto the porch. "I don’t know
how I can thank you," he whispered.

Christy shook her head, while keeping her eyes locked with his. "The look on your face and in your eyes when the children
presented you with their gifts is all the thanks I need, Neil. Happy birthday." And quickly, before she lost the nerve, the teacher
reached up and placed a feather light kiss on the doctor’s cheek. 

They drew apart slowly and their eyes remained locked for what seemed like an eternity. 

With emotion clogging his throat, Neil said, "It’s one I’ll never forget, Christy."

And for years and years to come, he never did.



The End!