14Readers note: I'm changing the title to Heart and Home because after looking through the stories on here I realized that someone else had written a story called Coming Home and I didn't want to step on anyone's toes so just to let you know the what the reason for that was.
Chapter 2
Christy watched from her window as Neil rode off towards his cabin. A small part of her wished he had come after her, but a bigger part was grateful he hadn't because she was clearly not ready to face him. She retreated back to her bed and buried her face in her pillow as fresh tears began to flow. The ring had been carefully placed on the bedside table. She heard a soft knock at her door and arose to answer it. Before opening the door she wiped the tears away and smoothed out her dress.
A voice called from the other side, "Christy, it is I. Please let me come in. I need to talk with thee."
"Tucking her hair behind her ear and giving her face a final wipe as if to hide the fact that she had been crying, she slowly opened the door and let Alice in. Falling into her arms she cried out, "Oh Miss Alice, I don't know what to do. No matter what I do someone will be hurt. The thought of hurting either of them...," she trailed off and the tears began to flow again like flood waters after a storm. Releasing Christy, Alice closed the door behind her and motioned for them to sit on the bed.
"There there my child. It will all work out according to God's plan, thee will see." She was silent for a brief few seconds before speaking again. Looking down at her hands she finally spoke, "At first I was certain that thee was going to wind up marrying David whether it was the right thing to do or not, but then I watched as your relationship with Neil changed and began to grow and deepen to a level that was more than just a simple physical attraction like the one thee has for David. I was not pleased with it at first because I could see the problems it was bound to eventually cause and it caused me great heartache to watch Neil so easily forget Margaret whenever he was around thee. You brought him the kind of joy that I was still struggling to find and I was jealous of that, but I have learned to accept it and find joy in you as well and I love thee as if you were my own daughter. Neil deserves to be happy and who am I to try and snub that from him. Bottom line Christy is that Margaret is ill and the tuberculosis will eventually run its course through her body. She came back here wanting money, but I also believe that she came back because deep down inside her she does not really want to die alone. The issue lies with the fact that Neil has moved on, but he's still struggling to forgive. I believe he loves thee deeply Christy."
"Miss Alice, I don't know what to do."
"Thee must make thy own choices Christy where matters of the heart are concerned. I cannot tell thee what to do."
"I though I was so certain I was suppose to marry David. He is everything that I should want in a husband. He is tall and handsome, intelligent, he has a servants heart, and he is a God fearing man who loves me a great deal and who I know would work hard to make me happy."
"but thee is not sure if thee loves him back the same way."
"Miss Alice, I just fear that no matter hard he tries, it wouldn't ever be enough to make me completely happy. The what if's would always creep their way into my mind and I'm not ready to leave Cutter Gap. I have grown to love these people and my work is not finished here yet."
"It sounds as if thee has already made up thy mind where David is concerned."
Christy stood and walked over to look out the doors that led to the balcony. She sighed, "It doesn't matter what I feel for Neil. He is a married man." She could feel the hot sting of her eyes watering again.
"Christy, suppose that Margaret was out of the equation and that she and Neil were not married."
Christy sharply turned around and then nervously looked down at her hands as she fiddled with them. It was awkward to talk about Neil with Alice knowing how she had initially felt about their relationship. She proceeded with caution, "Neil has always confused and baffled me. There has always been an air of mystery surrounding him. One minute he is questioning me with scrutiny and causing me to think about my moral convictions to the point where he makes my blood boil and bubble over." She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and missed the small smirk of a smile tugging at the corners of Alice's face. "Then other times," her facial features softened with an almost far away dreamy look, "he is the most caring and gentle man I know and I find myself sharing my deepest thoughts and dreams with him, something I have never done with David."
A small smile escaped her lips and her eyes lit up as she remembered the way his arms fit so comfortably around her while they were fishing at the river together, as if they belonged wrapped around. It felt so right. "Oh Miss Alice, there are times when I am with Neil when our eyes will catch and lock with each other and I can hardly breathe and my heart is beating so wildly that I am afraid he is going to see my chest move. It's as if he can see right into my soul, into the core being of who I am and can decipher what I'm thinking. He makes me feel so vulnerable, but at the same time it's comforting to know someone understands you at that level."
Alice let out a long slow sigh and then stood, moving towards Christy. Laying a hand on her shoulder she softly spoke, "That is a special thing to share with someone." She thought for a moment before proceeding, "Christy, I feel that thee might benefit from a trip home to see thy parents. It has been a long time since thee has seen them."
"I can't leave right now...the children...they need me," Christy protested.
Miss Alice held up her hand and waved her off, "The children will be fine until thee returns. I am not talking about a permanent departure, but I feel thee needs some space away from these mountains...and these two men to sort out thy feelings for Neil and David."
"I already I know I can't marry David. I will talk to him before I leave for Asheville, but I am more worried if Neil will understand my sudden departure from the cove."
"I believe he will, Christy, and I have a feeling that he will want to see thee before thee leaves. Now I believe that we have some supper to eat. I think thy conversation with David can wait till after we have eaten. I find that I always think better when I don't have the distraction of an empty stomach." She smiled at Christy and they walked down the stairs together. Somehow conversations with Miss Alice always made Christy feel better. She had a way with words and Christy valued her wisdom.
TBC - Reviews always welcomed. I am a teacher and headed back to work after summer break tomorrow so updates might only be once a week, but I promise you I will finish the story and not abandon it, even if it takes a little longer. Thanks for reading all and thanks for the reviews so far.