Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Christy. They belong to the Marshall/LeSourd family. I may borrow elements from the book, tv series, and movies. Any resembleance to other fan ficitons is entirely coincidental. I do not seek profit for my work.
A/N: Here's the start. I know it's slow but give it time, it will get better.
Chapter One
I sat straight up in bed, gasping for breath. The dream had been so real this time. The stench emanating from the fog was so real and this time it was accompanied by screams, bone -chilling screams. I clutched the bedclothes close to my chest and tried to regain my bearings. Where was I? Sunlight was filtering through the curtains, but nothing looked familiar. Except for the dress draped over the foot of the bed. Then I remembered. Today was my first morning as Mrs. MacNeill. I turned my head to the slumbering form beside me and watched the covers rise and fall to the rhythm of his breathing. Despite the warmness of the morning, my new husband was wrapped tightly in the bedclothes with only his face and the top of head visible. I smiled down at him and slipped deeper down into the feather bed and curled my body close to his. Only then did my husband wake.
"What has you awake so early dear heart of mine?"
"I had a bad dream. And by the sun coming in through the window, it isn't early anymore." I sighed and snuggled my head against his bare chest, twining my fingers in the thatch of sandy curls. He brought his arm around me, cradling me to him. There in his arms I felt safe.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"About what?" I asked Neil drowsily. The comfort of his nearness made me grow sleepy again.
"Your dream."
"It's nothing, really. Just a dream I've been having off and on for sometime."
"Anything that disturbs my lovely wife's sleep is a serious concern to me."
I recounted my dream to Neil including the strange, choking fog and the horrifying screams. I mentioned to him that the dream started about the time news reports from Europe spoke of war.
"Love, the war's in Europe, many thousands of miles from Cutter Gap. It won't bother with us here."
I smiled at Neil. "You're right. Nothing for me to worry about." Despite my words, I remained unconvinced.
Neil rolled over to face me, propped up on an elbow. He was not convinced by my words either. I could never hide my true soul from him. His eyes always found the answer in mine. As he stared deep into my eyes, I felt my pulse quicken.
"I want you to know Christy, that no matter what shadows may come into our lives, I will stand fast by your side."
"I have no doubt you will. I wouldn't have married you yesterday had I thought otherwise."
"And tell me again, why did you decided to marry me?"
"Neil, you know already."
"But I like to hear it."
"I love the way you care for your patients. I love the way you challenge me. I love how devoted you are to your work and me. I love you with everything inside of me. I love you so much that I honestly have trouble recalling times when I did not. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that you are handsome."
"I knew there was another reason." Neil chuckled heartily as he leaned down for a kiss. I pulled away reluctantly a few moments later. I didn't want to appear forward like I had the night before.
"You must be hungry. I'll go and make us something to eat." I moved to the edge of the bed.
"I am hungry but I can wait. There's another hunger that needs to be taken care of first." He pulled me back into his arms, kissing me soundly. I realized that I was hungry as well.
Later, I crept into the new kitchen and made a quick meal for us. It wasn't much, since Neil had neglected to pick up the staples for us. I made due with some bacon and there did happen to be a few eggs and potatoes. Though it was hours late for breakfast, I presented my husband with scrambled eggs, bacon and diced potatoes.
Neil raised his eyebrows as I carried the plate into our bedroom.
"Are you always going to serve breakfast in bed?"
"No, just today. And it's only breakfast because there isn't a lot of staples for anything else in that nice new kitchen."
"Sorry about that. I'm so used to being alone here, I often run out of things and forget to pick them up whenever I get into El Pano."
"You're in luck. Tomorrow we get to see my family off at the station."
"I didn't realize they were leaving so soon."
"Yes, they didn't want to interrupt our 'honeymoon'. I think they said they will be stopping by with our gifts later this afternoon."
"Well then my love, let's eat up and make ourselves presentable before our guests arrive."
Neil's suggestion was perfectly timed. Had we delayed another minute, Mother would have been more mortified than she was the night before. Mother had barely recovered from Bird's Eye's explanation of a mountain wedding. I could tell she was slightly embarrassed as she entered our cabin. Whenever she met my eye contact, she lowered her eyes and a faint pink crept to her cheeks.
Father had borrowed the mission wagon to haul the rest of my things from the mission to my new home along with several wedding gifts. Most of the gifts were from family and friends I once knew in Asheville. Though quite lovely, most were not practical like the sterling flatware from Aunt Emily and Uncle Robert or the china tea service from Sarah Johnston. I was delighted though to see a five pound sack of cornmeal from Bob and Mary Allen, trussed up in a faded satin ribbon. Ben Pentland had given me a fresh stack of monogrammed stationary paper and he also brought a gift from Mrs. Tatum. She sent a lovely jar of strawberry preserves. Uncle Bogg had given us a nice ham and side of bacon. It was the gifts from the Cove that I treasured most. At least because of them, I could make a decent meal for my husband.
As I put the more delicate gifts into our bedroom, Mother followed to help me.
"Are you sure you can really live like one of them?"
"They are people, mother, just not the type of people you are used to."
" Are you sure you want to live your life in poverty?"
"We wouldn't be living in poverty."
"What, pray tell, do people around here pay Neil with, chickens?"
"Yes, they do or any other food stuffs they can manage. Cash isn't necessary. Besides, Neil receives grant money for medicines and publishes his research in medical journals. We have everything we need and more. Life here is some much richer in other ways than in Asheville."
A small worried smile pulled at my mother's mouth. "A mother can worry about her only daughter, can't she?"
I hugged her to me tightly. "You can, but Neil won't let anything happen to me."
"I know darling, I know. Let's get back to your husband. Your father and I promised to have the wagon back soon."
As I hugged my parents goodbye, I thought I would have felt more homesick but perhaps that would come as I said a final goodbye tomorrow at the train station. I wished there was a way to feel closer to my family in Asheville. Well, the train ride wasn't so long perhaps I could visit more often than I had while I was teaching.
"What are you thinking about, heart?"
I turned from the open door I was standing in front of to my husband. "I was just thinking that maybe I could visit my parents more often now than I did when I was teaching."
"I suppose so but it all depends on Marcus. If he stays on until spring, then we can both go. If he leaves, I'm afraid we'll both be too busy to permit much time away from here."
"Do you think he will leave?"
"I don't think so. It seems he's quite taken with a new school teacher."
"Seems to be a common habit around here."
"Appears so. Marcus isn't the only one bitten by the love bug. I noticed George was very eager to dance with Lizette."
"I noticed too. Did Daddy say where he was today?"
"Something about helping Marcus with patient check-ups. I think he's just hanging around the clinic to see Lizette."
Neil led me through the open door onto the porch. We sat down on the long bench that Neil had gotten for us. I rested my head on his shoulder and looked out at the view from Green Ridge. I could imagine a more lovely spot for a cabin. I wondered if one of Neil's ancestors had though the same thing when they settled here. I supposed that the scenery had little changed from their time to ours.
"Neil do you think things will change here in time?"
"I suppose so. I've seen a great deal of changes since I was a child. There more store-bought items, like clothing. When I was little many women still spun and wove. Now most don't have time for it and the sheep are expensive to care for if you don't have the right land for grazing. The lumber companies get a little touchy when animals are wandering on their property. When you need store bought items you need cash. Money makes men do some foolish things."
"Like moon shining?"
"Yes, and other things like selling their land to lumber companies so they can move to the city and live in equally squalid conditions. Until now there hasn't been an alternative for them. Now, there's a school here, so there is hope."
"A school is all it takes to end poverty?"
"Yes and no. A solution to end poverty isn't as simple as that,but it's a start. A school can open doors like it did for me. I wouldn't have gotten far if it wasn't for those that helped financially. You see, being smart and poor can actual shut that door that just opened. You have gained access to moving up in the world but because there's no money, you get stuck."
I lifted my head from Neil's shoulder. A plan was forming in my mind. I slipped off the bench and into the cabin to the new stack of stationary paper. Neil followed after me.
"What are you thinking of?"
"Mm, I tell you later. I want to write a letter."
"That's what I love about you. Always thinking of ways to help someone in need. You've got such heart." His breath tickled the back of my ears as he leaned down and gently kissed the nape of my neck. "Can it wait?"
"Neil!"
He didn't answer but continued to kiss my neck.
"Neil, what will people think of of us if we spend all of our time in bed?"
"No one around here would care. There's nothing to be embarrassed about and I don't expect we'll be getting a lot of visitors the next few days anyway." He went back to kissing me. I jotted my idea down and turned my face to meet Neil's.
"It can wait." I kissed his lips passionately.