Disclaimer: Christy belongs to the Marshall/LeSourd family. This is a work of fan fiction and is not meant for profit, only entertainment.

Chapter 3

The rest of our honeymoon went splendidly. Neil and I went for rides so I could get to know my new horse, Dawn, better. We picnicked in the afternoons and slept in during the mornings, until the sun was arching high in the sky. I could not imagine a better spot for our honeymoon. Though I knew it was common practice for newlyweds to travel abroad for their honeymoons, this was our special place, even though we made our home here. Whenever we had time to ourselves we could always visit a spot to rekindle the magic of our first week together.

Then came the bumpy transition into real life. It all began on Monday. Monday happened to be wash day and our first day back at the clinic. I made a passable breakfast for the two of us. I suspected that Neil was growing tired of eating slightly burnt johnny cakes for breakfast. He never said anything, but I could tell by the grimace he made when he thought I wasn't looking.

We rode to the clinic to give Marcus and Lizette a much deserved break. Ida and Opal were in for check-ups today. Of course before they got there Festus and Creed Allen came in for stitches. Apparently, they had been engaging in a brotherly whittling contest and ended up cutting themselves more than the wood. Neil gave Festus six stitches on his left hand and I gave Creed three on his left hand and four on his right.

"Creed, how did you manage to cut both of your hands?"

"Well, I cut my left hand so I thought I'd try whittlin' with my left and holdin' the block in my right. Hit seemed like a fine idea at the time."

"Perhaps you shouldn't have a race to see who gets done first, but who does the nicest job of whittling. That way, no one needs stitches if you're careful."

"Shore thing, Mrs. MacNeill." Creed popped off the exam table and went into the waiting room to his brother. They 'settled the bill' with Neil by promising a fresh caught trout, as soon as their stitches were out next week.

I watched as they ran off in the general direction of the Allen cabin and sighed. Creed calling me "Mrs. MacNeill" was a little new yet; I was still accustomed to hearing Teacher or Miz Christy. It made me feel old at the young age of twenty-one. It would take some getting use to my married name and the tag of 'Missus'.

There wasn't a lot of time for me to contemplate my name. Ida arrived for her check up, looking more grim and sour than an expecting mother should. I wanted to ask what was bothering her but didn't have the heart or the nerve. Neil ventured to ask the dour mother-to-be what was bothering her as he checked the heartbeat of both mother and babe.

"Any complaints today, Mrs. Taylor?"

"I'm fine health wise, if that's what you're asking. The only complaint I have today is about my husband. He went off somewhere knowing full well that he was supposed to help prepare the third floor for the school boarders. Now it's just me and Sally left. I don't know what I ever saw in that scoundrel. Now I'm in a fine fix for sure."

Though her words were stinging, I could hear tears of frustration creeping in. I knew Ida sometimes doubted Bird's Eye's commitment to being a law abiding citizen and exemplary husband; she could never let go of the fear he might turn to his old ways. I didn't know how to calm her fears.

"Now Ida, I know there has to be something that made you think Michael was the man for you." Neil replied calmly as he continued his examination.

Ida sat for a minute with her thin lips pressed tightly together, resisting the tenderness of reflection. Eventually her dark eyes softened and the tension in her face eased.

"He's real tender when he wants to be and he works so hard. He loves me and no one's ever done that before."

"Well then, I'm sure he had good intentions. Everything checks out fine. Now had we figured up a due date for you? Christy, do we have it in her file?"

I leafed through Ida's file. I really had to admire Neil's way of reassuring his patients. He never seemed at a loss for words to get to the heart of a matter.

"It looks like we figured on late February or early March, Neil, uhm, Dr. McNeil.

"Thank you, Nurse MacNeill."

With an exasperated sigh, Ida slide down from the exam table. "You two needn't put on a show of professionalism for me." Straighten her shirtwaist, she huffed out the door.

I stared after her puzzled. Pregnancy really affected Ida in a strange way. I could only hope that I wouldn't have the same reaction to pregnancy, when my time came.

Later, David and Opal arrived in their new wagon. As David helped Opal down from the wagon bench, the sunlight glinted off of her glossy brown hair. Opal glowed with such an inner radiance she reminded me of her namesake. Pregnancy and marriage agreed more with Opal than Ida. At the entrance, David stopped and kissed Opal on the cheek softly.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Bird's Eye is waiting for me to check out that chestnut tree that fell in the storm last month. I think I should be able to salvage some of it for the cradle he wants me to make for Ida." So that was what Bird's Eye was up to.

Opal turned and looked at us conspiratorially. "Shh, it's a secret. Bird's Eye don't want Ida ta know."

Sometime after Opal's examination, I hurried home to start laundry. I had wanted to be home earlier, but was delayed. I filled the big black pot with water at the pump and tried to lift it to the fire I had made. I had gotten it too full and couldn't lift it. After several minutes of dragging and pulling, I got it to the fire. I went inside to start dinner as well. I knew it would take some time before the water even got warm. Finally, the water was warm enough to wash with so I got started.

By the time Neil had gotten home, I had forgotten I started boiling ham hocks for ham and green beans. The pot in the kitchen had boiled dry and I wasn't even half way through with the laundry. Hot tears ran down my cheeks before I could will them to stop. I tried to turn away from Neil before he saw them.

"Dear heart, don't cry. I can help with the laundry and dinner's salvageable." He encircled me in his arms.

"But you shouldn't have to help me. All the other women have so much more to take care of than I. They don't need their husband's help." I sobbed into his shoulder.

"And they have a passel of children to help out too. Who do you think did my laundry when I was alone? I managed well enough, though I never bothered with ironing."

"I suppose you're right, but so far I feel like a complete failure as a wife. I can't even get breakfast right." Neil pulled me tighter to him.

"Not to me love. I married you for who you are. If I wanted a housekeeper, I could have hired someone years ago. Being a wife is more than cleaning and cooking. You're all that I need and I wouldn't change you for the world. I couldn't have asked for a better wife. Why don't we work out a schedule and ease you into work and wifedom?"

"I love you."

"As do I, dear heart. Now go inside and see if you can fix up supper and I'll finish here."

I didn't think it was possible to love Neil more than I already did but my love for him rooted deeper into my heart.