Christy 1. Chapter 1

_I admit, I've always been a bit confused as to the timeline in the Christy series. This story would be set AFTER Margaret returned in Amazing Grace but BEFORE she returned at the end of the series. I'm also using the premise that, in the series, Christy came in the middle of the fall semester so this story would be set the following spring at the end of her original school year. Confused yet?_

_Anyway, I've always loved Doctor MacNeill's gentle interaction with the children of the cove. The idea for this story popped into my head one day and I had to set aside the longer, multi chapter story that I've been working on because this one refused to be squelched. It will be complete in two chapters, I hope you enjoy it. _

Simple Gifts

Neil MacNeill looked around him as his horse, Charlie, ambled through the woods at a leisurely pace. It was the height of spring and the doctor enjoyed the sight of the earth renewing itself. The trees were full of leaves, the grass was the vibrant shade of green that only showed itself in the spring and the wildflowers were beginning to bloom, adding beautiful color to the landscape. If there was anyplace on earth that was more beautiful than the Smoky Mountains in May, Neil had yet to see it.

Approaching the river that ran just along his cabin, his eyes were drawn to a small figure sitting on a large, smooth rock along the water's edge. The little girl had a stick in her hand and was absently poking it in the pebbles at her feet. Her shoulders were slumped and her head was bowed; the child's small frame was a picture of dejection. As Neil pulled his horse to a halt just behind her, she lifted her head and he found himself looking down into the tear streaked face of Mountie O'Teale.

"Mountie?" Neil said the child's name in a concerned tone, dismounting Charlie and squatting down beside her. "What's wrong, child? Are you hurt?"

The little girl shook her head no but two large, fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Well, what it is it, then? Can you tell me?" he asked, reaching out to gently stroke the little girl's arm.

"It's Teacher," Mountie said, her lower lip quivering.

"Teacher? Is something the matter with Chri…I mean…Miss Huddleston?" Neil asked, his brow furrowing in even deeper concern.

"No, nothun's wrong with her, but I don't have no present to give her," Mountie said, dropping the stick and balling her hands into two little fists which she pressed to her eyes, trying to rub away fresh tears.

Neil's face softened. He still wasn't sure what was at the heart of the matter but, being satisfied that no one was hurt or in danger, he was going to take the time to get to the bottom of it. He had a soft spot for the youngest of the O'Teale children and he couldn't bear the idea of leaving her here in tears.

"Come here, love," the large man said, sitting down next to Mountie on the rock, picking her up and setting her on his lap. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close then softly said, "Why don't you tell Ol' Doc all about it?"

"Everyone at school is makin' somethun' special for Miz Christy, sumethun' that'll let her know what a good teacher she was this year," Mountie sniffed, snuggling against Neil's chest. "The boys are makin' her a bookshelf for her room at the mission and the girls are makin' her a little quilt to put over her legs so they won't get cold when she's readin' in the winter. But I can't help with the bookshelf because I'm a girl and the girls won't let me help with the quilt because they said I'm too little."

The last word was accompanied by two hiccupping sobs.

"What about Lulu Spencer?" Neil asked, pulling a handkerchief from the pocket of his trousers and wiping the little girls tears. "She's about the same age as you. Do you think that the two of you could make something for Miss Huddleston?"

"Lulu said that she was gonna help her Ma make some of Miz Christy's fav'rit cookies to give to her. The kind that have oats and raisins in 'em. But, my Ma…." Mountie's voice trailed off as she shrugged her shoulders.

Neil understood. Her mother barely had enough provisions to keep her family from starving, there certainly wasn't anything left over to make something as frivolous as cookies or other treats.

"Doc, I love Teacher so much," the little girl said, her voice quivering again as she looked up into his face. "I just wish I had a present to give her."

The rugged mountain doctor's heart nearly broke for the little girl on his lap. She was wearing a dress that was made over from one of her older sister's dresses with the print being so faded in places that it was no longer discernable, the hem was frayed, it was topped by a sweater that was full of holes and she was wearing a pair of boys boots….yet her biggest concern in life was that she didn't have a gift for her teacher!

"Well, I'll tell you what, Mountie," Neil said in a gentle voice, leaning over to dampen his handkerchief in the water and wiping the streaked dirt and tears from the child's face. "Why don't you come with me and let's see what we can come up with, hmm? Now blow."

The last was said as he held the handkerchief to her nose and she obediently blew the last of her sniffles into it. Neil then picked her up and lifted her into the saddle and then swung up behind her. Although he told most people that he didn't believe that God had any part in his life, he found himself asking for a bit of divine guidance in the matter of what to do for this little girl in front of him. Suddenly, finding an answer literally in front of his face, he smiled.

"Mountie, do you know what kind of tree this is?" he asked, pointing to a branch just above them.

"Syc'more," Mountie responded, looking up.

"That's very good!" Neil said, smiling in surprise. She was apparently becoming versed in the mountain flora and fauna by her mother!

"Now, I happen to know that Miss Huddleston had a big sycamore tree just outside of her room when she was growing up in Asheville. She's told me that one of her favorite things to do was to climb it when she was a little girl just your age. Why don't you pick three of the best leaves from this branch and then….then….we'll go back to my house and …make a card…yes, we can put the leaves inside a card for her. Maybe you can draw a picture of her house in Asheville so that she won't miss home so much. What do you think of that idea?"

Neil couldn't imagine that the fact that he was making the idea up as he went along would escape the notice of even a child as small as Mountie O'Teale, but she looked up at him with such trust that he knew otherwise. So he held onto the little girl as she stood up on the saddle and considered nearly every leaf on the branch before she picked the three that were, to her eyes, the most perfect. Then they crossed the river, put Charlie in the barn and climbed the small hill to Neil's cabin, hand in hand.

"Here, you sit here," Neil said, clearing his fly tying gear from a small table on the porch and pulling two chairs close to it. Seeing that Mountie was going to have to kneel on the chair to be able to work on the table, he went inside and came back with several of his thickest medical books to boost her up to the right height. He then went back inside and returned with a sheet of paper and pencil and sat down on the chair next to Mountie's. "Now, do you think that you can draw a picture of a big house with a tree beside it on the front?"

"I think so," the little girl nodded, picking up the pencil and biting her tongue as she pulled the piece of paper closer to her.

Neil watched her concentrate on making the first few lines of the drawing when, suddenly, he remembered something that was tucked away in an old trunk that he had used as a student when he was in medical school in Scotland.

"Wait just a moment, Mountie. I'll be right back," he said, going back inside and taking the stairs that led up to his bedroom two at a time.

He knelt on one knee in front of the trunk and shoved the lid up, rummaging through the contents and lifting out one item after another, things that he hadn't used in years. Finally, at the very bottom, he found the flat tin box that he'd been looking for, along with a pad of thick white paper. He quickly tossed the rest of the contents back in the trunk, making a mental note to go through it soon and see if there was anything that the school or mission might be able to use. He then made his way back downstairs, grabbed a cup and went back out to the front porch where Mountie was patiently waiting.

"I'd forgotten that I had these, they were left over from an art class that I was forced to take while I was in college," Neil said, opening the lid on the flat metal box to reveal eighteen different colored squares and two paintbrushes inside. He went to the bucket of water that he'd drawn from the well earlier and dipped the cup in and then sat it down on the table within the little girl's reach. "I was afraid that I was going to be denied entrance to medical school because I couldn't paint a passable cardinal with watercolors in college."

The last was said in a wry tone which made Mountie smile as she watched his every move.

"I don't know if these are still any good, but let's give it a go. What do you say?" Neil asked, tearing a thick sheet of paper from the pad and then dipping one of the brushes in the water in the cup. He tapped the excess water off and touched the brush to the first square in the top row of the paintbox and then made a short stroke on the piece of paper. Mountie's eyes widened at the crimson squiggle of color that the brush left. The doctor rinsed the brush and then continued to the next color, making a stroke with it as well and then repeating the process until there were three rows of colored squiggles on the piece of paper….a guide for Mountie to use to pick the colors for her picture.

"Looky at all them colors, Doc!" the little girl breathed in wonder. "Teacher makes paints for us ta use out of berries and other things, but they's only six or seven colors. Can I really use all these ta paint a picture for her?"

"Be my guest," the doctor smiled, delighting in the look of amazement on the child's face. "Here, let me get some fresh water and you can paint for as long as you want."

He tossed out the murky water and brought a fresh cup and then tore a fresh piece of paper from the art pad. He folded it in half neatly to make a card and then flattened it back out, showing Mountie that she'd want to paint on the right side of the paper so that it would be the front of the card after it dried.

Mountie practiced by painting a dog on the bottom of the paper that was the color guide so that she could get used to the paints and the brush, which was much smaller than the ones that she used at school. Feeling a little more sure of herself, she then began to paint a big blue house with a tree beside it.

Neil went back inside and retrieved the newest copy of the National Geographic Magazine that Ben Pentland had delivered last week. The doctor hadn't had much time to himself this week and hadn't looked through it. So he relaxed in the chair beside Mountie and began to read an article about the wilds of South America, stopping every now and again when asked for his opinion on what color flowers should be in front of the house and if he thought that there was a swing in Teacher's "syc'more" tree back in Asheville. A half hour later, Mountie showed him the finished product.

Neil smiled at the painting of the big blue house with yellow shutters by the windows, the tree beside it and all the colorful flowers in front of it. There was a swing that a little girl with long brown hair who was wearing a purple dress was swinging on. Mountie had even painted a little squirrel in the tree and birds flying overhead. She had used as many colors as possible and it was clear that she was enjoying the paints. A sudden question popped into Neil's mind.

"Mountie, how did you know to draw the house that way?" he wondered. It was clearly a city house and Mountie O'Teale had never seen any kinds of homes besides the cabins in Cutter Gap.

"Teacher showed us drawin's that she did of her house," Mountie explained, rinsing the brush out and setting it aside. "And she showed us a book that had pictures of different kinds of houses that different kinds of folks live in. It had pictures of city houses and farm houses and even them round tents that Injuns live in out west. I saw a picture of a big, blue house and thought it was the purtiest house that I ever did see."

"Ah, I see," he smiled. He had also noticed her reluctance when she sat the paintbrush down; it was clear that she was sorry that her fun with the paints was coming to an end. Glancing back at the pictures that accompanied the article that he'd been reading, he was struck with another inspiration.

"How would you like to make another picture on the inside of the card?" Neil asked, his eyes twinkling as the little girl eagerly picked up the brush again and nodded. "Do you remember Miss Huddleston's father, William? Well, Teacher has told me that they used to play something called 'Lions and Tigers' in front of the fireplace at home. There's a picture of a lion and a tiger in this magazine that I'm reading; do you think that you could paint a picture of Teacher and her father in front of the fireplace? Then I could cut the lion and tiger out of the magazine and you could paste them on your picture."

The idea was clearly met with Mountie's hearty approval so, after flipping the paper over and once again showing her which side to paint on, Neil went inside to retrieve a bottle of rubber cement from his laboratory. He was about to leave when he hesitated and then opened one of the drawers to the desk that his microscope sat upon. Reaching towards the back, he pulled out a small round tin and pulled the lid off. Inside rested the two rings that Margaret had left behind, a small gold brooch that had belonged to his mother and a carefully wound length of blue satin ribbon. Reaching inside he removed the piece of ribbon then replaced the lid on the box and put it back in the desk drawer. He also found a flat paper sack to put Mountie's card in so that it wouldn't get dirty before she gave it to Christy.

Returning to the porch, Neil looked over Mountie's shoulder and saw that she was doing a fine job. She had already finished the fireplace, complete with yellow, orange and red flames, and was currently working on painting a man with dark wavy hair and blue eyes who was wearing a black suit. Neil removed his pocket knife from his trouser pocket and set about folding the magazine page so that it was flat against the table. Then, using the sharp tip of the knife blade, he traced around the edges of the lion and the tiger. At that point he realized that he hadn't finished the article, so he pressed the animals back into place and quickly read the rest of the next page!

"Do ya think this looks right, Doc?" Mountie asked, bringing him back from the South American expedition that he was reading about.

"I think it's just right, Mountie," he smiled, looking at the completed picture. There was once again a picture of a little girl with long brown hair, but this time you could also see big blue eyes, dark brows and lashes and a smiling rosy mouth. The little girl was wearing a blue dress with puffy sleeves in this picture. She was standing on the right side of the fireplace while her father was on the left. "Now, let's add these."

The doctor put the rubber cement on the back of the animal pictures and then let Mountie place them on the paper, watching as she carefully pressed them into place so that it looked like they were standing on the rug in front of the fire.

"Doc, how do ya play 'Lions and Tigers'?" she asked as she pressed down on the lion's tail to hold it in place while the rubber cement did its work.

"I'm not quite sure about that myself,' the doctor admitted, having wondered the same thing when Christy had mentioned it to him previously. "Maybe you could ask her when you give her the card."

Mountie nodded and then, picking up the pencil, she carefully printed out "I love you Teacher" and then printed out her name at the bottom of the picture of the fireplace. Setting the pencil down, she picked up the piece of paper and looked at the picture on the inside of the card and then folded it so that the picture of the house was on the front.

Neil watched as the biggest smile that he'd ever seen grace this little girls face spread across her lips. She looked up at him with her big, sparkling blue eyes and he suddenly realized how truly beautiful this child was. He thought back to just a year ago, remembering the sad little girl whom he'd never heard talk … until a young teacher, an "outsider", had come to these mountains and freely given her love to a school full of children. He'd been so hard on Christy when she'd first arrived but now, seeing the transformation of just this one child, he was humbled.

"Doc, do you think that Teacher will like this as much as them other presents?" Mountie asked, suddenly becoming anxious again.

"Come here, Mountie, I'm going to tell you something," Neil said, once again pulling the little girl onto his lap. "I think that Miss Huddleston will love this card because it's beautiful and because it will remind her of her home in Asheville, but the biggest reason that she'll love it is because it came from you. Now, I'm going to tell you a secret but you have to cross your heart and promise me that you won't tell a soul. If you did, it might hurt some of your friend's feelings and Miss Huddleston might not like it if she knew I told you. Do you promise?"

"Cross my heart, Doc," Mountie said solemnly, making the motion across her heart.

"Do you remember when Teacher first came here to teach?" At the child's nod, the doctor continued. "Well, many of the people here didn't make her feel very welcome. She was an outsider from the city and some folks didn't like that. And some folks didn't like being told that the way they were making their money was wrong….even though it was…and they were mad at Teacher and Reverend Grantland and Miss Alice and did some very bad things to them. Do you remember when all of the new books and maps that were sent to the school were destroyed? And then when someone set the school on fire and Teacher was hurt?"

Mountie continued to watch him talk, soberly, nodding her head.

"Well, Teacher was very sad and was going to leave. But do you know why she didn't?" Neil asked, continuing when the little girl shook her head. "It was because of you, Mountie."

"Me?" she asked, her eyes as big as saucers.

"Yes, you. She was all set to go, had packed her bags and was going to leave without telling anyone. You see, she was so sad about all the things that had happened and she felt like she wasn't doing any good for anyone here in the Cove. But she wanted to see the school one more time and, while she was there, you came in and started talking to her. No one had ever heard you talk before," he said, smiling down into her upturned face.

"She was sewin' buttons onta my coat so's I wouldn't be so cold. I hadn't never seen buttons that purty before," Mountie remembered, unconsciously playing with the buttons on the doctor's vest.

"Well, once she heard you speak, she changed her mind about leaving. She thought that maybe…God….had put her here for a reason and that she could do some good after all. So, you see, Mountie," Neil finished, giving her a small squeeze. "Miss Huddleston would have left if it wasn't for you. And, ever since then, she's had a special place in her heart for you. Teachers aren't supposed to have a favorite, that's why you can't tell anyone. But if you're still afraid that she won't like your present as much as the others, then you need to remember that she wouldn't have been here this past year if it weren't for you."

"Honest, Doc?" asked the child who had never felt special to anyone before Teacher came. It was clear that she was having a hard time believing that someone as wonderful as Teacher stayed in Cutter Gap just because of her.

"Truly, Mountie. I wouldn't lie to you," Neil said, smoothing the hair away from her face. "And here, I thought of one more thing that you can do for Miss Huddleston. Here's a bit of blue ribbon that I found in the house. On the way to school tomorrow, pick a pretty bunch of spring flowers and tie them at the bottom with this ribbon. If you need help tying the bow, your sister Becky can help you with it. Then you can give her the flowers and the card with the leaves in it."

It was a transformed child that sat in front of him on the saddle as he rode her home. She clutched the paper sack with the precious card, leaves and ribbon in it as if it held diamonds and rubies inside. As they rode through the woods, Neil subtly quizzed her about some of the trees and bushes that they passed, impressed when she was able to name most of them without hesitation.

"You're a very clever girl, Mountie. Did you know that?" he said, smiling down at her as she pointed out a Sassafras tree. "The next time I teach a science lesson for Miss Huddleston, I'll talk to you about botany."

"What's bot'ny?" she asked, looking up at him curiously.

"It's the science of trees and plants. I think you might enjoy it," he said, pulling Charlie to a halt at the bottom of the hill by the O'Teale cabin and dismounting. He reached up for Mountie and set her on the ground, kneeling when she kept ahold of his hand.

"You know what I wish, Doc?" she asked, running a small finger along one of the lines at the corner of his eye.

"What's that, Miss Mountie?" he smiled.

"I wish that you'd marry Teacher," she said, watching his eyebrows shoot up.

"Now, what makes you say that?" he inquired, trying no to appear as nonplussed as he was feeling.

"I think that Teacher's the nicest, purtiest, lady that I ever did see. And I think you're about the nicest feller I know, Doc. I just think that it would be nice if you was ta get married and have babies," Mountie finished, smiling innocently at her friend.

"Well, I thank you, Mountie. But Miss Huddleston is much too young and pretty to want to marry a homely old mountain doctor like me," he smiled.

"If I was older, I'd marry ya, Doc," she said, shyly. "I'll betcha Miss Christy would too, if ya just asked her."

Neal had never been as happy to see Swannie O'Teale as he was at that moment. The thin woman emerged from the cabin in her threadbare clothes and started down the path to greet him.

"Doc, I'm sure glad ta see ya, I was startin' ta get right worried 'bout Mountie," the mountain woman said.

"I'm sorry, Swannie," the doctor said, extending his hand to her. "I came across Mountie by the river on my way home and we've been having a nice talk on my front porch. I lost track of time and didn't realize it was this late."

"Well, it's all right, seein' as she was with you," Swannie said, looking uneasily at the sack that was in her daughter's hands. It was clear that she thought there was something inside that Mountie shouldn't have accepted. Before she could say anything else, Mountie happily drew out the card and showed it to her mother.

"Looky, Ma. Doc helped me make a card for Teacher," she said. "He let me use his special paints. Ain't it purty? And look, I got leaves from a syc'more tree like the one she used to climb when she was little. And, see, I even got a ribbon to tie around some flowers that I'm gonna pick for her tomorra' Dontcha think that Miz Christy will like it, Ma?"

Swannie had never seen her daughter as excited about anything as she was at this moment. She knew that her youngest daughter had been sad about not being able to help with the quilt that the older girls were making for their teacher and it had troubled her because she had nothing else for Mountie to give. But it seemed that the doctor had solved the problem in a way that prevented Swannie from being too much in his debt. Maybe she shouldn't allow Mountie to accept the ribbon but since it wasn't for herself but was part of a gift for someone else, she wouldn't make a fuss about it this time.

"Why, I think that's right purty," Swannie nodded. "I think it'll make a right nice present for Miz Christy. I thank ya, Doc MacNeill."

"It was my pleasure, Swannie. I truly enjoyed spending the afternoon with Mountie," the doctor said, sincerely. "But, I must be heading home now. I have to fix dinner and then get some things together before I make my rounds tomorrow."

"Bye Doc, thank ya," Mountie said, running over and pulling him down for one last hug. "I cain't hardly wait till tomorra!"

Neil returned her hug and then mounted Charlie, waving goodbye before he turned towards home.


	2. Chapter 2

_OK, I lied but I didn't mean to. I really planned for this story to only be two chapters long, but when I finished the second chapter it was just WAY too long to post at once. There was a natural breaking point so I decided to split it into a third chapter. But the story IS finished and will be complete with the next posting. Thank you so much for your kind reviews, I truly appreciate them._

Simple Gifts – Chapter 2

Christy knew that something was up.

She had seen the children huddling in groups and whispering before and after school, as well as during recess, for the last several weeks. Since the school year was drawing to a close, she had her suspicions that the children were planning some kind of surprise for her. However, it wasn't disrupting their class time and they were doing so well with their memorizations for the end of the year program that was scheduled for later in the week, she wasn't going to spoil their fun.

On Wednesday morning after the spelling test, Christy finally found out what all the subterfuge had been about. Just as she was getting ready to have Zady Spencer come up to write the day's math problems on the blackboard, Rob Allen cleared his throat and stood up. All of the children's eyes darted back and forth between Rob and the teacher, excitement written all over their faces.

"Yes, Rob? May I help you with something?" Christy asked, smiling at the tall young man.

Rob scooted sideways out of his seat and came to stand in front of the class, turning to Christy.

"Miss Chrizy, I know that it's time for our arithmetic but, could we maybe put it off for just a spell?" he asked. "All of us would like to say something to you."

"Of course, Rob," Christy nodded, standing to face the young man that had made her so proud over the last year.

"Well, we just wanted to tell you how glad we all are that you came to teach us," Rob said, looking down at the small woman who had made their world so much bigger. "Some of us that're older, well, we came to school when the first two teachers come to the cove. And they tried to teach us to read and write as best as they could, I guess. But, well, John Spencer and I was talkin' about it and it just seemed like no matter how hard we tried, it wasn't good enough. They made us feel like _we_ weren't good enough."

Christy's eyes were full of compassion. She knew how sensitive Rob Allen was and it hurt her to know that the teachers who came before her had been too blind to see the gifts that were hidden behind his worn clothes and bare feet.

"But, ever since you came here last fall, it's been different. You made _us_ different, Miss Christy," the young man continued, sincerity shining through in every word that he spoke. "You didn't only teach us to read and write, but you made us believe that we could do things that we'd never even dreamed of before. You helped to show us that there was a world outside of Cutter Gap and that we could go be a part of it, if we was of a mind to. You made us want to learn because you believed that we could be anything that we wanted. You have more faith in us than anybody ever has before, and we're more beholden to you for that than we'll ever be able to tell you."

By this time, Christy had huge tears welling in her eyes and just as she was groping for her lace hankie, Rob pressed his big red bandana into her hand.

"Ruby Mae said to have that ready because you'd sure as day need it before we got done," the young man said with a sheepish smile. This caused Christy to laugh as she dabbed her eyes, which prompted the rest of the class to join in. They were all aware that Teacher had her share of "weepin' spells" but her students loved her all the more for her tender heart.

"Anyway's, Miss Christy, we all got together and decided that we wanted to do something to show you just how much we appreciate everything that you've done for us this year. The boys have a present for you and so do the girls," he finished, motioning for John Spencer and Smith O'Teale to bring in the gift from the boys which had been hidden behind the school that morning.

Christy looked on in wonder as they carried a beautifully stained book case down the middle aisle. It was made of walnut and had three shelves to hold books, as well as a small lip that surrounded the top so that she could set a lamp or vase on it without fear of it getting easily knocked off. The wood had been sanded velvety smooth and stained a warm shade of walnut. A delicate design of vines and leaves had been carved along the edges of the shelves and the lip that surrounded the top and the whole bookshelf had had several layers of beeswax worked into it, making the wood glow.

"Oh, this is so beautiful," Christy breathed, running her fingers over the wood. "How on earth did you ever find time to do this?"

"We kept it inside the mill and came to work on it a little in the evenings and on weekends," Rob said, all of the boys exchanging proud looks at the teacher's obvious pleasure in the gift. "Will Beck's daddy had the wood left over from a table that he made for some flatlanders and John Spencer's daddy gave us the wax to rub into the finish."

"I cracked purt near a million walnuts to get enough juice fer the stain," Little Burl piped up, holding up his blackened hands.

"And I pulled purt near a million splinters outta my fingers helpin' with the sandin'" Sam Houston added with a grimace.

"Yep, we all sanded and sanded and sanded till the wood was nice and smooth," Creed Allen contributed.

"Smith O'Teale carved the design on it," John Spencer said, knowing that Smith would be too shy to bring attention to himself.

"Smith, you did just a wonderful job. All of you, it's just too beautiful for words," Christy said, turning to the boys with gratitude.

"And we all signed our name on the very back of it, so's you'd never fergit who it was from," Creed Allen said, taking her hand and pulling her around so that she could see the list of names, some written and others printed, on the wood that would face the wall. "And, just remember, this ain't to keep at school. This is fer you ta keep in yer room at the mission so's that you can think of us even when yer not at the school house."

"Yep, ya ain't never gettin' away from us, Teacher, not even at home!" Little Burl grinned, prompting another round of laughter from the children and their teacher.

"Now, Miss Christy, it's our turn," Ruby Mae said, causing Christy's attention to shift to the girls side of the classroom.

Ruby Mae and Zady lifted the lid of their desk and extracted something from it. They proudly carried a muslin covered square bundle up to Christy's desk which was quickly surrounded by the rest of the girls who were eager to see Teacher's reaction to all their hard work.

Christy smiled at the anticipation on the girls faces as she tugged on the string of blue yarn that had been wrapped around the muslin and then tied in a bow. She pulled back the muslin and uncovered a beautiful friendship lap quilt. It was a basic nine patch pattern but the center square in each block was an off white piece of muslin with one of the girl's names embroidered on it. Each girl had worked a block and, as Christy ran her hands over the soft material in the quilt, her eyes misted over once again. She saw pieces of material that she recognized in each block; a plaid from one of Zady's old dresses, a stripe from a pinafore that Ruby Mae had outgrown, a pretty calico from one of Bessie Coburn's aprons and so many more.

"Miz Spencer helped us some when it come time to put the thick cotton in the middle and then sew the front and back together, but we did most of it ourselfs," Ruby Mae said as the other girls agreed.

"Yes'm, while the boys was a' sneakin' off to the Allen's mill to work on your bookshelf, we was all meetin' at my house to do th' quiltin'" Zady said.

"Girls, I don't know what to say," Christy whispered. "It's just perfect. I'll keep it at the foot of my bed and I'll think of each of you every night when I go to sleep."

"Well, what Rob Allen said was right, Miz Christy," Bessie Coburn said, dropping her eyes for a moment while she spoke. "You taught us so much this year, and t'wernt all of it book learnin'. You showed us the kind of person that we outta be….and you showed us about forgivin' other folks. Seems like this here little quilt ain't near enough to repay you."

Christy's throat grew tight and she reached over to squeeze Bessie's hand. One of the most terrible things that Christy had encountered when she first came to Cutter Gap was the feuding that ran rampant in the mountains. Once a feud was started, it seemed impossible to stop it. But to hear the words that had just come out of Bessie's mouth…to hear that one of the children of the mountains understood the importance of forgiveness …. made the terrible lie that Becky had told about Christy and John Spencer, and the resulting turmoil, all worthwhile. If she had done nothing beyond showing the importance of both giving and receiving forgiveness to these children, then she would consider her time here as a teacher worthwhile.

"I am so proud and so thankful for each and every one of you girls," Christy said, looking around at the sweet faces that surrounded her. "It has been a privilege to watch you grow into the beautiful young ladies that you've become over this last year."

"Teacher, I was too little to help with the quilt, but Mama an' I made these for ya," Lulu Spencer said, extending a small tin box towards Christy.

Christy carefully took the quilt and draped it over the bookcase and then accepted the tin. Opening it she beamed as she saw the oatmeal raisin cookies inside.

"Lulu, thank you so much! Did your Mama tell you that these are my favorites?" Christy asked, taking one and nibbling it in appreciation. At Lulu's nod, the teacher knelt down and hugged Lulu, thanking her again for her thoughtfulness.

No one had noticed a little figure in a raggedy sweater slip out the side door to retrieve a big bouquet of flowers that she'd kept hidden under the school in a mason jar full of water to keep them fresh. She blotted the wet ends on her sweater so that they wouldn't drip on Teacher's dress and then adjusted the blue satin bow that had slipped down a little bit. She then slipped back into the classroom and retrieved the paper sack with the card in it and quietly approached Christy's desk from the side.

Christy had just sat back down in her chair when she saw the movement out of the corner of her eye. She saw Mountie O'Teale standing beside her desk with a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers in her hands.

"Well, what's this?" Christy asked, a warm smile lighting her face as she looked down into Mountie's blue eyes.

"These 'er for you, Teacher, I picked 'em this morning," the little girl said shyly, handing the bouquet to Christy.

"Oh Mountie, they're lovely!" Christy sighed, burying her face in the fragrant flowers. She saw sweet peas, blue bells, bleeding hearts, lilacs and a few others that she couldn't identify. "Wherever did you find sweet peas this early in the season? Did you know that they're my favorite flower?"

Mountie's eyes shone as she shook her head no.

"I made a card for ya, too," she said, reaching into the sack and retrieving the card.

Christy laid the bouquet down and took the card from Mountie's outstretched hand.

"Mountie, this is wonderful! This is my house in Asheville, isn't it?" Christy asked, drawing the child onto her lap. At Mountie's eager nod, Christy continued to praise her work.

"Now, how did you know that my tree back home had a swing in it?" Christy asked, enjoying all of the little touches that had been worked into the picture.

"Doc said that every little girl should have a tree swing, so I decided to put one in the picture, just in case," Mountie said.

"Doc? Doctor MacNeill helped you with the card?" Christy asked in a puzzled tone.

"Yep, he let me use his special paints. Open it, there's more," Mountie said in an excited tone that Christy had never heard before.

She opened the card and the three leaves fell out.

"They's syc'more leaves, like the ones on your tree at home," Mountie pointed out.

"They certainly are! Oh, and look! It's Daddy and I playing Lions and Tigers in front of our fireplace!" Christy exclaimed in delight. "This is a wonderful card, Mountie! Where did the pictures of the animals come from?"

"Doc cut 'em out of a mag'zine he was readin' while I was paintin'," Mountie smiled, looking up at the pleasure on her beloved teacher's face. Doc had been right, Teacher DID like her present just as much as the others!

"Just look at all these colors," Christy said, passing the card to the other students to look at. They were all intrigued at the rainbow of colored paint that had been used on the card.

"They was in a flat metal box and just looked like little colored squares, but when ya dipped the brush in water and then rubbed it over 'em, it made all those purty colors on the paper," Mountie explained.

Christy smiled, enjoying the fact that Mountie was sharing her experience with the other students without a trace of the stutter that they had overcome at the beginning of the year. It was also the first time that she'd heard the little girl take the initiative in explaining something to her classmates instead of simply sitting quietly while other people spoke.

Christy's face also softened at the thought of the doctor taking the time to help this little girl make a card. She knew that the O'Teale's had no money for gifts and she had no idea how Neil MacNeill had known that Mountie didn't have a present to bring for her today, but the idea that he'd helped this special little girl create something that she was proud of warmed Christy's heart.

"Yes, Mountie, they're called watercolors," Christy smiled. "You can paint beautiful pictures with them. Maybe someday we can persuade Doctor MacNeill to bring them and give us a demonstration."

"I don't' think he'd like to do that, Teacher. He told me that they purt near wouldn't let him be a doctor cause he couldn't paint a redbird," Mountie said, prompting a confused gaze from Christy and snickers from some of the other children.

"Well, anyway … I want to thank you all for these wonderful gifts that you brought today," Christy said, addressing all of the children. "I'm going to keep them on display here until Friday evening after the class recitations. I'd like to show your parents all the hard work that you put into them. Really, I will treasure these things always. You thanked me with these beautiful gifts, but I'm the one who owes all of you a big thanks. I'm so thankful that God brought me here to Cutter Gap to be your teacher, because I've learned more from being here with you this last year than I have in my entire lifetime. I look at each and every one of you as a blessing in my life and all of you will be forever written on my heart."

"Now, before I get even more sentimental and mushy and need Rob Allen's handkerchief again," Christy said, clearing her throat of the emotion that had been building up in it. "I think that you've all earned yourself an extra long lunch period. You're all dismissed for an hour."

The children ran out the doors whooping and laughing. Christy could hear them congratulating each other for "pulling the wool over Teacher's eyes" about the surprise gifts and the fact that "you coulda knocked Teacher over with a feather" when they'd been presented.

"Now, I'm going to go find a nice big jar and put these beautiful flowers in water," Christy said, hugging Mountie once more as the little girl slid off her lap.

"I got one, Teacher, it's under the schoolhouse. I'll go get it," Mountie said, running out the door to fetch the mason jar full of water.

Christy smiled at the small retreating figure and picked up the card again, taking an even closer look at all the clever little details that had been added. When Mountie reappeared with the jar of water, Christy picked up the bouquet and, for the first time, noticed that it was tied with a blue ribbon. She untied it so that it wouldn't get wet and then arranged the flowers in the jar.

"I'm going to keep these on my desk so that I can enjoy the smell for the rest of the day," Christy said, smiling as Mountie picked up her lunch tin from under her seat and headed towards the door to join the other children for lunch. Christy picked up the blue ribbon and was going to put it in her pocket when she suddenly took another look at it.

"Mountie," Christy said, stopping the little girl before she went out the door. "Mountie, where did this ribbon come from?"

"Doc gave it to me," Mountie said, walking back into the school as Christy approached her.

"Doctor MacNeill gave you this ribbon?" Christy asked, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Uh huh, he said he found it in his cabin and I could pick some flowers for you and tie it 'round them," Mountie said. "Teacher, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Mountie," Christy said, sitting in one of the student seats so that they were at eye level.

"How do ya play Lions and Tigers? Doc and me was wonderin'" Mountie asked, curiously.

Christy laughed, thinking of the game that she and her father played on cold winter nights in front of the fireplace.

"Well, it's like playing pretend. We would get down in front of the fire in front of the fireplace and sometimes Daddy would pretend that he was a lion. We would pretend that the chairs and tables in the living room were the trees in the jungle and he would try to hide behind them, like he was stalking me," Christy said, smiling at the memories. "And then he'd attack me and roll me around on the floor, he'd growl and roar and pretend that he was going to eat me. And then, other times, I'd pretend to be a tiger and pounce on his back. He'd stand up and try to shake me loose, even though he had ahold of me so that I wouldn't fall. He'd run around the room with me on his back and I'd growl and snarl and pretend that I was going to claw him to death…..and about that time he'd usually drop me down on the floor and start tickling me until we were both laughing so much that we could hardly breathe. It might sound silly to others, but we had so much fun together when I was a little girl."

"I think your Daddy's real nice," Mountie said. "My daddy never played with any of us like that. You're lucky."

"Yes, I'm very lucky," Christy said, smoothing Mountie's hair away from her face and gently smiling at her.

"You know who else I think is real nice?" Mountie asked, looking at her teacher.

"Who?" Christy asked.

"Doc MacNeill," the little girl responded. "Teacher, what's 'homely' mean?"

Christy was having a little trouble keeping up with the conversation but answered, "Well, homely means someone who's … plain looking. Why do you ask?"

"Well, when I was ridin' home with Doc yesterday, I told him that I thought you was the purtiest, nicest lady that I knew," Mountie began, watching her teacher smile. "And that he was the nicest fella that I knew and that I wished that the two of ya'd get married."

Christy was thankful that she was already sitting because she wasn't sure that she wouldn't have fallen over if she was standing.

"But Doc said that you was too young and purty to want to marry a homely old doctor like him," Mountie continued. "But, Teacher, I don't think that he's homely, do you?"

Not knowing quite how else to respond, Christy settled on using honesty.

"No, Mountie, I don't think Doctor MacNeill is homely," she said, a small smile curving her lips.

"And he ain't _that_ old, is he?" the little girl asked, furrowing her brows together.

"Well, I guess it depends on what you're comparing him to," Christy couldn't help but chuckle but then finished her response. "But, no, I don't think that Doctor MacNeill is old at all."

"Then do ya think that maybe you _would_ like to marry Doc someday?" the little girl asked.

Christy knew from Mountie's innocent questions that she didn't know about Neil's marriage to Margaret or anything surrounding it. She also didn't think that it was her place to tell the little girl about the specifics of the situation. So, she said a quick prayer for divine guidance as she carefully chose her words.

"I'll tell you what I would like, Mountie," Christy said, leaning forward and taking the child's hands. "I would like for Doctor MacNeill to be married to someone who loves and respects him more than anyone else in the whole world. And, someday, I'd like to be married to someone who feels that way about me too. So, I guess that in the meantime, we'll just have to ask God to take care of both of us."

She wasn't sure if Mountie completely understood but the little girl slowly nodded anyway.

Christy squeezed her hands once more and then told her to go enjoy her lunch. Once Christy was alone in the schoolroom she returned to her desk and pulled the blue satin ribbon out of her pocket where she'd shoved it while she was talking to Mountie. Christy stared out the front doors, not seeing anything that was going on outside, as she ran the ribbon through her fingers and thought back to a day last fall.

It had been an unusually warm day at the end of October and Christy had been working hard at cleaning up the last of the mess from the school fire. She had been hot and grimy and decided to take a bath and wash her hair. Her hair had been tied back with a blue ribbon and she'd left it on the rail of the Mission's front porch underneath her hairbrush after she'd brushed her hair out just before she bathed. After her bath she'd changed into fresh clothes and, since it was still warm, decided to return to the front porch to brush her wet hair and let it dry in the breeze. She'd found Dr. MacNeill and Miss Alice sitting on the porch talking however, when she'd picked up her brush, she discovered that the ribbon was missing. She remembered that she'd even went down the steps and searched amongst the bushes and had asked if either the doctor or Miss Alice had seen it. Both of them had denied it so Christy just decided that it had somehow blown away. But, now, she was holding the very same ribbon in her hands.

Was it possible that Neil MacNeill, the manly, argumentative doctor of Cutter Gap had snitched her hair ribbon and had been holding onto it for all these months? Christy thought back to when she had first come to know him and how he always seemed to be yelling at either David or her. But she also remembered the glimpses of support and kindness that he'd shown to her even back then when she'd been upset about different things, such as how she'd inadvertently hurt Opal McHone after her baby had died or when Doctor Ferrand had visited and seemed to berate her at every turn.

As Christy thought about it, the hair ribbon incident had occurred shortly after Doctor Ferrand's visit. That was when Christy had stopped thinking of Neil in terms of being just the cove's doctor, but had begun to think of him as her friend. Could he really have had feelings for her all those months ago? Feelings that would have prompted him to abscond with her hair ribbon as a memento? Or, maybe he just found it later and picked it up, forgetting to give it back to her?

Christy finally decided that she was making a mountain out of a mole hill. However it had come to be in his possession, it had been good of Neil to give the ribbon to Mountie to add to the little girl's gift to her. Smiling, she tied the blue ribbon around the top of the mason jar that was acting as a vase, proudly put Mountie's card and leaves on top of the bookcase beside the quilt and then gathered up her lunch and went out to join the children.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as the class finished their regular classroom subjects and then practiced their recitations for Friday evening's program. In no time, it was time for the children to go home.

As they poured out the doors, Mountie O'Teale looked towards the Mission and saw Doctor MacNeill's horse tied to the rail. She ran towards the building as fast as she could, eager to share Teacher's reaction to her gifts with her friend.

Neil had stopped by the Mission to discuss a medical case that he'd recently treated in Low Gap with Alice Henderson. They were walking down the steps of the Mission together when they saw the youngest O'Teale daughter streaking towards them.

"Doc! Doc! You was right, Doc!" Mountie exclaimed as Neil bent and scooped her up.

"I was? And just what was I right about, Miss Mountie?" Neil asked, smiling into her happy face.

"Teacher DID like the card an' leaves an' flowers just as much as she liked her other presents," Mountie said, excitedly. "And you was right, she DID have a tree swing when she was little. An she told me how to play Lions and Tigers an'…."

Mountie's happy prattle was cut short by a shout from her brother, Smith, who said that they had to get home early because there were extra chores waiting for them today.

"Anyways, Doc, thank ya for helpin' me, I won't never forget it," the little girl said, throwing her arms around his neck in a hug as he sat her down.

"You're very welcome, Mountie," he said, patting her back.

"Oh, and Doc," she whispered into his ear, "Teacher said she don't think you're homely or old a'tall."

Racing off to catch up to her brothers and sister, she turned with one last wave before they all disappeared into the woods.

"Mountie O'Teale going on like a chatterbox," Miss Alice said, shaking her head in wonder. "Did thee ever think that we'd live to see it, Neil?"

"No, I didn't," the doctor said, hoping that Alice wouldn't notice the flush that he felt warming his face at Mountie's whispered words to him. "I'll tell you, Alice, I've never been more wrong than I was when I told you that bringing another teacher here was a mistake. Christy Huddleston has made a difference in those children's lives that I would have never believed. And, I'm not just saying that because…"

Neil voice trailed off as he looked at her and then looked away.

"I know," Miss Alice said gently, understanding his meaning and believing the sincerity in his words. "What did Mountie mean? How did thee help her, if I may ask?"

"I just helped her make a card. She was upset because the others were making gifts to give to Christy and she didn't have anything to give. It was nothing," Neil answered, a bit embarrassed.

"It wasn't 'nothing', Neil," Alice responded. "Not only did thee help her make a gift for Miss Huddleston, thee also gave her the gift of thy time. For a child like Mountie O'Teale, that kind of gift is immeasurable."

"Well, I need to head off. I still have to stop by the Holt's to check on the baby's cold," Neil said, never good at accepting praise.

"We'll see you on Friday evening at the school?" Alice asked as she watched him mount Charlie.

"See you then," he said, nodding before he dug his heels in the horse's sides and galloped away.

Alice Henderson watched him ride off, once again feeling regret at the thought of his marriage to her daughter. She knew that whatever the future held for Margaret and Neil, Margaret would never want to have children, and it was probably for the best. Margaret wasn't made to be a mother, as much as it saddened Alice to admit it. But it saddened her even more to realize that Neil _was_ made to be a father. As stubborn and opinionated as he was, he genuinely had a heart for children. She had seen it in him from the beginning, watching him hold and comfort more children than she could count, and it seemed wrong, somehow, that he would never have the opportunity to experience fatherhood for himself.

"What are you thinking about, Miss Alice? You look sad," Christy asked, climbing the steps to stand by the older woman. Her arrival had gone unnoticed while her companion had been lost in her own thoughts.

"I was just pondering some of the perceived injustices of the world," Alice said, turning to Christy and then smiling as she laid a hand against the teacher's soft cheek. "And I am reminded that it is not for me to try to solve the problems of the universe, but to hold them up in prayer to the One who can."

Christy returned her smile and then the two women turned and, arm in arm, went inside the house.


	3. Chapter 3

Simple Gifts Chapter 3

Friday evening came and Christy couldn't have been more proud of her students. It was the first time that many of the parents had been in the schoolhouse when it was a place of learning as opposed to a place of worship on Sunday. It was clear that most were surprised and proud of the things that their children showed they were capable of.

Some of the children had been given the task of memorizing poems or reciting passages from books but others gave a different kind of presentation. Rob Allen read an original composition about how some of the earliest inhabitants of Cutter Gap had come to be there. It wasn't written as a historical outline but as first person accounts of some of the events that they experienced. Everyone in the schoolroom was held captive by the story and there was a spontaneous round of applause when Rob finished.

Zady Spencer worked some mathematic equations and related them to their uses in business, such as showing how to figure how much lumber could be milled from a tree of certain dimensions or how much honey could be counted on when you had x-number of hives and how many bees were needed to fill the hives with honey. Christy knew that most of it was over the heads of the majority of the parents in the room, but she saw genuine interest on Bob Allen's face and unmistakable pride on Neil MacNeill's. Christy decided to speak to the doctor later and see if he thought that Bob Allen might be interested in a mathematics course that he could put into use in his mill. And, as for pride, Zeb Spencer was just a step away from busting his buttons while Fairlight's face reflected amazement at her daughter's knowledge.

One of the most entertaining presentations of the evening was Creed Allen's summation of the book of Genesis or, as Creed so succinctly put it, "How the whole world come ta be in the first place." Christy knew that David had worked with Creed and had approved his…unique….point of view on the subject, so she had no concerns over doctrinal heresy, but she knew that it would be quite a while before folks of the cove would stop talking about Creed's perspective of the first book of the Bible. The highlight came when he was talking about the first chapter of Genesis when God created all the animals and saw that it was good.

"Now, I gotta say that I still cain't figure why God decided to create 'skeeters," Creed Allen said seriously. "They purt near eat me alive last summer. But Doc MacNeill says that if there weren't no 'skeeters then there wouldn't be nothin' fer frogs ta eat. So, since God created 'em an' Doc says frogs 'ud starve without 'em, I guess I'll just hafta learn ta tol'rate 'em."

Christy's eyes shot from David, who had a huge grin plastered across his face, to Neil, whose head was bowed and shoulders were shaking uncontrollably, to Miss Alice, who had her finger placed sideways across her twitching lips. There seemed to be a sudden outbreak of allergies in the room as evidenced by the numerous residents of the cove who suddenly dissolved into coughing fits behind handkerchiefs or were wiping tears from their averted eyes. For her part, Christy could scarcely hold back a fit of giggles over the irony of Neil MacNeill being used as a point of reference in a Bible lesson! It was a fact that she was going to make sure to point out to him at some time in the not too distant future. Upon its completion, Creed's presentation was met with the heartiest round of applause heard all evening.

Christy was also surprised and very proud of her class near the end of the evening. John Spencer and Smith O'Teale came to the front of the room and asked David Grantland and Doctor MacNeill to come forward. The two men eyed each other speculatively but came to stand by the two young men.

"Doc MacNeill, Reverend Grantland, we just wanted to take time to thank you for all you did for us this year," John said. "We know that you're both busy men, but you took the time to come give us special classes in science and in the Good Book. I know that Miz Christy appreciates everything you done, but we wanted to show you that we did too."

At that point, Smith O'Teale handed each man a wooden plaque that was made from the same walnut as the bookshelf that they'd made for Christy. He had carved the inscription "To Dr. Neil MacNeill (or) Reverend David Grantland, in grateful appreciation for your instruction and guidance. The Cutter Gap Mission School, Class of 1913" on each plaque, which had then been stained and polished using the same materials as they'd used on the bookcase.

Both men were genuinely surprised and shook the hands of both of the younger men as the rest of the students, who were soon joined by their parents, applauded their approval.

After they'd returned to their seats, Rob Allen returned to the front of the room and again thanked Christy for the job that she'd done over the last year, repeating much of what he'd said the morning that the class had made the presentation of their gifts to her. As he spoke, Christy looked around the room and looked at the faces of the people there, people who had been strangers to her less than a year ago but whose lives seemed inextricably entwined with hers now. As Rob finished and turned the rest of the evening over to Christy, she took a deep breath to clear the lump from her throat and stood facing the packed school house.

"Given the lateness of the hour and the fact that, as my students have so recently pointed out, I tend to cry at the drop of a hat," Christy began and was met with chuckles around the room, "I'll be brief."

"I just want to thank you. To thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach your wonderful children for the past year. You have allowed me to watch them learn and grow in ways that I could have never imagined when I arrived here. I know that I'm supposed to be the teacher, but I learn from them every single day and I can't begin to express to you the joy that they bring to me."

Every eye was trained on the small figure at the front of the room, the majority of them looking at her with affection, respect or both.

"And I want to thank you for allowing me to become a part of your lives here," she said, her eyes roving over the crowd of faces. "When I got off that train in El Pano last year, I stepped into a world that was completely different than the one that I knew. I was excited about being here, but I was afraid as well. I was afraid that I wouldn't fit in and that I wouldn't be up to the job of teaching. So I prayed to God and told him that, if He thought He could use me…then, here I was. And even though it hasn't always been easy, it's been the most fulfilling year of my life. God has put people in my path who have helped me to grow and see things with new eyes, and I've developed friendships with some of you that are deeper and richer than any that I've ever experienced. So, I want to thank you for allowing me to come here and live amongst you and make a home for myself."

Jeb Spencer had to put his arm around Fairlight as he saw the tears trickling down her face. Alice Henderson's eyes were also unusually bright, while David Grantland's shone with his feelings for the young woman standing in front of them. Neil MacNeill simply had to look away; his throat was thick with emotion and he was afraid that what he felt in his heart was surely written all over his face. So he simply looked down and listened to Christy's sweet voice as she finished speaking.

"Now, to end with, I'd like to thank all of you for coming tonight. Don't forget to look at all of the students artwork that's hanging on the walls and remember to take them home with you. And, to my students, for the final time this year," Christy paused, smiling at the children who had become so precious to her, "You're dismissed."

There was the expected buzz of voices as the children and adults began talking about the evening. The adults exclaimed to each other in amazement over the previously unknown talents that each child seemed to possess, and the children laughed and giggled over mistakes and baubles that they'd made, while being assured that no one had noticed them.

Christy was surrounded for quite a while by parents and students alike. She and Fairlight embraced for a long moment, and Christy whispered in her ear that if she'd had an award for the most inspiring student that she'd taught that year, it would be her. They made a date to go rambling along the creek soon.

Alice Henderson came up and took her hands and simply said, "Well done, Miss Huddleston. Very well done, indeed." Christy knew that she wasn't just talking about the evening and knew that she'd be eternally grateful for her friendship with this wise, wonderful woman.

David leaned down and whispered that she'd never looked more beautiful than she had that evening and hoped that, now that school was over, they could make more time to enjoy each other's company. He also said that everyone that had spoken to him that night had done nothing but sing her praises and that she should be proud of all she'd accomplished during the past year. Christy smiled at him... he was _such_ a good man…but for reasons that she couldn't quite explain, it vaguely irked her that he'd mentioned her accomplishments _after_ he'd commented on her appearance. And he had almost made it sound as if school had been preventing them from spending time together. But, it was late and perhaps she was being overly sensitive.

She'd seen Doctor MacNeill speaking to various families and couldn't help but smile when she'd seen him speaking to Smith and Becky O'Teale and then bend over to praise Mountie on her recitation. She'd memorized her piece and performed it perfectly, without a pause or a stutter. It seemed that the little girl and the doctor had developed quite a friendship over the past few days.

Christy was standing at the side of her desk and had just finished speaking with Mary Allen when she turned and nearly ran into the very man that she'd just been thinking about. Neil was standing by her desk, looking down at the large bouquet of wildflowers in the mason jar. She'd decided to leave it on her desk until after the program that evening and Mountie had brought a few new blooms that morning to replace the ones that were wilting. It still looked beautiful and the blue ribbon gave an air of distinction to the humble mason jar. Neil had been absently toying with one of the daffodils in the arrangement.

"I'm glad that you were able to come tonight, Neil," Christy smiled, looking up into his eyes. "I was hoping that you wouldn't have an emergency to tend to."

"No, everyone managed to stay hale and hardy in the cove tonight," he replied. "I'm glad too; I would have hated to have missed this evening. You did a fine job with the program."

"No, really," she said, shaking her head. "It was the children who did all the work, I just planned it."

"You really are miserable at accepting a compliment, aren't you Miss Huddleston?" the doctor said, his tone teasing and causing her to laugh.

"Isn't there an old saying about birds of a feather flocking together?" she teased back.

"Point taken," he said, smiling as he looked around the school room. "I have to admit, I'm going to miss this place a bit. I'd come to enjoy the chemistry lessons every week."

"Well, you can still visit. The building _is_ opened on Sundays, you know," she said, not pushing the point but, rather, extending a gentle invitation.

"Well now, if you can guarantee that Creed Allen would be delivering the sermon, I'd be tempted to take you up on your offer," Neil said, his lips quirking. "I think that boy has a definite future in the pulpit."

"Creed Allen as a preacher," Christy said, her eyes glazing a bit as she shook her head. "The thought nearly renders me speechless."

Christy suddenly noticed the plaque that he was holding under his arm and she reached out to touch it.

"May I see this?" she asked, holding it carefully as he handed it to her. "I didn't know that they were going to do this for David and you, but I'm glad they did. The two of you have been such a help this year, I'm truly grateful to both of you."

"It was a pleasure," Neil said, watching as her small fingers traced the scrollwork that Smith O'Teale had carved into the corners of the plaque.

"He did a beautiful job, didn't he?" Christy commented. "He carved the vine detailing on the bookcase too. I wonder if he'd ever be able to get an apprenticeship with one of the furniture makers in Knoxville.

"You never stop, do you?" Neil asked, gently.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up at him.

"You never stop thinking about how to help those children, do you? You're always thinking of ways to make their life better," he said, his eyes soft as they looked into hers.

"You do it, too," she said. "Look at your kindness towards Mountie. No….now who is it who can't take a compliment?" she asked as he looked down and started to shake his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Helping her make a card may have been just a small thing to you, but it was important to her. You made a difference in her life."

"And you do that every day," Neil replied, his voice as soft and low as she'd ever heard it as he looked back up at her. "With everyone you meet. You thanked people tonight for letting you come and make a home for yourself in Cutter Gap, but the truth is that we're lucky to have you here. _I'm_ glad you came here, Christy….I can't tell you how glad."

The last words were the most truthful and, at the same time, the most difficult that Neil MacNeill had ever uttered. He couldn't tell her how very thankful he was that she'd come into his life because he wasn't free to do so. He couldn't tell her what she meant to him and that, oftentimes, her face was the last thing that he thought of before he went to sleep at nights. He couldn't say any of that…..but he could stand here and look into those blue, blue eyes for just a moment longer.

"Hey, MacNeill," David's voice made it's way into their consciousness as Neil and Christy broke eye contact and looked towards him. "Can you grab the other end of this bookcase and help carry it to the Mission? Christy, do you want it to go in your room?"

"Yes, could you put it on the right side of my bed, please?" Christy asked.

She walked over and quickly removed the quilt, which she folded and handed to Ruby Mae to carry, and then gathered the card and leaves that Mountie had given to her before the doctor and the preacher picked up either end of the bookcase and started out the door with it.

Everyone else had left and the rest of the lights had been extinguished, so Christy returned to her desk to pick up the bouquet of flowers and blow out the last lamp. There was a full moon outside so she wouldn't need a lantern to follow the others to the mission. As she reached for the mason jar, her hand stopped in midair. The ribbon… the ribbon was gone. She knew that it had been there just a few moments ago, she'd seen it when Neil had been toying with some of the flowers in the bouquet just before he'd handed the plaque to her….just before she'd turned away towards the lamp to read the inscription that had been carved into the wood…

"Christy, are you coming?" she heard David shout. "We're waiting for you and this thing is heavy!"

"Yes…yes, I'm coming," Christy said, a small smile curving her lips.

She quickly blew out the lamp and picked up Neil's plaque and the jar that held the flowers then headed towards the door. As she walked down the aisle, memories of the past year that she'd spent in this room with the children flooded her thoughts. She pulled the doors shut behind her and turned to go down the stairs, her eyes lighting on the two men standing in the moonlight waiting for her.

As she walked across the yard to join them, she knew that she had no idea what challenges would come her way in the following year, but she had faith that her Father in Heaven would be by her side to lead her. And she thanked Him for the immeasurable, bountiful gifts that He had heaped upon her this last year. The gifts of belonging, of friendship and…..of love.


End file.
