Neil gazed at a medical journal as he sat by Margaret's bedside. She was sleeping fitfully. Neil saw the words but they all ran together and looked like gibberish. He had not been able to concentrate since he saw Christy at the train station. He had been distracted enough without knowing SHE was just a few blocks away.
Then Neil heard her. Christy! He could not hear her words but he heard her shortly say something. Neil jumped and turned around to face the open door. He saw her. She had the most tightlipped smile on her face. Her voice, when she spoke, was patronizing. Neil had never seen her more false than she was now. Christy obviously wanted to get out of there.
Neil noticed the young man from the train station was with her. He was sure it was George now. Another young man, older than Christy, was talking rapidly to her. She wore the most artificial smile on her face as he obviously was trying to impress her. She was inattentive and looked like she was about to flee.
So this was what she had complained about. False words, fronts, deception. He could see how sad she was. He wondered about what. He wanted to comfort her but knew it would be a mistake to let her know that he was in the city. She would know eventually, though, since Alice was coming. Alice would probably contact Christy.
Neil realized if Christy glanced over her shoulder even a little she would see him and Margaret. He could not have that. He crept to the door and shut it hastily.
Christy turned as she spotted movement and the door shut abruptly in her face. She gasped as she thought she caught sight of Margaret. Surely not! Christy was about to look at the chart next to the door when George grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall.
Her mind was racing. Not Margaret! That would mean Neil, too! But he would surely let her know he was going to be there, wouldn't he? Christy already knew that answer was negative. It had been a quick glance. Maybe it was not Margaret. Maybe it was. Was it?
Christy was perturbed as her father picked her up at the hospital. He had a short day in court and she would not have to wait with him long. She remembered sitting in the courtroom when a particular case fascinated her as a girl and had the same feeling of anxiety.
Christy could not help but wonder if that was due to thinking she saw Margaret or going to the courthouse again. She had a feeling the former was the probable culprit.
"You look even more preoccupied than you did last night."
Christy turned to her father, startled. They were walking up the courthouse steps together. "Do I?"
William nodded and said a short greeting to a colleague he was familiar with. Christy offered a small smile of recognition to the man. "But, right now, I have to prosecute this case," William said. "I'll only be an hour or so. It's just a meeting with Judge Thayer. Coming inside?"
Christy nodded. "It's been a while since I've seen you fight."
William Huddleston grinned. "I was hoping you would say that," he informed her. Turning more serious, he said, "I wish I could talk to you. You really have me worried, little miss."
Christy shook her head, putting off his concern. "Don't worry about me, Daddy."
"Is there a particular reason you left Cutter Gap?" asked William wisely. "I know you love it there. And it's always had the capabilities of comforting you when nothing else could. And the children, too."
"I just needed to come here for a little while," Christy replied. Anxious about his continued, growing concern, she tried a Creed Allen tactic to get the subject off herself. Humor. "Can't a girl come home and see her family?" Christy demanded playfully.
"But when it's the girl who all but ran away from home, Christy, I get surprised when she flees home to take a vacation," William replied knowingly.
"Part of it is David, Daddy, so you won't worry," she finally admitted. "He proposed again and I can't think when he's right with me."
"I doubt he'll give up on you anytime in the near future," William Huddleston said thoughtfully. "He really should give you more space than he does."
"He promises to stay in Cutter Gap until I'm ready to go," Christy said, feeling the need to defend her suitor. "And he wasn't willing to do that for me before."
"I won't argue with you about his affections," William said. "You would be a great lawyer, by the way." Christy managed a slight smile. Ever since he found she had a strong spirit, he had been coaxing her to go into law. "All I'm saying is he might not be so different from the young men here. He's from the same society as you, Christy, and our society says that woman are pretty faces on an arm."
"David's not like that," she replied hastily. But David had shown those signs a few times. But he had been born and raised that way. Surely he could not be expected to put off every single influence from Boston.
"I won't argue what I don't know," William said. "Especially not with you," he added affectionately. "I'm just saying to be careful."
"I am, Daddy," Christy replied quietly.
"Good," William replied. A light tone crept into his voice. "I don't want to see my favorite daughter ruin the rest of her life because she refused to see the truth."
Christy decided to not comment on the rest of his statement and concentrated on the lighter part. "I'm your only daughter," she replied.
"That would make you my favorite, now wouldn't it?" William bantered.
"That would also make me your least favorite."
William laughed and opened the door for her leading to the courtroom. "I told you I won't argue with you."
Christy managed something more of a smile as she took her seat in the back of the courtroom. She was happy to be with her father again. She knew he missed her a lot and she missed him, too. But Christy felt more homesick here than she did in Cutter Gap. She knew home and she knew she was going back.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Neil went into the hall from the judge's chambers. People pushed and shoved around him, hustling and bustling to get to other places. He did not blame them for not wanting to stay in a courthouse. The situation which brought one there was rarely, if ever, pleasant.
The doctor stared at the piece of paper in his hands. It was final. The judge made it so. Neil leaned back against the railing and stared at the paper in awe as the people walked in front of him. Most of them were lawyers, he was sure. Lawyers and clients. Maybe a grieving family here and there. But all he could think about was the paper in his hands. He felt slightly selfish for it but, nevertheless, it was how he felt.
"Dr.MacNeill?"
The doctor looked up and dreaded the face he saw. William Huddleston. Of course. Christy's father was a lawyer. Neil shoved the paper in his pocket rather quickly as his mind scrambled to find a way to cordially make his exit. Christy was not with William at least.
"William, hullo," replied Neil hesitantly.
"What are you doing in Asheville?" the lawyer asked, pleased to be seeing his daughter's friend and the special physician who gave him his life back.
"Just some business t' attend t'," Neil replied vaguely.
"Christy didn't mention you were in Asheville," William continued, unaware of the doctor's anxiety. The last thing Neil wanted was a confrontation in the courthouse with the 'spunky' young woman.
"No, no, I didna tell her," said Neil.
"All right, Daddy, I've been on errands with you and George all day and I'm...." Christy approached the two and her voice trailed off when she saw the doctor standing with her father. "Neil!" she said in surprise. She immediately corrected herself. "Doctor-Doctor MacNeill... what are-what are you doing here?"
The look on her face was priceless. She was completely shocked. She had no idea what to think and it was obvious by the expression her eyes showed. "I, um...." Neil found it hard to talk to her with that look in her eyes and admonished himself, putting on a more businesslike tone. "Margaret's been doing worse. I thought t' bring her here since I know good doctors here."
"You must stay with us," William said while his daughter recovered from her shock. Christy then knew the woman in the hospital had been Margaret and, more than likely, the one to shut the door had been Neil. "Christy?"
Christy snapped her eyes to her father. She realized she had been staring at the doctor in her initial shock. "Hmm? Yes, yes, of course, Doctor, you should stay with us," Christy agreed as her senses returned.
Neil's mind again searched eagerly for an excuse, any excuse. The truth was he wanted to stay with them. But he did not think it would be such a good idea for Margaret's health. How could Neil say that? Then they would want to know how it would affect Margaret. Neil would feel obligated to tell the truth. That he could not do. He could not tell them it would upset Margaret that he was staying with the woman he loved with all his heart; Christy Huddleston.
"I don na want t' impose," Neil attempted.
"Impose?" repeated William incredulously. "There's no imposing. You're Christy's friend and you've done so much for me. I welcome the opportunity to pay you back more."
Neil was trapped and he knew it. He would tell Margaret. He would have no choice. But would she be OK with it? Neil hoped so. He already was comforted just by being near Christy. She had that odd effect on him.
"Thank yoo," Neil said, glad and disappointed he could not talk his way out of it. He could see Christy was upset he had not told her he was in Asheville, and that he left without saying anything. Neil suddenly realized he missed the recitation day. He felt guilty about that but what was he going to do? What could he have done?
Christy was furious and hurt. Why was he all of sudden so distant from her? It hurt her.
As the threesome left the courthouse, Christy drew from God's compassion and love and prayed for Margaret to get better.