By
Sharon Holtz
Chapter Six
Jacob looked up from the teacup he was holding, and stood to acknowledge Vincent and Lisa’s presence at his Chamber threshold. Politely he said, "Do come in.”
Lisa floated in, as she greeted Jacob, and sweetly said, "Father, I am pleased you allowed time for this meeting.”
Vincent followed behind, and observed the two before him, wondering if Lisa would really be able to pull this off. After all, winning Jacob over was never an easy task for anyone. And Vincent knew he was already "on guard” concerning Lisa. So with curiosity, Vincent wondered what was going to happen!
Stopping at his table, Jacob offered, "Sit down, please, both of you sit down. Now tell me what this is all about.”
After Lisa settled in, she cleared her throat of any nervousness, and began, "First of all, allow me to say, how I am pleased to be back home. There is no place like this throughout all the world. In my travels, I have always found myself searching, searching for somewhere that could compare. But no place ever has. Yes, though I have seen some of the most beautiful wonders of the world, it was here, I always longed to be. But I do not wish to be just a guest here. No Father, I want to contribute. I long to give, give of my talents, the very talent you nourished, and nurtured in me as I grew up. I would like to teach dance to the children. Provide a dance class to all who wish to learn."
Concisely, she offered, "The Great Hall is seldom used, and if you permit, we could have our dance classes there. Oh the acoustics of that room…”
Jacob subtlety interrupted, "So you do plan to stay?”
Surprised by Jacob's question, Lisa answered, "Why yes Father, I feel as if I am home to stay.”
Suddenly realizing, she needed Jacob's permission to do so, she pleadingly asked, "Oh Father may I? May I stay?”
Lisa's question caught Jacob totally caught off guard! He knew in his heart, he couldn't send her away. Not with the danger awaiting her above. Because after testifying and squelching the ring that her "arms broker boyfriend” had going, well, there could be a few people out to get her.
Reluctantly, Jacob conceded, "Yes Lisa, of course you may stay. We would never ask you to leave when you could be in danger in the world above!”
Lisa heaved a sigh of relief, and asked, "And the dance class? Father? Do I have your permission to
teach the children?"
Looking down as Jacob pondered the levity of his answer, he considered that YES would mean Lisa was totally accepted as part of the tunnel community again, and NO would make him look like an ogre for not allowing Lisa’s request for the dance class.
Jacob did not want to have dissension amongst the ranks! And so he calculated all his options, before he answered, "You may arrange your lessons TEMPORARILY! Only once a week for now. I will not allow "Dance" to become an obsession for the children, as it became for you. I recollect, once you started to dance, all your other studies suffered."
In a stern tone, Jacob warned, "If I see a drop in the children’s interest in other areas of study, and if their performance in other areas wane, then the lessons must, and WILL be terminated. Is that understood?”
Lisa smiled at Jacob, and replied, "Understood, and Father? I will say that is a fair proposition. I will not let you down.”
Not wanting Lisa to think she had duped him, Jacob solemnly replied, "Very well then Lisa. You are excused.”
Vincent bent his head, feeling a bit uncomfortable by his Father’s coolness, thought the chill in the air was palpable!
Politely, Lisa answered, "Thank you Father, the children are due to come by shortly to rehearse a number with me.”
Surprised, she already had a class planned with the children, Jacob sternly asked, "A session was planned BEFORE our meeting?”
Charmingly, she turned around to explain, "Oh no Father, not a dance class. This is for the concert tonight. I offered to help them with the opening number, that's all.”
Satisfied with her answer, Jacob nodded and said, "I see Lisa. Good day then.”
Lisa smiled slyly at Vincent as she passed by him, and gave him a wink on her way out of Jacob’s chamber, and said, "Thank you Vincent. I will see you later. I must run and get organized before the children arrive.”
Vincent politely answered, "You're welcome Lisa.”
Discreetly, he then raised his eyes to look at Jacob, and although Vincent did not want to be the recipient of his Father’s wrath, he preferred to get it over with. And so he held on for dear life, as he began his ranting, and said, "I cannot believe I let her have her way! She needed to pay some dues around here, and prove herself first. Why did I give in so easily? I hope I have done the right thing.”
Resting a reassuring hand on his Father’s shoulder, Vincent told him, "I don’t see how any harm can be done. The exercise will be good for the children. Please don’t upset yourself.”
Nodding yes, Jacob replied, "I suppose you are right.”
Hesitating, before bringing up the more difficult subject, he asked, "Vincent? Have you and Lisa discussed the incident at all yet?”
Vincent was totally unprepared for tis question! Shamefully, he answered, "No Father, I know I told you, I would face these issues, but it is hard for me to broach the subject. The night Lisa came here to the tunnels for refuge, she told me, she did not want to talk about it, or acknowledge it, she only wanted to remember the happy times here. She did tell me however, she knew you blamed her.”
Angrily, Jacob said, "She doesn’t want to discuss it, because she feels responsible, that’s why! And yes I did, and I do blame her!”
Vincent shook his head as he relayed, "It wasn’t all Lisa, as you would want to think. I am the one who harmed her, because I wanted her! And Father you must have known I loved her! That WAS the reason you sent her away, wasn’t it Father?”
Jacob turned around, and slowly, he lowered himself to his chair. His mind was clouded with those dark days gone by, and finally, he sadly answered, "Yes Vincent, I only did what I thought was best. Tell me was I wrong? Perhaps if I hadn’t sent her away, you would have come to terms with this long ago.”
Vincent went over to his Father, and bent to kneel at his side. Looking downward Vincent told him, "Father, I cannot say if you were right or wrong. All I know is the truth of who we are, is something that must be faced, not ignored.”
Jacob patted his son’s hand, and said, "Yes Vincent, yes. Then you will be speaking to Lisa?”
Vincent stood, and told Jacob with much resolve, "I must Father, I must, I cannot put it off. I feel this is coming between Catherine and I, and I don’t want to hurt her.”
Jacob nodded at him in agreement, before asking, "Speaking of Catherine, have you righted the oversight, concerning the concert tonight my boy? I fear without an invitation from you, well, I imagine Catherine would be hesitant to come. The children said she did not give them a definite answer.”
Vincent thoughtfully agreed with his Father, then relayed, "Yes, I am going to send word to her right now with one of the runners, expressing my desire for her to join us tonight.”
Just then, Mary arrived with a note from Peter, and asked, "Father, may I intrude for a moment?”
Greeting Mary warmly, Jacob said, "Ah Mary do come in, may I offer you some tea?”
Blushing a bit because of Jacob's attention, she answered, "Oh no Father, it is a busy morning. It would be wrong of me to take time out for a personal pleasure when there is simply too much to be done! No I just wanted to deliver this to you. It is from Peter."
Taking the note from Mary, Jacob warmly smiled, saying, "Thank you Mary.”
With a nod, Mary smiled back, and then at Vincent, to say, "Have a nice day.”
Vincent tipped his head, as he couldn't help but notice, Jacob did not take his eyes off Mary for a second, as she exited the chamber!
Quizzically, he teasingly asked, "Mary looks lovely today, don’t you think?”
In a far off voice, Jacob answered, "Why yes, yes she does.”
Shaking his head a bit from his image of Mary, in a business like manner, Jacob said, "Now let us see what Peter has to say. Ah he will be attending the concert tonight, and Catherine will be accompanying him. Ah very good. Vincent it looks as if your Catherine will be coming tonight after all.”
Heaving a thankful sigh, Vincent replied, "That is good news.”
Jacob, thinking about the blocked tunnel Mouse wanted assistance with earlier, he asked, "What happened with Mouse earlier? Did you explain the importance of not disturbing that opening?”
Nodding, Vincent replied, "Yes I did Father, still he seemed certain it could be done. I warned him you did not want it tampered with, so I hope he will for once, listen to reason.”
Supposedly, Jacob said, "Perhaps I should speak to him as well. Send him to me when you see him will you?”
As Vincent exited, he replied, "Of course I will Father.”
Wanting to encourage his troubled son, he added, "And Vincent, good luck to you when you have your talk with Lisa.”
With a nod, Vincent thanked his Father.
Meanwhile, Lisa warmly welcomed the children as they entered her chamber, excitedly saying, "Do come in children. Samantha I would like you to pass these papers out to everyone. I took a few moments to outline the opening number for everyone. As you can see, Samantha and Eric will be opening the show with a waltz across the stage. And you two shall twirl out of sight. At that point Kipper will lead the others on to the stage and begin to sing the song you have been practicing with
Rolley, "Edelweiss”. The two center children shall part away at the chorus, and Eric and Samantha will then reappear in the center of the line and join in with the song. Now let us go through it, shall we?”
The children enthusiastically rehearsed the opening number, and had it down in no time. Except for poor Eric who was having trouble with the twirling aspect of the number!
Samantha who was very impressed with Lisa, approached her to ask, "Do you think you will be staying with us for very long?”
Thinking this would be a good time to present the dance class she would like to teach, she gathered the children, and then said, "Children, I want you all to hear this exciting news together. Samantha just asked if I am staying. The answer is Yes. I am, and Father has given me permission to start my own dance class. I will be teaching dance to any of you who are interested in learning.”
All the children clamored around Lisa, and voiced their desire to learn. Lisa stood there in the middle of the adoring children thinking to herself, "Yes, how grand this will be!”
To be continued
