By
Sharon Holtz
Chapter Eight
As Catherine and Peter entered the tunnels, they passed Pascal who was going back to the Pipe Chamber.
Peter jokingly said, "Hey, you’re going the wrong way Pascal! The concert is this way!”
Smiling, Pascal replied, "I won’t be attending, I must get back to work. I shouldn’t have left the pipes at all, except Vincent needed help with some rearranging in the Dining Hall. We had to move some of the tables to accommodate the opening song for the concert this evening. I was there while they rehearsed, and so I can sincerely say, it will be one of the finest concerts the children have put on yet.”
Pascal then turned to Catherine and graciously said, "Catherine, the children will be glad you are here tonight. I heard them say they hoped you would be able to come.”
Needing to hear some encouraging words proving she belonged here, Catherine warmly said, "Thank you. That makes me feel so good knowing that."
Taken back a bit by these kind words, from "A" usually very shy Pascal, Catherine reflected on their relationship. It had been an easy friendship, based on a limited level. They never really discussed anything too personal before, just kind of stuck to universal topics. But Catherine knew she liked him, and found Pascal to be quite interesting, maybe even a bit mysterious in a curious sort of way. She wondered what it was that drove him! What was it inside his heart, which made it so easy to give up all else, for his job? She decided for Pascal, his work was more of a vocation rather than a job. It was a service he performed for the tunnel community, a duty he executed gladly. So like his Father before him, he made the Pipe Chamber his life.
Anxious to get back to work, Pascal started walking backwards as he said, "In case you want Vincent, he was headed for the Library where the children are getting ready."
As they bade a good evening to Pascal, Peter’s beeper sounded off. Disappointedly, he noted, "I have to answer this.”
To which Catherine understandably said, "Of course.”
With hope, Peter speculated, "It might be something as easy as phoning in a prescription. Hopefully I will be back in no time. I’m sorry Kiddo.”
Giving Peter a kiss on the cheek, Catherine secretly dreaded going without him, now with Lisa here, she felt a bit shaken with her position with the children, and with Vincent.
Good-naturedly though, she assured Peter, "I will go on ahead, I’ll be fine.”
In a fatherly tone, Peter said, "OK, save me a seat.”
Catherine headed for the Library on her own, feeling very anxious to see Vincent. As she stood in the darkened doorway, she was just about to enter when she heard Lisa tell Eric, "No Eric, remember to hold your partner tenderly, here let Vincent and I show you. Vincent would you be so kind? If I remember correctly you are an excellent dancer.”
Vincent though reluctant at first, stepped forward, to take Lisa’s outstretched hand.
They stood for a moment in each other's arms, before they began. At first, Vincent felt nervous holding Lisa, being this close to her, and so it would seem, she could still intimidate Vincent, and because of their past held a power over him!
She had such a presence, she had an aura of such magnitude, that could not be ignored. She always needed a lot of attention, and loved having adoring eyes on her. And Vincent as a young boy did adore her. She was so beautiful, and now being with her again down in the tunnels it all came flooding back. The good times too. Yes, Vincent did enjoy the feeling of being connected with the person he once considered his childhood friend. They did everything together. They all did.
There was Devin, Pascal, Rebecca, and Winslow, they had a wonderful camaraderie growing up. They would play games together, study along side one another, and when they were much younger in the days before any adolescent self-consciousness crept in, they swam carefree, skinny-dipping in the pond, below the falls. Yes, they shared everything a childhood encompasses.
As the nervousness left him, he focused on those good times, and Vincent was able to look down at Lisa, with the warmth one would hold for a long lost friend.
As they waltzed about the room, Vincent for that moment, felt comfortable with Lisa. And it pleased him to hear the squeals of delight from the children as they danced. For them to see Vincent dance was a remarkable sight. Oh what a treat for the children.
Catherine stood there as she watched them dance, and she saw how Vincent beamed as he whirled Lisa about the room, and Lisa smiled, and swooned as she swayed to Vincent’s moves.
As they completed the demonstration for the children, an elated Lisa said, "Thank you Vincent! Yes, I DID remember correctly, you DO dance divinely!”
Vincent bowed graciously, and told Lisa, "You dance divinely as well Lisa.”
Turning to Eric, Vincent told him, "Eric, perhaps you should practice with Samantha again. You will get it, it just takes practice.”
Looking up at Vincent, Lisa asked, "I wonder how many hours do you think we danced together in the Great Hall? Too many to count, I am sure, however, I do remember those times with a great fondness!”
Nodding agreeably, Vincent answered, "I remember those times with fondness as well Lisa.”
He then returned Lisa’s gaze, as she smiled at him lovingly, when suddenly, he remembered there were a few finishing touches yet to be done in the Dining Hall.
As he prepared to leave, he told the children, "I hope all goes well everyone.” Turning then to Lisa, he encouragingly said, "You have done a wonderful job here with the children.”
Moved by Vincent's encouraging words, Lisa replied, "It is because of you giving me another chance. I will see you after the show, and Vincent, we can have that talk."
Sincerely, Vincent replied, "Till then Lisa."
As Vincent began to approach the threshold where she stood, Catherine was unsure what to do! Should she stay where she was? Should she run and hide? All she DID know, was she was too hurt, and embarrassed to speak with Vincent right now, and if she moved quickly, he wouldn't even know she had been there.
Normally he would have felt her presence, so often he would look up before she even entered a room, sensing her being nearby, was a gift Vincent was given via their connection, their bond. But tonight as he danced with Lisa, he never knew she was present.
Deciding to run, she quickly left the threshold, and then exited the tunnels.
Safely back in her world, she began to cry as the elevator door closed, and she wondered what was happening? Was her worse fear coming to pass? Was Vincent falling back in love with Lisa? The way they danced and looked at each other today, was evidence to Catherine, that this was so.
As an overwhelming urge to escape enveloped Catherine, she wanted to get as far from Vincent as possible.
And so she called Jennifer, to ask if she could still join her and her Mother on their weekend jaunt.
Excitedly Jennifer squealed, "Oh Cathy, how wonderful, we will be by to pick you up shortly, we are just throwing the last of the bags in the car now."
Happy she was not too late to hitch a ride, Catherine replied, "I will be ready." Suddenly remembering she was "Turtle-Sitting", with concern she asked, "Oh Jen, what about Gonzy?"
To which Jennifer stated, "Just put the time released feeder in his bowl. It is in that little red velvet pouch, I left by his little rocks. Believe me he will still be better off at your place than here with Felix."
Catherine took in a deep breath, and told her, "Thank you for letting me come along."
Giggling, Jennifer replied, "Are you crazy? I should be thanking you."
As Jennifer detected a little sadness in Catherine's voice, she inquired, "Hey, are you all right?"
Trying to sound light-hearted, Catherine told her intuitive friend, "We'll talk later O.K.?"
In a nurturing manner, Jennifer answered, "Sure Cath, we'll talk later. We'll be right over to pick you up."
Just as everyone was seated, awaiting the entrance of the children, Vincent took one more look around for Catherine and Peter.
Finally, Vincent saw Peter dash in, and as they gave each other a nod, Vincent wondered where Catherine was! He quickly approached Peter to say, "I thought Catherine was coming with you."
Peter smiled, as he and informed him, "Yes she did Vincent! She's here somewhere, in fact, she was supposed to save me a seat! But where is she? I don't see her."
A very puzzled Vincent, said, "Catherine isn't here Peter. I haven't seen her."
Feeling a little confused himself, Peter said, "My beeper went off just as we were heading for the Library which was where Pascal told us we could find you. I left briefly to answer my page, and Catherine assured me she was fine to continue on to the Library by herself! She was anxious to find you, and she also promised to save me a seat for the concert!"
Worriedly, he asked, "What do you suppose could've happened? Where could she be? Do you think she could have gotten lost?"
As Vincent thought back on the rehearsal in the library, he suddenly felt as if he had been thunderstruck, as he wondered if Catherine could have seen him dancing with Lisa!
Noticing Vincent's color suddenly looked very ashened, Peter worriedly asked, "What is it Vincent, do you know what happened? Use that BOND thing, and see if you know where Catherine is!"
Quietly Vincent answered, "Peter, I am afraid Catherine may have seen something that upset her. Lisa and I were dancing in the Library earlier, showing the children how to waltz."
Instantly discounting that possibility, Vincent declared, "However, if she had been there, I would have known! I would have sensed her!"
Noticing the heavy conversation from afar, Jacob approached, and quickly got the gist of the conversation. And so accusingly, he asked his son, "Are you so sure you would have felt Catherine's presence? You haven't been the same since Lisa arrived here."
Turning toward his Father, he told him, as well as Peter, "What have I done? I am sick at heart thinking Catherine may have misinterpreted what she saw."
Peter filled in some blanks, by explaining Catherine's state of mind earlier in the day. Informatively, he said, "You know Vincent, she almost didn't come tonight. She felt maybe you didn't want her here, since you didn't invite her. I told her, you most likely wanted the children's invitation to be a surprise, and she agreed with me, and so she came, having a renewed faith in your bond. Now if she DID see you and Lisa dancing, well that certainly would have been enough to shake up her confidence in being wanted here."
In surprising agreement, Jacob said, "Indeed!"
Vincent worriedly declared, "I must go to Catherine, I have to explain to her what transpired here."
Peter sternly insisted, "Hurry Vincent, make sure she is all right, and please report to us as soon as possible!"
To be continued
