Vincent returned below, and as he walked through the tunnels, he grew concerned wondering if he had extinguished the torch's flame, in the restoration chamber earlier that afternoon.
As he neared the chamber, he could see the blazing torch flame reflecting onto the adjacent tunnel wall, and felt thankful it struck him, to go back and check.
Before he put out the torch, he thoughtfully stood, as he looked over to Anna's desk. Smiling, he recalled Catherine was very anxious, to show him the varnish she had picked up for it.
As he lovingly ran his hand over the fine wood, he considered their time together was so lovely, she had forgotten to show him.
He then took the key from the wooden drawer and lifted the pictures once more to gaze upon them.
Perhaps finding these pictures now, with Mother's Day just days away, was an omen, a gift. Vincent truly had something tangible to hang on to now, a photograph that depicted a Mother's love toward him. His desire to know more about his birth mother had lessened, and Anna was now rightly glorified more deeply in his heart.
Vincent gently returned the pictures in their place when he noticed a small bottle, a vile of some sort, resting on its side. He picked it up, and found a note attached to it. The note was faded, and as Vincent stepped closer to the torchlight he read aloud:
Dearest Peter,
This is a portion of the medicine John has been giving to me. Please test
it, and let me know what it is for.
I fear I have some sort of fatal disease, and John is treating me secretly, as not to cause me worry. However, for Vincent's sake, I want to know if I am dying so I may make arrangements for his care. Please help me Peter.
Love Anna
Vincent stood silent, and felt as if he had been delivered a punch to his gut that took his breath away. Here he was holding a note Anna never had the chance to deliver.
He looked to the vile once more, and though the liquid had long since dissipated, he could see a residue had settled on the bottom. Hopefully this residue could be tested, and they would then know if Paracelsus had indeed been poisoning Anna.
Vincent put out the flame, and he then returned to his chamber. He would have to wait until the appropriate hour to go, and discuss the vile he had just discovered with Jacob.
Though Vincent reclined, however...he would not rest, as his mind was spinning and he could not wait to get this vile into Peter's hands.
Meanwhile, the spying drone returned to the far depths below the tunnels, and he informed Paracelsus what Vincent had found.
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Meanwhile, as the day in the tunnels was beginning, Vincent greeted Jacob in his chamber, and showed him what he had found.
As Jacob finished reading the note Anna had written, he was astounded at this newly discovered evidence, and agreed with Vincent that the residue would certainly be enough for any diagnostic testing.
Jacob decided that he himself would go above, and deliver the vile to Peter. To which Vincent reminded his father of Peter's coming to work on his chamber in the late afternoon.
Saying they would waste a valuable day or so getting the residue tested, he insisted, saying, "Anna has waited long enough for justice. I will take it today."
Worriedly, Vincent cautioned, "Be careful Father, please."
To which Jacob said, "Yes Vincent...indeed I will. Send word to Peter via Lou for me. I would like him to be forewarned I am coming above to see him. Inform him I shall be there around 2:00."
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Meanwhile, the morning was busy for Catherine. After the movers had left, she had hired a cleaning company to come in and clean the carpeting, and the walls, so it would be completely ready for Jennifer.
And on the other part of town, Jennifer was so thankful, her boss gave her the afternoon off. And so happily, she came bursting into Catherine's apartment to check on how things were going.
Happily, Catherine hugged her friend, and with emotion, said, "Things are moving right along Jen. And I have to tell you, this move would have been far more emotional for me, if it would have been anyone else but you moving in. I love knowing you will be here."
Excitedly, Jennifer replied, "I know it has been a major decision for you Cath...but I know you are doing the right thing, and your new chamber Vinny has fixed up for you is so cool! I mean it is like an underground condo!"
She then swooned, "And I am going to love it here! Just imagine Air Conditioning that really works! Just in time for the long hot summer too. No more feeling like a cat on a hot tin roof!"
Catherine told Jennifer, the carpeting was still a bit damp, but if she lay some towels down as runners, she could start moving in some of the smaller things if she wanted. Catherine offered to help her until her Doctor's appointment with Peter at 2:00.
The girls spent the next few hours hauling some of the smaller boxes, suitcases, and the precious cargo, namely Felix and Gonzy, from Jennifer's old apartment, over to Catherine's.
Jennifer's movers were scheduled for Friday morning, and they would be handling all of the big stuff!
Sitting at the little patio set, Catherine was leaving for Jennifer, they talked, as they enjoyed a glass of iced tea, relaxing a bit after all their busy work.
Catherine mentioned she would not be coming back. After her doctors appointment, she was going to head directly down to the tunnels.
Jennifer then asked how Vincent liked the varnish she had chosen, and Catherine laughed as she explained, "I don't know, I completely forgot to show him last night. So I can't wait to show him when I see him today. I hope he will like it."
Suspiciously, Jennifer asked, "How could you forget to show him? Yesterday, you must have said at least 100 times, of how you could not wait to show him!"
Catherine looked at her friend, and with a shrug of her shoulders, said, "I guess we got side-tracked."
Jennifer looked at her friend, as she suspiciously asked, "Sidetracked? Are you telling me you did it last night?"
To which Catherine laughed and said, "No Jen, we didn't do "It" but we did have the most romantic evening, and we just talked and reminisced about the times we shared here...it could not have been a more perfect night."
Catherine then teasingly threatened, "Just wait until you and Ronald go out on your first date. I just might ask you some personal questions!"
Jennifer laughed and deviously said, "Well, IF we have a first date...I will gladly tell you every last detail!"
Catherine nodded knowingly and said, "Yes, and you will probably tell me more than I will want to know!"
Jennifer leaned back, and sighed, as she said, "Ronny is so sweet, and yet so hunky...do you know what I mean?"
Jennifer then sat up and noted, "Like Vincent!"
And then she asked, "Does Vincent do squats? Cuz I mean those thigh muscles of his..."
Catherine burst out laughing, as she admitted, "You know Jen...I believe he does!"
Catherine kept laughing as she looked at the clock and said, "I suppose I should head over to Peter's office. It is a little early, but maybe if I go now, he can sneak me in."
The girls stood up, to hug one another, and Catherine had tears in her eyes, as she said, "I hope you will be happy here Jen. I sure was."
They were walking to the door, when the phone began to ring. It was Peter's nurse calling to say they were sorry to call at such short notice, but something very important came up, and they would be in touch to reschedule. Catherine couldn't know it was because of Jacob that her plans had suddenly changed.
And so as Catherine hung up the phone, she told Jennifer, "My appointment was cancelled for today! Now I can head down to the tunnels earlier than I planned!"
They then made plans for Jennifer to visit the tunnels on Tuesday night, for Mary's Reading Appreciation Class, and as Catherine rushed out, she accidentally left the can of varnish by the phone.
By the time Jennifer noticed, she rushed out just in time to see Catherine's elevator door closing. Jennifer thought, "Oh no, I better go down too, and catch Cathy. She will be so disappointed she forgot the varnish!"
And so she quickly grabbed her key ring, and locked the apartment door, and took the next elevator down to the basement.
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Meanwhile Jacob and Vincent were at the crossroads of the tunnels, when Jamie came running up to Vincent saying, Mouse needed his help to hold up the wagon so he can repair the wheel.
To which Vincent replied, "I will be there after I escort Father to the threshold."
Nonchalantly, Jacob said, "Go on my boy, I will be fine. Go help them, they sound as if they are in quite a dire happenstance!"
To which Jamie anxiously inserted, "We are! Everything is about to spill out of the wagon!"
Realizing it did sound urgent, Vincent hugged his Father, and once again, reminded him to be careful in his travels above.
Meanwhile, Paracelsus, who's drones had been keeping him apprised of all that was about to transpire, had his plan put into place! He would capture Jacob, before he could deliver the vile to Peter!
To be continued
Chapter Eight
| A Dream Within a Dream! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Seven |
