Meantime, Catherine felt the little hands she was holding, tighten with excitement at the first sight of the tunnels Christmas tree!
Feeling excited herself, Catherine smiled as she looked down at both Joseph and Samantha and asked, “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Oh yes!” Said Samantha, “It is the most beautiful Christmas Tree I have ever seen.”
Excitedly, Joseph looked back at Catherine, and replied, "I think it is awesome! See the snowman? I hung him on the tree right in the front.”
Nodding with approval, Catherine said, “Nice placement Joseph, nice placement.”
And then Eric proudly relayed, "Mary let me hang the Little Drummer Boy ornament. She told me he should have a place of prominence since he was the subject of our Christmas Card this year, so I hung him right smack in the middle!"
To which Catherine replied, "Nice! I like it!"
Just then Natalie reached over for Catherine to hold her, as she said, “I want to show you the Christmas stocking I hung on the tree too!”
And so Catherine happily responded, and as they made the transfer from Vincent's arms to hers, their eyes met. Both thinking how much they loved being together this Christmas Eve, sharing each others families, friends and lives, thinking how much they loved each other.
And as Catherine turned her attention back to Natalie, she said, “Oh I can see the stocking, right there in front. You did a very nice job Natalie.”
It was then, Samantha seized her moment to gain Catherine’s attention, as she informed her, “And I hung the Chinese fan Dr. Wong gave us, see it way up there?”
Looking upward, Catherine asked, “OH my! How did you manage that Samantha, it is higher than even I could reach!”
“Easy.” Said Samantha proudly, “Vincent lifted me.”
With a smile Catherine replied, "Well that explains it."
As their conversation reverted back to the Christmas tree, they discussed other elements it hosted, and Zach told Catherine the Angel on the top, was carved by Cullen, and then shared, "And we all helped make the popcorn and cranberry strings!"
Kipper joined in, and said, "The Gingerbread man was left over from last year, luckily Arthur hadn't eaten it yet! And you probably figured out that Rebecca made the candles..."
To which because Catherine had actually helped and had first hand knowledge, Catherine didn't want to take any of the credit, and so with a smile, she simply replied, "Yeah, I sort of thought so!"
They all began to look over the gifts that had been placed there, and as their excitement piqued, they all agreed they could not wait until morning!
With great curiosity, Samantha looked up at Catherine and asked, “When you were my age, what was Christmas Eve like for you?”
Upon hearing Samantha's question, Catherine glanced at Vincent, and with a questioning look, she was wondering if it was all right to tell about her life above. Privately wondering if it may make the children feel a discontentment of sorts.
But as Vincent picked up on her concerns, he gave her an approving nod, indicating it was all right to share, and so Catherine smiled at Samantha as she said, “Well…” she began, “…when I was your age, we gathered together, just as you do. My parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, Grandma and Grandpa from both sides of the family would come over, and we would share a meal, and sing Christmas carols.”
With great interest, Joseph asked, “So you are saying that you had a Mom, AND a Dad, AND a house?”
To which Samantha inserted, “Of course she had a Dad silly! Her Dad is Charles!”
Catherine serenely answered as she continued, “Yes that’s right Samantha.”
And before Catherine could say anything about her Mom, Joseph asked again, “So...what about a Mom?”
Catherine smiled as she thought about her Mom, and put her emotions aside as she spoke to the children about her, she answered, “Yes, I had a Mom too, a wonderful Mom, but sadly, she died when I was about Zach’s age.”
Catherine then shared, “This was a very sad time for my Dad and I, and we miss her very much.”
Nodding, Kipper said, “Yeah, I miss my Mom too, but everyone here looks after me now.”
To which Catherine thoughtfully replied, "Well, my Dad and I found, that though our lives had tragically changed, it was up to us to find joy in the world. And it is important to know, that one day...you will be happy again.
Zach stood thoughtful for a moment, before he inserted, “I guess it’s like Father says, once in a while you need to have a bad day, so we have something to compare a good day to.”
Liking Zach's analogy, Catherine gave him an approving nod, and it was then, that Joseph deduced, “Ok, back to telling us about when you were a kid, so Catherine, we know you had a Dad and a Mom, but what about a house?”
As Catherine continued telling the children of her life as a top-sider child, Vincent, had stepped back, to listen to the exchange between her and the sweet children, thinking what a natural she was with them, and of how much they all loved her.
It was then Vincent felt an unexpected tug within his heart, knowing because of a life with him, she would not have any children of her own and, well that was where he stopped himself, deciding not to go there, not tonight.
Tonight was a joyous time, and she looked so happy, and he sensed her heart was at peace and happiness therein was in abundance. And so silently he stood watching them, when just then, Charles walked up and stood beside him, also thinking and feeling the same things Vincent had been.
As Vincent looked over at him, and with a silent acknowledgment; he then looked downward, unable really to speak. And with that Charles also looked downward for a moment, and as he found his voice, he smiled toward Catherine, and with heartfelt emotion said, “My daughter is great with children, always was. She loved to baby-sit for friends of ours as a young girl, and helped out in the local nursery school.”
Charles then thoughtfully continued, “And of what I have discovered through the years, is that there are so many children in this world in need of love, and kindness, well what I mean to say, it is just as fulfilling, and maybe in some ways, even more so when you reach out to those children who are alone.”
Charles then kindly added, “When I look at Catherine and see how happy she is with these children, well, when you have a giving heart like hers, caring for, and loving these kids can be enough. Enough for me too. A child doesn't have to have blood ties, to make you love them. I don’t believe I have ever seen her so content and happy, and its been since she met you Vincent.”
Charles then with emotion added, “I realize what you two have is rare to find in this lifetime, I had it, so I know.”
Vincent, who had been silent till now, was taken aback by the kindness within this man, who was reaching out trying to express what he felt Vincent needed to hear from him.
And as Vincent recognized Charles was letting him know that he understood because of who Vincent was, Catherine would most likely not ever have a child she would give birth to, but saying this did not mean she couldn’t be a mother to another child. Vincent also felt Charles was letting him know, the happiness of his daughter was what mattered most to him in the world, and because of this, he was able to accept this unconventional relationship with him.
And so with a lone tear making its way down his cheek, Vincent softly said, “Besides my own father, I have never known such a selfless man, your words will resonate within my heart always.”
Charles looked over at Vincent and with bit of a guilty look, he admitted, “Selfless, I’m not sure about that. It may be selfish of me needing to know there is someone who will always be there for my daughter, someone who will always have her back.”
With a resolved nod, Charles then added, “I know I’m not gonna be around for ever, and as I get older, it is important for me to know she won’t be alone. I am really all she has, and what I sense from you Vincent, I know you will always be there for her.”
With heartfelt conviction, Vincent answered, “Until my last breath.”
Heaving an emotional sigh, Charles looked downward for a moment and before looking back at Vincent with tear-filled eyes, he said, “I cannot ask for more than that.”
So because neither one wanted Catherine to see them having such a serious conversation, they both walked up to her and the children, to join in their joyful one.
And so as it turned out, Charles was able to fill in Catherine's stories with a few tidbits of his own, concerning her as an anxious child waiting for Christmas to come. And happily, Charles' vantage point ended up being quite humorous to the children. And kindly, he answered their endless questions about little Catherine, when suddenly Charles noticed a bit of a commotion on the far side of the hall!
And so Charles asked, “What is the attraction over there? Everyone seems to be looking at something.”
Looking over himself, Vincent became concerned as the hubbub was at the location he noticed something was amiss yesterday. And so with apprehension he concurred, “You are right Charles, perhaps, we better go see.”
And so, as they wandered over to the crowd, Vincent could hear his father calling for him, urgently saying, “Vincent! Vincent!”
So as Vincent along with Charles stepped up to the front, Vincent asked, “What is it Father?”
And at the same time he asked, he also looked up, and actually saw what was causing all the excitement! It was the presence of two new tapestries! Two beautiful new tapestries of the Nativity!
With bewilderment, Vincent continued looking at the wondrous sight, when Jacob, urgently questioned, “Vincent? Do you suppose these are from…”
Just then Pascal, who had been looking all over for Vincent, ran up, drowning out Jacob, to breathlessly say, “There you are! What do you make of this? This is where you had noticed the floor was scuffed yesterday! Do you suppose it was...”
Mary too standing in the mix, and with awe, asked, “I was just about to ask the same question Pascal! Vincent, do you suppose it was...”
Meantime, Devin, who was standing at his Father’s side, was dying to know what Vincent was supposed to be supposing! And so he urgently asked, “For Heaven’s sake, who is it that Vincent is suppose to suppose it was?”
To which Vincent explained, “Well Devin, these tapestries were not here yesterday, and so we can only guess who had hung them here. My guess is they are from Paracelsus…”
Just then Sam the helper stepped up and said, “Hey maybe I can clear up the mystery! I talked with the guy who hung them, yeah he was just finishing when I brought in all the poinsettias Rosa sent down. But hmmm, he didn't say he was Paracelsus...geez, I can't remember what he said his name was, but I know it wasn't Paracelsus."
With urgency Mary asked, “Well at least tell us what he looked like Sam...was he an extremely homely man, was he short, somewhat balding with a goatee, and a little thick around the middle?”
With astonishment, Rebecca looked at Mary to say, “You are describing Paracelsus, and Sam just said that wasn't his name!"
To which Mary vehemently replied, “Well who else could it be sneaking around here?”
But because Sam was so preoccupied with trying to remember the guys name he missed Mary's description of Paracelsus! And so aloud he lamented, "Oh darn it, I just can't remember! Sorry everyone...I am so terrible with names!”
It was then Jacob stepped up to calm Sam, and with thought, told him, “Now this is very important Sam, just relax, and simply tell us all you know, and can remember.”
And so Sam thoughtfully said, “Well, let’s see, I told him who I was, you know, so he didn’t think I was just some top-sider wondering around down here, and then the guy said who he was, and he said his name was John, yes that’s it, he said his name was John...John, John PETER!"
Upon hearing the man's name was sooo close to John Pater, everyone looked at one another, and Jacob too looked over at Vincent, before he asked Sam, "Could you mean Pater? Could his name have been John Pater"
To which Sam expounded, "YES! That's it Father! John Pater! And then he said these rugs were a gift to the community, and I'm supposed to tell Jacob..."
To which Sam explained, "...he called you Jacob NOT Father, so anyway, I am supposed to tell JACOB and everyone else here, Merry Christmas.”
And because Sam didn't know the history of the tunnels and who Paracelsus or John Pater was, he cheerfully, and innocently announced, “So hey everyone, Merry Christmas from John Pater! Who ever the heck he is!”
Meanwhile, upon hearing what Sam had said, everyone was aghast that Paracelsus, errr John Pater had been there, and it was he, who gave these gorgeous tapestries in honor of Christmas.
Deep in thought, and with much emotion, Jacob stepped closer to look at the gifts his old friend bestowed upon the community he helped develop all those many, many years ago.
Jacob then thankfully realized Paracelsus, the man who had also forsook this world...was no more. The mad man persona John once evolved into was now gone, and the man remaining, was his old friend, who was once again, wanting to be known by his given name of John Pater.
With a comforting arm about his father’s shoulders, Vincent stood beside him, and said, “I guess all things are possible Father.”
With a tremble in his voice, Jacob said, “Indeed.”
As Jacob was now joined by his other son, who also offered a comforting embrace, Jacob managed to gather his emotions, and in wanting to uplift the mood for the Christmas Eve celebration, he audaciously turned to the community and said, “Let us celebrate the good tidings of the season. Shall we?”
With tears glistening in her eyes, Mary put her arm around Rebecca and whispered, “What a wonderful Christmas for Father, he is so happy! I mean first, it was Devin’s homecoming and now the deliverance of his old friend.”
Rebecca nodded, but then warmly added, “Yes Mary, I agree with you, it is a wonderful Christmas for Father, but really it is for us all!"
Rebecca then went on to say, "I mean just think about it, not only because of the reasons you said, Devin and John Pater, but because of Vincent and Catherine's unshakable bond, which enabled them to finally find one path, well our circle has increased, now including Catherine, AND her Dad, not to mention Lin and Henry's baby news, well it really is a wonderful Christmas for us all!"
To which Mary, overcome with a full heart, nodded in agreement with Rebecca, and replied, "You are right Rebecca, once again dear girl, you are right."
With that said, it was then Rebecca joyfully suggested, "Come let’s celebrate! Let’s have some of William’s Cranberry Cider and toast to Christmas!"
To which Mary cocked a brow, and gave Rebecca an obligatory stern look, saying, "The Cider IS fermented you know!"
In reply, Rebecca seized the day, as she devilishly acknowledged, "Yes I know Mary, and I heard it has fermented to perfection.”
Mary then softened her look, and cheerfully agreed, “Well, perhaps a little taste of cider can't hurt, and I do agree, these wondrous events do give us reason to celebrate."
To be continued
Chapter Twenty Seven
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| Destiny of my Heart! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Twenty-Six The First Noel _____________________________________________ |
