As they arrived at the Falls, they carefully began their descent to the cliffs, that towered above the pools, beneath the Falls.
After finding their spot, Catherine looked around, and quietly told Vincent, “Hmm, the last time I visited here was in my dream...”
Passionately, Vincent looked at Catherine as he replied, “Your dream which I told you mirrored mine...”
Returning Vincent's gaze, Catherine replied, “Yes...our dream...”
Although there was laughter and merriment all around them, it seemed as if they were the only two on this earth, feeling isolated…until Rebecca shouted for Catherine and Vincent to help her with the blanket!
So they each took the ends of a blanket, and spread it out as all the others, Brooke, Laura, Jamie, Lisa, Ronald and Pascal took off for the pools.
Nervously, Rebecca opened the picnic basket, and started to set out the food, when Vincent told her, “Rebecca, we can eat later. Both you and Catherine come along now, everyone else is already swimming.”
Taking in a gulp of air, Rebecca said, “Vincent I WILL swim, but NO diving from the cliff’s. I can’t do it. You don’t know how much I wanted to dive as everyone else did when we were kids...but I just couldn't!”
Vincent tipped his head and said, “Then we will do it together. I will hold your hand to make certain you are safe. Rebecca…you must try.”
Both Rebecca and Catherine, shared a guarded look, that caused Vincent to ask, “What is it? Are you nervous to dive as well Catherine?”
Nodding, Catherine admitted, “Yes Vincent! Rebecca and I swore we would stick together, because we didn’t think we could take the leap! I'm not really afraid of heights, but I had a bad experience as a kid. You see...a neighborhood bully pushed me off the platform in swim class, and the hang-up has remained with me.”
Regrouping, Vincent changed his plan, and said, “Then, I will aid you both! I feel as though you must make an attempt at it, and I will be at your side when you do.”
Nervously, Catherine looked over at Rebecca and said, “I am game if you are!”
Reluctantly, Rebecca admitted, “I know I will be so mad at myself tomorrow, if I don’t at least try. Oh all right let’s do it Catherine!”
Vincent then reached for Catherine's hand, and looked to Rebecca, and said, you too Rebecca…take my other hand. Let us go before we can think twice!”
They all three, took a running jump to make the leap, and much to the delight of everyone watching, they made a wonderful splash.
As they came up out of the water Rebecca shouted, “I did it! I did it! Oh Vincent let’s do it again!”
Catherine too, laughed excitedly, and hugged Vincent, as he tipped his head back, and smiled.
The three dove over, and over together, until Rebecca had the courage to dive by herself, however Catherine still opted for Vincent’s hand.
They swam and dove, until everyone decided they were starving and it was time to dig into the basket William had prepared for them.
Everything looked delicious, especially the golden crisp fried chicken, and so, simultaneously, Lisa and Vincent, both reached for the same chicken leg, causing Lisa to tease, “Let go Vincent Wells, I saw it first!”
Vincent regressed back in time too, when they used to love a good tussle, and so he held tightly, as he said, “Well it doesn’t appear so Lisa, or this very drumstick, would already be gracing your plate!”
Lisa laughed, as she said, “Vincent…leave go or I …I will throw you into the water like I used to!”
Hiding his smile, Vincent wittily said, “Ah Lisa, I will allow you this win. You may have the drumstick.”
Lisa pouted as she said, “Don't give up, I wanted a reason to toss you into the water again...”
Vincent stood, and daringly he stood at the edge of the cliff, where they once did their daredevil stunts, and taunted, “Be my guest, if you think...you can still do it!”
With caution, Pascal warned, “I wouldn’t try it, Vincent is much bigger now! Before you were nearly the same size!”
Feigning to be insulted, Lisa quipped, “Oh…so you don’t think I can do it Pascal?”
With a wave of his hand, Pascal pshawed the notion, saying, “Women aren’t as strong as men, everyone knows that!”
Rebecca chided, “Well, I don't know THAT Pascal!”
With a notion of a camaraderie, Lisa teasingly said to Rebecca, “Come Rebecca won’t you help me? You take care of our skeptic here, and I will take care of Vincent!”
Rebecca, feeling invigorated by her diving accomplishment, freely said, “Leave Pascal to me!”
As Vincent pretended to fight off Lisa, he let her push him over the edge, and made a big show of it, with his arms and leg flaying about as he fell!
Pascal on the other hand, was not to be showed up, and fought off as hard as he could!
However, Rebecca having a little more weight in her favor, technically won her fight, but as he was going over, he managed to grab her hand, and…she went over too.
Everyone laughed hysterically as the battle waged on, and Lisa slapped her hands together pretending to be the conqueror even though she knew, everyone could clearly see Vincent let her win!
Vincent, Pascal and Rebecca returned dripping wet, and Vincent put his hands out to his side, and looked at Catherine and said, "Look what Lisa did to me!”
Pitifully, Catherine teased, saying, “From what I could see, you asked for it, and besides, I have seen better acting in my day!”
Ronald sat down, and as he made room for Lisa to sit next to him, he also teased, “Can I coax the Victor to come and sit with me? I promise not to try and take your chicken leg!”
With a flirtatious smile, Lisa replied, “Yes Ronald, you can coax me, and with you I wouldn’t mind sharing it.”
Brooke, Jamie and Laura, ate quickly so they could get back to swimming, and everyone else lazed around for a bit, reminiscing, while Catherine and Ronald listened to the wonderful stories they told.
Lisa then told them, “You know in my professional circle, you must always carry an air about you, it becomes tiresome at times.”
With a contented sigh, she continued, “That is why I love being here, I can just be myself, and relax.”
Shyly, Rebecca confessed, “I always admired the way you could be all things. Poised one moment and be one of the guys the next. You could always fit right in with any activity the boys would cook up.”
Kindly, Lisa thoughtfully replied, “I suppose I am a bit of a chameleon, forcing myself to fit in. I suppose that ability comes from not really being sure of who I was!”
With admiration, she added, “On the other hand Rebecca, you always knew who you were. And it was I, who marveled at you!"
To which Rebecca said, "Really?"
With a gracious tip of her head, Lisa said, "Yes really. And you were always true to yourself.”
Humbly and self effacing, Rebecca replied, “I suppose so. Boring but true!”
"Boring?" Argued Lisa, who added, "You were anything but boring Rebecca! You were always submersed in a craft, or reading, and your candle making. I just never had the patience for such intricate projects."
With intrigue, Lisa recalled, "Remember when you did the paper scroll art? I thought the one project you did was beautiful! It was a fish, with multi colors...I thought it was beautiful."
Shyly, Rebecca said, "Yes I remember. I still have it."
With surprise, Lisa asked, "You do? Oh my, I would love to see it again."
Proudly, Rebecca replied, "Later on I will show it to you."
Meanwhile, Catherine looked at Vincent, as he listened to his two childhood friends, who maybe for the first time, made overtures at really becoming friends themselves to one another. And she could see...it touched him greatly...
It was a wonderful time, and everyone decided to have one more game of water Volleyball before they called it a day.
Impatiently, Pascal prodded, “Come on Vincent, your turn to serve!”
Sleepily, Catherine stretched out on her back atop the blanket, and said, I think I will just watch this time Vincent.”
Understandably, Vincent kissed her hair, and said, “As you wish Catherine.”
Contentedly, Catherine observed the game from her vantage, and she saw what seemed to be a glowing Lisa, as she looked at Ronald, and he beamed when he looked back at her.
Oh what would she tell Jenny? As Catherine’s sleepy eyes, slowly fluttered, they finally closed, and she drifted off to sleep.
After the game, they all came up laughing and talking, until they realized Catherine had fallen asleep. As they quietly gathered the basket, Vincent said, he would stay behind with Catherine while she slept a little while longer.
Everyone said their, “See-ya-laters” and soon it was just Vincent, and Catherine left at the Falls.
Vincent stood alone, as he looked down at her, hearing nothing but the echo of the rushing water about them. Vincent thought Catherine was so beautiful, and he couldn’t believe she was his to love.
He then stretched out beside her, and as he too closed his eyes for a moment, he thought back on how his life had changed since he found Catherine. He is no longer alone, no longer the person who is so different, and his world and life’s possibilities, have expanded to include all the dreams, all the dreams he had ever dreamt.
The End
Sort of…To be continued in “The Shore of Dreams!”
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