Meanwhile, Vincent arrived, and at the threshold asked, "You needed my help Lisa?”
As Lisa heard Vincent’s voice, she turned excitedly in his direction, and said, “Vincent…”
In a graceful style, she approached him, and took his hand in hers, as she continued, “...I am so glad you came to help me.”
With a smile in his eyes, Vincent said, “Tell me, what can I do.”
Pulling Vincent over to a bench, she softly said, “Please let’s just talk for a moment. I must know, how are you? Catherine told me you healed quickly, but how are you feeling?"
Meekly, Vincent answered he was fine, and it wasn't a moment later, Lisa got a little more personal. Pryingly, she next asked, "And...how are things between you and Catherine?”
Vincent sat down beside Lisa, and told her, “Things between Catherine and I...have progressed Lisa. We are traveling on a united pathway once again.”
Lisa narrowed her eyes, as she took a moment to assess Vincent’s demeanor. As Lisa squeezed Vincent’s hand, she let go of a smile of her own, as she said, “That is wonderful news. You do look so very happy.”
In turn, Vincent asked, “And you, are you happy teaching at the school?”
Answering enthusiastically, Lisa said, “Oh yes! I know this is where I am meant to be. At this point of my life, I can honestly say, I have found contentment.”
Vincent thought back to their childhood, and he remembered how Lisa’s eyes would shine whenever she spoke of dancing, and of one day fulfilling her dream. He saw the same sparkle now, and so he warmly said, “Yes, your contentment shines from your heart. I am so happy your new position agrees with you.”
Correcting Vincent, she clarified, “Oh Vincent, it is not just teaching at the school, that has brought about how I feel! It is my renewed relationship with you, Father, and being able to return back home to the tunnels. I owe you so much for freeing my heart, of so much sad regret.”
Allowing the seriousness to melt away, Lisa smiled, and said, “Anyway, that is all behind us now. But before we lay it all to rest…I want to say thank you Vincent...and to let you know, how special you are, and will always be to me.”
Lisa brushed away a tear as she stood, and said, “Well as we move these tables out of the way, please tell me all that has happened between you and Catherine. What are your plans?”
As Vincent helped Lisa arrange the Hall, they began to feel more, and more comfortable with one another, as they talked. Both of them determined, to get back much of the ground they had lost.
Meanwhile, it wasn’t long until William was tapping out a message on the master pipes, announcing lunch would be ready in 15 minutes. Jennifer jumped at the sound of the clanging, as she sat on the edge of her bed. Excitedly she said, “Cath, I don’t know if I will ever get used to the P.A. system around here!”
Catherine looked reflectively as she told Jennifer, “You will get used to it Jen. In fact, you might find when you go back to our…rather to your world…that you just might miss it. I know I always did. I find it comforting somehow.”
Catherine thought back to her first stay in the tunnels, and of how mystified she was, wondering, what was creating the echoing sound, that seemed to be all around her. Vincent had explained, the tapping was just people talking to each other. With her eyes bandaged, and her hearing heightened, she found herself clinging to the comforting sound of Vincent’s voice, and to the reverberation of the pipes, where the thread of messages seemed to never stop.
As Jennifer finished rolling a lonely curler in her bangs, futilely attempting to give her “dod” a little more poof, she doubtingly said, “I don’t know if I could ever get used to it Cath!”
Catherine laughed as she laid on Jennifer’s bed, watching her friend scurrying around, and primping. She couldn’t help but to tease her, as she asked, “I noticed you and William talking during breakfast this morning. Is HE the one you want to look so beautiful for?”
Jennifer accusingly said, “You know who I want to look good for! That cutie Ronny! So far, he has seen me at my absolute worst! The first time he saw me was last night, just as I was about to drift off to sleep, and again this morning when we were going into the “Hot Tub Chamber! Now...I know I couldn’t have looked very good either time!”
Jennifer put on the last of her make-up, and after changing her sweater, she inquired, “I like this Black one better don’t you Cath? I don’t look as fat in it.”
Catherine said, “Relax Jen, you never look fat!”
Jennifer sat down beside Catherine, and confided, “I am really attracted to Ronny. He seems so nice, and those deep brown eyes of his, oh my God! His features are so chiseled aren’t they, so Native Americanish?”
Catherine sarcastically said, “Really? I just thought it was his Sioux ancestry showing!"
Jennifer threw a pillow at her and said, “Cut it out, I am trying to be serious here! I guess I am being silly. I don’t know, maybe I’m not even his type! He probably goes for the more sophisticated type.”
Catherine took her friend's hand, and said, “I don’t know Ronald that well Jen, but I do know he is a nice person. Take the time to get to know him. And Jen…just be yourself and let him get to know you. How can he help but to like you too!”
Catherine then threw the pillow back at her, and lightened the mood by prodding her, saying, “Now come on and hurry up, Vincent should be coming for us.”
Just after Catherine had issued Jennifer that warning, Vincent and Ronald arrived at the threshold of the Guest Chamber, asking if they were ready for lunch.
Jennifer gulped when she saw Ronny, not realizing he would be coming with Vincent!”
Catherine tried to warn Jennifer about the curler in her hair, but she was too enamored with Ronny to listen!
As Jennifer quickly swayed to the threshold, she stood there talking wittily to the two men, as Catherine whispered quietly, “Jen the curler, it’s still in your hair!”
Jennifer looked irritatingly at Catherine, as she discreetly tried to clarify what Catherine had said, “What? What did you say?”
Catherine could see she was not getting through to her over-anxious friend verbally…so she did what any friend would do, she pulled the curler from her hair, as discreetly as she could.
Jennifer was just about to yell at her for pulling her hair, when Catherine showed her the curler she had hidden in her hand! Turning beet red, Jennifer closed her eyes, wishing she could just fade away, and get sucked into her self-induced blackened atmospheric hole! Thinking to herself, “Why me? Why do I keep doing these stupid things?”
There she was chatting away, thinking she was so charming, when all along she had a curler rolled sausage style in her bangs!
Catherine smiled at Vincent, and Ronny, as she shook her head trying to dispel the embarrassment that was in the air, and said, “Well, I guess we are ready now! Shall we?”
It never took Jennifer long to bounce back from a humiliating experience, and it wasn’t long before she was chatting away, forgetting all about her embarrassment.
The four of them walked together to the Hall, and Vincent slowed for a moment, long enough to steal an intimate glance with his Catherine. As he looked at her, he reached for her hand, and held it protectively, enfolding her hand in his. Catherine’s heart quickened as Vincent touched her, and she smiled amorously up at him.
Vincent huskily asked, “Did you and Jennifer enjoy the remainder of your morning?”
In reply, Catherine answered, “Yes we did Vincent. I formally introduced Jennifer to Mouse this morning, as we were leaving Jamie’s.”
Jennifer added, “I had actually talked to him on my way to Catherine's first thing this morning, or should I say I was interrogated by him!”
Catherine laughed, as she explained, “Mouse didn’t know who Jen was when she came to my chamber this morning, and Mouse wanted to make certain she wasn’t an invading Top-sider!”
Jennifer laughed as she said, “I was waiting for him to frisk me!”
Vincent told Jennifer, “I know Mouse comes off a little intensely at times, but his heart…is in the right place.”
Curiously, Jennifer inquired, “Tell me about Mouse Vinny.”
Thoughtfully, he told Jennifer, “I found Mouse one cold night wandering homeless and alone, in need of food and shelter. He settled here within the tunnel community happily and found his place here.”
Warmly, Jennifer smiled, as she asked Vincent, “Mouse is very special to you isn’t he? I can see it in your face when you talk about him.”
With a gentleness, Vincent admitted, “Yes he is.”
Ronald chimed in, saying, "And Vincent is everything to Mouse."
He then changed the subject to paleontology, and curiously, asked, “So Jenny, from our talk last night,it sounds like you still have an interest in paleontology, will you ever pursue it again, if maybe just for pleasure?”
Jennifer looked at Ronald in amazement, as she told him, “Well as a matter of fact Ronny…Mom sent me a schedule of the upcoming courses at Pratt University, and they have some excellent courses in that area. So...it got me kinda excited, and believe it or not...I am thinking of going back to school! I don’t know if it will lead to a degree or not, but it should be fun!”
Proud of her friend, for expanding her mental horizons, Catherine said, “Jen that is wonderful! You have wanted to go back for a long time. What are you going to take?”
Jennifer excitedly said, “Well right now, I am leaning toward, History of Art and Architecture it covers the history of art and architecture in Paleolithic, Neolithic, ancient Western, and medieval cultures. So I thought that might be really interesting!”
Inquisitively, Vincent clarified, “Architecture Jennifer?”
Jennifer nodded, “Yea, my cousin is going into that field, and he told me about this course incorporating the study of the old gothic designs, so I thought that would have to interesting! Don’t you guys think so? I mean instead of digging up pieces of what was once a structure, but rather study how it was built!”
Vincent dreamily agreed as he nodded and said, “Yes...”
Ronald inserted, “Yeah that does sound interesting.”
Excitedly, Jennifer suggested, “You should sign up Ronny! I’ll bring the brochure when I come back on Tuesday.”
Ronald agreed, “Ah, yes that would be nice to delve back into the field again. I would love to do that one day.”
To which Vincent injected, “You should go, Father has connections and resources in the educational realm. You needn't deprive yourself of the gifts the world above has to offer.”
Ronald nodded his head at the possibility, and said, “Well Vincent, I will think about it. My brother is looking after my estate...and I would have access to any fees.”
Questionably, Catherine asked Jennifer, “You won’t mind the commute into Brooklyn Jen?”
Thoughtfully, Jennifer answered, “No it shouldn’t be too bad, I can take South on East River Drive to Brooklyn Bridge exit, to Tillary Street then to Flatbush Avenue, to Fulton Street, to Lafayette Avenue, to Clinton Avenue, go 2 blocks to Willoughby Avenue, then 3 blocks to Pratt. Nothing to it!”
With an exasperated sigh, Ronald noted, “Ah the daily commute! I must say that is one thing I do not miss!”
Disagreeably, Jennifer scoffed, “Are you kidding! Road Rage is the best therapy there is! I mean, you get to cuss, get angry, and be-little someone and you don’t hurt anyone’s feelings! It sure beats your analyst probing your psyche for some deep dark sordid secrets!”
Ronald smiled at Jennifer, as he said, “You certainly have a refreshing way of looking at life!”
Shyly, Jennifer said, “Well thank you Ronny…I think!”
Meanwhile, Jacob, who was talking at the entrance of the Hall with Mary, stalled their conversation long enough, to greet the four as they walked in, cheerfully saying, “Good afternoon. Ronald, has the ventilation problem been rectified this morning?”
Nodding in affirmation, he replied, “Yep, we managed to complete the whole work order as Mouse had mapped out for us.”
Feeling very pleased, Jacob said, “Very good Ronald, very good! Vincent and I thought…uh…that is Mouse thought, a route may be the best one to use.”
Meanwhile, off to the side, Mary exclaimed, “Catherine, I must say, you and Jennifer, are a delight to have here with us. Whenever I see you two, you seem to have the brightest of smiles.”
Catherine beamed, as she told Mary, “Thank you Mary. Everyone has been so kind, and I am so happy to be here.”
Jacob listening in, said, “I am pleased you are happy here Catherine.”
Then turning to Jennifer, he asked, “Jennifer, what about you? Are you enjoying your stay with us?”
Gleefully, Jennifer answered, “Oh Yes, I am having a ball! Everyone is so nice to me too, although, I would like to make one slight suggestion, if you don’t mind Pops…well, it’s the pipes…there must be a better way to communicate! I mean unless you know the codes...then they are useless, well to a visitor like me anyway.”
Jacob looked downward, and tried not to smile as he said, “True, true, however know that the codes, are used as a security measure as well as for communication..."
As Jacob grew curious about Jennifer's ideas, he then kindly mentioned, "However, if you have some suggestions Jennifer, I would love to hear them. Perhaps later, we can talk about it.”
Happily, Jennifer agreed, saying, “Oh my, I better come up with some ideas then! Yikes to the drawing board!”
As the niceties were said, the four moved on to sit with Rebecca, Brooke, and Pascal. And the talk was centered around some plans for after the children’s concert.
And so Catherine turned to Vincent asking if they could go on an expedition to the Chamber of the Falls, maybe pack a picnic for supper. Saying, "I hoped Jenny could see the Falls before she had to leave tonight."
To which Jennifer urgently informed Catherine, “Oh Cath, I forgot to tell you, I have to leave right after the concert! My cousin Tiffany’s baby Kristian’s First Birthday party is tonight, and my name would be mud if I don’t show!”
With a disappointed tone, Catherine replied, "Oh of course you have to go...it's family, but I didn't realize you had to leave so soon..."
Soothing Catherine's disappointment with a promise, Vincent said, “We shall go another time Catherine, and show Jennifer the falls.”
Upon realizing her heart was on her sleeve, Catherine tried to sound cheerful as she said, "Of course, we will go when we can make a whole day of it."
And then thinking a trip to the Falls sounded fun, Brooke with hope, asked, “Well can’t we still go tonight?”
To which with a nod, Vincent looked at Catherine, and around at the others and offered, “Of course we may, if everyone else is up for it.”
In response Catherine said, “Sure, I suppose we can..."
Meanwhile, Jennifer shared with Ronald that she was so disappointed to leave so soon, and he too said he was as well.
And as they continued to converse, Jennifer began to relay some family information, and of how close they all were, when in mid sentence, she could tell she had lost Ronald's attention! And as Jennifer looked in the direction of where Ronald was gazing, she saw he was looking at Lisa, who had just entered the Hall.
Yes, Lisa had arrived! Well, Ronald through the years had heard about Lisa, but had never met or saw her before. Clearly he was taken aback by her beauty.
To be continued
Chapter Twenty-Two
| Dreams Of Gold! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Twenty-one |
