Jacob then confessed, "Ah, yes I cannot deny I may have passed over the adequate sufficiency mark. Ne'er before had I enjoyed a finer sampling of Chicken and Dumplings! The dumplings were so light, they dared to float off my plate!"
Vincent with a smile in his eyes, teasingly asked, "I cannot help but wonder if it was the Chicken and Dumplings that satisfied you so, or perhaps…it was your second serving of the Fruit Cobbler?"
Jacob smiled as he realized he had been found out. Raising a brow, he said, "Ah yes…well Vincent you have a point, it may have been the second go-round for the cobbler."
And then Jacob continued to describe the dessert, as if he was a food critic, saying, "The cobbler was magnificent! With just a touch of rich cream, pooled at the bottom of the bowl, surrounding the light fruited biscuit…it was delectable! However I must say, I was thinking it could have been tastier, if only I had topped it with a dollop of that sweet whipped cream, Catherine will be bringing to go atop our Thanksgiving desserts."
Vincent tipped his head, as he noted, "Something for you to look forward to then Father."
Mary then said she had to scoot, and then looked around making sure she wouldn't be overheard, before she excitedly revealed, "I've only one more Afghan to knit before I have enough for each child to receive one at Christmas!
To which, both Jacob and Vincent expressed their amazement at Mary's talent, and at her most generous nature. And as they approached the crux of the tunnels, hey bade her goodnight, so she could get to work.
As the two continued onward, Vincent told Jacob of his phone conversation with Peter, and passed along his sentiments. And Vincent spoke of his pleasant conversation with Charles too.
With an affectionate nod, Jacob expressed, "Ah, I liked Charles very much Vincent."
And then once again, he repeated himself, as he said, "We hit it off quite well you know."
Vincent looked downward, trying not to show his amusement at his Father's redundancy, and respectfully said, "Yes, so I have heard Father."
As Vincent said goodnight at Jacob's threshold, he told his Father that he would see him in the morning.
To which Jacob, with a furrowed brow, inquired, "Are you venturing out on a night like this? Mouse told me there has been quite a snowfall! Won't you reconsider?"
Knowing reconsidering was not an option, Vincent in reply, confidently said, "I must go, Catherine is expecting me."
And so, Jacob heaved a troubled sigh as he understandingly patted Vincent's back and said, "Well run along then, and give my best to Catherine."
As he promised he would, Vincent stopped in at his chamber, and as he lifted his cloak from the chair, he looked at his gift he had ready for Catherine, and decided perhaps he would give it to her tonight.
Catherine was just taking the cheese sticks out of the oven, when she heard Noodles excitedly yelp, because Vincent was at the balcony door.
And so as Catherine thanked her little charge for alerting her to Vincent's arrival, Noodles feeling contented he had done his job, went to lay down on the bed.
And so Catherine quickly set the pan down on top of the stove to greet Vincent.
Meantime, as Vincent waited, he stepped to the wall, wanting to look out over the city from this vantage, and as Catherine opened the door, he did not turn around.
As she approached him, she stood silently beside him, and as she looked up at him, she could see he was deep in thought, until finally, he queried, "Isn't it a wonderment?"
Then with the wonder of a child, he turned to her and asked, "Look around you Catherine…look at all those buildings that make up this city. You could be living a different life within each one of those lighted windows. With someone else…but instead, you stand here with me…"
Catherine then took a deep breath, as she looked out over the city too, and softly said, "It's called destiny..."
With intimate intensity, Vincent looked at her and replied, "Yes..."
Catherine returned his gaze, and softy said, "The way we met, the things that lead us to one another...there is no other way to describe it..."
Vincent took in a deep breath, as he thoughtfully noted, "However you…you could have anyone you chose…"
As Catherine looked up at him, she could see the tears forming in Vincent's eyes, and as she choked back her own, she sweetly replied, "And defy the stars? Since I met you, I have no other choices Vincent."
Since Vincent's silence concerned Catherine, she asked him, "What choices do you think a person needs to make, in order to have a happy life?"
After giving this question a moment of thought, Vincent turned to Catherine, and said, "Choices that still the heart..."
With a sweet smile, Catherine's voice quaked, as she replied, "And...makes it dance..."
Affected by her answer, Vincent stayed silent for a moment, and through his misted eyes he said, "I have something I wish to give to you."
As Catherine looked at the gift Vincent was holding, she recognized it was wrapped in the same brown paper, his book from Mr. Smythe's was wrapped in too.
And so she resignedly smiled, and said, "Come inside…I have something for you too."
As Vincent began to follow, and noticed she didn't seem to be favoring her foot in any way, he asked how her ankle was.
To which Catherine turned around to thoughtfully answer, that her ankle felt great, and had no pain at all.
Vincent then took her hands, and was about to issue an additional word of warning, when Catherine, quickly cut him off as she said, "I know Vincent, I know...please don't worry, I won't be walking Noodles at night alone again. I promise."
With a nod, and look of relief that Catherine understood the dangers, Vincent then informatively added, "Good, because word has been passed onto us from a few helpers, that muggings in this area, are becoming more frequent. So no matter what time of day Catherine, be extra vigilant."
With an assuring response, Catherine said, "I will be...now shall we?"
And so Catherine led Vincent inside, and as they settled onto the couch, Catherine handed Vincent his gift, and he, recognizing the wrapping, with a smile in his eyes asked, "Catherine?"
Catherine lovingly nodded, and said, "You go first."
Vincent then lifted the brown leather bound book from the wrapping, and with an astonished edge to his voice, said, "William Blake…Catherine I…"
Vincent halted his sentence as he then requested, "...now you open your gift."
Catherine smiled excitedly, as she held her gift, not exactly sure what her book would be, but wondered if they had traveled like nomads along the same literary plane once more.
And so, compliantly she answered, "All right..."
She then peeled the paper from her red leather bound book, and saw it was the color choice option she had told Mr. Smythe was her favorite!
And so amorously, Catherine softly noted, "William Blake."
Catherine and Vincent were both a little bit beyond the shock, and surprise that their first coincidences had caused. However, it still thrilled them both just the same.
And because the time line would be crucial to this story, Catherine recalled, that Mr. Smythe had given her a choice between a Black, Brown or Red leather book. So she knew Vincent must have placed his order after she did, and so Catherine asked, "Vincent…when had you placed your order with Mr. Smythe?"
To which Vincent said, "I gave Lin an envelope with my request on Monday. And so she gave, or I should say, Lin asked a fellow patron to give Mr. Smythe my order the same day."
As Catherine thought back, knowing it was Monday when she had picked up Vincent's gift, and she recalled speaking to a young women, who had asked her to pass a letter onto Mr. Smythe.
And so Catherine quizzically inquired, "Does Lin have dark hair, and is she Oriental?"
To which Vincent nodded and said, "Yes, Lin is Chinese."
Catherine smiled and lowered her eyes, as she also remembered feeling something inexplicable, when she touched the envelope, that Lin had handed to her.
Explaining her smile, she said, "Vincent, I was the fellow patron that Lin spoke to, she needed to catch the bus and couldn't wait, so I agreed to give Mr. Smythe her, rather YOUR letter."
And because Vincent had heard Lin's side of the story, he knowingly acknowledged, "Ah, so you were the beautiful kind lady."
Bemused, Catherine smiled, as she questioned, "Beautiful kind lady?"
To which, a charmed Vincent, explained, "Lin relayed to me, that it was thanks due to a beautiful kind lady, that Lin was able to place my order. Because she...errr you had kindly promised to pass my letter onto Mr. Smythe for her."
As all these facts came together, Catherine smiled, as she asked, "Vincent what are we to do? We are destined to be forever connected through our favorite authors."
Agreeing, Vincent softly said, "Yes…so it seems..."
And then he raised a brow, as he added, "...and through our cryptic conduit, Mr. Smythe."
With a look of wonderment, Catherine nodded in agreement, as she simply replied, "Yes..."
Vincent then opened the cover to his book, and saw what he was hoping to find…an inscription from his Catherine.
As he looked at her lovely writing, he requested, "Would you read what you have written to me?"
As Catherine accepted the book from his hands, she kindly said, "Of course Vincent."
She then read aloud:
Dear Vincent,
To the man who speaks so beautifully through his silences, with the most beautiful eyes, I have ever seen. All My Love Catherine
As Catherine looked up after closing the book, Vincent modestly told her, "Thank you."
He then softly said, "I have written an inscription in your book as well."
Catherine took a deep breath, and then she softly asked, "Vincent…would you?"
Smiling as she wistfully gave Vincent her book, he then elegantly opened the cover to Catherine's book, and read:
To the Keeper of my heart and Possessor of all my affections. Protect them with thine sweet influence Vincent
Catherine watched Vincent as he read to her, and it broke her heart, the way his chin trembled as he tried to hold back his emotions.
And so Catherine touched his cheek, and lovingly said, "Oh Vincent, I love you wrote that to me. Thank you."
She then gently lifted his chin to look up at her, and said, "Your tenderheartedness touches me so."
Catherine then cleared her throat of any hovering emotions, as she asked, "I have some tea steeping, and are you hungry?"
With an exhaling breath, Vincent smiled at the fact Catherine took such good care of him, and so he answered, "Yes Catherine, always."
Because tonight, she was prepared, and had the appetizer baked and ready, Catherine happily, replied, "Oh good, I will be right back."