As Vincent walked Catherine, Charles and Peter to the threshold, Mouse tagged along too.
And as Mouse carried Arthur on his shoulder, he told Catherine, "Arthur likes the apples Catherine! This is his second one!"
To which Catherine smiled as she petted the little mammal's head, and said, "I am so glad he likes them Mouse."
And because of how scared Brigit was of Arthur, Mouse was very surprised that Catherine wasn't! And so he asked, "You like Arthur?"
With a nod, Catherine said she did like him, adding, "I think he's cute."
Well this clearly pleased Mouse very much, and so he offered, "Wanna hold Arthur?"
Although Catherine thought Arthur was cute, she didn't have the need or want to hold him! So delicately she said, "Maybe another time Mouse, he ahhh, well he looks quite content where he is right now."
Meanwhile, everyone laughed at how Arthur was perched on Mouse's shoulder, gnawing, and nibbling away at the apple he held in his little hands. And Vincent personally, was quite amused by Catherine's handling of the situation, AND taken aback by Mouse's rare offer to hold his coveted pet.
Just then a message sounded over the pipes for Mouse and any other escapee to come back to the Dining Hall, because there was still some chores to do.
As Mouse began to complain, Vincent appeased him by saying, "Mouse go, and do your part, I will join you shortly, and we will be done in no time."
Reluctantly, Mouse said, "OK, fine!"
And then as he turned to leave, Mouse said, "Arthur says goodbye to you and your Dad Catherine."
To which Catherine fondly said, "Goodnight Arthur, and you too Mouse."
Charles waved, as he also said, "Goodnight."
After Mouse said goodbye, he then walked off with his little pal on his shoulder.
After a few kind words about how far Mouse has come through the years, Peter then noted, "It's all because of the trust, and friendship he found in you Vincent, make no mistake about that!"
With an appreciative silence, Vincent changed the subject, as he asked Peter, "I've been wanting to ask how you and your family are coping?"
Grateful for the inquiry, Peter answered, "We're coping...but between Mom passing, and little Petey's relapse, I personally think Pauline's about at the end of her rope."
Understanding what Peter was saying, Catherine noted, "Aunt Pauline seemed pretty exhausted when I last saw her, so I can only imagine the additional toll of the past few days have taken..."
As Charles listened, both he and Peter nodded, saying, "Yeah, it's been rough being so far away from her brood, I think it will do her good being with them these next few days, seeing for herself what is going on with the little fella. And me too, I can butt in from the medical aspect while I am home."
Catherine then curiously asked, "How long are you all home for?"
To which Charles told his daughter, "Till Sunday. We leave late afternoon, right after the game!"
Charles raised a brow as he informed Vincent, "Its a big game you know, my team is playing Peter's!"
To which Vincent acknowledged with a nod, and then Peter scoffed, "Yes, well they are pretty evenly matched this year...should be exciting."
Catherine giggled as she listened to rivalry-laden bantering, which has been going on between these two, for as long as she could remember!
As they now stood before the ladder, leading up to Catherine's apartment building, Charles turned to Vincent and said, "It was good getting to know you better Vincent, and to thank you too. I never had the chance to thank you for seeing my daughter home for me...on the night of the Masquerade party."
To which Vincent sincerely said, "I considered it an honor, and want you to feel secure knowing when you aren't able, I will always be there for Catherine."
Though it was an intense prolific exchange, it did have warmth, and because it gave them both pause for a moment, Charles thoughtfully nodded, and with sincerity said, "Thankyou..."
Charles then turned to his daughter, and after a hug, he asked Peter, "Are you leading the way, or am I?"
To which Peter offered, "After you Bud, that way I can catch ya if you fall."
In response, Charles said, "Oh boy you sure are funny!"
After a few chuckles, the two then climbed the ladder, giving Catherine and Vincent a moment alone to say goodnight.
Catherine then stepped up to Vincent, and said, "What can I say? I had a wonderful day Vincent."
In reply, Vincent softly said, "Yes...it has been a day..."
So with an unsteady resolve, he gazed down at her, and with his blue eyes sparkling by torchlight, he sighed, as he said, "Goodnight Catherine."
Returning his embrace, she whispered, "Goodnight Vincent."
As she reluctantly, pulled herself away, she then climbed up the ladder too, and joined the other two men in her life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And so back in the world above, Catherine, expressed, "Well, thanks for surprising me you two."
To which Charles nodded, patted Peter on the back and said, "Yes, this little jaunt down to the tunnels worked out really well..."
And then Charles hesitated before he continued, "...it was important for me to see for myself that...well let me put it this way, I believe your Mother is looking down smiling, seeing you are so happy."
With a humbled notion, Catherine replied, "Thank you Dad..."
Then discreetly, Charles turned to Peter, and shared a grateful look, that his friend had been with him in this monumental endeavor. To which Peter returned a subtle nod, indicating he was so proud Charles had been able to arrive at a place, which allows Catherine and Vincent the space to follow their hearts.
So as they now stood at Catherine's door, she asked, "Can I offer a nightcap, a brandy, or coffee? Not to mention if you come in, you can say hi to Noodles."
Thinking he would like to see the little fella, Peter turned to Charles and asked, "Okay with you?"
To which Charles said, "Sure, I think a touch of brandy is in order about now."
So as they entered, little Noodles came prancing up, and was so happy to see them!
And after some petting and itching from Peter, because of Noodles and Catherine's established routine, he went to the balcony door, wanting to go potty.
So after Catherine let him outside, she showed her Dad and Peter, Noodles favorite spots around the apartment, where he eats and drinks, his toys and his spot on her bed too!
Upon seeing how great and happy Noodles looked, Peter with heart said, "Ya know, I didn't think I could picture Noodles at home anywhere but at Mom's, but I gotta say, you made it really nice here for him."
With a smile, Catherine served the brandy, and after letting Noodles back in, they all kinda laughed as Noodles paid them no mind, as he grabbed his toy bone, and hopped up on Catherine's bed.
With a shake of her head, Catherine thoughtfully said, "It's funny, but I never thought there was enough time in a day to share with a pet, but somehow like magic, there is! Noodles is such a big part of my life now."
So after they shared their thoughts about Noodles, Petey, Aunt Pauline, Vincent and the Tunnels, Peter yawned, got up and asked, "Well, ya ready Freddy? All of a sudden, I am tired."
To which Charles said he was ready, and then remembered to say, "Oh I almost forgot to tell ya honey, I called Willie to tell her I was home for a few days, and she wants to make us dinner tomorrow night...you are welcome too Peter."
But because there was so much going on with his own family, Peter thoughtfully said, "I doubt I should Charles, I am trying to stay accessible for Sis, but thank Willie for me though would ya?"
And so with an understanding nod, Charles said he would, and turning to Catherine, he asked, "Can you make it?"
Happily saying she could come, and it was then Catherine thought to offer, saying, "Oh about Sunday, I will be glad to drive you all to the airport."
Appreciating the offer, Peter adamantly, said, "No, no, thanks Cathy, we'll just take a cab. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, will be pretty crazy! I think it will be easier that way too, don't you Charles?"
To which Charles agreed, saying, "Absolutely! But we appreciate it."
Catherine then walked the two to the door, and as she gave them each a hug, she asked, "Send my love to your family Peter, and I'll see you tomorrow night Dad."
And because these two would be venturing out in her neck of the woods, Catherine had to bring up the subject of the muggings for their safety sake. So she said, "There have been some muggings reported around here lately...so you need to be cautious when you come and go..."
To which Peter joked, "More cautious? Even more so than before?"
Upon hearing Peter's joking about crime in the city, Catherine felt she needed to be more direct, saying, "Honestly, some of the residents have made reports, so please promise me to take this seriously."
Well since the subject was raised, Charles had to ask, "How about you? I hope you are taking precautions honey."
With assurance, Catherine stated she had her mace, and whistle, all the standard self protection garb.
Happy to hear Catherine was armed, both Peter and Charles also promised to be careful.
Catherine expelled a sigh of relief, saying, "That's what she needed to hear."
And so after one more goodbye, Catherine watched as Peter and Charles boarded the elevator, and after the doors closed, she stepped inside her apartment, and stood thinking she was pleased neither Peter or her Dad had pressed for more details about the muggings.
Now having time to reflect on the events of the day, she thought of how well the meeting went between her Dad and Vincent, and was so glad this pivotal event was now behind them.
And as she went into her bedroom to change into her sweats, Noodles got up, and excitedly ran to the balcony doors, causing Catherine to hope Vincent had decided to visit.
And so as Catherine approached the doors, she was so happy to see he had! So as she opened the doors, she sweetly expressed, "Vincent..."
To which Vincent said, "I felt restless after you left, and though it is late, I had to have a moment alone with you, to end our day."
To which Catherine fondly added, "I am so glad...come sit with me."
And as they sat talking about the events of the day, Vincent thoughtfully noted, "I am pleased Peter brought your Father...I saw what it meant to you, and to him."
Upon hearing Vincent voice his observation, Catherine shared, "Funny, but I didn't realize how important it was until I saw him there..."
Then wistfully Catherine continued, "Thanksgiving has always been a special day for our family. "
Curious about Catherine's past, about her as a child, and about her family, Vincent asked, "Tell me..."
With a questioning smile, Catherine asked, "Tell you? About how we celebrated?"
With a nod, Vincent replied, "Yes...tell me what you loved about Thanksgiving as a small child."
With a humbleness, Catherine thought it was sweet Vincent was interested, and so she thought back, and shared, "Well, when I was young, in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, nearly every night, Mom and I would sit at the kitchen table together, scouring through Recipe books, wanting to find a special dessert we could take to the cabin, where we would meet up with my Dad's side of the family to share Thanksgiving."
Thoughtfully, Catherine continued, "Anyway, the recipe search was just OUR thing...just me and Mom, but Dad would try to sneak into the kitchen to spy on us, and oh he made a big show of it! We would laugh and shoo him out, just so he could sneak back in again."
Catherine laughed as she said, "One time Mom took a broom and chased him out of the kitchen with it. Oh how I laughed at the sight of them running through the Dining Room."
Vincent smiled, and said, "What a nice memory to have of your parents, behaving in such a whimsical manner."
Catherine nodded and said, "Yes..."
She then wistfully relayed, "My parents were nothing like any of my friend's parents, they were playful, and so much in love."
Catherine realizing she was getting off track, regrouped and said, "Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, well, once Mom and I had decided on the perfect recipe, we would shop for the ingredients we needed, and then together, prepare it. Mom would always allow me to help, even when I was very young. Never had she lost patience with me, not ever that I can remember."
Vincent paid her Mother homage by saying, "Sounds like she must have been a wonderful Mother."
Catherine confirming his observation, softly said, "She was Vincent...she was."
Catherine then sadly added, "And then...after Mom became sick, it wasn't long before she was gone."
Vincent continued to listen, as Catherine reminisced, "The first Thanksgiving after she had died, it had been nearly 7 months since her death, and Dad was still grieving. He rallied the best he could for my sake, but both of us...missed her so much. Anyway, we couldn't bare going to the cabin that year..."
Catherine remembered, "So Willie had fixed us this traditional Thanksgiving Dinner before she left to be with her family, and the two of us sat down at the table, with all this food, when suddenly Dad despairingly bent his head. And I remember telling him he shouldn't feel so sad, because he would always have me, and since I was a part of Mom, she will always be with us. Dad finally looked back, and told me, yes he did know that, and he thanked me for reminding him. It seemed Dad was able to let go of his grief a little bit that day, and from that year on, we did go back to the cabin...and together with Uncle Douggy's family, we found a way to laugh again."
Catherine hesitated, before she thoughtfully added, "That's why I didn't want to have any secrets from my Dad, he still seems to need me so much, and also why it was important for him to know you."
And so Vincent sat silent, as he gathered his thoughts, and said something he needed to say, saying, "Catherine...we are set apart not by religion, race or by a culture...it is more than that..."
Firmly, Vincent continued, "So understand, because of our differences, I, in looking out for your welfare, did require your Father knowing me as well..."
To which Catherine with wonder, asked, "You mean you would have initiated the meeting if I or Dad hadn't?"
As Vincent looked downward, he took Catherine's hand, and thoughtfully responded, "On the night we met, I promised your Father I would see you home on his behalf...and when he asked this of me, I had a sense of what you meant to him...and so now as he is entrusting me with friendship, I felt it was imperative to reinstate that promise I had made to him on that night...I wanted him to know when he cannot, I will always be there for you....always..."
Feeling quite overwhelmed by Vincent expressing his nurturing protectiveness like he had, Catherine leaned her head on his, and together they silently sat, knowing Vincent had already made good on his promise, on the night of Catherine and Noodle's assault.
And though they didn't speak about it aloud...they both thought about it...
And so, on the ebbing portion of their first Thanksgiving day together...they sat quietly, and for oh so many reasons...they felt thankful...so very thankful...