As Catherine walked around her old home turning out the few lights she turned
on, she knew it was time she made some decisions concerning her Dad's
property, and faced some other tough resolutions as well.
As the knock on the door brought her up, out of her melancholy, she went to
answer it, thinking it was the Taxi she ordered. But to her surprise it was her old
neighbor Jimmy standing there.
With a hug, Catherine welcomed him in, saying, "Its so nice to see you Jimmy!
So you're in town visiting your Mom...will you be home for long?"
To which he returned the niceties, and then explained he was actually leaving in
the morning. The reason he came over, was because his Mom noticed some
lights on, and asked him to check it out.
Appreciating they were keeping an eye out on her home, Catherine said she
would call his
Mom next time she stopped in so she didn't worry.
Jimmy then asked how she was coping, and as Catherine broke down, she said,
"It is difficult being here ya know? The emptiness of this house makes me
realize, Dad is really gone."
With care Jimmy hugged her, and wiping a tear a way too, he looked around
and said, "We really had some good times in this house Cath!"
To which Catherine, with a weepy chuckle, replied, "We sure did Jimmy...and I
want you to know, you are a cherished childhood friend."
In response, Jimmy humbly nodded, and then joked, "Yeah, you were ok for a
girl!"
This caused Catherine to laugh, and with a teasing back said, "And you ok for a
boy..."
But then Jimmy took it all back by sharing, "Kidding aside, we were like peas a
carrots there for quite a few years...and I cherish those times too Cath..."
Catherine gave Jimmy a hug, and as she looked about, she regretfully said, "I
suppose I should call a realtor..."
To which Jimmy offered, "Mom said to let her know when you are ready, her
cousin's son just got married, and may be interested in buying..."
Happy to know this information, Catherine smiled and said, "I will...I will let
your Mom know, before I do anything. Above all I want to make sure she will
have nice neighbors."
Just then the Taxi honked announcing its arrival, and before Catherine said
goodbye, Jimmy asked about Jennifer. Catherine told him she was well, and in
answer to his second question, said she was currently dating someone.
Catherine thought by his disappointed reaction, he must still be carrying a torch
for her, and so she kindly asked, "And you Jimmy? Seeing anyone special?"
To which he answered, "Naw...its really difficult ya know, I mean to find
someone nice..."
As the Taxi honked again, Catherine regretfully said, "I know...well, I better go.
I wish we could visit longer, I really miss you Jimmy. Tell your Mom hi for me."
As he hugged Catherine back, he said he would, and then asked her to tell
Jennifer hi for him.
As the Taxi pulled away, she looked back one last time, seeing Jimmy walk
through the secret opening between the hedges, that only they had used. It was
so nice to see him again, even though it left her feeling badly for him, realizing
he still seemed to care for Jenny.
As she settled back in the seat of the Taxi, thinking her child hood home was
such a great home, it deserved to have some laughter in it, and knew it was
time, and she was ready to let go.
As Catherine returned to the tunnels, she sought out Vincent, firstly in his
chamber.
Before walking inside, softly she called out his name from the curtained
threshold. Saddened because there was no response, she pulled the curtain aside
before walking in.
As she looked about his chamber, she noticed his well of ink was on its side,
with the dark black liquid spilling from the opening.
Walking over to right the bottle, she noticed the ink had just touched the edge of
the letter
Vincent had written, and the letter, was addressed to her. Sitting down to read
what he had written, she hesitantly began,
Dearest Catherine,
It seems these sweet dreams we had dreamt...have been just that after
all...only dreams.
This violent pain thrust upon my heart is so profound, there seems to be no
satisfactory middle ground for us to stand together.
Though my heart now aches, the pain would be one thousand times more,
should you be unhappy.
How could I have been so selfish...to ask you to live a life of secrets, and
give up the life you were destined to live out above, free from sacrifice?
For how could anyone who is not privy to my world understand what we
mean to one another. Understand the battles we fought to be together, or
understand your loving me, I assure you, it astounds even myself.
It has been sweet...however...this must be good-bye...as I listen to my
heart...there is no more doubt. I have to do what is right for you.
After you read this letter...do not try to come to me. It would be useless,
for I will be going where I cannot be found.
This will give you time to resolve yourself to our reality. In the days to
come, and as your heart heals, you will know this is the only path available
to us.
Forever yours Vincent
As Catherine lowered the letter, she began to cry, realizing her pushing Vincent
to have children, has damaged their relationship beyond repair.
Now he has gone off alone, and she can not tell him she will gladly accept a life
with him, without any more expectations on this matter, and tell him his love
alone, would be enough for her.
Walking out into the tunnels with her letter, she knew she had to let Jacob know
what had happened between them. And, tell him Vincent has gone away.
With trepidation she approached the new bedroom chamber, where she knew
Jacob would be working. Standing at the threshold, she looked in at the crew
busy with the architectural changes that were taking place on their behalf.
There was Jacob, Ronald, Mouse, Pascal and Peter, busily working, and
laughed, as they discussed Vincent was gone way too long, and he should have
returned by now!
Catherine wanting to make herself known, cleared her throat, and tearfully
asked, "Father...may I have a word with you?"
To which Jacob, and everyone else too turned toward Catherine, and with
concern, Jacob searchingly replied, "Of course Catherine...what is it?"
Helplessly she held up her letter, and said, "Vincent has left the tunnel main
Father. I don't know where he has gone."
All the men urgently walked toward Catherine, and asked her for more details.
Feeling overwhelmed, she handed the letter over to Jacob, and said, "I upset
Vincent about a personal matter, and now he has gone away."Jacob quickly
read over the letter, and then worriedly, he asked the others to leave them, so
he could speak privately with Catherine.
Once they were alone, Jacob took Catherine's hand and asked, "Tell me, what
has upset Vincent so?"
Guiltily, Catherine explained, "We were talking about having children together..."
Hesitantly, she continued, "...but before I could tell him I am able to abide and
accept his wishes, he wrote this note, and had left."
Jacob angrily paced for a moment, thinking Vincent's hopes were raised by
Catherine to have this conventional life, only to have them dashed and scorched
to the ground by her unreasonable desires.
Turning to Catherine, he calmed himself to say, "I asked you both to fully
discuss this issue!"
Catherine nodded, and said, "I know, and because of your suggestion, we had!
But deep down, I suppose we both just hoped the other would change how we
felt about it."
Jacob wearily sat down on a stack of timber blocks, and said, "Yes, a mistake
made so often by couples so blinded by love, they cannot see how such matters
will impact them down the road."
Shakily Catherine spoke, asking, "What should we do now Father? Where
should we look for Vincent?"
To which Jacob sighed, "There is no where to look Catherine. We must give
Vincent his space. It would be wrong of us to intrude upon him."
Catherine lifted the letter, and reminded Jacob, "But the things he states in this
letter to me are all wrong! I have to tell him so. I don't want him to think any of
these things are true!"
Jacob took Catherine's hand in his, and soothingly said, "Dear Child, I assure
you, if Vincent has gone off to be alone, not even Mouse would be able to find
him. The only thing we can do is wait."
So Catherine taking Jacob's advice, went back to her chamber to wait and hope
Vincent would return to her.
Walking into the Reading Room, she sadly looked down at all the wedding
planners she had open, to finalize all the pendulant details with Vincent.
Tragically because of their disagreement, this was a task, never even
approached.
Sitting down on the ground before them, Catherine methodically, one by one
closed each cover, and as she picked them up, she cradled them in her arms and
cried.
Meanwhile, as Vincent sat in the darkness of this little chamber he went to in his
boyhood, a chamber only known to one other person.
This was a chamber he would escape to as a boy, and now too as a man, to
contemplate his aloneness, as the sorrow of his fate enveloped him.
He wondered how he dared hoped to build a life with the woman he loved,
when he had nothing to offer, nothing but his heart, and his dreams.
As his future loomed before him, he asked himself, if a lonely life, was not what
he was destined to have?
Even as a young boy, dreaming of being loved completely by someone, in the
back of his vision was always a darkness hovering, hanging a veil of doubt to
spoil the dreams conclusion.
Yes, Vincent had cried many a tear in this small chamber as his truths
manifested and reconciled within his heart.
But how could he say good-bye to Catherine? How could he let her go? Out of
love could he do this feat? Could he be strong enough to do this? And if they
did succeed...would it destroy them as it steadily broke their hearts, and
shriveled their spirits?
Leaning his forehead on the cool moist rocky wall, he cried for strength, and
wept for his pain. With all of his being he loved Catherine, every breath, and
thought he had was for or about her.
As he glanced around the small space, which brought him comfort of sorts, and
he then thought of the only other person who knew this small cavern even
existed, and so as he heard a rustling of footsteps coming toward him down the
stony pathway, he knew the dainty cadence could be no one other than Lisa's.
Standing up to greet her, he struck the match against the stone surface to light
the candle he had brought with him.
Lisa stopped in her tracks, as she was startled by the sudden flickering light
coming from the small cavern. Knowing as well, only she and Vincent knew of
its existence.
And so with trepidation, she called out his name.
Vincent stepped into the path to greet her, "Lisa, yes it is I."
Lisa seeing the tears in Vincent's eyes, wiped her own tears away as she tried to
comfort him.
She asked, "What's wrong Vincent? What has happened?"
Vincent seeing the sadness in her eyes discounted his own sorrow to say,
"You've been crying..."
Lisa softly answered, "Yes..."
Turning her back to Vincent, she continued, "...it would seem the man I love, is
in love with someone else...sounds like a scenario destined to be my fate."
As Vincent looked downward, feeling badly for his childhood friend, Lisa took
his hand in hers, and asked, "So tell me, what has brought you here, to our
secret place?"
Vincent thoughtfully told her, "Catherine wishes to have children, I cannot make
her understand the pain I have endured being as I am. She only sees what she
wants to see."
Lisa calmly asked, "And what is it she wants to see?"
Vincent repeated Catherine's words for her by saying, "She believes should a
child possess my likeness, she is certain our love would overpower any
questionable notions our beautiful child would have."
Lisa smiled as she said, "Well, I am afraid I would have to agree with
Catherine."
Gingerly though Lisa continued, "And although I do see Catherine's point of
view, I do understand yours too. After all I witnessed firsthand all the pain you
had to endure as a child, being different from everyone. But Vincent, if you love
Catherine, you must find a way to make her understand...or you will lose her.
Or are you prepared to give up your chance at happiness because of your pride?"
Vincent spoke up with a tone of surprise, "Pride? This has nothing to do with
pride! This has to do with loving Catherine so much, I will let her go so she may
have her needs fulfilled by someone else. Someone who can give her the family
she so desires."
In response Lisa asked, "A love so great, you would deny yourself, in
Catherine's name?"
Nodding Vincent whispered, "Yes..."
Lisa then embraced Vincent, and there they stood together again, in the hidden
little chamber, where they had once spoke of their childhood dreams, and
revealed their adolescent fantasies.
To be continued
Chapter Twenty-two
| Sweet Dreams! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Twenty-One |
