As Catherine, and Vincent walked into Jacob's chamber, they found him deep
in a conversation, with Samantha, who was very upset, and crying.
Jacob was comforting her and in trying to console her, he said, “Now
Samantha, Lisa will be returning on Saturday. I know when you are young, well
a week…it seems like a very long time! However, the week will fly by, you will
see.”
Helplessly, he looked up, and saw the two at the threshold, and as he waved
them in side, he enthusiastically said, “Look, Vincent is here along with
Catherine. Come, dry your tears now, and let us say hello. Perhaps they will
cheer you.”
Samantha looked up, and as she ran out of Jacob’s chamber, she cried, “I don’t
want to see anyone right now Father, not anyone!”
Wondering what to do, Catherine, and Vincent looked questionably at Jacob,
when Vincent finally offered, “I’ll go to her Father.”
Knowingly, Catherine put her hand on Vincent’s arm, and said, “Perhaps… I
should go.”
Thinking this situation needed a woman's touch, Jacob nodded in agreement,
and said, “Yes, I agree. Would you Catherine?”
Thinking Catherine going was best for the little girl too, Vincent informatively
said, “I believe you will find Samantha at the mirror pool. She has been going
there a lot lately.”
Nervously, Catherine nodded, and as she turned onto the tunnel that would lead
her to the Mirror Pool, she said a silent prayer in the hopes, she could find the
right words for Samantha’s aching heart.
Meanwhile, a very agitated Jacob, said, “Thank goodness Catherine stepped in
Vincent. Samantha needs a woman’s touch right now! God knows where Mary
is! Peter came visiting, and now when I need her help, she is nowhere to be
found!”
Calming his Father, Vincent said, “Mary and Peter were with us in the
restoration chamber. I was showing Peter Anna’s old desk. As we left them,
they were looking over some of the extra pieces of unclaimed furniture for..."
Vincent stopped himself, not wanting to say too much more, knowing Peter
wanted to speak to Jacob himself before any plans were made about his move
there.
Waiting for Vincent to finish his sentence, Jacob tipped his head and asked,
"Yes yes, you were saying he was looking at furniture for..."
Casually Vincent continued, "Of course Peter said he must speak to you first,
but Mary thought perhaps, he may use some of the pieces in one of the empty
chambers he will be taking up residence in one day.”
Hearing this news, Jacob bellowed, “Taking up residence! My God Vincent this
is not a Frat House!”
Worriedly, Vincent asked, “Father what has gotten into you? We have talked to
Peter about this before. He has wanted to have his own chamber for a long time
now, so he can stay on weekends and the like.”
Grouchily, Jacob hobbled over to his chair and said, “That has been a while
ago, and he hasn't made the move yet! Now all of the sudden...he is ready to
move in!”
Trying to reason with him, Vincent reminded his Father, “There was no room
before! Now with the opening of the expansion area, well now it is possible.”
Under his breath, Jacob grumbled, “Doesn’t anyone feel they have to clear
things with me anymore?”
Realizing their light-hearted conversation in the restoration chamber, made
Jacob feel as though they had by-passed his authority.
And so soberly, Vincent quickly apologized, as he informed his Father, “I
suppose I was caught up in the excitement of the moment as I suggested Peter
chose a chamber while they were still available. I apologize that I over-stepped
Father, and did so wrongly. Peter himself said, he needed to talk to you first.”
Jacob shouted, “I don't believe it is you who is overstepping Vincent! I turn my
back and Peter is moving in, and Mary is no where to be found!”
With surprise, Vincent replied, “Father, this is not like you, what is wrong, and
why do you seem so angry at Peter, and at Mary? Neither of them, deserve any
of this wrath!”
Jacob sat down, and as he rubbed his forehead he sadly agreed, saying, “I know
Vincent, I know. It is just everything’s changing, everyone is changing, and at
the same time I seem to be the only one who is remaining the same!”
Vincent knelt at his Father’s side and his heart ached for his aging Father,
knowing in his heart, the problem stemmed from the attention Peter was giving
Mary lately. Now to get Jacob to admit it was another story.
Tenderly, Vincent asked, “What is changing Father? Who is changing?”
Jacob looked up with tears in his eyes and said, “Everything
Vincent…everyone.”
Lovingly, he hugged his Father and said, “You always told me change was
good, and was a necessary part of life!”
He sighed as he then reminded his Father, “You told me once, we should never
envy another man’s cadence, because we all must march to our own music.
Well Father, heed your own words. Perhaps it is just not your time to make any
changes.”
Jacob nodded and said, “I am getting too old for change Vincent, I am afraid my
music box is winding down.”
He stood and firmly said, “I don’t believe it Father, and neither do you! Now
why don’t you admit what is really bothering you! If you don’t, I will tell you!”
Hopelessly, Jacob looked at his son and said, “How can I tell you when I don’t
know myself! Furthermore, what makes you think you know!”
Mindfully, Vincent pulled up a chair next to his Father and said, “I know
because it is quite obvious, and you have alluded to it before in the past. I
believe what has you upset is the relationship you believe is developing between
Mary and Peter.”
Jacob looked aghast, and asked, “If that were true, now why would that bother
me?”
Softly, Vincent suggested, “Because Father, you have feelings for Mary,
feelings you are not willing to admit to, and you feel threatened by Peter.
Who…by the way has every right to pursue Mary, if he pleases, as you have
never made any overtures toward her."
In a gentler tone, Vincent then added, "Father, Peter is your good, and trusted
friend, a friend you may alienate if you are not honest with yourself!”
Resignedly, Jacob bent his head and whispered, “It’s true you know, it’s all
true! I suppose I do feel a fondness for Mary!”
Gently, Vincent urged him, “Why not tell her? You may be surprised to
know…she feels the same.”
In disbelief, Jacob shook his head, and said, “I don’t know.”
Softly, Vincent said, “Then you may lose the chance to ever find out.
Unless…that is all right with you Father.”
Jacob sadly answered, “All right with me? Well it just may have to be.”
Meanwhile, Catherine looked into the Mirror Pool Chamber, and saw Samantha
staring at her image as she sat cradling her knees.
Walking up to her, Catherine soothingly said, “There you are. Do you mind if I
join you?”
Samantha looked up and weakly smiled, and said, “No, I don’t mind Catherine.”
As Catherine sat down beside her, she waited for Samantha to start the
conversation. Finally…Samantha said, “I suppose you think I am a big baby for
crying like that.”
Catherine shook her head no, and said, “No I don’t. Were you crying because
you will miss Lisa?”
Samantha nodded, “Yes, and I am afraid…now that she is a teacher at that
school, well she might get too busy, and then she just won’t come anymore.
She will forget about me...er us.”
Assuredly, Catherine said, “I don’t think she will forget about us, the way she
speaks so warmly of you and of all the other children. Confidentially Samantha,
she speaks especially fondly of you.”
Samantha looked up with tears brimming in her eyes and asked, “She does?”
Lovingly, Catherine nodded, and reached for the hankie in her pocket, and dried
the tears from her cheeks and said, “She does. Lisa sees something very special
in you.”
As Catherine refolded her hankie, she said, “You know, crying doesn’t mean
you are childish, or are acting like a big baby, it only means you have a tender
heart. I cry sometimes too.”
Samantha asked, “What do you cry about?”
Thoughtfully, Catherine said, “When I miss my Mom and Dad.”
Samantha quizzically asked, “I remember when your Dad died, but what
happened to your Mom? Did she die too, or did she just run away like my Mom
did?”
Tenderly explaining her own story, Catherine said, “No she didn’t run away,
she died. It has been over 20 years ago now. She died when I was about your
age.”
Samantha asked in an amazed fashion, “And you still miss her, wow, she must
have been a nice Mom! I don’t miss mine. I forget what she even looks like!”
In an understanding tone, Catherine said, “Yes, I was very lucky, she was a
very nice Mom. I know not everyone is as fortunate as I was to have such a
wonderful Mom.”
She took Samantha’s little hand, and said, “One thing we must always try to
realize, and that is Mom’s are people too. They have problems, and make
mistakes just like you and me.”
Soothingly she continued, “What ever it was that made your Mom go away,
well sadly, you may never know the reason. That is hard on you I know. But I
can promise you this, it wasn’t your fault, or because of anything you did or did
not do.”
Samantha tearfully said, “But I didn’t make her love me enough to stay.”
Catherine’s heart broke for the sadness in Samantha’s little soul. Catherine held
back her own tears, as she said, “You know Samantha, sometimes a Mother’s
greatest act of love is to do as your Mom did. You see, when a Mother knows
she would not do a good job at being a parent, they do the most loving thing
they can do for the child. That is, to make certain someone else does the job for
them.”
Samantha said, “I guess my Mom had me when she was really young.”
Catherine nodded and said, “Well she may have been confused, and scared,
maybe she didn’t have any financial help to raise you.”
Catherine raised Samantha’s chin, as she told her, “I am sure she would be very
proud to know what a wonderful little girl you have turned out to be.”
Samantha smiled and asked, “Do you think?”
To which Catherine said, “Oh yes, I am sure of it.”
Changing the tone, Catherine stood, and excitedly asked, “Would you like to see
something from my childhood, something I brought down from the top-side?"
Samantha smiled and said, “Yes what is it?”
Catherine said, “Come with me to my chamber and I’ll show you!”
As they walked through the tunnels toward Catherine’s chamber they talked and
talked, and quite UN-expectantly Samantha reached for Catherine’s hand.
Catherine smiled as this sweet gesture warmed her, and as she looked down at
Samantha, she listened as the young girl kept talking, seemingly never to stop!
They met Vincent, as he was coming to check on the two, and kindly, he
asked, “Are you feeling better Samantha?”
Samantha beamed, saying, “Oh yes, much better. We are going to Catherine’s
chamber. She has something to show me!”
Pleased to see a happier Samantha holding hands with Catherine, Vincent
shared a thankful smile with Catherine, and he could tell this newly formed
camaraderie did as much for Samantha as it did for Catherine.
And so seeing everything was under control, Vincent decided to step back and
let the two have some girl time, and tried to sound a little hurried as he said,
"Well I wish I could join you, but Father has added a few additional chores for
me to complete for him this morning.”
Happy he got the hint, Catherine smiled and said, “All right, we will see you
later on then Vincent.”
Upon entering Catherine’s chamber, Samantha helped her light some candles,
and Catherine took a box from her wardrobe.
As they sat on the bed she opened the lid, and pulled out a beautiful blue satin
ribbon, one she used to wear in her long hair when she was a little girl.
Thoughtfully, Catherine told Samantha, “My Mother would sit and brush my
hair and she would tie pretty ribbons in it. This one was my favorite so I saved
it. I was wondering, would you like to have it?”
Samantha beamed and said, “Oh yes, would you tie it in my hair for me
Catherine?”
Smiling Catherine jumped up for her brush and said, “Oh yes, I was hoping you
would ask!”
The two talked away as Catherine brushed, and as she pulled up the sides of
Samantha’s hair, she tied the flowing satin ribbon into a beautiful bow.
Catherine said, “There let’s see how you like it.”
As Samantha looked into the mirror she turned and hugged Catherine and said,
“Oh thank you Catherine!”
Catherine hugged her back and said, “You are most welcome.”
Samantha beamed and said, “Well I better go, I am supposed to be studying for
tomorrows lesson!”
To be continued
Chapter Six
| The Shore of Dreams! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Five |
