Treasure of my Heart! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Four ________________________________
As Vincent met Catherine at the threshold, he, assisted her by taking the thermos and boxed cookies from her arms, and he then, reached for her hand.
To which Catherine said, "Thank you Vincent!"
As Catherine entwined her arm with Vincent's, they began their trek to the park's iron door.
Well, it didn't take very long for Catherine to notice Vincent still hosted a solemn demeanor.
So hopefully Catherine expressed, "Please, let's not let a phone call spoil our time together."
Smiling up at Vincent, she then dreamily characterized, "After all, here we are together, on this beautiful snowy night, going to the park, meeting friends..."
And then Catherine sweetly continued, "...and besides all that, I would much rather be talking about you."
As a warmness, washed over Vincent by Catherine's ability to so sweetly change the topic, he asked, "What about me?"
Playfully, Catherine asked, "Well, tell me about the times in the past you would go above and secretly enter the rink."
Vincent let go of a slight smile and said, "Usually, it would be Devin to initiate such an adventure."
With a melancholy, Vincent recalled, "Father used to refer to Devin as the boy with the unquenchable spirit...he was always longing for adventure."
Whimsically Vincent relayed, "As we would lay in our beds, staying awake scheming, we would talk long into the night, about traveling to the places we had read about, we so wanted to experience the excitement of those exotic sites."
Sadly, Vincent then continued, "Devin, very often spoke about the adventures we would embark on together one day..."
Carefully, Catherine asked, "Where is Devin now Vincent?"
In reply, Vincent dolefully answered, "Embarking on those adventures we once spoke about, alone...without me..."
With compassion, Catherine then noted, "That must have been hard on you when he left..."
Admittedly, Vincent said, "Yes...on me...on Father...on us all, for our circle had been badly broken..."
With care, Catherine asked, "How long has it been since you last heard from him?"
To which Vincent thoughtfully answered, "Not since the day he left here, over twenty years ago."
Upon hearing it had been so long, Catherine asked, "Do you wonder if he is still...well if he is all right?"
To which Vincent replied, "We of course don't know for certain, however, I do envision Devin living the adventurous life we always spoke of, rejecting a conventional existance, on any level."
And because Catherine was trying to imagine a boy such as Devin, she then stayed silent, wanting to allow Vincent a reflective moment, before changing the tone of their conversation.
And so amusingly, Catherine next asked, "So, Devin would have been the instigator of your escapades outside of the tunnels, didn't Jacob ever catch you boys sneaking around?"
Reflectively, Vincent said, "A few times, the Sentries would report to Father, telling him we had gone above. To which he would be waiting to scold us upon our return. However, after each time Father caught us, we learned a little more, and became more savvy in our attempts. We realized timing was imperative. So, we would wait. Wait for when Father would be either engrossed in a contentious chess game...or riveted by a good read. It would be then we would venture above through an unguarded portal."
To which Vincent confessed, "I suppose it was...however the desire to go up top was too great for us Tunnel children to deny."
As Catherine tried to visualize Vincent's boyhood, she raised an accusing brow, as she noted, "Soooo, you were a mischievous little boy..."
Weighing Catherine's observation, Vincent answered, "Though I was a reserved child, there were times I felt adventurous, and desired to go along with the others, and when I did....I very much enjoyed myself. I idolized Devin and when he, without question...included me in some grandiose scheme, it was as if, I was no different from any of the other boys..."
Vincent then slightly grinned as he continued, "Yes, Devin would gather me along with the others, to go above, never leaving me out..."
Thoughtfully, Vincent tipped his head, as he continued, "...Catherine, Devin made me feel as if anything was possible. Ah, it was a time. I don't know if I can describe to you what his acceptance meant to me."
Thoughtfully Catherine shared, "I think I understand Vincent, I have felt different and a little out of place at times..."
Upon hearing Catherine commiserate, he astonishingly asked, "You? Its hard for me to imagine."
To which Catherine said, "Yes Vincent...me. I always felt set apart somehow..."
With curiosity, Vincent asked, "Tell me..."
To which Catherine shared, "Well, I had become shy and introverted during my pre-teen years...until that is...I met an adventurous girl named Dinah. It was the year after my Mother died, and Dinah was our neighbor's granddaughter, and she would come to spend the summer with her."
Catherine smiled as she continued, "Well, even though I was very close to Jenny at this time, it was different being with a new friend. Becuase to Dinah, I was not poor unfortunate Cathy who lost her Mom, but rather, to Dinah, I was just Cathy. She never treated me carefully, or weighed her words, she just said what she thought, and I loved that freedom about her."
Catherine then informatively continued, "Well, we never did anything really bad, just very daring, well for me any way. I remember one particular morning, we boarded a bus, and took a trip to see the Statue of Liberty, another time, we took a Taxi into the city, and spent the day shopping, like grown up ladies, talking with an accent of some chosen nationality."
Enthralled listening to Catherine's tale of her childhood, Vincent then thought to ask, "And you Catherine...were you ever caught taking any of these day trips by your Father?"
To which Catherine laughed, as she said, "Oh Yes I did! One such field trip brought us into Manhattan to see the Broadway play, "Jesus Christ Superstar". Well, we rounded the corner and literally ran right into my Dad, as he was on his way to the court house! Oh my did Dad ever get angry, warning us we could be kidnapped, or something worse. That was the first and last time I was ever grounded! It's funny, but I think Dad was actually glad to have something to scold me about. Up until that point I was so sullen and saddened by Mom's death, I never did anything wrong, or out of line!"
Vincent dreamily said, "I believe I can envision that little girl in you still Catherine. The delight in your eyes, as we stealthily left Winterfest last night, captivated me."
Nodding Catherine said, "Yes...I never thought about it that way before Vincent, but with you, I feel many of those feelings again. The feeling of adventure, and of being accepted...of belonging..."
Together they then walked the rest of the way to the Park's drainage pipe, in a silent affinity, knowing on different levels, they each had suffered the pain of an isolated aloneness.
As the excitement of sliding on the ice along with Vincent mounted, Catherine smiled widely up at Vincent, because she delighted in the fact, they could do things like this together, just like other couples, only they just needed to plan a little more.
And so Catherine said, "I am so happy, and excited!"
With a raised brow, Vincent looked back at Catherine and said, "Pascal will be happy and excited as well to see you had not forgotten the Hot Chocolate. He spoke of it at least twice throughout the day."
To which Catherine eagerly inserted, "And cookies too."
As they rounded the corner, they found Brigit and Pascal waiting for them, to which Brigit said, "Hello Catherine n' Vincent, perfect timin', we jist arrived ourselves."
In reply, Catherine excitedly said hello in return, and as Vincent pulled up the hood of his cloak, they stepped through the sliding iron door, and set out on their excursion into the snow covered park.
It was then Pascal took charge, as he said to Catherine, "Since you know the drill, once we get closer, you and I can scout ahead, to make sure the coast is clear."
To which in reply, Catherine agreeably said, "You are on Pascal. Oh I see you have some skates..."
In reply, Pascal proudly shared, "Yeah, would you believe Mouse found these while up top one day last year, and they fit me perfect!"
With a tip of his head, Vincent had to tease, "Where up top IS the question..."
Sharing a bit of speculation, and a laugh about Mouses' acquisitions, they couldn't help but still be thankful for the care and items he showers upon them.
Meanwhile, walking along the now isolated bridal path, on this beautiful snowy moonlit night, they passed by the lone park bench, where Catherine had sat crying on a night, not so long ago.
As Vincent recalled the pain of that night, he softly whispered Catherine's name, thinking what a sad component this bench had played in their history.
With a nod, Catherine understood, and then softly said, "I never imagined I would ever feel happy again...like I do tonight, being with you..."
As Vincent walked his precise walk, he huskily replied, "If this is so...then my heart's desires fulfilled."
So after the introspective talk faded between Catherine and Vincent, soon, since the mood was blissful, the talk became all inclusive, and Brigit curiously asked, "Catherine, I never asked ye, if ye liked me cousin paintin's?"
To which Catherine expounded, "Yes I did, Patrick is so talented! In fact I nearly purchased one of his pieces, but the painting I really loved, had been sold."
Upon wondering which painting Catherine liked so much, Brigit inquired, "Which one caught yer eye?"
In reply, Catherine descriptively said, "The painting with the Pink tulips, named "The Tulip Fairy". It was so enchanting."
As Brigit acknowledged knowing which one, she in disbelief said, "That is the very paintin' I purchased Catherine! The moment I saw it, I had to have it!"
And so because of this coincidence, Catherine laughed and said, "Really? Well then I must compliment you on your good taste!"
To which Brigit humorously replied, "And I yers!"
Brigit then informatively told Catherine, "Patrick told me, a fable of the same name, inspired that paintin'."
Astonished to hear this, Catherine said, "I know that story, my Grandmother used to read The Tulip Fairies Tale to me when I was little. And that memory was what drew me to the painting."
To which Brigit solemnly agreed, "Aye, an endearin' moment, such as a loved one readin' to us, leaves intrinsic impressions deep inside, imprints our hearts fer life."
After Catherine agreed with what Brigit had said, she then expressed, "Well I am sure glad to know the person who owns the painting loves it as much as I do..."
Meantime, as they neared Wollman Rink, Brigit excitedly said, "Look! Tis a grand place even more so at night!"
In reply, Vincent mentioned, "It is hailed as an "urban landscaping masterpiece."
Vincent then added, "...and was named after the Wollman family who donated the funds for its original construction."
Brigit marveled, "It is huge!"
Pascal, then kicked in some facts, as he knowledgeably said, "This facility can accommodate up to 3,000 guests in 50,000 square-feet of space, including the 33,000 square-foot ice surface, an 8,000 square-foot indoor skate house, and an outdoor rink-side heated tent."
Brigit spewed, "Oh me head is spinnin' with all those numbers Pascal! All I need is twenty square feet or so, and I'll be happy."
Pascal assuredly said, "No problemo Brigit!"
And then Pascal turned to Catherine and asked, "Ready to go on ahead and check things out with me Catherine?"
Eagerly, Catherine said, "I am Pascal, lead the way!"