Destiny of my Heart!
By Sharon Holtz
Chapter Four
_____________________________________________________
Meanwhile, knowing the twilight hour would be soon changing
to the much coveted hours of darkness, Vincent returned to his
festively decorated chamber to grab his cloak for his journey above.
He was eager to hear about Catherine’s first day at the D.A.,
excited to invite her to tomorrow night’s tunnel event, and dying to
see her again.
Stopping by his Father’s chamber to tell him he was going to see
Catherine, he halted in his tracks as he heard Jacob loudly, and
dramatically speaking!
Wondering who he was talking to, Vincent stepped in further to
better see. Noticing Jacob was alone; he realized his father was
rehearsing the First Tunnel Christmas story!
Not making him-self known as yet, Vincent smiled to him-self
as he listened and watched his very animated, yet gallant father in
action.
Jacob continued, “And so…here we were, this newly formed
community, now serving as a family to one another, and we were
faced with this most blessed and holiest time of the year!
Christmas, rich with family traditions and customs…”
Dramatically spinning around, he continued, “How do we fulfill
the lonely homesickness and voids from memories past, without
dissipating, essentially ending what we have only just begun
here....”
Stooping a bit, and in a huskier tone, he continued, “.....A new
world…our new world.”
Standing tall, he gleefully said, “And so we decided to
celebrate Christmas! And we did so in our own way!”
Good naturedly, Vincent shouted, “Bravo, Bravo!”
Startling Jacob, he brought his hand to his heart, and said,
“Good Heavens Boy! You shouldn’t sneak up on an aged man like
that.”
Matter-of-factly, Vincent replied, “I am sorry Father. However
sneaking implies deviousness, and I merely walked in quite openly.”
He then accusingly asked, “Rehearsing for tomorrow night are
you?”
Embarrassed that he had been caught, Jacob replied,
“Rehearsing? Now it is my turn to speak about implications!
Rehearsing implies I view tomorrow night’s event as a
performance. I am merely going over a few of the details for the
“First Tunnel Christmas Story”. After all, it has been a year since I
told it. I don’t want anyone disappointed. Is that a crime?”
Raising a brow, Vincent answered, “Crime? The only crime I
have witnessed is a serious case of overacting. You do have a flare
for the dramatic"
Looking irritatingly as his son, Jacob scoffed, "Ho ho ho, very
funny, have you ever thought of taking your act on the road?"
Smiling downward, Vincent said, "Father... seriously, I cannot
imagine anyone being disappointed at your recitation….”
Waving off his son with his hand, he then noticed Vincent had
on his cloak. Worriedly he asked, “Going above?”
“Yes, I want to invite Catherine for your tomorrow night’s
performance, rather event, and also ask her about her first day at
the District Attorney’s office.”
Bringing his hand to his chin, Jacob humbly suggested, “I got to
thinking about Charles attending, I mean to say, I do know Peter
was issued an invitation via a helper earlier…perhaps Charles
would enjoy coming as well. I have a notion they would come
together along with Catherine.”
Nodding, Vincent answered, “I will let Catherine know her
father is welcome.”
Clapping his hands together, Jacob replied, “Very good. Well
we may have quite a crowd then. I should continue to rehearse….
err I mean go over the facts and details.”
Kissing his father on the cheek, Vincent smiled as he agreeably
said, “Yes…indeed.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As she read on...Catherine began to feel more and more
disheartened as she went through the compiled facts regarding
Steven. Shaking her head in disgust at his secret life of crime, she
then thought back on her day. The parade of people she had seen,
all of whom had chosen the dark path versus the light, and it broke
her heart thinking about these wasted lives.
After knocking on the ice glazed pane of Catherine’s balcony
door, Vincent then stepped to the wall looking outward, to await
her response.
As she heard his tapping, Catherine quickly closed the case file,
and ran to open the balcony door.
Standing still for just a moment, she looked at her Vincent,
thinking of how this enchanted improbable love story she was
living, has changed her spirit, and it was all due to him.
What an influence he has been on her. He has taught her so
much, and now that they have become lovers too, he has offered
and given her everything.
Slowly he turned to look at her, and saw she had tears in her
eyes. Stepping up to her, he asked, “Catherine?”
Looking up at him, she told him, “I am so happy you are here. I
have so much to tell you.”
She then expelled a sigh of trepidation, as she admitted, “I am
wondering if I can do this job Vincent...I mean to face these low
life people on a daily basis...today…Paul had to question a man,
who is charged with killing his elderly neighbor, and Paul did so
respectfully. Because after all, this confessed murderer is allowed
to have his day in court. The facts and evidence is so grotesque it
was hard to even look at him, yet, this defendant sat there,
gloating, knowing the very set of laws he had broken, were also
going to protect him. I am not sure I could have acted as
professionally as Paul had."
Questionably, she shared, "I could never admit this to Dad, but I
am having second thoughts.”
“You are just feeling overwhelmed by the newness...but you can
do this job Catherine. You have the strength to do what you have
to do. The world needs people like you who care…”
Self consciously she looked downward, feeling humbled by the
confidence he had in her, yet empowered by his words, because
she knew there was no one who knew her spirit as Vincent did.
And so she promised, "I will give myself time to adjust...I won't
give up." She then stepped into his arms, needing to feel his
strength as he lovingly embraced her.
As they settled in by the warmth of the fire, it was then Vincent
told her about the special event below in the tunnels tomorrow
night. Graciously, he extended an invitation to her, as well as to her
father.
When Catherine asked a little more about it, he explained, "It
will be Father's production, or shall I say recitation of “The First
Tunnel Christmas”.
Thinking that title had wrung a bell, she asked "Is that the story
you and Mary had spoke about the night we made Christmas
Cards? Yes, I am sure it is the story you decided to omit or
something or another..."
With a yielding guilty smile, Vincent cautioned, "Yes, well
Catherine, it is imperative you keep that conversation confidential."
He then went on to explain, "You see, we had hopes the children
would miss this tradition of hearing the story that night, and would
then request it of Father."
Smiling Catherine surmised, "Ah and so your and Mary's scheme
worked."
In confirmation, Vincent replied, "Yes...missing the Christmas
Card event pained Father so, well having this reading tomorrow,
seems to have filled the void, and lifted his spirits. Both Mary and I
noticed this, and we are feeling quite triumphant..."
And then he added, “...the children wanted me to make sure you
were issued an invitation.”
“The children?”
“Yes…they all wanted me to invite you, and are very eager for
you to come.”
“Sweet. I will be there Vincent. I wouldn’t want to disappoint
them, and I am eager to hear the story myself."
She then promised, "I will call Dad and see if he is free to come
too. I don’t know his plans, but It will mean a lot to him he is
invited.”
Thoughtfully Vincent added, “If truth be known, I think Father
will be disappointed if he is unable to attend.”
Awestruck by their father’s friendship, Catherine thoughtfully
said, “I love the fact our Father's have become friends...”
With a slight tilt of his head, he agreed, saying their Father's
friendship is an unexpected blessed component to their
relationship, and surmised, “I suppose the circumstances in which
they met because of Peter…with an incognito aspect in place,
aided them in getting to know one another first, without any
thought of your and my relationship interfering to that end.”
Catherine agreed, saying, “Yes…you are right..." With an
amused tone she then added, "...they were just a couple of guys
hanging out…getting to know one another.”
“Yes…” Changing to a deeper more devoted gaze, with care he
asked, “How are you Catherine? As he laid his head upon hers,
Vincent told her, he felt her weariness, and thought she should get
some rest.
Reluctantly Catherine conceded, sorrowfully admitting he was
right.
They walked out to the balcony, and after a fond goodnight, he
separated himself from her, as he slipped over into the darkness.
Looking up into a snow clouded night sky, she could feel her
contentment fade, as an immense sadness crept in.
She then thankfully thought, at least for at an instant...she was
able to forget about all the evil in the world...because of Vincent...
Going back into her room, she picked up where she left off in
Steven's case file, and read through some of the crimes not only he
was being charged with, but his affiliates too.
Thinking she just couldn't read anymore, she sadly closed the
cover and was about to give into her emotions, when suddenly she
became more angry than sad...and thought Steven better be
prepared, because he is now in the battle of his life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the peaceful quiet of midnight, Vincent walked back to the
tunnels amidst a soft falling snow. His visit with Catherine left him
feeling unsettled, as the realization her new job would be a viewing
room of mankind at its ugliest. He wondered how much anyone,
with a caring heart such as Catherine’s can take? But her journey
was only beginning at the DA and he would travel along and be
with her every step of the way.
The next morning, the excitement for the evening’s event was
quite tangible in the tunnel community, and Jacob was especially
high during the first meal of the day because of all the talk
surrounding it.
Mary was overseeing many of the details, but she was especially
concerned for what Jacob was planning to wear. And so she asked,
"What will you be wearing for the event tonight Father?"
Seeming to be taken aback by her question, Jacob surprisingly
said, “Oh my Mary…I had not given my wardrobe a single thought
as yet!”
Mouse who was a few steps away, overheard the conversation
between Mary and Jacob, and was quite puzzled by Jacob’s
comment!
He thought back to late last night, when Jacob asked him to
bring a tool and help him open a chest for him. The chest which
held all of Jacob’s finery he saved for special occasions.
Mouse distinctly remembered Jacob trying on a garment he had
never seen before, and he remembered Jacob said it should be just
perfect for his reading.
So innocently he stepped up to them, and offered, “Don’t you
remember? You liked the velvet vest! Thought you…”
In trying to drown out Mouse’s next comment, Jacob
nonchalantly mentioned, “Mouse would you see if William has
finished brewing the tea? I dare say I am looking forward to a cup
to go along with this delicious apple cake he made.”
Always happy to be of any help, Mouse dropped the current
subject, and agreed to go and check on the tea.
Relieved to have a bit of reprieve from Mouse, Jacob felt as if he
had escaped being found out. However his relief was short lived as
he could not escape Vincent’s suspecting gaze. After a moment of
feeling his eyes on him, he sheepishly looked at his son, and asked,
“What?”
With a slight grin and a knowing light in his eyes, Vincent simply
said, “Nothing Father…nothing at all.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Catherine entered the court room along with Paul,
and listened as Joe read off the charges to the judge against Steven.
She couldn’t help but be stunned when she saw him. He
completely dropped his fake needy façade, and he stood cold and
crass as he faced his accusers.
It was strange though to Catherine that he never once looked her
way, and when it was over, she was thankful for that.
Excusing herself to go to the lady’s room after the hearing, she
privately cried at the complete waste Steven’s life was, and of how
she was once so close to him. They were engaged and she had
made love to him. She willingly gave a part of her heart to him, and
he took so much more.
Thinking back to that time, and of how hard it was to break free
from their relationship, she knew it did help make her a stronger
person for managing to do so…but yet…here she was crying in a
courthouse bathroom for him all these years later.
Did he still have a hold on her in some manner? Confidently she
answered her own question…no he did not. She had compassion
for him, nothing more. Their lives were completely separate
now…he would be going to prison, and she would be walking away.
Rejoining Paul and Joe, they both sensed she was taking her
former fiancé’s indictment hard, and so thoughtfully Paul asked,
“You Okay?”
Not wanting to look too sensitive, she tried to hide her emotions
as she answered, “Yes…I am fine.”
The two men, who had been through a million of these hearings
looked at each other and Joe generally told them both, “Ya
know…I had to sit through one of these things for an old childhood
chum of mine…and it was no picnic. I gotta tell ya…I cried like a
baby when I saw his mom in the courthouse as he sat in shackles."
Catherine intently listened as Joe went on to say, "There’s no
law that says you can’t feel Radcliff…you just gotta find a way not
to let it get the best of you. But I don’t think pretendin’ and hidin’
out in the girl’s john is the answer.”
Looking at Joe, then Paul, Catherine tearfully admitted, “Yes it
was terrible seeing Steven in this position, but I don’t know where
or how to separate these feelings between professionalism and
personal..." She then added, "....and I figured you two really
wouldn't want to deal with an emotional colleague with everything
else there is to do.”
Warmly, Paul said, “Hey...you gotta talk about it. One thing I
found out is you can't hold it inside. Listen to me as if I am a shrink
or something. You’ll figure it out Cath.”
Joe too added, “Or not…and if this whole scene isn’t for you,
there’s no shame in walking away from this. You can always say,
you at least tried.”
Though she appreciated the out Joe was giving her, it seemed to
renew the faith Vincent had in her, and so she said, "I'm not
walking away Joe."
With a crooked grin, Joe nodded saying, "Somehow I didn't
think you would Radcliff."
Clearing his throat from the emotional pride he unexpectedly
felt for his new employee, Joe suggested, “Let’s get some lunch
uh? I am starving. How about Moe’s.”
Surprised they would go into the lower East side, Catherine
asked, “Over on Canal Street?”
Incredulously, Joe answered, “Yeah, where else can you get
triple-decker pastrami? You gotta problem with that?”
Right back at ‘em, Catherine smugly answered, “I’m partial to
the Subs there myself…”
Slyly Joe looked at her and asked, “Italian or American style”
Shocked he had to ask, Catherine said, “Italian of course, I love
the hot peppers.”
Slapping Catherine on the back, Joe said, “I think I’m gonna like
ya kid.”
Paul shook his head and laughed as he said, “Oh no! You both
like Moe's. You know what? I think I liked it better when you two
didn't get along cuz now my ulcer is gonna act up again.”
To be continued
Chapter Five