Destiny of my Heart!
By Sharon Holtz
Chapter Seventeen
________________________________________________
Walking onward alone now toward the portal of Catherine’s
apartment, she slipped her arm through his, and said, “Let’s walk
slowly; I don’t want to leave your world yet.”
Vincent unconsciously smiled, causing Catherine to ask,
“What? What is it?”
With a tipping of his head, he pondered his words, and then
shared, “I was thinking of how the barriers of our individual worlds
seem to be melding, as our province is expanding in ways I could
never have hoped or dreamed of.”
In a questioning tone, Catherine asked, “You mean our being
able to go to a restaurant together?”
With an affirming nod, Vincent agreed, but then added, “And
having our parents approval, enabling you to be open, harboring no
secrets from your Father.”
Loving this was so, Catherine admitted as much, and then
made more of a statement than asking a question, saying, “This
was important for you too wasn’t it?”
Stopping in his tracks, he brought her to him, and as he
embraced her, he said, “Very much…because it is clear how much
you love your Father, and he you. I wouldn’t want to be the reason
for destroying that closeness.”
Contemplating her relationship with her father, through the
years, thinking on the good and the bad, she softly replied, “What
you say is true. We are close…” She then thoughtfully considered,
“…and I really don’t know anyone who is as close with their Dad
as I am to mine…except maybe you.”
Turning to walk again, Vincent softly said, “Yes…maybe
myself.”
Seeing the sadness in his eyes, Catherine said, “Such a
relationship is wonderful Vincent…and it should make you happy.”
“I am…however…” He then guiltily admitted, “…because of
the closeness my father and I fashioned when I was young, I fear I
may have stolen time away from Devin. They never really had a
chance to find that one thing that binds a boy to his father.”
Optimistically, Catherine conveyed, “Well maybe they will
still find their one thing…as long as there is life, there is hope.”
Intently Vincent listened and prayed this would be so.
As they walked past the tunnel which lead to their little far off
chamber, Vincent slowed his pace even more, and confessed, “I
earlier hoped we may go to our chamber…but I fear our excursion
helping Rebecca may have divested our time…it is well past
midnight.”
Catherine looked down the darkened pathway to their place,
and as she contemplated the late hour, she knew he was right. It
was late, and it will be a busy day tomorrow. Both at the D.A., and
then tomorrow nights Christmas Eve Celebration, not to mention
she still had presents to wrap for tomorrow’s gift exchange at work!
Oh my…yes she knew a romantic interlude would have to be
denied. So as she snuggled into his embrace, and regretfully
acknowledged, “We really had to help the girls…we were
needed…and after all, ‘tis the season.”
He sweetly returned her embrace, and with a trembling breath,
told her he knew she was right, and repeated, “ahhh yes…’tis the
season.”
They then walked on, and as they approached the broken
bricked threshold, Catherine thanked Vincent for the lovely
evening, and tenderly she reached up to kiss him, and said she
would see him tomorrow night.
She then slipped in and out of the torches light as she made her
way up the ladder, turning once more to say goodnight to her
Vincent.
Holding her in his sight until he could no more, he brought his
hand to his heart, feeling the beating and cadence quickening,
wishing she could have stayed.
Walking back to the home tunnels, Vincent was lost in his
thoughts of Catherine when suddenly he remembered his encounter
with Paracelsus!
Vincent picked up his pace, walking with a new urgency, as
he was eager to speak with his Father about the interlude.
Pleased to see he was still awake, Vincent entered his
chamber, saying, “Father, I have Mary’s tea for you.”
Closing the book he was reading, Jacob cheerfully said,
“Good! Good! Mary’s tea. It shall be the perfect Christmas gift!”
Contemplating the late hour, in a fatherly tone, Jacob
mentioned, “Oh my, are you only now returning from Pai’s? It is
late!”
Worrying more about telling his father about Paracelsus, than
the impression Jacob had of how late his date went, Vincent off
handedly explained, “Catherine and I assisted Rebecca with the
last of the Christmas candles when we came back.”
With an approving nod, Jacob said, “I see. Well, tell me…how
was your dinner?”
Sitting down in an adjacent chair, Vincent fondly said, “It was
a time…” He then carefully said, “Father…before I left to meet
Catherine, Paracelsus came to me in the tunnels near the hot
springs chamber. He wanted to give me this.”
Holding out his hand, he showed Jacob the linen wrapped
parcel. Vincent then explained, “Paracelsus said I was to open this
in your presence, because there is something of significance inside
for you as well.”
Jacob stood silent listening to his son tell of his encounter, as
the emotion of hope took hold of his heart that Paracelsus had
found redemption, and would revert back into his old friend once
more.
“Shall I open now Father?”
Still contemplative, Jacob snapped himself out of his thoughts,
and said, “Yes…yes of course.”
Vincent untied the string and as he unraveled the linen, he
found an antique compass inside. When Jacob saw it he recognized
it at once, and said, “This was a keepsake which Paracelsus err
John valued greatly! And you say he wanted you to have it?”
Nodding, Vincent repeated, “Yes…he said he had no one else
to pass it on to…he seemed quite reflective Father. I must admit he
seemed different…changed.”
Vincent then found a key within the linen, and asked, “Do you
suppose this is what he wanted you to have?”
Jacob took the key in his grasp, and smiled as he said, “So the
old boy is finally relinquishing ownership ehhh?”
Puzzled by his father’s comment, Vincent asked, “Ownership
of what?”
Jacob then stepped up to the old chest, which had remained
unopened for a third of a century or more, and as he turned the
key, he sighed before opneing the old creeking lid. As he looked
inside, he then reverantly lifted out an old King James Bible, a relic
which had been safely encased there for years…until now.
He then explained, “Many years ago, when John and I
prepared the chambers for habitation, we found many things
hidden in these tunnels. Some useful, some not…mostly rubbish,
but there were a few items, which were quite valuable. One of the
valuable was this Bible.”
Jacob ran his hand over the old leather binding, and continued,
“Paracelsus and I made a bargain…that since we could not decide
who should own this precious artifact…I would keep the chest, and
he would have ownership of the key, and it would remain in this
chest until the day, one of us had possession of both.”
Vincent looked at the lock, and thought of how easy it would
have been to pop it with out the key. And so he said, “But Father,
Mouse could have opened that chest in an instant!”
Jacob nodded, and as he looked at his son, he said, “I
realize…but Paracelsus and I had an agreement you see…a
gentlemen’s agreement I suppose you might say. Some how…it
didn’t seem right. I guess he now wants me to claim ownership.”
Looking downward at the Bible once more, he said, “He really
may have changed.”
Noticing there were a few other items in the chest, Vincent
next brought out an old photograph, one of his Father and
Paracelsus! “You both were so young here.”
Jacob smiled as he looked at the picture and paradoxically said,
“Yes…believe it not Vincent….I WAS young once…” As an aura
of melancholy settled upon him, he softly said, “…time marches
on, and waits for no man.”
He then turned his attention back to the antique compass, and
sadly said, “I believe I understand John wanting to pass this on to
you Vincent. He always felt you were HIS son…”
Vincent had wondered if he needed to reveal the emotional
conversation he had with Paracelsus pertaining to his parent ship.
But since his Father brought it up, perhaps it would be comforting
for him to know Paracelsus now felt Jacob was the one more
worthy to be a parent.
And so after Vincent told him all Paracelsus had said about
Jacob being courageous and good, and did the right thing on his
own behalf, he wearily sat down, with his hands resting on on his
cane, and thoughtfully said, “I am glad he can see the sensibility of
it all now.”
Vincent stood silent for a time, with his head turned a way
from his father, not wanting him to detect the anguish he was
feeling over being the reason for the falling out between these two
friends.
It was a moment longer as Jacob came up out of his own
thoughts, he noticed Vincent’s silence and asked, “What is it boy?”
Shaking his head, he softly said, “Nothing Father.”
Approaching his son, Jacob noticed the trembling of his
dimpled chin, indicating he was holding back his emotions.
Apathetically, he asked again, “Tell me Vincent...”
Turning to his Father with downcast eyes, Vincent
apologetically said, “I am sorry my existence had caused this rift
between you and your then friend John Pater.”
Putting his arm around Vincent, Jacob explained, “Our rifts
were ongoing for some time, yes, it was going on long before Anna
found you. Whatever mind bending experiments he was
performing…changed him, into someone none of us recognized
anymore. Vincent you did not cause any of those problems.”
He then added, “We all loved you, the whole community
did…I loved you, and I knew after Anna died, I could not leave
you with that mad man. I have no regrets in what I did taking you
from him, I did the right thing. So you needn’t feel guilt of any
kind.”
Seeing a tear glistening in his son’s eyes, they shared an
embrace, and then Jacob tried to shield the emotion in his own
voice as he cheerfully said, “Now let’s see what else is in this old
chest…shall we?”
Gathering his emotions, Vincent agreed, and as he knelt down
to look inside, he picked up a chart of sorts. Handing it to his
Father, he said, “Hmmm, this looks like a diary with some kind of
log.”
Reaching over for the diary, Jacob slipped his glasses to the
end of his nose, to better read what was written on the old
yellowed pages. His voice quaked with emotion as he informed
Vincent, “This is a journal of Devin’s development as an infant.”
Reading some of the “Proud Papa” comments he had written,
made him smile as he read aloud, “Devin is growing by leaps and
bounds! Only a month old, and he is so observant, looking all about
at his surroundings. Time will tell of course, but I do believe he is
ingenious..."
Jacobs voice became full of emotion as he continued, "...if
only his Mother could be here along side me watching him grow.
She would be as proud as I, and she would know what to do to
nurture these monumentous beginnings. Such a beautiful child...
looking so much like his mother. Give me strength to look beyond
myself at this time, and in the days to come, which for me now is
looming like an endless dark cloud...without my Gracey...”
Knowing his Father was widowed by Devin’s birth, Vincent
asked, “It sounds like it was a difficult time for you…so much joy
along with such immense sorrow.”
Meekly looking up at Vincent he said, “I missed his Mother so
much…and yes…it was difficult losing my young wife, whom I
loved so very much. Grace would’ve been a wonderful mother, the
kind of mother Devin needed.”
Sadly Jacob closed the cover, and said, “I know we shouldn’t
beat ourselves up over past mistakes, but if I could do things over...
I would have been a better father to Devin. I would have found
some way! I was just so consumed by my own grief…”
Vincent reminded Jacob, “I am sure you did the best you
could…your writings show how much you loved your infant
son…maybe you have sold yourself short all these years…”
Just then a voice broke through from the threshold saying,
“Yes…Vincent is right, you were a good Father…maybe it was
me...maybe I could have been a better son…a better brother…”
Both Vincent and Jacob looked to the entrance, and with joy
they both said Devin’s name! Jacob stood then hobbled to the
threshold where his son waited, wanting to make sure he was
accepted, and with an embrace Jacob welcomed his son back home.
To be continued
Chapter Eighteen
The Heart Series
: }
By Sharon Holtz
Chapter Seventeen
________________________________________________
Walking onward alone now toward the portal of Catherine’s
apartment, she slipped her arm through his, and said, “Let’s walk
slowly; I don’t want to leave your world yet.”
Vincent unconsciously smiled, causing Catherine to ask,
“What? What is it?”
With a tipping of his head, he pondered his words, and then
shared, “I was thinking of how the barriers of our individual worlds
seem to be melding, as our province is expanding in ways I could
never have hoped or dreamed of.”
In a questioning tone, Catherine asked, “You mean our being
able to go to a restaurant together?”
With an affirming nod, Vincent agreed, but then added, “And
having our parents approval, enabling you to be open, harboring no
secrets from your Father.”
Loving this was so, Catherine admitted as much, and then
made more of a statement than asking a question, saying, “This
was important for you too wasn’t it?”
Stopping in his tracks, he brought her to him, and as he
embraced her, he said, “Very much…because it is clear how much
you love your Father, and he you. I wouldn’t want to be the reason
for destroying that closeness.”
Contemplating her relationship with her father, through the
years, thinking on the good and the bad, she softly replied, “What
you say is true. We are close…” She then thoughtfully considered,
“…and I really don’t know anyone who is as close with their Dad
as I am to mine…except maybe you.”
Turning to walk again, Vincent softly said, “Yes…maybe
myself.”
Seeing the sadness in his eyes, Catherine said, “Such a
relationship is wonderful Vincent…and it should make you happy.”
“I am…however…” He then guiltily admitted, “…because of
the closeness my father and I fashioned when I was young, I fear I
may have stolen time away from Devin. They never really had a
chance to find that one thing that binds a boy to his father.”
Optimistically, Catherine conveyed, “Well maybe they will
still find their one thing…as long as there is life, there is hope.”
Intently Vincent listened and prayed this would be so.
As they walked past the tunnel which lead to their little far off
chamber, Vincent slowed his pace even more, and confessed, “I
earlier hoped we may go to our chamber…but I fear our excursion
helping Rebecca may have divested our time…it is well past
midnight.”
Catherine looked down the darkened pathway to their place,
and as she contemplated the late hour, she knew he was right. It
was late, and it will be a busy day tomorrow. Both at the D.A., and
then tomorrow nights Christmas Eve Celebration, not to mention
she still had presents to wrap for tomorrow’s gift exchange at work!
Oh my…yes she knew a romantic interlude would have to be
denied. So as she snuggled into his embrace, and regretfully
acknowledged, “We really had to help the girls…we were
needed…and after all, ‘tis the season.”
He sweetly returned her embrace, and with a trembling breath,
told her he knew she was right, and repeated, “ahhh yes…’tis the
season.”
They then walked on, and as they approached the broken
bricked threshold, Catherine thanked Vincent for the lovely
evening, and tenderly she reached up to kiss him, and said she
would see him tomorrow night.
She then slipped in and out of the torches light as she made her
way up the ladder, turning once more to say goodnight to her
Vincent.
Holding her in his sight until he could no more, he brought his
hand to his heart, feeling the beating and cadence quickening,
wishing she could have stayed.
Walking back to the home tunnels, Vincent was lost in his
thoughts of Catherine when suddenly he remembered his encounter
with Paracelsus!
Vincent picked up his pace, walking with a new urgency, as
he was eager to speak with his Father about the interlude.
Pleased to see he was still awake, Vincent entered his
chamber, saying, “Father, I have Mary’s tea for you.”
Closing the book he was reading, Jacob cheerfully said,
“Good! Good! Mary’s tea. It shall be the perfect Christmas gift!”
Contemplating the late hour, in a fatherly tone, Jacob
mentioned, “Oh my, are you only now returning from Pai’s? It is
late!”
Worrying more about telling his father about Paracelsus, than
the impression Jacob had of how late his date went, Vincent off
handedly explained, “Catherine and I assisted Rebecca with the
last of the Christmas candles when we came back.”
With an approving nod, Jacob said, “I see. Well, tell me…how
was your dinner?”
Sitting down in an adjacent chair, Vincent fondly said, “It was
a time…” He then carefully said, “Father…before I left to meet
Catherine, Paracelsus came to me in the tunnels near the hot
springs chamber. He wanted to give me this.”
Holding out his hand, he showed Jacob the linen wrapped
parcel. Vincent then explained, “Paracelsus said I was to open this
in your presence, because there is something of significance inside
for you as well.”
Jacob stood silent listening to his son tell of his encounter, as
the emotion of hope took hold of his heart that Paracelsus had
found redemption, and would revert back into his old friend once
more.
“Shall I open now Father?”
Still contemplative, Jacob snapped himself out of his thoughts,
and said, “Yes…yes of course.”
Vincent untied the string and as he unraveled the linen, he
found an antique compass inside. When Jacob saw it he recognized
it at once, and said, “This was a keepsake which Paracelsus err
John valued greatly! And you say he wanted you to have it?”
Nodding, Vincent repeated, “Yes…he said he had no one else
to pass it on to…he seemed quite reflective Father. I must admit he
seemed different…changed.”
Vincent then found a key within the linen, and asked, “Do you
suppose this is what he wanted you to have?”
Jacob took the key in his grasp, and smiled as he said, “So the
old boy is finally relinquishing ownership ehhh?”
Puzzled by his father’s comment, Vincent asked, “Ownership
of what?”
Jacob then stepped up to the old chest, which had remained
unopened for a third of a century or more, and as he turned the
key, he sighed before opneing the old creeking lid. As he looked
inside, he then reverantly lifted out an old King James Bible, a relic
which had been safely encased there for years…until now.
He then explained, “Many years ago, when John and I
prepared the chambers for habitation, we found many things
hidden in these tunnels. Some useful, some not…mostly rubbish,
but there were a few items, which were quite valuable. One of the
valuable was this Bible.”
Jacob ran his hand over the old leather binding, and continued,
“Paracelsus and I made a bargain…that since we could not decide
who should own this precious artifact…I would keep the chest, and
he would have ownership of the key, and it would remain in this
chest until the day, one of us had possession of both.”
Vincent looked at the lock, and thought of how easy it would
have been to pop it with out the key. And so he said, “But Father,
Mouse could have opened that chest in an instant!”
Jacob nodded, and as he looked at his son, he said, “I
realize…but Paracelsus and I had an agreement you see…a
gentlemen’s agreement I suppose you might say. Some how…it
didn’t seem right. I guess he now wants me to claim ownership.”
Looking downward at the Bible once more, he said, “He really
may have changed.”
Noticing there were a few other items in the chest, Vincent
next brought out an old photograph, one of his Father and
Paracelsus! “You both were so young here.”
Jacob smiled as he looked at the picture and paradoxically said,
“Yes…believe it not Vincent….I WAS young once…” As an aura
of melancholy settled upon him, he softly said, “…time marches
on, and waits for no man.”
He then turned his attention back to the antique compass, and
sadly said, “I believe I understand John wanting to pass this on to
you Vincent. He always felt you were HIS son…”
Vincent had wondered if he needed to reveal the emotional
conversation he had with Paracelsus pertaining to his parent ship.
But since his Father brought it up, perhaps it would be comforting
for him to know Paracelsus now felt Jacob was the one more
worthy to be a parent.
And so after Vincent told him all Paracelsus had said about
Jacob being courageous and good, and did the right thing on his
own behalf, he wearily sat down, with his hands resting on on his
cane, and thoughtfully said, “I am glad he can see the sensibility of
it all now.”
Vincent stood silent for a time, with his head turned a way
from his father, not wanting him to detect the anguish he was
feeling over being the reason for the falling out between these two
friends.
It was a moment longer as Jacob came up out of his own
thoughts, he noticed Vincent’s silence and asked, “What is it boy?”
Shaking his head, he softly said, “Nothing Father.”
Approaching his son, Jacob noticed the trembling of his
dimpled chin, indicating he was holding back his emotions.
Apathetically, he asked again, “Tell me Vincent...”
Turning to his Father with downcast eyes, Vincent
apologetically said, “I am sorry my existence had caused this rift
between you and your then friend John Pater.”
Putting his arm around Vincent, Jacob explained, “Our rifts
were ongoing for some time, yes, it was going on long before Anna
found you. Whatever mind bending experiments he was
performing…changed him, into someone none of us recognized
anymore. Vincent you did not cause any of those problems.”
He then added, “We all loved you, the whole community
did…I loved you, and I knew after Anna died, I could not leave
you with that mad man. I have no regrets in what I did taking you
from him, I did the right thing. So you needn’t feel guilt of any
kind.”
Seeing a tear glistening in his son’s eyes, they shared an
embrace, and then Jacob tried to shield the emotion in his own
voice as he cheerfully said, “Now let’s see what else is in this old
chest…shall we?”
Gathering his emotions, Vincent agreed, and as he knelt down
to look inside, he picked up a chart of sorts. Handing it to his
Father, he said, “Hmmm, this looks like a diary with some kind of
log.”
Reaching over for the diary, Jacob slipped his glasses to the
end of his nose, to better read what was written on the old
yellowed pages. His voice quaked with emotion as he informed
Vincent, “This is a journal of Devin’s development as an infant.”
Reading some of the “Proud Papa” comments he had written,
made him smile as he read aloud, “Devin is growing by leaps and
bounds! Only a month old, and he is so observant, looking all about
at his surroundings. Time will tell of course, but I do believe he is
ingenious..."
Jacobs voice became full of emotion as he continued, "...if
only his Mother could be here along side me watching him grow.
She would be as proud as I, and she would know what to do to
nurture these monumentous beginnings. Such a beautiful child...
looking so much like his mother. Give me strength to look beyond
myself at this time, and in the days to come, which for me now is
looming like an endless dark cloud...without my Gracey...”
Knowing his Father was widowed by Devin’s birth, Vincent
asked, “It sounds like it was a difficult time for you…so much joy
along with such immense sorrow.”
Meekly looking up at Vincent he said, “I missed his Mother so
much…and yes…it was difficult losing my young wife, whom I
loved so very much. Grace would’ve been a wonderful mother, the
kind of mother Devin needed.”
Sadly Jacob closed the cover, and said, “I know we shouldn’t
beat ourselves up over past mistakes, but if I could do things over...
I would have been a better father to Devin. I would have found
some way! I was just so consumed by my own grief…”
Vincent reminded Jacob, “I am sure you did the best you
could…your writings show how much you loved your infant
son…maybe you have sold yourself short all these years…”
Just then a voice broke through from the threshold saying,
“Yes…Vincent is right, you were a good Father…maybe it was
me...maybe I could have been a better son…a better brother…”
Both Vincent and Jacob looked to the entrance, and with joy
they both said Devin’s name! Jacob stood then hobbled to the
threshold where his son waited, wanting to make sure he was
accepted, and with an embrace Jacob welcomed his son back home.
To be continued
Chapter Eighteen
The Heart Series
: }
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