Oblivion 1 parts index

Chapter Five

Baby Jacob had learned to crawl and quickly too. Whenever Vincent put him down he was off at breakneck speed, and Vincent delighted in his son's rapid progress.

They had travelled down to a grotto, slightly similar to the crystal cavern, but not quite as beautiful, yet here columns of crystal delighted Jacob, and he squealed with delight as he tried to grasp the dancing colours in the candlelight. Everywhere he looked he saw the magnificent rainbow of colours and he wanted to hold them all. The crystal columns seemed to be holding the roof up, and the walls though mainly hard grey rock were interspersed with crystals of various shades of jade gemstone, in blue, green and white. The actual columns were made up of saxony quartz amethyst in a beautiful deep violet colour.

At the far end of the grotto was a vertical shaft which ended after a ten feet drop into a warm subterranean pool. Vincent kept a watchful eye on his son, for fear he would fall into the water and drown. Yet it was a very peaceful place, as well as being beautiful, and Vincent had known he could heal his wounds there. The crystal cavern from which he had taken Catherine's crystal was much further away, with narrow shafts and tunnels, impossible to take Jacob safely through. This grotto had been the next best thing and the twinkling gemstones provided Jacob with an endless pastime for his growing imagination, as the flaming torches picked out and vibrated the magnificent colours.

This was one place that was kept well lit. It was so beautiful and the children that lived Below delighted to go there. The older ones had tied a rope from the grotto floor to the subterranean pool below, and while the more courageous ones would dive from the grotto floor into the warm water, others went down to swim via the rope, while everyone used the rope to get back up again.

In the past Vincent had spent several days just sitting there, never growing tired of its beauty, earth had nothing more fair to offer. And when he wasn't sat daydreaming, he would be lost in a book he had brought with him, and when the children came he would read to them.

And Vincent was grateful that he had never brought Catherine to see the cavern with its sparkling crystals, though he had always meant to do. Now he wanted no reminders of Catherine, and was grateful that there were no painful memories of her there for him. He wanted only to forget her now and found himself wondering if she had found trying to forget him equally as hard. The more he tried not to think of her, the more often something Jacob did, reminded him. Jacob's mannerisms, the tilt of his head, that impish mischievous smile, all had Vincent thinking of Catherine every time.

His mind kept going over everything that had taken place during that evening he had last seen her. Devin's message and subsequent telephone call were ultimately what had hurt him the most. Though he found it hard to accept that Catherine had fallen in love with Devin and had secretly been spending time with him. Had even gone away with him. They had chosen a country far enough away so that he could not follow. These thoughts kept going around and around in his head like the carousel, until he thought his mind would burst from the crazy thoughts. And then when blessed sleep did take over, as he lay with Jacob in the crook of one arm, his dreams were filled with Catherine.

After a few days of intense torture, Vincent began to wonder if his first impressions had been right. The more he thought about it the harder it became to accept that Catherine would ever do anything like that to hurt him and he had reached and dismissed this conclusion so many times that his head throbbed with it. Following Devin's message, it had been Father's suspicions that had first sown seeds of doubt in his mind. And then the message from Devin on the answer machine had secured the thought. But deep down inside Vincent wondered would Catherine really do that to him? When the Bond between them had been lost, he so desperately wanted to retrieve it, and now he wished it would leave him again, for try as he might he could not stop feelings from Catherine reaching through to him, and he became confused.

For days after the night at her apartment, he had felt her distress. At the time he had assumed it was born of guilt, now he wasn't so sure. Which was one of the reasons why he went against his earlier decision to bury himself away forever. He needed to be close to her no matter what she had done. And he had known when she had been staying Below and stayed close by for three days, she was waiting for his return, but he could not bring himself to go to her, being ashamed by his actions, unable to face her, yet. And he had fooled himself into believing that she had only followed him to tell him about herself and Devin and that she would not be seeing him again. Yet as he felt her anxiety night after night, he wondered if she had come to tell him anything of the sort, and that only she wanted to tell him that she loved him, and only him. Confused he had not wanted to know which of his thoughts were correct, and decided it was better to wonder than to know for sure.

Finally when he felt her leaving his world, he was annoyed. He knew she had promised Devin she would return, but after the turn of events, if she really loved him, then surely she would change her plans, and wait until he returned to his chamber however long it took? So his heart had been heavy when he felt her going further and further away from him, as the aeroplane on which she travelled took her back to Europe and to Devin. And despite the beauty around him, for once he found no solace in its healing powers, and decided to return to the home chambers.

Making the final decision to go home, he collected his things and Jacob's together, and went to pick up Jacob, when he heard the excited chatter of approaching children. They fell silent when they saw him there.

Looking at their anxious faces he told them softly, "Don't be alarmed. Come sit with me. Tell me what you have been doing."

The children slowly grouped around, their big eyes anxious, some sat at his feet, others stood at his side, while the smallest boy Samuel climbed up onto his lap, next to Jacob, and asked," Vincent why are you so sad?"

Vincent smiled. People of the world Above assumed that children seldom noticed the daily conflicts that adults had to undergo, yet here in his world the children had been taught to love one another and to have insight into knowing when someone was troubled at heart.

When Vincent delayed in answering, Samuel went on, "Is it because of Catherine?"

Looking into the innocent blue eyes of the child, Vincent replied simply, "Yes."

Catherine came looking for you Vincent. Father let her stay in your chamber. I heard her crying." A boy named Ben told him.

"So did I." Another child added.

Vincent laid his chin upon the golden head of the child on his knee, "Is she still there Samuel?" He asked, knowing that she was not.

"No she left days ago."

"I heard her talking to Mary." Vincent looked up as Helena told him this.

"What were they talking about, did you hear?" He asked her.

Helena blushed and took interest in her feet, "No." She replied softly but Vincent knew that she had, only the children had been told it was rude to eavesdrop on anyone else's conversation.

"Its all right Helena, on this occasion you can tell me what you overheard." He told her gently.

"Just this once?" She asked.

Vincent nodded, "Just this once."

A little unsure Helena waited, and Vincent understood why, "It's not a trick." He told her, "I promise I won't tell anyone that you told me."

Helena looked around at the other children. Feeling excitement rising within her, she was the centre of attention and she liked it.

"Would you prefer to whisper it to me." Vincent prompted.

"No." She replied, "I don't think it's a secret."

"So tell us then!" Shrieked Samuel impatiently.

Helena took a deep breath and began, "Catherine was talking to Mary about Jacob."

"Is that all!" A ginger haired boy at the back of the group called out, his name was Aaron.

"No." Helena replied crossly, "It isn't. I haven't finished yet."

Vincent smiled at her, she was enjoying this, languishing in the centre of attention, making the moment of glory last.

"I didn't understand everything they were talking about. Catherine was asking about Jacob, and Mary was telling her about the things that Jacob can do now, and Catherine was smiling and laughing, enjoying what Mary was telling her." Vincent could picture this and it warmed his heart. "And then they started talking serious stuff, and Mary began hugging Catherine and looking ever so pleased."

"But did you hear what they were saying?" Teresa asked this time.

"Yes I heard, but I didn't understand it." Looking directly at Vincent she asked, "Vincent?"

"Yes?" He replied softly his blue eyes twinkling.

"Are you and Catherine getting married?"

"Married?" Bewildered he shook his head, "No."

Helena looked troubled.

"What is it Helena, why do you ask me that?" Vincent prompted her gently.

"Because I heard Catherine and Mary talking about marriage, and I saw Catherine smile, you know that really beautiful smile that she has?" Vincent knew it, "Then Mary hugged her and Catherine left."

Vincent's heart sank, "When they were talking Helena, did you hear them mention my name?"

Helena shook her head, "No, but I did hear Uncle Devin's name mentioned."

"Whose Uncle Devin?" Piped up Samuel.

The children started talking amongst themselves, answering Samuel's question, unaware that Vincent had grown silent. Yet he heard none of their chatter, his mind had grown numb, and knew only that he could not stay in the grotto a moment longer.

Gathering his belongings again, he told the children, "I am going back now, will you be all right here on your own?"

"Are you taking Jacob with you, or leaving him with us, we will take good care of him?" Helena asked, tickling Jacob under the chin as he squealed with delight.

Vincent thought about the sharp drop down to the subterranean pool and shuddered, "No, I will be taking him home too, Father will be anxious for us."

"Okay", Helena called out after him, skipping away to meet her friends. Vincent could hear them at the far end of the grotto, giggling as they got undressed, preparing to dive into the pool. "Take care all of you." He called out after them.

He did not worry unnecessarily about them, they were not really alone. Neither had he been. He had felt the presence of adults around him over the past few days, there had always been someone nearby, because the grotto was a favourite place for children, and the pool considered a pleasurable yet risky pastime. And food had been left for him and Jacob, along with warm blankets. Often people came down there to sit and think, the peace afforded them time and opportunity to ponder through problems and come away filled with fresh hope. And Vincent had been grateful that they were there, but had left him alone in his thoughts. However, the solace of the crystal cavern had not eased away his troubles this time and now little words kept creeping into his sub conscience. He tried to push them away, but they kept coming and forming words and sentences in his mind. Catherine. Devin. Marriage. He needed no other words to string them together, they made sense all on their own.

Vincent's heart was broken, his throat constricted and his fists clenched and unclenched as he made his way purposefully towards his chamber.

Father was nowhere in sight when he arrived, and for this he was grateful. The journey had lulled Jacob to sleep strapped as he was to Vincent's chest, and Vincent lay the sleeping child carefully into his cot. Taking off his boots and cloak, he flopped wearily onto his own bed. He could smell Catherine's scent there, it incensed him, and he could not rest. Thoughts crept into his mind and abruptly he stood up, the pain contorting his leonine face, as fury mounted and a deafening roar shattered the silence.

Ornaments and books flew through the air as Vincent brought his fists down hard smashing the shelves into splintering fragments, then dragging the blankets and pillows from his bed he threw them out of his chamber in his quest to extract every last trace of Catherine. Had she wished to torment him so? Wasn't her rejection enough? Father heard Jacob's ear-piercing wails from afar and hurried as fast as his legs would allow him in order to see what was happening, with Mary close on his heels.

Mary gasped in horror, as she caught sight of Vincent staring down at the child with a look of malicious contempt in his fearsome eyes, and she pushed past Father to grab the child from the cot and make a hasty retreat.

"VINCENT!" Father bellowed.

Crumpling to the floor, Vincent could not believe what he had felt capable of. He had so desperately wanted to remove every last trace of Catherine from his life, that he had even contemplated killing their son!

Visibly shaken Father sat down beside him on the floor, taking one big furry hand in his, as Vincent threw back his head and let out a deep and bitter sigh, as his body convulsed in anger. Gently, as he could, Father put a reassuring arm around Vincent's shoulders, and waited without speaking until Vincent had recovered enough to speak. Mistaking Vincent's sorrow for the misunderstanding between himself and Catherine, Father tried desperately to comfort him with the words, "Vincent ... don't torment yourself so. Catherine was here. She explained everything to me. Things are not as they appear to you."

Vincent opened his eyes, and Father was stunned by the sorrow that he saw in their depths, as Vincent told him, "How can that be father, how can you sit there and tell me these things. Catherine and I are finished."

"No, Vincent. Its not that way at all, Catherine will be coming back to you, she promised me."

"Then you are a fool to believe this. She is only coming back to tell me what my heart already knows, that it is over between us."

"Vincent!" Father increased the pressure of his arm on his son's shoulders, hugging him to himself, "Catherine loves you."

A flicker of something, was it hope, shone from Vincent's blue eyes as he looked directly at Father's caring face, "She told you that?" He whispered doubtfully.

"Yes Vincent, and that's not all, she plans to come and live in our world, with you."

Vincent shook his head in disbelief "There is something that she didn't tell you then."

"What's that Vincent."

Vincent took a deep shuddering breath, his words barely audible he told Father, "That she plans to marry Devin."

Father threw back his head and laughed, "Oh my dear Vincent, no, don't go, look I'm sorry I wasn't laughing at you, its just this notion of yours is too ridiculous for words, wherever did you get the idea, surely not from Catherine?"

Vincent felt a hot blush running from his neck and covering his face, he felt such a fool, "No", he spoke at length, "One of the children overheard Catherine telling Mary about it."

"One of the children! I must speak with this child, they know the rules against eavesdropping, which child was it Vincent?"

"No, Father, don't. I know she shouldn't have listened, but I am glad that she did, and I made her tell me what she overheard."

"Then you shouldn't have Vincent, because I am certain she is wrong. Did she tell you that Catherine told Mary these things?"

"No, only that she overheard them speaking about Devin and marriage."

"Then my boy, why do you conclude these things. They could have been talking about anything, anyone. You of all people know Catherine better than that. She loves you Vincent. You. And it is you that she wants to live with here, in our world." Vincent wanted to believe, but he was not convinced.

"You were not there Father she rejected me." His words had grown wearisome, filled with pain at the memory.

"Vincent, did I not tell you that if you went to her in that frame of mind you could frighten her away. Your actions stunned her, she wasn't aware that you had regained your memory, when she had the time to recover, she regretted deeply how she had hurt you."

Vincent thought through Father's words, he had known Catherine's sorrow, what Father was telling him might be possible.

Father's next words broke through his thoughts, "Look let's break the golden rule shall we Vincent, and ask Mary to come down here and tell us what it was that she and Catherine were talking about, when the child overheard them. I am convinced there is a logical explanation."

Vincent nodded, "Yet Catherine has returned to Devin, you cannot deny this."

"I'm not denying anything Vincent. Yes she has gone back to him, but not in the way you think. She wouldn't tell me any of the details but I do know that they are both working on a very important assignment. And it is to help someone very close to them both."

"How did they come to be together, do you know. Did she tell you that?"

"Yes. It was quite innocently, they literally bumped into one another in Paris, but Devin was really pleased to see her. He apparently told her she was the very person he needed to help him with the project he was working on."

"Do you know what it is Father?"

"Partly. I thought it was another foolhardy scheme of his, but Catherine convinced me otherwise. I managed to extract some information from her, and I can honestly tell you Vincent that what they are doing is for the good of someone very special to them both. To me too, I might add."

Vincent didn't need long to weigh this up in his mind, "It's for me isn't it?" He asked softly.

Father nodded, "Yes, but I know no more than that."

Mary was not happy to disclose information spoken to her in confidence, until she heard what Vincent was assuming, when she relented and told him, "Oh, no child, its not that way at all. Catherine doesn't want to marry Devin. Its you, Vincent, you, that she wishes to marry."

Vincent closed his eyes tightly, such a flood of relief washed over him, his body swayed as he felt a tantalising warmth spread through his whole body. But Father was not so pleased, as words exploded from him, "Marry Vincent! Why that's ridiculous. It would be impossible."

"Why?" Asked Mary, simply.

"Yes why Father?" Vincent echoed.

"Well…it just is". Father looked at them both, deadly serious, the whole thing was absurd. Yet the look on their faces told him they could see no reason why it would be impossible, "Oh you can't believe it, surely not, I mean just look at the two of them...they are er, so...different."

"Father," Vincent's voice trembled with suppressed rage, "I hope you aren't suggesting it's because of what I am, that makes it impossible in your eyes."

"Er, no Vincent, of course not. I was merely trying to point out...well look at you...you are a very large person...in er, all areas...whereas Catherine...well, she is..er so tiny."

Mary look from one to the other of them, Father was clearly very embarrassed and she smiled to herself, as she told him, "Catherine too wasn't sure about this. That's why we had the conversation, but not for the same reasons Jacob, as you have brought up. Vincent, she did not mention your er...stature, no, she was more concerned with whether or not your marriage could be possible. You see Catherine feels strongly that she wants to live Below with us, with you Vincent and your son, and while she does not regret having the child, she feels saddened that she was not married before having him. You see, children need the security of a stable marriage between both their parents, and Catherine feels as though everything has happened in the wrong order. She didn't know your memory had returned, though she knew of course that having Jacob, you obviously were aware that you had been intimate on at least one occasion. But on her flight home she had hoped to talk to you about getting things in the right order before any more intimacies passed between the two of you and consequently any more children. It was remarkably important to her being married to Vincent, and I told her she should be positive about it. She left here in a happier frame of mind than she arrived with, I can tell you, with hope in her heart for her return."

Vincent felt his heart somersault. He had never contemplated marriage with anyone in his life. Yet he found that he loved the idea of marriage with Catherine. He could understand now how she felt committed to this idea, it was so like her to do things right. And slowly he began to piece together the things that had taken place in her apartment. Feeling ashamed at his intense feelings, he did not know whether he could ever face her again, yet something told him that Catherine would never be so cruel as to remind him of it. He thanked Mary, and then leaving her and Father in a heated conversation about the marriage, he went back to his chamber and allowed himself to dream of a life with Catherine as his wife.

Some hours later, Father found the idea growing on him. He smiled, Mary could be a very persuasive woman when she put her mind to it, and he realised what he was up against, by putting up barriers to prevent the union. He could not bear to crush Vincent's dreams either, and for what? What possible reason was there really that would make marriage between Vincent and Catherine so impossible? Vincent had no birth certificate, no surname, true, but these things did not matter Below. They were things necessary for marriage Above, while down in their world things could be different. Vincent was no ordinary man, yet he had the same desires and the same rights as any other. And Catherine, dear sweet Catherine, had made a commitment in her heart to spend her life with Vincent, so why did he feel he had the right to put a stop to their marriage? For the reasons he had given, were no longer valid, they already had a child between them, and when he thought about it seriously he found it delighted him to know that Vincent would no longer be alone. Catherine even held a special place in his own heart, he loved her like a daughter, and knew she would take care of Vincent when he passed away, something for which he was grateful, for he had always worried about what would become of Vincent, when he, Father, had died.. Life was a gift, and Father did not want to end his, leaving Vincent all alone.

For Vincent, now wrapped in a warm cloak of love when he thought of Catherine, he began to long for her again, yet this time, he pulled his emotions in check. The next time that he saw her, he would be graciousness itself. He would not frighten her ever again. The thought of the lifelong commitment that she offered to him touched him deeply, as nothing before had, and a great sense of contentment flooded his being. Young Jacob recognised this new tranquillity about his father and responded to it. He grew quickly and was soon pulling himself up into a standing position. He was only six months old.

"You will have to stop your son growing so fast Vincent," Mary scolded good-humouredly one day, "Or I shall have to keep remaking his outfit for your wedding."

Vincent smiled, everyone had been so good about it, in fact they all looked forward to the day tremendously, anticipating the festivities. There had been weddings Below before, of course, but none would compare to this. This one would be special for everyone loved Vincent and were happy for him. Catherine was a very beautiful young woman.

"A letter for you Vincent." Father's voice called to him one day, as Vincent was bathing Jacob in a large bathtub in his chamber. Father smiled, wondering who was having the bath, for Vincent was showered in bubbles. "Here, wipe your hands, while I finish off bathing Jacob, you know how I enjoy it. The letter is postmarked Austria."

Vincent took the towel Father held out and dried his hands in a hurry, reaching for the letter, while his hands were still a little damp in his haste. Vincent recognised Catherine's handwriting. She had sent the letter inside another one to Peter, and Vincent found his hands trembled. The last letter she had sent him, turned his world upside down, yet this one by its thickness promised to be something quite different, but what? Almost afraid to know, Vincent closed his eyes, 'What had she written?'

Slowly he slithered open the envelope with one long claw and extracting the paper from within, unfolded it and began to read;

"My Darling Vincent,"

The words jumped out at him, he felt his throat tighten. Catherine had never used such endearments with him before. Oh how he loved her. With those few short opening words, her letter told him all he needed to know for a certainty. He read on;

"I am sat writing to you in a very special place. You would love to be here. It is so peaceful, and reminds me of another special place of mine, that I visited recently, near the Dolomites.

Those mountains are so beautiful. Imagine them, they are orange rock set against a backdrop of the bluest of skies in summer.

I wanted to write to you from there, but alas, I did not have a pen and paper with me at that time.

So now I am here, on a similar mountain in the Austrian Alps, and I should like to share with you everything I see as I see it. Are you ready?

I am sat on the top of a high mountain, I came up here by chair lift, and I plan to walk back down. Though in places it will be so steep, I may find myself running and unable to stop! Can you imagine that? I shall hold out my arms and pretend I am flying!

The mountainside is covered with wild flowers in a profusion of colours. I can smell their scent all around me, it is a heady perfume, and it makes my senses reel. Below me I can see sleepy little villages nestled in the sunshine between the mountains, and there are sightseers in the streets taking photographs or travelling by pony and trap.

The native pony of Austria, is called the Haflinga pony. They have golden bodies with creamy manes and tails. Last evening I went out for a ride in one of these traps pulled by two Haflinga ponies. It was a memorable trip for me, I last took it with my father. This time I went alone, but my heart was with you. Could you feel me? The trap was open topped and I lay back my head to gaze upwards at the stars. What a spectacular show the heavens give above the mountains, at night. Along the road grow huge fir trees, and the moon was visible from between them.

The ponies took me up to a small taverna perched on the side of the mountain, where I am now sat, and I spent the evening outside on the veranda, drinking Apfelsaft, a sweet and refreshing apple juice drink, and eating apple strudel and fresh cream.

The whole evening my thoughts were with you, I felt so close to you, sitting there alone in the darkness, your presence was very strong.

Oh my darling, my heart aches for you. When I think of the last time we saw one another, I want to cry. Can you ever forgive me for hurting you so, for the way that I left you initially and said that you should forget me? I was so wrong to do that, I know that now, thanks to Devin, he helped me to see the error of my ways. I owe him so much.

I have come to see a different side of Devin, one I like, you would be so proud of him, if you knew what he is trying to accomplish here.

Vincent, when I return, though I don't know when that will be, I have something I must talk to you about, something important to me, to us both, I feel a desperate need to spend my entire life with you, and the peacefulness of this special place, helps me to put my life back into perspective.

There is so much beauty around me, but Vincent, my eyes barely see it, it hasn't the impact on me it once had, because nothing is ever the same, when you are not here sharing it with me.

I have rolled over now, and the paper is shielding my eyes from the sun. It is difficult to write this way, but I want to tell you about everything. The sky is an intense blue and the clouds are wispy and so high, they remind me of cobwebs, exceedingly clean cobwebs mind, and the sky is criss-crossed by the white smoke trails from aeroplanes. To my left and to my right I can see snow capped mountains, some have skiers on them, I can see the brightness of their ski-suits even from here. Vivid oranges and reds, and below me on the other side of my mountain, I know, lies another sleepy little village, one I have never yet explored, no doubt with its quaint little souvenir shops and tantalising aromas coming from family run cafes.

I have rolled back now, onto my stomach and am looking at the grass beneath me. It is nibbled short by the goats, and has tiny fir cones laid all over it.

All around me the gentle breeze sings through the branches bringing the fragrance of pine on its wings, and I can hear the tinkling of bells, worn on collars around the necks of cattle and goats. This is a lovely sound to wake up to each morning, as the goat herders bring their flocks through the village every morning, on the way to the pasture land.

From here I can see a large herd of multi-coloured goats grazing on the mountainside. It is wonderful to come back and see all these special places again, I always promised myself I would return, and I am happy to have had the chance to see it all again, to refresh my memory, but writing it all down like this for you, makes it all the more special, almost as if you are here with me. Yet Vincent, from now on all my special places will be ones that I really share with you. Your special places will become my special places and we will build love and happiness in them together.

As I said earlier Vincent, I don't know when I shall be back, but try not to worry about me my love, I will explain everything when we return, and remember if Devin's jokes don't kill me, nothing can!

What we are doing here is of great importance to us, but it is by way of a gift to you from Devin, something he has known that you wished to have. And because of this I think it is very fine of him to pursue it, and I feel privileged to help. Without saying too much more my love, I hope that when we meet again, we will be able to answer all your questions. In the meantime, please, please, remember this Vincent, that wherever I am, however long I am away for, I love you, I shall always love you and nothing or no-one will alter that fact.

Take care my darling, be well and give Jacob a big hug and a kiss from me.

Love, always and forever,

Catherine.

Sometime during his reading of the letter, Father had bathed, dried and dressed Jacob, and got him to sleep in his cot, while Vincent had been too engrossed to notice. The letter was the most touching he had ever received, and he did not need to read the words over, for they had penetrated deep within his heart. Yet he did read them again, and again, and again, revelling in the depth of Catherine's love for him, until he thought his heart would burst with happiness.

Continued in Chapter Six.