She lay awake in her bedroom at night thinking of him, and listening for the tapping she knew she would not hear at her terrace doors. And more and more often, when she was very tired, she would dream of mocking faces and laughter and other frightful things she could never remember. The dreams grew in intensity, and it was not unusual for her to awake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. She knew something would have to be done...and soon.
Father knew the truth now too, and one evening she asked permission to wait in his study with him for a few minutes while Vincent was doing a favor for Mary in her chamber. Father's face seemed heavily lined, and his hip was causing him discomfort. In spite of that, he brought Catherine a cup of tea and seated her at his table.
She accepted the cup. "Thank you." She sipped the tea, grateful for its warmth, then she leaned back in her chair and inhaled the hot steam. Fall was in the air Above, and maybe it was her imagination, but it seemed cooler than usual here far below the earth's surface.
Father pushed a plate of oddly shaped cookies toward her. "Here, you must eat one or two, or the children will be offended. I understand there was a very interesting cooking class today."
She smiled and took a cookie which was probably supposed to be shaped like an animal. "Sugar cookies. I don't think I have had one since I was a little girl." She bit into it and recognized the tough texture of a cookie too long lovingly handled. "Give my compliments to the children."
Father nodded and sat down near her. He looked at her intently, and at last he said, "Catherine, Mary told me you asked her to arrange a time for you and me to be alone. You did not come here to discuss cookies."
"No."
"You are worried about him."
"Aren't you?"
Father put an elbow on the chair arm and stroked his beard lightly withhis forefinger. "Part of me would be very glad if Vincent never went Above again." He looked up. "He would be safe from all the harm your world can do him...and all the ugliness."
Catherine frowned as she put her cup down. "And all the beauty, Father." She sought the right words. "When Vincent was a child, there must have been a moment when you first agreed to let him go Above...a time when you knew it was necessary for him."
Father's memories flooded back to the time Devin had taken Vincent to see the moon. The experience had been wonderful and devastating, and had culminated in Vincent's refusal to ever go Above again. Ultimately Father had had to agree with Devin that Vincent must go back. To grow up without the moon, the stars, open spaces...all the natural joys the masters had written of for ages...
Catherine's voice drew him from his thoughts, "Father, he has forever been deprived of the sunshine...would you deprive him of the moonlight too?"
Father thought, and sighed, "No, of course not."
"Then tell me how to help him."
"Catherine, we can't begin to understand what he went through. For Vincent to be alone and blind up there...We came so close to losing him."
"Father, I think we are losing him still."
Father looked at her and said, "Get him to talk to you, Catherine. I have tried...but he won't even give me a chance." He frowned. "Get him to talk to you."
Two weeks later the Saturday afternoon logic class presented an oral demonstration, and this time Catherine was invited. It ran late, and after supper she and Vincent were in the Tunnels. He had been teaching her a little of the pipe code, and they were carrying on a tapped conversation with Pascal far away in the Pipe Chamber. Catherine was delighted to be able to make out her own name and the word "welcome." She was just getting ready to try to tap "thank you" when Vincent stood still and listened. He frowned and turned to take her hand. "I think there is a problem up the Tunnel."
He made long strides as she struggled to keep up, when suddenly the Tunnel revealed a group of children, coming their direction and all talking at once. One of the girls broke from the group and ran to Vincent. "Vincent! You have to go find her!"
"Find who, Meg?"
"Samantha! Brian said he saw her get into a car...and we couldn't find her anywhere!"
Vincent looked beyond Meg, searching for Brian. Locating the boy, Vincent reached for his thin shoulders. "Brian, tell me what happened."
The boy was near tears as he looked around desperately at the other children. "It wasn't my fault. I didn't want to be Samantha's partner anyway."
"What?" Vincent gripped him tightly. For an instant Catherine thought she should intervene, then Vincent released his hold. "Start at the beginning."
"We all went up together to play in the park. Father said we could stay till the park closed, but it started to rain so we decided to come back early."
"And Samantha?"
"I was busy on the swingset, and the last time I saw her she was over by the parking lot, talking to a man in a car. When the kids came to get me I couldn't find her anywhere." Tears came to his eyes, and he sniffed loudly.
"Did she get into the car? Think, Brian."
The boy nodded hesitantly. "I think so."
Vincent waited for no further explanation. Without even looking at Catherine, he forced his way past the rest of the children and tore around the next bend in the Tunnel at a hard run. Catherine stood for only an instant, stunned. Then she realized Vincent was headed for Above, and she knew she had to be there with him when he arrived.
Catherine could hear Vincent's pounding footsteps echoing back through the Tunnels, but she knew he was outdistancing her rapidly. When he must have been almost to the entrance the footsteps stopped. She could hear him speaking, and although she could not make out the words, she was amazed to hear his voice harsh with anger. She could hear another voice, a child's. When Catherine finally came around the last bend, she saw Vincent towering over Samantha. He was leaning over her with both his hands on her shoulders. His hold was not gentle, and Catherine was afraid of what would happen if he squeezed too tightly or shook the child. Samantha's face was very white and her dark eyes were looking directly into Vincent's, but she was not afraid. Her delicate chin was lifted high, and she seemed more angry than frightened.
"Gosh, Vincent. I don't see what the big deal is. I'm not even late. I was just talking to Lou, and when it started to rain he had me get in his car and took me to buy a hot dog. Father lets all us kids ride in Lou's car...can I help it if that stupid Brian can't tell one car from another?"
"You children are to remain in pairs Above," he scolded.
"I was with Lou. You know that rule doesn't count if you're with a helper. And I told Brian to go back to the other kids, but he wasn't listening. Lou even walked me to the entrance as soon as it stopped raining." Her eyes flashed. "You can go ask him if you don't believe me."
Vincent released his grip and straighted. His breath was still coming in great heaves.
Catherine stepped from the shadows. When she was certain Vincent had nothing more to say, she looked at the child. "Samantha, we believe you. Go tell Father you are home."
The girl glanced once more at Vincent, then she ran down the tunnel.
Catherine stood slightly behind Vincent waiting for him to recover. "You were awfully hard on her."
"She was irresponsible."
"No more so than the helper who took her without telling the other children." She touched his back and was stunned to feel him pull away from her.
"Vincent." She walked around him so she could see his eyes. He averted his face as he brought his arms up to cross tightly across his chest. She whispered, "What is happening to you? You were so angry with her..." She touched his arm, and he jerked back, trembling.
Catherine moved back a step and studied him. He was holding his breath, clasping his arms tightly, but not tight enough to hide the shaking from her. She was certain if she touched him again his control would shatter. She made the decision she should have made days ago. "Vincent, this has gone on long enough." She said softly, "It's starting to interfere with your life...and the lives of the people who care about you. Father and I know..."
"You and Father don't know anything."
"All right... So tell me," she prodded.
"Go home, Catherine." He wheeled, and his cloak swept behind him as he strode back up the Tunnel.
"Not this time," she muttered to herself, and she followed him.