Catherine and Vincent’s Christmas in Connecticut!
Part Two

     Rebecca, Jamie, and Laura turned in their seats to talk with Vincent and Catherine who sat way in the very last seat, back in their special spot! Catherine sat within Vincent's embrace as they talked about the excitement of their trip. The girls wanted to know all that they would be able to do while they were there at the cabin for the weekend. Catherine told them that they would be able to take hikes, go ice fishing or go sledding. Catherine added that there were skates up at the cabin in all sizes, and that they would be able to go ice-skating too. Catherine looked at Vincent and said, "Maybe we can even build a snowman. Would you help me Vincent? The old cabin hasn't been graced by a snowman for years!" Vincent assured Catherine, "Yes Catherine I will be glad to assist you." Catherine smiled up at her beautiful Vincent and said, "I can't hardly wait Vincent!"
      As they arrived, everyone helped unload the van as Peter started the fire in the fireplace to warm the cabin. Catherine's Dad Charles had a furnace installed many years back, and since the furnace had been set on low for the winter, it wasn't too cold inside. With the additional help of the fireplace, it was toasty warm in no time.
        Catherine showed everyone to their rooms, and everyone excitedly moved their things in. It was decided that Catherine and Jamie would share a room again, Rebecca and Laura could bunk together, Pascal and Mouse were roomies, and Mary, Jacob, and Vincent each had their own rooms. Peter thought that he would stay at his own cabin just a stones throw away. He wanted to heat up the place and make certain that all was in good running order there.
     Catherine along with Mary warmed some Hot Chocolate and passed steaming mugs out to everyone. As Peter put another log on the fire, he said, "That should keep the home fires burning for a while. Bundle up everyone, we are taking a moonlit hike up to my place! I happen to know that we can find a pint of "Ol' Granddad" to warm us up when we get there." Mary said, a pint of what..." Peter said, "Ol' Granddad...is whiskey Mary!" Mary said in astonishment, "Oh my Peter if it is all right with you I believe I may pass on that beverage!"
      Everyone grabbed their coats, boots, hats, and gloves and prepared to follow behind Peter. Jacob shouted from behind the pack, "Lead the way Peter, let's get going before I begin to perspire in all of the attire!" Peter sarcastically said, "Always the eternal poet uh Jacob? All right, everyone follow me. And oh by the way...stick close to one another, there could be some coyotes stalking about!"
       They all followed Peter down the well-worn path to his cabin. Catherine and Vincent were more than happy to bring up the rear as they were able to dottle a bit and walk a bit slower to enjoy the scenery. As they held hands, Catherine looked up at Vincent and saw a twinkling sparkle of wonderment in his eyes. He always enjoyed Central Park in the winter, but this countryside was so rustic, and truly isolated that it allowed him a freedom like he had never known.
      It was a moment or two before Vincent sensed Catherine's eyes upon him. Shyly he looked downward before he in turn looked back at Catherine. Vincent softly said, "Catherine there are no words, it is just as you described the beauty of this snowy iced over land. Thank you for arranging the trip here for me." Catherine stopped in her tracks prompting Vincent to halt his forceful gait. Looking down at Catherine his eyes searched hers wondering why she had stopped. Catherine tearfully said, "Vincent, don't you know that I would do anything for you...anything just to see such a look of happiness within your eyes?" Vincent pulled Catherine to him and enveloped her with in his strong arms, as he cradled Catherine's head within his huge gentle hand, she could hear his massive heart beating. Oh how she loved when Vincent held her like this, making her feel so safe, protected and loved. Looking back at one another, they in unison began their trek again following behind the others on the path to Peter's, hearing nothing but the scrunch of the snow beneath their feet.
Suddenly up ahead of them, they heard squealing from the girls! Vincent pulled Catherine along as he raced to see what the problem was! A raccoon had crossed their path and it frightened Rebecca and Mary! Mouse bent down and quizzed the Raccoon as he asked, "Rocky...is that you?" The Raccoon scampered up to Mouse and with familiarity crawled up his arm, as he had done during their holiday to the cabin during the summer! Mouse beamed as he said, "It is Rocky, and he remembers me!"
      Catherine smiled at Vincent and said, "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen this with my own eyes! Vincent I thought that Raccoons hibernated." Vincent nodded and said, "Catherine if the temperature drops consistently below 25¡ F, or if the snows are heavy, the raccoon does becomes dormant, spending weeks in a deep sleep but not in true hibernation." Catherine looked at Vincent and marveled, "Is there anything that you do not know Vincent? You are so knowledgeable about everything." Vincent blushed as he said, "I am only knowledgeable about things that interest me Catherine, your words however, flatter and humble me." Catherine smiled and said, "You are far too modest Vincent, honestly, I have never met anyone as brilliant as you." Vincent tipped his head slightly as he graciously accepted the compliment as he said, "Thank you Catherine."
       Peter's cabin was freezing cold when they first walked in because he had forgotten to turn his furnace on as Charles had done! Peter lamented, "Oh I cannot believe that I forgot to turn my furnace on when I left here in October! I hope my pipes didn't freeze up! Thank goodness that we came up here this weekend Cathy! I better go check and see if the water is running." Luckily, the water ran out of all of the faucets, and as Peter set his thermostat, he lit a fire in the huge fireplace as well, to help warm up the place. Catherine marveled, "Dad always says that you can stoke a fireplace quicker than any one he has ever seen Peter!" Peter laughed as he offered, "I suppose that is due to my past Eagle Scout training!" Peter passed around the "Ol' Granddad", and those who felt inclined poured a nip into the Styrofoam cups that he passed about too. He inwardly smiled as he saw Mary discreetly pour herself some, and commented to Rebecca, "I don't suppose that a little taste could hurt."
      They all settled about the fireplace as Peter popped some popcorn over the open fire, and he joyfully told a few stories about Catherine during her childhood. He especially loved telling the fishing story about Catherine when she was an 8-year-old stubborn little whippersnapper. Catherine had decided to go ice fishing with himself and her father come hell or high water!
      As Peter looked at everyone in the group, he gained their full attention as he began his story. "It was such a cold blustery day, and no matter what we said, we could not get her to change her mind about joining us. Finally Charles conceded, and told Cathy to dress warmly because she would be stuck out on the lake with them for quite a few hours." Peter looked lovingly at Catherine as he continued, "Cathy insisted that she was going to fish and that was that. So, the three of us went fishing...or should I say that Cathy went fishing! SHE fished the afternoon away! Cathy at her little fishing hole, that she herself insisted on chipping open, I might add, caught fish after fish! Meanwhile, Charles and I had no luck at all, and that little gal never once complained of the cold! When we finally decided to call it a day, Charles and I decided to do the humane thing and throw the few puny little fish that we had managed to catch back into the water! And then like rubbing salt into a wound we had to help Cathy haul her catch onto the shore!"
      Catherine laughed as she revealed, "Peter neither you or Dad ever bothered to ask what I was using for bait!" Peter frowned as he inquired, "What do you mean kiddo? Weren't you using the worms that your Dad had given you?" Catherine shook her head and giggled as she told him, "Nope, I used my own bait, Tenderloin steak cubed and diced!" Peter raised his eyebrows in surprise as he inquired, "You mean you took those steaks off of the porch, not some animal like we had thought?" Catherine apologetically admitted, "'Twas me Peter, I am so sorry that I never owned up to taking the steaks, but I hated to give away my fishing secret!" Peter roared with laughter as he said, "Why you little stinker! We could not figure out how any wild life could have snatched those steaks, and now come to find out...it was you. Well finally...the decades old mystery has finally been solved of the missing tenderloin steaks, and I have a new fishing secret!"
       Vincent looked down at Catherine who was sitting within his embrace and said, "Your determined spirit seems to shine through in all that you do Catherine. I wish that I could have known you then...as a head-strong young girl." Catherine rolled her eyes as she laughingly said, "Be glad that you didn't Vincent, I was quite a handful I am afraid." Vincent lovingly said, "Catherine, knowing you then would only have enriched my life, as each day has been an adventure rich in wonder since I found you. I am thankful and I feel very Blessed."
       A hush fell about the room, as tears welled in the eyes of those sitting around this magical fairy tale couple. They all knew that what Vincent had said was true, Catherine had changed his life. All these people, who were friends and family to Vincent, had never seen him so happy, as he has been since he met Catherine.
Peter stayed behind as they trekked back to the Chandler Cabin. Mouse still had Rocky on his shoulder, and he could not have been happier having his old friend visit him again. Everyone either settled about the fireplace or headed on to bed, leaving only Catherine and Vincent wanting to stay outside to enjoy this beautiful winter's night. Vincent holding Catherine's hand stepped off the path, and headed toward the lake.
       Looking at the shoreline, he saw the raft that had been pulled ashore for the winter. He thought back on that night last summer, when he and Catherine had laid upon it. The night that they had professed their undying love for one another and had finally accepted that their fates were as one. Vincent softly said, "Catherine, our hearts became joined on a united path on this raft." Catherine softly said, "Yes Vincent, you were finally able to accept that I loved you as much as you loved me." Vincent turned to Catherine and as he gathered her in his arms, he bent his head to kiss his Catherine. As he expelled a breathless voice he said, "I love you Catherine, if it is possible, my love grows for you more and more each day." Catherine passionately said, "Yes I believe it Vincent, that is how I feel too."
     Vincent scraped the snow away from the surface of the raft, and as he laid his cloak down upon it he said, "Join me Catherine sit with me here, and let us look at the star filled sky together." As the two settled in on the raft, they held each other tightly as their love filled both of their hearts to access. Catherine contentedly said, "Oh Vincent the stars are so bright! Nearly as brilliant as they were on that night last summer! We gained such hope that night didn't we?" Vincent reflectively said, "Yes Catherine, that night you gave me hope. A hope for a life that I never thought that I could possess." Vincent passionately continued, "Hope provides wonderful things for a man's soul Catherine. The Christmas season does that for us...gives us hope. Christmas reminds us of a promise that life is precious, and our resolve, our purpose must be renewed continually by remembering the hope that Christ's birth gave us." Catherine added, "Yes Vincent the hope that we all gain as we recognize our purpose and our reason for being here on this earth. Since I have met you Vincent, I have learned that Life is very precious and we cannot waste a moment of it!"