Chapter 3

Catherine

As Vincent spoke with the older gentleman, Diana allowed her eyes to roam over the small multitude to once again, see who she recognized. She couldn’t help but allow a diminutive smile to enlighten her taut face when she glanced over at Father and Mary. Their burgeoning affections for each other were so apparent in their manner and in their eyes. The way that Father held her arm as they passed through the crowded entryway, the way Mary dusted off his shoulders with the gentlest wisp of air through her lips—although endearing and achingly heart-felt, their love seemed to taunt Diana’s own desires and for a brief moment, she felt jealous.

At that same moment, her attention was commanded elsewhere when two small arms wrapped around Diana’s legs in a surprisingly strong embrace.

"Hello Diana!"

Two beautiful green eyes peered up at her from beneath a brow of cascading blonde curls. Diana excitedly bent down to hug the young boy whom she had come to love so very deeply.

"Good evening Jacob. How are you? And how handsome you look!"

"I dressed myself! I wanted to show you something I made, I’ll be right back!" Jacob said, running away.

"Well, okay!"

As Diana watched little Jacob run over to a large table, she mused over all the memories she had of him since he was a baby. ‘How fast he has grown! And he’s so strong too!’ Diana thought to herself. Although she and Vincent shared an ever-growing bond, there was a limit to it, but with Jacob, there were no limitations on his love for her. Vincent looked over Sam’s shoulder to see little Jacob running about and then saw Diana’s tender watching of him.

A familiar feeling rose up in his heart, one that he normally kept repressed because it pained him so. Suddenly, a smoky haze filled Vincent’s eyes and Catherine was standing there, basking in the warmth of their love, looking straight back at him from across the room. Diana looked up and saw Vincent staring at her with a look that she knew all too well, he was thinking of Catherine. But it didn’t take the look in his eyes to tell her that, she could feel it. Diana felt her presence standing there as strongly as every other tunnel dweller and helper in the Great Hall.

A movement out of the corner of Diana’s eye awoke her with a start from her thoughts. As Jacob was pulling some papers off of the table, the cloth was coming off with it and along with that, a large candelabra sitting close to the edge.

"Jacob!!!"

Diana jumped a few steps and grabbed little Jacob, shielding him with her own body, as the candelabra tilted off the table and burned her arm, spilling the hot wax onto her new dress.

"Diana!" Vincent arrived only a second later to pick up the candelabra and place it back onto the table. He took hold of her arm.

"Diana, are you all right? Jacob?" Vincent asked.

"We’re both fine. It’s just a minor burn, nothing serious."

"But your dress…" Vincent posed when he looked at the taupe stains.

"It’ll be all right."

Jacob peered up at Vincent with a redemptive gaze, "I’m sorry father. I just wanted to show Diana the pop-up book we made with all of us in it!"

Vincent picked up Jacob with a stern look on his face. "I understand that Jacob, but you might need to be a little more careful. You or someone else could’ve been hurt. You’re lucky that Diana was close by to shield you from harm."

Father rushed up with his medical bag (which was never far), "Is anyone hurt? Diana are you all right?"

Diana blushed at all the immediate interest in her. "I’m fine! It’s just a little burn, it stopped stinging already."

"Nonsense. It needs to be treated to prevent infection or further pain."

As Father opened his bag on the somewhat disheveled table, he glanced at his lively grandson, "Jacob, why is it that I know you have something to do with this?"

"Grandpa, I was just…"

"I know you were just but you need to be more careful. I mean, how many times…"

Vincent interjected: "Father? We’ve just had this discussion. And Jacob has said that he will slow down and be more careful from now on."

Father proudly realized that his own son had everything under control. "All right. Well, I’m basically finished up here. We’ll put a little more ointment on it before you leave tonight Diana."

Smiling, Diana replied, "Thank you Father."

Father looked at his namesake, who aged him everyday, and laughed, "Well Jacob, why don’t you come and have some cake with Mary and me and give your father and Diana some time to catch up, hmmm?"

Jacob smiled brightly as he passed from Vincent’s’ to Father’s arms.

As Father walked away, Vincent and Diana heard him say "And perhaps now is the time to teach you the game of champions, of kings and paupers…chess!"

A reminiscent, smirk overcame Vincent’s face as he turned back to Diana. Stepping forward, his sensuous, deep voice whispered, "Come."

At that instant, Diana’s heart raced in anxious anticipation. The apples of her cheeks flushed a bright, rosy hue as Vincent took her hand and led her to the upper balcony. She became all too aware of the other tunnel dwellers seeing her and Vincent sneaking away to talk, and it made the butterflies in her stomach travel northward into her throat.

Once above the crowd, Vincent enjoyed showing Diana the tapestries that adorned the walls of the Great Hall. And looking down at the happiness that all the people he held dear were sharing, there was a distinct feeling of tranquility, of peace. And Vincent breathed in that moment for all it was worth, so very deeply.

"Vincent? Vincent? Are you all right?" Diana asked, gently squeezing his shoulder.

"Yes…yes, I am." Vincent replied, leaning on the balustrade.

"This is quite a magnificent place. I wish there were places like this in the city."

Vincent looked puzzled at Diana’s remark. "There are no places in your city that are full of warmth and joy as this is?"

Diana turned to face him, "No, I don’t think so. Not like this. See, there’s actual care in this room. Security. It’s a place where you know that no one will try to hurt you because…"

As her words trailed off, Vincent’s piercing blue eyes meet her own in his reply, "because there’s love."

"Yes." Diana looked down at the crowd that had gathered around Father and little Jacob’s game of chess.

"He’s grown so big Vincent. You must be so proud of him."

Vincent peered down at his precious son, "I didn’t know that I would ever love anything as much as Catherine, but Jacob…our son has surpassed all the musings and writings of love that I have ever read. Each day, he is more and more like her."

Diana interposed his poetic words. "Everyday he becomes stronger and more handsome. Everyday he becomes more like you Vincent."

The words startled Vincent to his core. His body jerked upward, tall and erect, and his eyes became intense. "No! His heart is like Catherine’s, and he will be more like her."

Diana’s eyes widened at the emotional outburst, and guilt overwhelmed her as she realized that she’d struck a very deep nerve.

"I’m sorry Vincent. I didn’t mean to upset you in any way."

Vincent walked briskly to the other side of her and stared at the crimson tapestry.

Still not feeling that she had rectified anything, Diana moved close beside him. The detective in her kept her back to the wall so that she was able to see the whole room still. Tilting her head back, she gently said, "He has a lot of Catherine in him. His smile, his eyes, his kindness and caring…But he is also strong. Strong in will and in might." (Vincent closed his eyes.) "He is also fearless. And not just in situations, but with people too. And Jacob has the most tender, beautiful heart I’ve ever seen."

Tears slowly rolled down Vincent’s face as he listened to the words Diana had said.

"And those things…he gets from you."

Vincent looked into Diana’s eyes and knew that she had meant every word.

"Diana, I…"

A cell phone ringing disrupted the moment. Diana reached down and slid the hidden device from a garter around her calf. Impatiently, Diana looked to see who had the audacity to be calling at such a moment.

"Oh! I’ve gotta’ take this Vincent. It’s Joe. We’re working on a murder case right now and he might have something important to tell me."

Vincent stepped aside to allow Diana passage back down the staircase as she flipped open her phone. Silently, he wiped the tears away from his eyes, but that didn’t stop the sound of her words that were still ringing in his ears.

Diana found the quietest corner and aggressively answered the cell, "Bennett. What is it Joe?!"

"Diana? Where are you? I thought you were going to stay home tonight? Sounds like a party to me."

A little frustrated by his asking, Diana attempted to rush the conversation a bit. "What is it Joe? I know that you didn’t call just to keep tabs on me on my night off."

"Okay, okay. We’ve got a break in the case and I need you back here ASAP."

Dismay shadowed Diana’s once brightened features. "Is it really that big Joe, that I have to come in right now? Or is it that you can’t live without me for one night?"

Joe replied, "Diana, this is BIG. This is going to blow the lid off this whole case, if I can get you to come in and help me on a few odds and ends."

Diana sighed reluctantly.

"Come on Bennett. This is what we pay you the big bucks for."

Diana felt a mental tug knowing he was half right. "Alright, Joe. I’m on my way."

"Now that’s what I like to hear. Hey, thanks Diana."

Diana pushed through the crowd to find Vincent coaching Jacob in a close battle to win his first chess match. It never ceased to amaze Diana of the miracle she witnessed every time she saw Vincent and his son together.

Vincent laid his hand on young Jacob’s shoulder and said, "Now you could move your knight to King 4 and put your opponent in check."

Father ominously looked at Vincent, "Thank you son. I never dreamed that one day I would realize that I have raised a Benedict Arnold."

Vincent smiled and looked up as he saw Diana heading straight for him.

"Vincent, I have to go. Joe found something that will help us wrap up our investigation."

Little Jacob looked over at Diana to voice his displeasure at her departure. "Diana! You said you’d be here for Winterfest, and it’s only just begun!"

Diana walked over and kissed Jacob on the forehead. "I’ll try to hurry back, kiddo, okay?"

Vincent was fully aware of the bond between his son and Diana Bennett. She did save his life after all, but it was more than that. And Vincent certainly wasn’t the only tunnel dweller who saw it, either.

Father got up and pulled out his ointment to address her small burn. "And no cheating, Jacob, while I dress this wound. Besides, I’m going to beat you by placing my rook at Knight 2."

As Jacob examined the board intently, Father finished the treatment. "You will be careful Diana?"

Diana nodded in response to his concern.

"I won’t be long Father; I’m going to walk Diana through the tunnels." Vincent said as he smiled at his son to let him know he’d be alright in his absence.

Small talk flowed back and forth between Diana and Vincent as they neared her drainage exit. Diana would love to have asked Vincent some deep, penetrating questions right then; but she felt that time would just not allow for "that talk" this evening…but maybe soon.

"Thank you for walking me to my exit. I still don’t know my way around down here."

"It was my pleasure, Diana." Vincent replied, helping Diana step into the exit tunnel.

Diana started to walk away but then stopped, and turned back to Vincent. "Vincent?"

Vincent’s heart started to pound, "Yes?"

Confronted with his full attention and his ruggedly masculine frame, Diana completely forgot what she was going to say to him. But the butterflies were still there, and she prayed for a moment that Vincent didn’t know what her mind was thinking of - what she was desiring. Instead, she just smiled and waved goodbye.

"Diana, be cautious tonight, and I just wanted you to know that…you look beautiful."

A delighted warmth blushed over her whole being as she walked out of the tunnels and headed towards Joe Maxwell’s building to see what else was in store for her this evening.

***

As Diana exited the elevator onto Joe’s floor, she noticed that there were an unusual number of policemen roaming about; and they all seemed to notice her as well.

Diana kept her focus as she walked through the hallway of whistles and stares and entered Joe’s office. "Listen Joe, I’ve got plans, so let’s get this thing put down."

Joe looked positively flabbergasted as he turned around to see the lovely woman standing before him. Where there once was a clean, basic appearance there was makeup; and where casual, busy New York wear once was, an elegant, exquisite silhouette now stood.

"Diana?! You look…amazing. What were you up to tonight?"

~