Chapter 9

"You know you are not allowed to go anywhere without an adult with you!" Vincent admonished.

His son only smiled unrepentantly and again said, "Want Rara!"

"That may be so, Jacob, but it is wrong of you to go running off without permission. You have to learn to obey for your own safety, so there will be no bedtime story for you tonight, young man," Vincent scolded his son.

All three adults in the room were shocked by Jacob's response, but while Clara tried to hide her amusement, Vincent and Father wondered where Jacob had learned such language!

"Poop!" Jacob stated clearly!

Vincent's answer to that was, "And because of that, no story tomorrow night either!"

You could see Jacob wanted to repeat his word again, but his love of stories, which were usually about his mother, kept him silent.

Clara knew she needed to leave before she lost control and laughed at the vexed look on the youngster's face, so she quickly excused herself, "Well, on that note, I think I'll go to bed. Good night, all."

Vincent smiled and said, "Good night, Clara."

Father nodded and replied, "Have a good night."

Jacob pouted and whispered, "Night, night, Rara."

When he was sure that Ms. Wyatt was out of earshot, Father said, "Vincent it's clear that we need to talk."

"It will have to wait until tomorrow, Father. I need to put Jacob to bed."

"You can return once he is asleep," Father stated.

"With this new development for mischief, I think it would be best if I keep a close eye on him tonight. We can discuss things tomorrow. Good night, Father," Vincent said firmly, and left the study.

"Well!" Father grumbled as he poured himself another cup of tea. He was not used to Vincent defying his wishes like that!

That night, Vincent had a difficult time getting Jacob to bed. He was fractious and teary-eyed, protesting that he needed a story to go to sleep, and wiggling out of his father's hands at every turn. Vincent had feared to undress his child or change his diaper when Jacob was first at home Below. He worried that his claws would scratch the baby's delicate skin. As time went by and his confidence grew, he now only took a little more than usual care when he was touching his son as he did with others.

However, Jacob was clearly aware of this concern and tonight was using it against his father. Every time Vincent tried to change him into his pajamas, Jacob would twist away and run to the far side of the chamber. Vincent would try to persuade him to come back, but Jacob would just pout and shake his head 'no'.

"All right then!" Vincent stated in a rare show of frustration with his son. He got to his feet, crossed the chamber, picked up the protesting child, and popped him fully clothed into his crib. "You can sleep in your day clothes then," he told him and blew out the candles in the alcove where Jacob slept.

Before he could take the two steps out of the alcove into his own chamber the plaintive begging had already started. When the repeated calls of "Dada, Dada" didn't bring Vincent back to him, Jacob broke into hiccupping sobs. That sound tore at Vincent's heart, but he remained strong and refused to return. He sat down and tried to write in his journal.

This was the journal that Catherine had given him and it was almost full now. So much of it was about her and the miraculous gift she had given to him. He hadn't written much in the days after her death, the grief had been too great to put on paper. Then the search for the baby had consumed him for weeks. It wasn't until Jacob was safely home that Vincent had begun to fill the pages again.

To be continued….