Chapter 25
When Catherine entered the living room a few minutes later with a tea tray in her hands she was stunned! She hadn't realized that she owned that many candles and it was clear that Vincent had lit every one that he had found. "Thank you Vincent, this looks lovely," she said placing the tray on the coffee table.
"I hope you do not mind me lighting so many, it was just that I discovered that your candles are all scented. I just couldn't seem to stop myself from finding what each one smelled like."
Laughing, she told him it was quite alright and asked if there were any that he particularly liked.
"Most were quite pleasing Catherine, but my favorites would have to be the vanilla and the cinnamon ones."
"Then you must take them with you when you have to leave Vincent."
"Are you sure Catherine?" he asked, not wanting to show just how excited he was. It was rare that they had scented candles Below because fragrances were so hard to come by.
"Positive. As you can see, I have a lot of candles and can purchase more if I run low. Please take them and enjoy them."
"Thank you Catherine, I will most surely do that."
They were quiet for a time while pouring and drinking their tea, until Catherine put her cup down and said, "Vincent, I want you to know that I meant what I said earlier about your looks. Yes, you are different, but that makes you intriguing and down right handsome! Personally I would look into those beautiful blue eyes of yours all day long!"
"But Catherine, your green eyes are much lovelier!" he protested. "I can also assure you that my face causes more fear than anything else."
"I don't believe you Vincent! There are many people Below and they all love you. I have seen this for myself. Even the children are not afraid of you. I don't know how this ability you have to sense my feelings works, but if you can really do it, then you should be able to tell if I am lying to you about this." She paused a moment and when he didn't reply, she asked, "Well, can you?"
"Yes," he admitted slowly. Each time he 'tuned in' to her, he felt that he was invading her privacy, but in this case she seemed to want him to do so.
"Then I want you to do whatever it is that you do so you can tell if I am lying to you or not!" Catherine insisted. She sat there waiting expectantly, but when she didn't see him 'do' anything after a few moments she demanded, "Well?"
Seeing her determination Vincent tilted his head to the side as if he were trying to listen to something. An odd look came over his face, it was hard for Catherine to read what was going on behind his beautiful blue eyes.
Vincent hadn't really thought that Catherine would lie to him per se, but that she might have been embellishing a bit to spare his feelings. Instead, what he discovered when he 'tuned in' to the Bond was that Catherine DID find him handsome and as that realization hit him he could not stop a blush from coloring his cheeks.
Once Catherine saw him blushing, she knew that he had been able to figure out she had been telling him the truth. "Why do you find it so hard to trust that people find you wonderful rather than fearsome Vincent?"
"I have been aware of my differences since a very early age Catherine and over the years I have had it drummed into my head what might happen to me if I were ever caught Above. My family, friends, and now you, Catherine, might accept the way I look, but anyone else in your world would want me locked away in a cage."
"I agree with you there. People in my world are consumed by their fears and you would remind them of what they fear the most…their own aloneness."
Vincent nodded at this assessment still a bit in awe of how this beautiful, intelligent, young woman was able to so readily accept him as he was.
Sensing that the subject should be closed at that point, Catherine moved on to the next thing on her mind, "Vincent, I could tell that when Olivia thought you were this baby's father, that you were very uncomfortable. Haven't you thought about having children of your own?"
To be continued….