Chapter 34
As the week went on and her project kept progressing, she wondered if it was because she was spending less time with him. Clara knew that Jacob was missing the time they had been spending together in the evenings, but she made sure he understood what was going on when he had demanded to know. He had seemed satisfied with her answers and told her to hurry and finish so they could go back to spending time together!
It wasn't until that afternoon when she felt a huge rush of relief from Vincent and then a reopening of the flow of the Bond between them, that she finally thought he might be feeling hurt by her lack of time for him. Instantly, she had felt regret for having caused him any pain or worry. But, she had one more thing to do before her gift was finished and then she could go to him and try and explain. When this last thing once again caused her to cry, she this time felt Vincent's support and caring through the Bond and immediately felt better. The problem was now that her project was finished, and she could once again go back to spending her free time with Vincent, she still didn't want to tell him what it was she had been doing because the gift was in essence as much for him as it was for Jacob.
Knowing that Jacob would be in bed by that time of night, Clara decided that it would probably be best if she went to Vincent's chamber to talk to him. The Bond let her know that was where he was. Pausing at his doorway, she softly called his name so she wouldn't wake Jacob.
"Come in, Clara," he invited.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you?" she asked hesitantly.
"No, I was just reading, please do come in. Would you like some tea?" he inquired as he rose to his feet at her entrance.
"No, thank you. I just came by to apologize if I've seemed distant this past week."
"I was concerned that I had done something to upset you."
"Oh no! Oh, Vincent, no! It was nothing like that at all, and I'm sorry if my actions in anyway made you think so."
"It's all right Clara. As long as you are fine, then that's all that matters to me."
"It's not all right, Vincent! I value the trust and honesty that we have between us and I should never have kept what I was doing from you. I'm not yet used to this Bond and how it works. I didn't realize that my unexpected reactions to my project would alert you to what I was feeling and then make you wonder about my motives when I wouldn't tell you what was going on."
"Clara, you aren't required to tell me everything that is going on in your life!" he protested.
"Maybe not required, Vincent, but when what I am doing generates the feelings that this project did and then keeping the cause of those feelings from you leads you to think that I am upset with you…well then I believe you're wrong. I am obligated by the very Bond we do have to tell you! If I had simply confessed that I was working on a surprise for Jacob's birthday, it would at least have let you know that you had no need to worry about what you might have done."
"Hindsight is always 20/20, Clara, and you can't be blamed for not knowing about something you've never experienced before. I'm glad that it wasn't something I did that had you so unsettled and sad on several occasions. My question though, is how a birthday gift for Jacob could cause those feelings?"
"Normally I would be happy to tell you, Vincent. But in truth, this gift is as much for you as it is for Jacob and since it is only three days away, I was hoping you might let me keep the surprise. It will all come clear then, I promise," she assured him.
"Of course you may keep the surprise, Clara! I wouldn't dream of making you tell in this case," he answered with a smile.
"Thank you, Vincent. I'm glad we talked, but I should get going now and let you go back to your reading."
"Clara, do you like Milton?"
To be continued….