Down The River
By Thomas Mc

Chapter 6 : The Other Parents

It was the next day after the boys had met the rest of the girls' family and Justin had come over to the home of Adam's parents for diner. Adam had been up half the night, trying to figure out how to tell his parents about Brigit's father and brothers. He was also just a bit worried about how his parents might feel about a marriage between him and someone with Brigit's genetic background.

Adam's parents, Sabrina and Lance, had been talking about some of the latest doings among the rest of his father's family in Colorado. His mother was an orphan so there were no relatives on that side of the family.

Lance was reporting on the latest stories that his sister had relayed about her daughter (his niece) in her last e-mail. ". . . and then she looked right at the policeman and proceeded to go into hysterics. That is when he noticed that she was very pregnant and nearly went into a panic. In the end she got off with just a warning." He chuckled. "Poor guy just didn't know what to do with the hysterical pregnant woman he suddenly had on his hands so he just let her go and beat a hasty retreat."

Sabrina jumped in. "When it comes to pregnant women, all you guys are such pushovers." She glanced at Adam and Justin. "By the way, you haven't said much about your diner at the Chandler's place yesterday."

Adam looked up from his plate. "Um, Mom, Dad . . . You know things have gotten petty serious with Brigit and Nancy?"

"Of course, Dear." Sabrina responded. "Two very lovely girls. I think you and Brigit make a very sweet couple." She addressed Justin. "The same goes for you and Nancy."

"Well, it seems that last night, Justin and I got ourselves engaged to Nancy and Brigit."

After a moment's silence, Sabrina responded. "That's . . . wonderful." Sabrina cocked her head a moment and her brow furrowed as she looked more closely at her son. "The way you just said that, it sounds like the engagement was, aahh, unexpected?" She glanced at Justin then back at Adam.

"Well . . . It did kinda come out of left field." Adam shrugged. "I hadn't even been thinking about marriage. It sorta just got blurted out before I realized what I was saying." Another shrug. "But once I realized what I had said, I also realized that it was what I really wanted. It felt so right."

Justin jumped in. "It was the same for me. I had not even considered proposing then the words just came tumbling out of my mouth but when she said yes I was elated."

Sabrina studied their faces and after a moment she smiled at them both. "In that case, congratulations."

"I guess we should make plans to meet their mother soon." Adam's father, Lance, remarked. "I know of Catherine Chandler by reputation. I admit that I look forward to meeting her in person."

Sabrina added. "It will be interesting meeting the future in-laws." She paused as she looked a bit closer at the two boys, cocked her head then continued. "There's something else that you haven't told us yet, isn't there?"

Justin cleared his throat. "Well you see . . . ah, that's the thing." He looked nervously at Adam. "There's something about the girls' father . . . aahh how do I put this?" He seemed to run out of steam.

Lance jumped in. "We've all heard about their father being an anonymous sperm donor, son. It's not really a problem."

Adam jumped in. "That's not really true, dad. Their father is very much in the picture. Their parents have been secretly married for twenty-four years." He paused for a breath. This was turning out to be more difficult than he had expected. "Their father is . . . different." He shrugged glancing over at Justin then rushed to add. "We've met him and he is actually a very nice person but his appearance is very . . . very unusual." He paused to consider his words. "His unusual appearance is apparently genetic and we do not really know if Brigit and Nancy carry those genes."

Adam's parents were both looking very confused and there was now just a hint of alarm in their expressions.

Justin stepped in. "The girls told us that, ah, only boys like their two brothers seem to end up inheriting their father's . . . very unique appearance."

Sabrina and Lance were both looking a bit more concerned now. Sabrina spoke first. "I don't understand. What is wrong with their father? Is he deformed somehow? How bad is it?" An image of the elephant man had flashed through her mind.

Adam responded. "It's not really bad . . . just, very different." He paused then hurried to add. "The only thing the girls seem to have gotten from their father is their unusual strength and speed." He paused again trying to think of how to describe Vincent to them without sounding crazy. "If we tried to describe his appearance to you, you would say we are crazy." He paused again. "Well, ya see, Vincent has very thick body hair and his face is . . . it looks like . . . um, well . . ." Adam took a breath.

"Vincent?" Both parents blurted out as they looked at each other in surprise.

Lance shook his head. "It couldn't be. Could it?"

Sabrina looked intently at Adam, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Their father, Vincent, does he, ah, does he kinda remind you of a lion?" It was just too absurd yet she had to ask.

Adam stared back at his parents equally surprised. "You know?"

Sabrina gazed at Adam, barely shaking her head. "Vincent has children?" She was in shock. "But . . . but I thought that was supposed to be impossible."

Lance responded. "Let me get this straight. We're talking about half-human, half-lion, with clawed hands, Vincent?" He also stared at Adam in disbelief. "And he is the father of the Catherine Chandler's three daughters?"

Adam pulled himself together. "Um, yes. And they also have two sons that look just like him." He continued. "That proves that it's genetic. What we don't know for sure is how much of that he passed on to the girls to possibly pop up in their children. We only know that the girls all got a small portion of his speed and strength."

Sabrina was still shaking her head. "Vincent is married with children?" She was having trouble getting past that concept.

Justin finally had to ask. "How is it that you both know about Vincent?"

Sabrina shook herself out of her shocked state and answered. "Your father was a helper for a couple of years before we got married and I grew up in the tunnels. We met at Winterfest and got married a year later."

Adam and Justin both looked puzzled as they both responded in confusion. "Helper?" "Tunnels?" "Winterfest?" "What are those?"

Lance ignored his questions and asked. "Where were you when they introduced you to Vincent?"

Justin responded. "At Catherine Chandler's place. That's where they live."

Sabrina looked at Lance. "Must have direct tunnel access."

"Tunnel access?" Justin remarked curiously.

"They didn't mention the tunnels?" Lance asked.

"No. What tunnels are you talking about?" Adam asked.

"It's not really our place to give out that information, but I'm sure you will find out soon enough if you are going to marry those two girls." Lance thought for a moment. "If there is any chance that your children might turn out like Vincent then I'm sure that you will be told about them."

"So you knew Vincent but didn't know about his family?" Adam changed the subject.

Sabrina explained. "Shortly after we were married, your father was offered a job at a company here in Connecticut and so we moved there. That was twenty-seven years ago and we haven't really kept in contact with any of the helpers that we used to know. We didn't think we would ever see that place again after we left New York."

Lance elaborated. "The last time we saw Vincent he was definitely unattached. Back then, everyone thought that, because of what he was, Vincent would never be able to have a normal relationship with a normal woman, much less having a family. They just didn't think he would be able to reproduce with a normal woman. They even said that, because of his claws and strength, it would be too dangerous for a woman to have a physical relationship with him. That was even assuming that he found a woman that would be interested in such a relationship."

Sabrina jumped in. "I would have been interested." She shrugged. "I had a bit of a crush on him before I met you." She smiled at her husband.

Adam stared at his mother in surprise. She had once had a crush on Vincent? Then he looked at his father who seemed totally unfazed by the revelation.

Justin added. "Well, Vincent is married and doing very well. His oldest son has been married for four years and has a one-year-old son of his own that looks a whole lot like his father and grandfather. His other son is engaged to the daughter of District Attorney Joe Maxwell and they plan to get married this coming April."

Lance was lost in thought for a moment then looked at Sabrina as understanding dawned. "The ten days Catherine Chandler was missing. The papers said they found her purse in the park. That must have been when she met Vincent."

"That's what Miss, ah, Misses Chandler-Wells said." Justin remarked. "It was Vincent that found her and took her to his father."

"We should call them." Sabrina remarked then paused and glanced over at the wall where a calendar hung. "Lance, next weekend is Winterfest." She looked at her husband. "I guess we should try to attend this year if Vincent will let us bring the boys." She looked at Adam. "Do you have their number?"

Adam laughed. "We have the girls' cell phones and the house phone number."

Sabrina got on the phone and called the Chandler home.

~ o ~

Catherine answered the phone and was very surprised when the caller, with an unfamiliar name at an unfamiliar number, asked to speak to Vincent.

Vincent sensed Catherine's disturbed emotions and was there next to her before she had a chance to call out for him. "Catherine what is wrong?" He asked her very quietly.

Catherine covered the mouthpiece with her hand as she responded uncertainly. "Someone I don't know named Sabrina is calling from Connecticut and has asked to speak to you." She indicated the caller ID display next to the antique parlor phone that displayed caller name, calling number and location of active cell tower.

Vincent glanced at the display, puzzled, and then took the receiver from Catherine. "This is Vincent. What can I do for you?"

There was a moment of silence at the other end then an excited female voice responded. "Vincent! It is you! Oh my god, it's been so long but I'd recognize your voice anywhere."

Vincent looked at the receiver in surprise for a second then responded. "Pardon me, but do I know you?"

"It's me, Sabrina. Surely you remember me." Vincent saw Catherine peer out at him from the kitchen doorway where she had picked up the kitchen extension. The excited female continued. "I grew up in the tunnels. I had the biggest crush on you when I was a teenager until I met Lance. You gave me away at our wedding."

It didn't take long for Vincent to remember Sabrina and Lance. She had had a huge crush on him when she was seventeen that lasted a couple of years until she met Lance. Vincent remembered how glad he was when Lance came along to capture her attention and her heart. A few days after they had left for his new job, Vincent had been up in the park thinking about Sabrina when he had found Catherine, wounded and dying on that grassy slope beside the road.

He responded. "Sabrina, of course I remember you. It has been a very long time."

"Please, don't remind me. I still only admit to being twenty-nine." Sabrina laughed.

Vincent caught the flash of humor in Catherine and glanced over at her as he continued. "How are you and Lance doing these days?"

"We're doing great. We have a nice home and many good friends here. Also I have a grown son now and he is going to be getting married to a very sweet girl in a few months." Sabrina reported.

"That sounds great." Vincent paused. "So to what do I owe the honor of this call?"

"Well, it's about this girl my son is marrying." Vincent glanced at Catherine because of the spurt of surprise he had sensed from her as Sabrina continued. "We just learned that the girl he's marrying is your daughter, Brigit."

Vincent was so startled he was momentarily dumbfounded. Catherine, who had been about a half step ahead of him, took over the conversation. "Your son is Adam?" She grinned at Vincent.

"Yes, I'm Adam's mother, and Justin is Lance's sister's kid. He had been staying with us while finishing up his degree." There was a pause. "Are you Catherine?"

"Guilty as charged." Catherine responded. "Are you going to come down for Winterfest next weekend?"

A male voice answered. "Lance here. We would like to come down to meet you. Sorta renew old acquaintances and get to know our future in-laws if we can make arrangements that quickly."

"No arrangements necessary, you and the boys are staying with us for the weekend." She looked to Vincent and got his nod of approval. "We have plenty of room and you can all go to Winterfest with us. It's about time your boys learned about the tunnels since they will be joining the family."

Sabrina spoke. "Oh no, we wouldn't want to impose."

Vincent spoke. "Nonsense. We would love to have you over. We have a lot of catching up to do." He chuckled. "I know the girls won't object to having the boys over for the weekend."

Catherine added. "And I'm always interested in talking with people that knew Vincent before I met him."

Vincent continued. "I should tell you that I've already learned that Catherine is a tough lawyer and usually gets her way." He grinned at the face Catherine made at him. "So it's settled. You're coming down for Winterfest and staying with us."

"Far be it from me to argue with a top lawyer." Lance replied. "I guess we will see you next weekend and I'm kinda looking forward to seeing you again."

"Great, we'll see you next Saturday." Catherine responded.

The phone call ended and Lance and Sabrina began making plans. Lance addressed the two boys. "Well, we're all starting the Christmas holidays by spending next weekend with Vincent's family."

Adam was stunned. "We are spending the weekend at Catherine Chandler's place? With Brigit and Nancy?" He looked at Justin as though looking for confirmation that he had heard correctly.

"Well, after all you are getting married soon; might as well get used to spending more time with them." Sabrina responded with a mischievous grin.

Justin and Adam grinned and high-fived each other.

~ o ~

After the phone call, Vincent had to explain to Catherine who Lance and Sabrina were. Since they had left New York two weeks before Catherine was attacked, she had never met them.

Catherine cocked her head. "So I just invited your old girlfriend to stay in our house?" She grinned. "I guess I'm going to have to keep an eye on you. Keep you out of trouble."

Vincent pulled her close. "I don't think you will have any trouble keeping my attention."

She had just relaxed into his kiss when Brigit and Nancy came into the parlor. "Ewe, Mom and Dad are kissing again." Brigit remarked.

"We just can't leave them alone for a minute." Nancy responded. "Worse than a couple of teenagers."

Catherine grinned, unrepentant. "Yea we are. By the way, we invited Adam's parents and both boys to spend next weekend with us. They will be going with us to Winterfest."

Both girls got very excited over the prospect and, while they were celebrating, Vincent stole another kiss.

Continued in Part 7

'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. No infringement on copyrights is intended. This story is presented merely for the enjoyment of fans. Original concepts and story elements may be used by other authors as long as appropriate credit is given.