Chapter 5
"Yes please," she said while still trying to process everything.
Vincent opened the book and began to read in his soft calm voice. Pausing after a few pages he told her, "Catherine, if you need anything, water, or pain medication, please just let me know."
"I will," she promised and then let his voice continue to wash over her. She was quickly enraptured in the story just like when she was young. Before long however, his soothing voice had her drifting off. She still had some residual sedatives in her system and they were aiding in making her tired.
When Vincent sensed she was asleep, he put the book aside marking their place. He then stepped out of the chamber to send a message on the pipes for lunch to be brought to him and some broth for their guest. The food arrived and he ate while waiting for her to wake, she did just as he finished his meal.
Catherine awoke and opened her eyes, but saw only darkness, she felt a pang of fear 'why couldn't she see?'
"Catherine, I'm here, please don't be afraid. I have some broth for you if you are feeling hungry."
Her fear forgotten because of Vincent's calming voice and presence next to her she replied, "I am hungry."
"Let me put another pillow behind you so you can sit up just a bit and then I will feed you, if you don't mind?" he questioned gently.
Catherine agreed "I feel so weary right now I doubt I will be able to do much more then eat."
"You don't need to do anything, I will be happy to take care of you," he offered as he moved to put the pillow behind her, lifting her as gently and easily as if she were a child.
After she was settled, Vincent gave her the first few sips of the broth and she murmured, "This tastes good, it warms me up inside."
"I'm glad that you like it, please eat as much as you can so you get your strength back," he told her.
In between spoonfuls of broth Catherine couldn't help but ask more questions about her surroundings, "Vincent, you said that this place was closer than a hospital, are we still near the park?"
"Yes we are," he told her, as he gave her another spoonful, without really telling her anything at all.
"My apartment is near the park too. Are we in one of the apartment buildings around the park?"
"No, Catherine, not in one of the apartment buildings…"
"I don't understand. What else is near by?"
Vincent knew that she would only keep asking questions until her curiosity was satisfied. He someone how knew that she could be trusted with their secret. "Catherine, this is a secret place. We are deep below the city, safe and warm."
"Is it just you, Father, and Mary that live here?"
"No there are more of us than that. There weren't many in the beginning, but our community continues to grow. We have about one hundred here now."
"Why do they all live below the city?"
"Each for their own reason. For the most part they come here when the pressures or violence of the world Above become too much for them to handle."
"Why do you live here, Vincent?"
"As I told you, I was brought here as an infant. This has always been my home. I have no reason to leave it."
Catharine opened her mouth to ask another question, and Vincent took the opportunity to feed her some more broth. Surprised at that action she swallowed in self defense. Once her mouth was empty, she tried again to question him about where they were, however after a second spoonful thwarted her attempt to satisfy her inquisitive nature, she knew she would have to wait for another time.
"Would you like some tea to go with your broth?"
"Yes I would. Do you have Earl Gray?"
"No, but our cook William makes his own blends, or we get them from Mr. Lea's tea shop in Chinatown. We don't have any name brands. I have some herbal tea here; I like to keep my favorite on hand, it's an apple cinnamon blend," Vincent offered.
"I have loved cinnamon since I was little," she told him and then listened as he got up to make the tea for her. It felt so odd to have a man care for her like this. Not since her father, when she was a child, had any man taken care of her.
To be continued….