Chapter 18

How could this be? Catherine didn't believe in Immaculate Conception or miracles so if she was pregnant then something had to have happened to cause it! The only time she had no memory of was the seven days she had been unconscious after her attack! But there was no way she could even conceive of Vincent doing something like that to her when she wasn't aware of herself.

'So how the hell had this happened?' was the thought going through her mind when she heard a knock on the door on her balcony…her balcony which was eighteen stories off the ground!

Picking herself up off of the floor where she had collapsed when the tears had started Catherine hastily tried to dry her face as she cautiously poked her head out of the bathroom to look at the French doors on the other side of her bedroom.

With only pink sheers on the window it wasn't hard to see Vincent's massive form standing on the other side. Relief flooded her being and she rushed across the room to greet him.

Flinging open the doors, all thoughts of how he had gotten up there flew out of her head as she flung herself into his arms. "Oh Vincent! I'm SO glad to see you!"

"I sensed how upset you were tonight and wanted to see if I could be of help," he told her.

"What do you mean?" Catherine questioned in confusion.

"I want to help in anyway I can Catherine."

"No, that's not what I meant…what did you mean when you said you 'sensed how upset I was'?"

"Catherine, I don't know how it happened but ever since you were dropped in the park…no actually I think it started before that, but I feel what you feel, almost as if we were one."

"I'm not sure I understand Vincent."

"When I think of you, since you came back Above, I can tell when you are happy or sad or worried. Then today, you were sick twice and there were so many emotions rushing about in you…"

"Sick! Oh god, I'd almost forgotten!" she buried her head in her hands and sank onto the floor of the balcony.

Vincent followed her down and put his arm around her as he sat next to her. "Catherine, tell me," was all he said, but the timber of his voice or the simple words themselves got her to talk.

"When I was at lunch today with my friend Nancy Tucker I felt sick like you said and she jumped to the conclusion that I was pregnant. However, she assumed the baby belonged to the guy I was engaged to, Tom Gunther..."

"You are engaged!" Vincent exclaimed starting to pull away from her.

Catherine didn't allow it though. She just snuggled closer as she said, "No, I broke it off right after I got back. My time in your world showed me what kind of man he really is. Anyway, I told Nancy that there's no way I could be pregnant because I hadn't had se…been with a man in almost two years. But then I came home, opened a jar of pickles, and was sick again. So I took one of those home pregnancy tests and it came back positive!"

When Catherine paused for a breath Vincent said, "That must have been when you started crying." Even though that was what he was saying, Vincent's mind dwelt on this mention of a fiancé, and he wanted to know more about that, however right now Catherine needed his support not his questions.

"Yes," she answered. "But I just don't understand how it could have happened."

"You don't know about the birds and bees Catherine?" he asked, stunned.

"Of course I do! That is how I know that someone who hasn't been…exposed in two years couldn't end up pregnant!"

With a heavy heart Vincent knew he would have to break the news of what had happened to her. How he wished Father or Mary were here to handle the situation, but they weren't and Catherine had a right to know.

Before he could speak, Catherine was saying, "The only time I can't account for was while I was on the pain medication your father gave me. I can't believe that something happened during that time."

"Of course not Catherine!" he replied in shock. "I was with you nearly every moment watching over you. The only time I left was when Mary was taking care of your personal needs and even then I was right outside the chamber."

"And…ummm…you didn't…?"

To be continued….