Chapter 38

Father was becoming very concerned about Vincent's newest habit of going Above every chance he got. When this had happened three nights in a row, he knew he was going to have to have another talk with his son about the dangers outside their protected world. Mary, on the other hand, watched this new behavior with a pleased motherly eye. She was sure that Vincent was visiting the young lady he had rescued from the park and if she didn't miss her guess, love was definitely in the air.

Below, everyone was in a buzz with the news of the new school readers for the children, as well as the shipment of yarn. Both of these things they knew came from Vincent's new friend, Catherine. Mary could hardly believe her eyes as she opened box after box of yarn. The color and material assortment was amazing, but from what she knew of the price of yarn, the most astonishing part of the delivery was what it must have cost!

Then there was the mystery of a very large meat delivery. No one knew who had sent it and there had been no note attached. When Mr. Lee had been questioned to see if he knew where it had come from, all he could tell them was that the butcher shop delivery man had said he only knew was where to bring it, not who had sent it.

Vincent, however, was pretty sure he knew where it had come from and planned to have a very stern conversation with the beautiful woman he believed was responsible.

That evening when he arrived on Catherine's balcony he was just a bit startled that she greeted him with a kiss, even after all they had shared the night before. He accepted her invitation to come in, but before he removed his cloak, he reached into one of the deep pockets and brought out two envelopes. One was very thick, and the other small and covered in pretty flowers.

He explained that the latter was from Mary thanking Catherine for the yarn and that the other was from the children showing their thanks for the new readers. Catherine took them and read Mary's first. It was written on a single sheet of Mary's very precious personal stationary, she thanked Catherine profusely for the generous gift, and said that it would be put to very good use.

The messages from the children were in forms of pictures since they couldn't read yet it stood to reason they weren't writing either. Most were stick figured children with books in their hands and lots of X's and O's drawn on the paper.

Catherine looked up from the wonderful messages and asked with a cheek grin, "Are you the one that is supposed to deliver all of these hugs and kisses?"

Blushing slightly because he was still new to this relationship business, he gave her a shy grin and said, "If you would like me to Catherine, I am sure that I could do that."

She giggled and reached out to hug him, "Oh Vincent, how long do you think it will take you to understand that I will always want your kisses?"

He seemed to take her question seriously and after thinking about it for a moment, answered, "Maybe a year, or less, if I try really hard."

"Oh Vincent, what am I going to do with you?" she sighed in mock frustration.

This question however, reminded him of the delivery he hadn't yet mentioned to her. "Catherine today, along with the readers and yarn we also received a large shipment of beef. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

He felt her jump of guilt through the Bond, then knew without a doubt that she had been their benefactor, but not being aware of that Catherine tried to bluff her way out of it, "Now why would you ask me that?"

"Because all the deliveries arrived on the same day," he ticked off one on his finger. "You and I had talked about the shortage of meat Below," another finger went up. "And, at that time you had offered to help with the situation," his third finger went up and he stood there looking at her sternly waiting to see if she would deny it.

This time it was Catherine's turn to blush because she had been well and truly caught. "Alright, Vincent, yes it was me. But in my defense I only wanted to do something to help your community! You aren't really mad at me are you?"

To be continued….