Chapter 53

The utterly shocked look on Vincent's face would have been comical if it hadn't been so sad. "You didn't know that she loves him?" Catherine questioned even though the answer was clear.

"I was under the impression that it was just a love like we all share for the members of our community."

"Oh Vincent! She loves him as deeply as I love you! Maybe she has just gotten used to hiding it from everyone Below or you have all become used to it. But her love for him shines from her eyes every time she looks at him and even though she calls him 'Father' she says it like a caress."

"How could I not have known?" Vincent wondered.

Catherine grinned at him, "I think it might be a little like just discovering sex for the first time and then picturing your parents doing something like that. You know that they had to do it or you wouldn't be here, but it's just not something you could ever picture them doing."

Vincent shook his head, "I can honestly say that is something I have never thought about. But that could be because I have no idea who my biological parents were or for that matter how I came into being."

Wanting to take his mind off of that subject as quickly as possible she said brightly, "Well then you will just have to take my word for it that it is a very horrible teenage trauma to live through."

She had hoped that he would laugh about that but instead he sat there deep in thought. She wondered what was going on behind those incredible blue eyes of his.

Catherine had given him quite a lot to think about that night. The discovery of the depths of her desire for him. With even more talk of a marriage between them, the urge to make that official. The indication that she was open to not waiting for their wedding night to make love with him. That in itself was enough to give him many sleepless nights in the coming weeks! Then to top all that off, was Catherine's belief that Mary was in love with Father.

Taking his courage firmly in his hands, Vincent asked, "Catherine do you have plans for dinner tomorrow night?"

"No, why do you ask Vincent?"

"I would like to bring a special dinner to you if you wouldn't mind providing the setting and the table service? I will bring everything else if you are agreeable."

"That sounds fascinating and wonderful! I would be happy to provide anything you need," she eagerly told him.

"Just a set table will do. Shall we say, at sunset?"

"Perfect, but you sound like you are getting ready to leave, surely you don't have to go yet?"

"I did tell Father not to wait up for me…maybe we could have that tea you offered before?"

"We can, and I have a special surprise for you that I just need to heat up as well."

"You don't need to go to any trouble for me Catherine," he protested as she got up to go to the kitchen.

"It's really no trouble at all. I just ordered some extra when Jenny and I got our dinner tonight. I do feel that it's only fair to warn you that if we ever do get married, I am a pretty lousy cook. So, either William or take out food will be all that will keep us alive."

"We have learned Below that each person has his or her own talent. A newcomer is always asked about the things they like to do or are good at, but there are those of us that have been there all out lives and they have learned where their talents lie. We would no more put Rebecca, our candle maker, in the kitchen that we would put William in the laundry. Your talent is in your knowledge of the law. That is what you should be doing. Others can cook, so there is no need to worry about our survival in that matter."

"Well that is a relief," she sighed as she put the egg rolls in the micro wave. Punching in forty five seconds, she pulled them out when the timer went off.

"I was going to say, there was no way they are hot and ready to eat. What in the world is this device that cooks so quickly?"

To be continued….