Beauty and the Beast (28 page)

Vincent nodded but still looked worried. “Foreplay, yes, I remember your lessons about that. Intellectually, I understand the biological and emotional concepts. I just

hope that I can put them into practice and not lose control of myself. If I was a normal man, perhaps there would be no problem, but you and I both know that I am not normal.” Vincent held up his hands. “These hands are capable of great harm. It would devastate me, if in the throws of passion, I injured Catherine.”

Father spoke very gently, addressing Vincent’s concerns carefully. “You are thinking and worrying too much, Vincent. You are also letting yourself be unduly affected by what happened between you and Lisa.”

Vincent responded, “Because of intense urges and desires that I couldn’t control!”

Father went on. “You have tortured yourself for too long over that, and obviously Lisa didn’t take the accidental injury, when you embraced her and scratched her, seriously. That was apparent when Lisa visited here during her latest ballet tour. She was seeking refuge from the criminals who were chasing her, and she sought protection specifically from you. That made it clear that Lisa placed no importance on what happened so long ago.” Vincent nodded, “Lisa said as much to me. She even accused me of holding too great a reverence for the past. Lisa said that the accident was no more than child’s play.” Father shook his head. “As careless as Lisa may have been about the way she was affecting you with her teasing and flirting, she is right. You are no longer a confused adolescent.”

Vincent sighed, “Perhaps, but it is only wise for me to

learn from that experience, and let it serve as a warning to be very careful with Catherine.”

Father smiled softly at Vincent and continued with his advice. “Yes, well, you have the maturity to accomplish that now. Let your heart be your guide and teacher. It is very apparent how much Catherine wants you. She will be ready for you. Catherine does realize that your union will likely be childless, doesn’t she?”

Vincent answered with a smile. “Catherine says that doesn’t matter to her. She told me that there are plenty of children in our world for us to parent, and that she will be fulfilled by that and our relationship with each other.” Father smiled too. “There certainly are plenty of children down here needing love and parenting. I can’t think of any two people more qualified to give them what they need.”

Vincent got up and went to Father. He looked much more relaxed as he bent down and kissed Father on the head. “Thank you, Father. You have made me feel much better.”

That night, as Vincent waited under the foot-bridge for Catherine, he saw her approach, and she pretended that she didn’t see him waiting for her. As Catherine walked past Vincent, he silently stepped out from under the bridge and swept her off her feet from behind with a giant arm around her waist. Catherine giggled as he shrank back into the shadows under the bridge with her. He set her down, and she whirled around and threw her arms around him. Vincent held her for several minutes as he looked out over the park behind her thinking how rich and rewarding life was right now, and then he saw something that disturbed him.

Catherine lifted her head to look into Vincent’s face and saw his look of concern. “Vincent, what is it?”

Vincent looked down at her with such sadness, it wrenched her heart. “Catherine, look, there is someone asleep on that bench over there. This early fall air is brisk tonight. Let’s go check and see if that person needs help.” Catherine nodded, “Of course, Vincent.”

When they got to the bench, Vincent recognized the pallor of death on the young woman’s face, and he was heartbroken. “Catherine, we are too late!”

Catherine said sadly, “111 go back to my apartment and call Dr. Marx.”

Both of them gasped as they saw the coat the young woman was wearing move. Vincent scooted Catherine back. “Stand back, Catherine, it looks like I may have to chase a rat away from her body.”

Catherine stayed back as Vincent unbuttoned the woman’s coat and opened it. Tears sprang to Catherine’s eyes and ran down her cheeks as she saw a tiny girl with blond curls staring up at Vincent, completely unafraid, with huge blue eyes. She reached up with her little arms, and Vincent picked the child up and hugged her. She was dressed warmly except that she had no hat or hood on her coat.

Catherine sobbed, “Oh, Vincent, she looks just like her mother!”

Vincent walked to Catherine and said softly. “Take her for a minute, Catherine, so I can put her under my cloak.” Catherine took the little girl and said, “Vincent, she has an envelope safety-pinned to the back of her coat. It must have information about her in it. Her mother must have known she was sick and was afraid her little girl would play with the pin and be hurt by it, so she put it where she couldn’t reach it. This child is well dressed and cared for. This poor mother must have sacrificed her very life to take care of her child.”

Vincent had opened his cloak, and he took the little girl back from Catherine and covered her up. The child snuggled against Vincent’s chest and fell almost immediately asleep. “Catherine, please go ahead and call Dr. Marx to collect her mother’s body. I’m going back through the secret door, and 111 send a pipe message for Father, Mary, and Angela to meet me in the hospital chamber. We will read whatever is in the envelope, and 111 have Father examine her to make sure she is healthy. Angela will be able to get her settled with the other children below.”

Catherine could see that Vincent was reluctant to leave the dead woman alone. “Vincent, don’t worry about her mother. I will claim her body and see to it that she has a decent burial. That little girl will have a beautiful

grave to visit when she is old enough to understand what her mother did for her.”

Vincent smiled at Catherine. “You have such a generous and kind heart, Catherine. Do you want to meet us in the hospital chamber?”

Catherine nodded, “Yes, I will be there just as soon as I phone this in to Dr. Marx.” Catherine then took off running in the direction of her apartment building.

When Vincent arrived in the hospital chamber with his precious charge, he was met not only by Father, Mary, and Angela, but also by Cullen. Cullen said, “I heard the pipe message that you had found a baby girl with her dead mother in the park. I wanted to see her and get started right away on an appropriate bed for her.”

Vincent smiled at Cullen as he uncovered the little girl, and Angela took her from him. Everyone’s eyes were now on the little beauty in Angela’s arms. Vincent spoke as Angela turned to take her to Father. “Wait, Angela, I need to take the envelope off the back of her coat. Catherine and I are hoping that it contains information about her.” Angela stopped and stood still as Vincent unpinned the envelope from her coat, and then Angela took the child to Father. Father laid the sleeping little girl on the examination table, and she stayed asleep as Mary undressed her.

Father started his examination, trying not to wake her in the process, as Vincent opened the envelope and took out its contents. There was a photograph of a young couple holding a newborn infant. The woman in the photo was the child’s mother, but she looked perfectly healthy and happy in the picture.

Mouse appeared and was completely out of breath as usual. “Was fixing a leaking water pipe under the kitchen sink. Heard the message about the baby girl in the park.” He looked with wonder at the sleeping child. “Baby angel!” Vincent smiled at Mouse as he unfolded the letter and then read it aloud. “My name is Elaine Montgomery, and this is my little girl, Darla. If something should happen to me, please take care of my baby girl for me. Darla is a very good little girl. When she is old enough to understand, please tell her that I am sorry that I couldn’t keep taking care of her, and that I love her very much. My husband, Daniel, was killed in a car accident, and then we lost our health insurance. There was no money to pay for a doctor when I became sick. When I became too weak to work, we lost our home. I know that I am dying, but I have tried to make sure that Darla always had what she needed. Darla turned three years old last July 30
^th
.”

They were all crying when Vincent finished reading that poignant plea from a dying mother. Cullen said, “I’m going to start on a convertible crib for her first thing in the morning. If she is three, it won’t be too long before shell need the youth bed it will convert to.”

Brooke had come into the hospital chamber with Catherine. Catherine was also breathless from running

the entire way. She told them, as she looked at everyone’s tear-stained faces, “Dr. Marx is coming himself to pick up the mother’s body. What did the letter say?” Vincent handed Catherine Elaine’s note, and she began crying again as she read it to Brooke.

Brooke spoke up, “We can put her to bed in the crib here in the hospital chamber for tonight, and 111 stay with her until Cullen can finish making her own crib.”

Vincent smiled at Brooke. “Thank you, Brooke.” Father looked up from his examination, and Mary began dressing Darla again. “Vincent, this child is perfectly sound. She is clean, well dressed, and obviously well nourished. That little mother did an excellent job of taking care of Darla.”

Catherine took Vincent’s arm and looked up at him. “Vincent, 111 ask your Helper at the funeral home, Marcus Brenner, to see if he can locate Daniel Montgomery’s grave, so we can be sure that Elaine is buried next to him. If he ended up in a pauper’s grave, 111 have both of them interred in my family’s burial plot.”

Vincent took Catherine in his arms and said, “You are such a blessing, Catherine.”

Cullen was scratching his chin, deep in thought, and then he said, “As soon as I finish Darla’s crib, I’m going to make a wooden memory box for her. Ill make a frame for that photo, and 111 build the box big enough to put these pretty clothes she’s wearing in it. We should put her mother’s letter in it also. Darla needs to know how well

she was loved and cared for by her dying mother.”

Angela spoke up. “I’m going to go to the children’s clothing storage locker and get some footie pajamas for her. Then we can send her clothes to the laundry chamber, and have them cleaned to store in the memory box.”

Mouse lit up. “Bronze shoes!”

Vincent looked at him, “Mouse?”

Mouse continued, “Saw it in a window up top! Melt bronze, dip baby shoes, let them cool! Shiny bronze baby shoes in memory box! Mouse can do easy!”

They all knew what Mouse was talking about, but they enjoyed seeing how enthusiastic he was as he explained the project. Catherine told him, “Mouse, Elaine Montgomery will be smiling from Heaven at you for those bronzed baby shoes for her Darla.” Mouse beamed at her.

Brooke had picked up Darla and was rocking her in one of Cullen’s rocking chairs that he had made for the hospital chamber and for each of the orphaned boys’ and girls’ sleeping chambers. Darla slept as everyone continued their happy plans to be sure that her mother’s sacrifice was never forgotten by either Darla or the community.

Saturday morning finally came. When Vincent walked into the Council chamber to take his place in front of the beautifully crafted portable wooden altar that Cullen had made for their wedding ceremonies, he stopped and stared in awe. Neither Vincent nor Catherine had been allowed near the Council chamber since they had announced their wedding date, and he couldn’t believe the transformation that had taken place in that chamber in just three days.

Silk ribbons and beautiful bows had been wound around the library balcony, the circular staircase, and the entryway stair banisters. Cullen had made rose-shaped molds for Rebecca, and she had made dozens of white and red rose-shaped candles which were lit all over the chamber. Margo Tomlinson, their Helper who owned a plant nursery and florist shop, had sent down beautiful basket arrangements of flowers. It also looked like Margo had cleaned the city out of white and red roses, because there were crystal vases full of them scattered all over the chamber.

The orchestra, comprised of both children and adults, was warming up on the instruments. Mouse came up to Vincent smiling, and he actually had his hair combed and was dressed in his Sunday best. Mouse was going to be Vincent’s Best Man, and Vincent handed Mouse the velvet pouch that Catherine had given back to him with their rings in it. Mouse popped it into his pocket, and they walked to the altar together.

Kevin Chin was already there behind the altar. He was a tall Chinese man with strong handsome features and a kind face. He looked at Vincent and asked, “Are you ready for this, Vincent?”

Vincent smiled at Kevin. “I have been ready for this

ever since I found Catherine!” Kevin smiled and nodded his head.

The chamber was completely packed with community members and Helpers. All eyes were on Vincent at the moment. He was dressed in a black velvet vest over a ruffled white shirt with black pants and boots. The contrast of his golden mane against the black vest, together with his startling blue eyes, gave him a very striking appearance. No one had ever seen him look more magnificent.

While all eyes were on Vincent, his eyes were on the doorway. Then he noticed Tony near the door, holding little Darla in his arms, and he smiled. Tony was also holding a small basket filled with rose petals. Vincent watched Tony set Darla down, and he put the little basket in her hands. Tony whispered something in Darla’s ear, and she looked up at him smiling.

Then the entire room hushed as the orchestra began playing Richard Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus.” Tony stayed beside Darla as she looked toward Vincent and began walking to him throwing handfuls of rose petals as she walked.

Vincent was so mesmerized by the tiny girl that he nearly missed Catherine’s entrance into the chamber. When he looked up and saw her enter on Father’s arm, his heart began pounding. There were “ohs” and “ahs” all over the room. Catherine had told him that she was going to wear her mother’s wedding gown, but he had never