Brushing her hair until it shone, Catherine surveyed her reflection in Peter’s bathroom mirror and made a wish. She wished that Devin would fall in love with her and that in so doing he might not explore the world but would rather stay in Manhattan and the two of them would become closer, she would give herself to him and they would live happily ever after.

The next moment she shied away from that thought, her indecisive teenage mind changing like the wind on a gusty day. No matter what her peers had told her the thought of sleeping with anyone terrified her. To have to stand naked before another person and to have them look and look and touch made her feel sick.

Still over the past few months since she and Devin had been spending time together at Peter’s house they had grown closer and she did wonder whether he loved her the way that she loved him. There were times when they sat side by side on the sofa watching some scary movie or another when his arm would creep around her shoulders and he’d hug her close. But then in the same movement he would laugh at how silly she was to be scared remarking, “Catherine, its not real for God’s sake. The cameramen are there anyway, how the hell would we be seeing these things otherwise?” There was no arguing with that kind of logic and Catherine had always been grateful for Vincent’s input of something like, “The thing is Devin, statistics will prove that the people that direct and produce such material are interested in such things themselves. Therefore should we watch what the wicked mind has served us for entertainment we should not overlook the fact that these people might possibly have wicked hearts to go with it. It might seem that it is an innocent story but in all fairness whomsoever wrote it did so with the will to frighten, and that Catherine is frighten proves my point.”

Catherine would hide behind her hand at such times as this laughing at the way Vincent would put something over in such detail and depth and Devin’s usual retort of ‘oh shut up fur ball, do’ in his poshest voice.

Still whatever the argument, the logic or the facts Catherine felt cosseted that she had two young men taking care of her welfare, one delicious looking guy with his arm around her the other unique looking with the sincere blue eyes that some strange reason gave Catherine the most sleepless nights. When she stole a look at Vincent, the tilt of his head, the firm jaw line, the strange catlike features did something to her deep inside that she found rather disconcerting to say the least. So she refused to analyse those feelings believing that they were just plain nosiness, wondering how he had become like that and who could have dumped him out in the snow that cold January night when the lady Anna Pater had first found him and brought him to live in the tunnels.

Naturally, everyone had to have wondered such in depth thoughts about Vincent in some stage of their lives, it would be a rare person that could look at Vincent and forget, but sometimes Catherine wondered if she were the only one to have other thoughts about him. Like the time Lisa had kissed him. At the time, she had marvelled that Lisa had found the courage to do it, but as time went by Catherine wondered what those unique lips might feel like pressed against her own.
However, she resolutely forced such thoughts away when they prompted her for attention because she did not know the answer and was never likely to find out. What concerned her at this time in her life was what she was going to do about Devin’s kisses, because though they had remained reasonably chaste around one another it had only been thanks to have a third party near by, and Catherine found herself wishing for and praying against the day when they might find themselves alone. How would she cope and would she still be able to say no, when his hands started to wander as they most certainly would, because even when Devin put his arm around her during a scary movie his fingers stretched out that little further than she deemed he needed just so he could trace the soft contours of her breast. Such actions would send shivers coursing through her and just when she thought no one had noticed she would look up and find Vincent staring at her. He never failed to notice such things, yet there were times, other times, when she would look up to find his eyes glued to the television set, so how did he always know when something had unnerved her, be it a scary movie or Devin’s hands upon more of her than she deemed necessary? It was creepy.

This was a question Vincent had asked himself on more than one occasion he couldn’t explain it but he could sense Catherine strongly. He knew when she was feeling anxious or apprehensive about a situation almost as if he shared her feelings. And when Catherine was coming below to meet Devin there had been many times that he’d had to restrain himself from telling his brother that Catherine was on her way down. It was a constant cause of anxiety for him that he knew these things and he didn’t dare highlight that they existed it would only emphasise his differences among the other inhabitants of his community.

Now plaiting her hair into a French style Catherine watched her eyes in the mirror and wondered where Devin would be at that moment. They had arranged to meet that afternoon at Peter’s but a note had been left for her to say that he could not make the appointment. That she accepted but the strange thing was it was usually Vincent that came to deliver such a message personally and he too had been unavailable. Catherine wondered if there might be trouble in the tunnels but without the key that was with Peter and he was out, Catherine had no way of opening up cobwebby way to find out what the problem, if any, was.

Therefore, somewhat at a loose end Catherine prepared for an evening spent with friends. She’d not seen Mel except at college since that night she had introduced Devin to her and she was indecisive about meeting with her that night remembering that Mel had wanted all the gossip when they had a private time to chat. Well what was there to tell? She and Devin had a platonic relationship really due to her fears. Fears that abounded more and more when she wondered if in holding him at bay he would soon tire of her and move on elsewhere. In fact, at the back of her mind she wondered if she might find him at ‘Billy’s Bar’ that evening chatting up some other chick, making a move in a direction that would bring him ultimate satisfaction, since Catherine was such a cold fish when it came to affection.

Well that was one of her main reasons for going, she had to know, though if she could do anything else she would, but here at Peter’s all by herself, her father out of town on business Catherine found herself alone and at a loose end and going out seemed to be her only option. So, beautifying herself though there was really no need for the mascara, eye shadow, lipstick and blusher as Catherine was already beautiful, she donned her newest jeans and sweater and feeling smart enough to join her friends she set off in her car for Billy’s.

It was still early by her friends’ standards when she arrived, but that had been Catherine’s intention, she aimed to sit in a discreet corner with a strawberry shake and wait for the bar to fill up. It was safe at Billy’s she knew most of the crowd and she didn’t feel as though being there on her own would turn any heads. People came and went at Billy’s with many students choosing to study over a cup of coffee and a round of peanut buttered toast since the college was so near by.

So, over the rim of her coffee cup Catherine sipped slowly and kept her eyes fixed firmly on the door. What she hoped to find she did not dare analyse but if Devin should enter she did not know what she might do. Would she stay and watch, would she announce her presence, would she wait and see what he got up to in her absence? In fact, why the need to judge him this way at all? What possible reason was there that she might distrust the fact that he had other business to attend to especially in light of the fact that Vincent had been missing as well.

As the bar filled up Catherine acknowledged a few faces but none came over to chat. She hadn’t exactly been Miss Sociable these last few months so she couldn’t blame them for that, but Catherine wondered what magic it was that kept people close together and pulled them apart when time came between them. As she wondered a strange thing occurred she heard a light tapping on the window by her elbow and looking up saw the unmistakeable hooded figure of Vincent beyond. Startled and anxious Catherine rose to her feet and hurried from the bar to meet him, knowing that she would have to walk into the alley at the side of the bar before she might find him, for Vincent always kept to the shadows.

Fortunately he was watching for her and caught her arm at the same moment as speaking her name so as not to startle her, then as she stared up at him wide eyed he told her, “Catherine, you shouldn’t be here tonight.”

“Why?” It was the only thing to say.

“Come quickly follow me, we haven’t long.”

“No, Vincent. What’s wrong, why shouldn’t I be here?” She held back refusing to go with him.

“Just come away and I will explain.” He begged her, but Catherine was adament, “Has someone planted a bomb?”

“A bomb?” Vincent asked bewildered, “I don’t think so why?”

“Because there is no other reason why I should leave here unless my health is at risk, unless…oh Vincent are you taking me below? Is something wrong with Devin?”

“In a manner of speaking yes.” He had her full attention now, “Then why didn’t you say, oh Vincent what’s the matter with him? He’s been injured in a rock fall hasn’t he? Oh Vincent, how is he? He’s not…he’s not…” Tears filled her eyes as the horrible thought that Devin might have been killed hit her and at that same moment, another galloped close behind - a thought that flourished with amazing ferocity and gave Catherine the answer that she had sought so long. If Devin had died and she had never trusted him enough to give herself to him, he would have left the world without knowing just how much she loved him. So, Vincent’s reply when it came left her weak with relief and promise.

“No, nothing has happened, Devin is well, its something else you should know.” ‘Or not know’, he thought under his breath because he wasn’t about to let her see or know what he knew because that would break her heart. In fact, that he had come to rescue her at all posed great problems for he could think of nothing substantial that would give a good enough reason for coming above, dragging her from Billy’s and making suggestions that it had something to do with Devin. But he could not let her find out the truth, not like that, he cared about her too much to see her suffer so. Better to take her from the sight, better to allow Devin to pull the wool over her eyes a little longer. Maybe he, Vincent could let her down slowly, could say something that might signal to her that Devin was being untrue so that when she did actually find out the hurt would not be quite so painful.

“Is everyone else alright?”

“Yes we are all well.” Vincent was still tugging at her arm. Devin he knew was making his way to Billy’s on foot at street level, he had left a little before Vincent, he would arrive at any moment. It was whom he would arrive with that Vincent didn’t want Catherine to see.

“How did you know where to find me?” Catherine was suspicious, “Have you been following me?” Suddenly she remembered all those times she had found Vincent’s eyes upon her and frantic she pulled away from his grasp with a screech of “Vincent, let me go!” Unwilling to cause a commotion Vincent released her arm and she stumbled away from him eyes flashing with nervousness and accusation, “You’d better be gone when I come outside later.” She called back to him as she made her way back to the bar, “Just leave me alone Vincent go find someone else to pester!”

Vincent recoiled her words slapped him cut him somewhere deep but he stood his ground, “I won’t harm you Catherine.” He called after her, “And I’ll be here when you need me.” Catherine heard him but wished she hadn’t. He was weird creepy, and he’d scared her stiff. She wished Devin were with her, suddenly feeling awfully alone and when she saw a cab parked at the curb she made an instance decision, she jumped into the back seat and gave directions for her father’s house. She would collect her car from the college grounds another day. Right now, all she wanted was to be somewhere she knew was safe and where Vincent didn’t have access.

Stunned by her actions when he felt that she trusted him Vincent made his way home miserably not even waiting to see if Devin would turn up at Billy’s, or if he would have a new girl with him. He couldn’t even be sure of that since Devin’s comments had been evasive and Vincent had actually read between the lines. Perhaps in all fairness he had assumed wrong just as he had that time with Lisa. But he needed to know if he had frightened Catherine so much that that had been the reason for her jumping into a taxi that just happened to be outside of the bar rather than go back inside to her seat.

So, having reached the tunnels he went not to his chamber but rather toward cobwebby way that would lead him into Peter’s study. Moving the door was no problem from the tunnel side. A key was always left available to anyone that needed access. The only risk was that via the study he would have to walk through part of the house to make his way to the basement, had that of been his intent, but since he wanted to find Catherine he would have to make absolutely certain that there were no other people in the house on his arrival there. His acute hearing helped, he was able to discern sounds from far away, he could at times even hear the whirl of the refrigerator positioned in the kitchen and that was several rooms away. Listening intently he was satisfied when he heard that sound, for it told him that there was no other noise in-between that would signal occupancy. It was possible therefore, that Catherine had gone straight to bed. Strangely, though he didn’t believe that. Walking out into the study the house gave Vincent a foreboding feeling, one that told him it was empty and for a few moments, Vincent was indecisive wondering what he should do next. He had been so sure that Catherine had gone back to Peter’s, so sure in fact that he hadn’t bothered to listen to that other gift open to him that usually told him Catherine’s whereabouts. Now as he listened to that inner little voice, he felt disheartened to know that she was in fact somewhere else.

Grieved by the time he had wasted and frightened for Catherine’s safety he wondered where she had gone at this time of night and something compelled him to return to the tunnels in the slim hope that she may have gone there. He didn’t really believe that she had as something told him that would be the last place she would seek and it worried him greatly that he was the cause of that unease.

Still he returned looking this way and that hoping that his feelings were wrong, that she might just be with Father, or Mary or Rebecca or Lisa and having checked with the three and finding nothing he reluctantly made his way toward Lisa’s chamber pausing before announcing his arrival where she read a book within.

She was surprised to see him but did not deter his entrance as he might have supposed. Though they had made amends Vincent did not seek out her companionship as he might once have done. They had moved on now they both knew and accepted that and to visit with her at such a late hour made Vincent feel awfully uncomfortable, wondering how she might view such a disturbance.

“Vincent?” Lisa put down the book she was reading and beckoned him in. “Come in, sit down, is something wrong?”
Her legs he noticed were covered with a thick woollen blanket but that did not surprise him. A dancer’s best asset was her legs and he knew that Lisa would do everything she could to protect them from the draughty tunnels lest in later years she developed rheumatism in one or either of them. “Have you been above?” Lisa asked noticing he wore his cloak and his hood still covered much of his head.

“Yes, I went looking for Catherine.”

“For Catherine?” Her reply held a thousand questions and a query that Vincent felt fit to explain.

“Lisa can we talk, there’s something that is worrying me, you might be able to help?”

“Of course Vincent. Look do me a favour will you hang the drape at the entrance its awfully cold down here tonight. I would have done it myself only I had just found a gloriously comfortable position and didn’t want to lose it. Would you like some tea?”

“I’ll get it.” Vincent told her smoothing the drape in place. Wryly he grimaced knowing a drape positioned thus over an entrance with two people inside the chamber could be construed that privacy was required. Still without the addition of a strategically placed lamp, several yards from the entrance Vincent knew that the people of his community would know that privacy of the intimate kind had not been the intention of the occupants inside.

“Thanks Vincent.” Lisa told him as he crossed to where the kettle boiled upon the stove, bestowing a couple more chunks of wood onto the fire where he thought it needed it. “I bet it was cold up top tonight wasn’t it? Did you have to go out?”

“Yes to both,” Vincent poured hot water onto a spoonful of herbal tea-leaves inside two cups, added honey to one and passed the other to her. “Here, this should warm you up.” He told her with a grin and looked around for a suitable place to sit.

“Over there.” Lisa beckoned to her bed, “Lounge back on it if you like, only remove your boots first.”

Vincent refrained from doing so, instead sitting on the top corner by the pillows with his back rested against the headboard and his legs crossed one over the other, one foot very firmly on the floor, “Thank you but I don’t think I would fit this bed.” He told Lisa though the real reason for his declining the offer was that rumour thing again, if someone should walk in and find him lounging on Lisa’s bed at this time of night…well he didn’t like to think about what might be assumed.

He’d lowered his hood as he had made the tea and now unfastened his cloak with one hand holding a mug in the other and unable to do as he intended he put the mug onto the bedside table in order to shrug his cloak off. “You might not think it, but it is awfully warm in here.” Vincent announced with a grin, picking up his mug of tea again.

“That’s because you’ve been gallivanting up top. So tell me what’s your problem something to do with the lady Catherine is it?” Lisa asked shrewdly.

His mouth dropped open wide and Vincent almost spilt his mug of tea, “You, Lisa are too astute for your own good.” He told her incredulously, “How could you have possibly known that?”

“Vincent I know you. I might have missed the signs that first time, “Vincent winced, Lisa overlooked it, “But believe me I’d never let myself do that again. So, that’s probably why I notice things like that now. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you love Catherine don’t you?”

“No! No, no…Lisa you have that wrong.” He protested firmly. “I just care for her, but love her? No, Lisa I don’t love her.”

“I think you do. You might not have recognised it yet or the signs but believe me Vincent you do love Catherine. I’ve seen it in your eyes, that look, the one that tells me that she is all the world to you, that you would do anything for her, go anywhere to be with her…you’re falling in love with her Vincent I’m sure of it.”

Unable to argue Vincent pondered her words. An outside view was often right as one too close to the problem did not see the wood for the trees. But love? Did he really feel that strongly for Catherine? “I don’t know.” He spoke at length, “I thought that I loved you but these feelings that I have for Catherine are different.”

“Mm. I think what you felt for me was misguided infatuation. We grew together and something triggered an instant where you believed that you loved me in the way of an intimate partner and not in the way of a brother. You’ve grown since Vincent, you can recognise the difference now and if I may be permitted to make an observation Vincent I would say that the feelings you have toward Catherine are different because what you feel for her is the real thing. Tell me how you feel?”

“I’d rather tell you what I came here to say.” Vincent told her, “Although one might say that they are one and the same. I’ll start at the beginning.”

“Please do.” Lisa giggled and though her tea was finished, she kept holding the heated mug with her two hands extracting its warmth into her body. Any warmth in the tunnels, no matter how slight was best expelled into the body rather than anywhere else, Father had taught them that.

Inhaling a deep breath Vincent exhaled it slowly deliberately putting off the moment when he had to put his thoughts into words, “You know that Catherine is Devin’s girlfriend?” He almost laughed for everyone knew that Devin and Catherine was a couple.

“Er…yes.” Lisa grinned, “I think someone did say something. Go on.” Her eyes were bright and filled with merriment.

Seriously, Vincent told her, “I think Devin is seeing someone else.”

The smile faded from Lisa’s face, “No! Vincent not Devin, he wouldn’t do a thing like that! You must be mistaken.” The word ‘again’ followed and remained unspoken but Vincent heard it nonetheless.

“I don’t think so, not this time. I wish I were.” Vincent told her glumly. His heart felt heavy, his own brother doing something so horrible to one as beautiful as Catherine, it hurt him deeply.

“And what are your plans if you are right? Do you waltz in there and tell her, for that’s what you intend isn’t it? Is that why you went above tonight, to see her?”

“If I trusted someone and they were abusing that trust I wouldn’t want to be the last to know, Lisa.” Vincent told her.

“Ignorance is bliss though is it not? I mean have you seen the way she looks at Devin? Man, she adores him. And if you go waltzing in there, good intentions or not, she isn’t going to thank you for it Vincent. Sometimes a girl just doesn’t want to see what’s beneath her nose. She may even have sniffed it out and decided to ignore it. Decided to bury her head in the sand, and as I understand it she might even be aware that she can’t hold on to Devin. He wants far more than she is prepared to give, or why else would they ask to be chaperoned?”

“But he shouldn’t see someone else behind her back if he isn’t able to get the things he needs from Catherine. That stinks.”

Lisa laughed, “Vincent you can’t go meddling in this especially if you feel more for Catherine than you are letting yourself believe. All you can do is be there for her when it all falls apart and it will nothing is as sure as that. Devin is about to spread his wings and fly. We’ve all seen it coming, and he was set to go just before he met Catherine. She has set him back a little but the need is still there. And if by holding him back from the things that he needs Devin feels trapped then he is going to rebel and something will give eventually. Catherine will either give in to his needs in the hope that she will secure him to her, or she will see through that veneer and know that he will go anyway even after sleeping with him. Devin has had these dreams all his life and he’s not ready to be held back, not yet. Had he and Catherine met say ten years from now things could have been totally different but sadly that didn’t happen. One of them has to make a decision unfortunately for Catherine whatever she decides she isn’t going to keep him so at some stage Vincent she is going to need a shoulder to cry on and if you truly care for her then let it be yours.”

“That’s if she ever trusts me again. I think I may have frightened her tonight.”

“Why what did you do?”

Vincent explained and Lisa groaned, “Oh dear, well when she has time to think about it she should realise that you would never harm her, but you are going to have to think of a decent reason as to why you wanted to take her from Billy’s, Vincent.”

“Would you help?”

“Me? What you mean say that I wanted to see her, but for what reason? It would have to be something big other wise there would have been no need for you to have gone above there and then to seek her out. I suppose I could say that I wanted her to come and see my rehearsal. I have offered to let her see me dance and I do have an audition next week.” Lisa grinned.

“You do? Lisa that’s marvellous, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I haven’t told anyone, and I’d be grateful if you would keep it to yourself. If I am rejected I’ll want to go away and lick my own wounds and not have anyone else fretting around me, so keep it to yourself will you?”

“I’ll only tell Catherine. If you allow me to use that as the reason for taking her away from Billy’s tonight it will be perfect. Catherine will feel so honoured and it would attest to the cloak and dagger way that I approached her. Please Lisa, let me use that excuse.”

“Only if you promise that you’ll say nothing to her about Devin’s activities?”

Vincent was silent, he still wasn’t too sure about that. How could he pretend to be Catherine’s friend when he knew Devin may be cheating on her?

“Okay, okay look if it makes you feel any better I’ll say something, try to open her eyes to face the facts. And we don’t know for sure that Dev is cheating on her, and until we do know for certain its best we say nothing, but if we find out otherwise I’ll drop the bombshell alright hat way it doesn’t all come crashing down on your shoulders.”

“Thank you, Lisa. How will I ever repay you?”

“By admitting one thing,” she told him with a mischievous grin.

Guarded Vincent replied, “What?”

“That you come tell me the moment you realise that I am right, that you do love Catherine, that you have found the once in a lifetime kind of love that other people search a lifetime for. Because believe me Vincent, I can see it, Catherine is right for you, you get on well and you are great companions, and you know what they say about being best of friends don’t you?” Wordlessly Vincent shook his head.

“That they make the best of lovers.” She told him, then seeing his discomfort and remembering how he had misread their own relationship, Lisa burst into laughter thinking, touché Lisa, touché.

Nothing ever looks the same in the cold light of day, and Catherine’s feelings after a fitful night’s sleep had waned somewhat. How had she ever presumed that Vincent intended to harm her? He had never been anything but gentlemanly toward her before and she had allowed his differences to become more of an issue than she ought to have done. Had it of been any other member of the tunnel community asking her to leave the bar with them she didn’t think she would have hesitated to go. Obviously there had been a reason, some hidden secretive reason as to why Vincent has risked going above to seek her out and insist that she returned with him. Why Devin had not been the one to do it beat her, but then she remembered he had been otherwise detained. She laughed, how could she of been so blind it had probably been some entertainment that they had arranged for her benefit and now she had completely missed it. For it had been probable that Devin had been involved in one of the children’s plays and that Vincent had been springing the surprise on her by leading her down to the tunnels. Although that thought didn’t quite ring true, for had that of been the case why not leave a note saying that Vincent would be collecting her from Peter’s rather than a note that told her that Devin would not be able to meet her as arranged.
Well whatever the reason Vincent was not the sort of person that would willingly set out to frighten her and she owed him an apology big time.

Checking her watch she knew he would be up by then it was nine o’clock but she had an assignment to hand in at college and a tutorial at eleven, so any visit to the tunnels would have to wait. However she decided that she could at least put him out of his misery, for she was certain that Vincent would suffer by her behaviour of the night before. He was a very sensitive person and would so easily put any blame upon his differences and Catherine was saddened by her actions. She should have known he would take them the wrong way, although at the time she had to admit that it had been her intention.

So, there was only one thing for it, she would have to try and find a way of getting a message to him asking him to meet her at lunchtime in the study at Peter’s house, and then she remembered that she had left her car at the college the night before and all her plans came undone. There would be no time to send a message because to do so meant driving across town to the helper she knew would deliver it and for that she would need to take the subway and a bus to get there and still be in time to make her tutorial. Naturally she could take a taxi, but her father had wanted her to know the value of money and had given her an allowance that she had to make last till the end of the month. Already on the twentieth, it was running low, and though she could ask him for more she didn’t want to do. She had become proud of herself for the way she had juggled her finances this past couple of months and last night’s taxi had created a large hole where there ought not to have been one, especially as she still needed gas for her car.

Arriving at college, Catherine went straight to her locker surprised to find an envelope stuck to it with tape. She opened it peering curiously inside lest some practical joker had put something ghastly inside. It had happened before and she had vowed not to be so gullible next time. However, there was nothing more than a slip of paper that when she unfolded it read, ‘Cathy, where are you? I’ve been looking all morning. Are you avoiding me? Mel.’

Of course, she wasn’t avoiding her. Why on earth should Mel assume that she would, and why search for her all morning when Mel knew that she wasn’t exactly noted for punctuality? Dismayed, Catherine collected the books that she would need for that morning and made her way to the cafeteria where she expected Mel would be, handing in her assignment at the correct location on the way.
Sure enough, Mel was there, sitting with a group of friends and laughing at some joke or some person’s misfortune, as was usually the way among this particular group of people.

They looked up as she hovered nearby and Mel exclaimed, “there you are! Cathy I’ve looked all over for you.”

“I’ve only just arrived.” Catherine told her, “You know how I need my beauty sleep.”

“If you ask me you’ve had enough already.” One of the lads commented close by but Catherine ignored him turning instead to Mel who was saying, “But I saw your car. It was here early.”

“I left it here last night, took a cab home.”

“Why has it broken down?”

“No, look is there somewhere else we might talk.” She hated making anything to do with her business available to all and sundry. Mel nodded, “See you guys later.” She told the crowd and followed Catherine out into the corridor, “So what gives,” she asked, “Why did you go home by cab?”

“I went to Billy’s thought you’d be there got spooked for some reason when I decided to leave and couldn’t face the thought of walking across that dark car park for my car.” Mel didn’t accept her reason.

“What spooked you? Come on Cathy you can tell me?”

“Nothing, that is nothing I could put my finger on, just a sound and a sixth sense that told me things were not as they should be, you know how it is?” Mel nodded yes she knew how it was, it had been a similar sort of feeling that had told her not to go to Billy’s the night before with her new boyfriend. Knowing Catherine had been there made her even more thankful that she had heeded it.

“So did you go alone? I take it that hunk of a boyfriend wasn’t with you?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Hello?” Mel tapped Catherine’s forehead with one slim and perfectly manicured finger, “Because had he been with you, dork you wouldn’t have been spooked.”

“Oh yes of course.” Catherine laughed, “Well no he wasn’t, he couldn’t meet me last night.”

“Oh, why was that?”

“I don’t know he never said, just left a note breaking our date. I expect I’ll find out at lunchtime.”

“At lunchtime? Are you meeting him then?” Mel sounded more than mildly interested and Catherine couldn’t understand why.

“I hope to see him yes, why don’t you think that I should?” She asked certain that’s what Mel had been thinking.

“I’m just surprised that you know where to find him in the middle of the day.” Mel’s words trailed away and Catherine had the strangest feeling that this conversation seemed to signal them pussyfooting around each other.

“Just because we have seldom been seen in the daylight doesn’t make Devin a night owl or something. What do you think he is, some kind of vampire?” Catherine laughed but even so, she noticed that Mel put a hand beneath her hair going straight to one side of her neck and replied with an almost nervous laugh, “Of course not!”

“Well anyway, hopefully I’ll see him, so I won’t be joining you for lunch.”

“Can I come with you?” Mel’s question stunned Catherine and she responded quickly, “No, sorry, you can’t,” hoping that the inevitable question would not follow. It did, “Why not? I though we were friends.”

Catherine decided to get out of it the only way she saw fit, “Devin and I want to be alone.” She told her friend with a wink hoping to pacify her. It should have but it didn’t. Mel looked furious.

“Another time maybe. I’ve got to go now, see you later.” Catherine could think of no reason why Mel would be so angry, and it wasn’t as if they took lunch together everyday. In fact, these last few months since she had been seeing Devin she had spent very little time with Melanie and the friendship was wavering.

“How long will you be gone?” Mel seemed intent on keeping Catherine from leaving by following her down the corridor.

“As long as it takes.” Catherine winked again hoping Mel would assume what she hoped she would assume. However Mel retorted, “I know what you’re doing Cathy and believe me it won’t work. I happen to know that you haven’t slept with Devin and you’re not going to do either so you can take that smug look off your face! I’ve got you tapped girl…your insinuations don’t fool me!”

“Mel!” Catherine cried and watched as her so called friend tossed her hair and marched back toward the cafeteria the action serving to highlight the fact that Mel had one very large love bite on one side of her neck. Catherine gasped, what had all that been about? It was almost as if Mel had been jealous of her, and then there was that bit about knowing that she and Devin didn’t do the things she had implied they did, how would Mel know that? Well Catherine intended to find out no matter what but right at that moment she was late for her first tutorial. She would get that over with then head for the tunnels, Mel’s behaviour was the least of her worries. It was her own she was more concerned with, her own and how much she might have upset Vincent by it the night before and the fact that she might bump into Devin was a bonus. Catherine smiled to herself, for during that fitful night past, she had reached a decision and she couldn’t wait to see his face when she told him about it.

Arriving at the main hub some three quarters of an hour after her first tutorial ended, Catherine almost fell headlong as she tripped over some baggage left outside of Father’s chamber. “Careful” someone spoke and two firm hands caught her fall and righted her back to her feet again and she looked up to find that it had been Devin who had rescued her.

“Hi.” She told him brightly, “I didn’t expect to find you around about here at this time of the day.”

“I didn’t intend to be, but I have some stuff to shift.” He nodded down toward the baggage.

“They’re yours? Are you moving chambers?”

“No just moving.” He regarded her face closely wondering how she might take that news.

“Moving? As in up top?” Catherine felt a wave of nausea hit her.

“Yep that’s right. Thought it time I spread my wings…Peter is going to put me up until I have found some employment and a place of my own. Don’t worry Peter has apparently worked it out with your father that you won’t need to stay there for the next couple of weeks, which will hopefully give me enough time to find somewhere of my own. What I mean is there shouldn’t be a problem regarding you and I being at Peter’s overnight at the same time.” He grinned wryly.

Here, Catherine had the perfect opportunity to tell him that it didn’t matter if they did, and then launch into her surprise but something held her back and she was suddenly lost for words.

“You can help me if you like. Vincent has other things to do and these bags are not the only ones to go, it will take several trips to and from Peter’s to clear all my rubbish away so it’ll be quicker if you help me.”

“Can’t you do it later? I only have a couple of hours spare and I wanted to spend some time with you.”

“You will be spending time with me and helping at the same time. We can chat along the way.”

“It wasn’t chat I had in mind.” There she’s said it or at least implied it.

Devin quirked an eyebrow and now he was the one lost for words. He wasn’t certain what she had meant and he didn’t want to presume more than she intended.

“I thought we could spend some time together down here.” Catherine went on averting her gaze from his. “Maybe you could show me the abyss.” She hoped that would be good enough to tell him of her intentions without too many words.

“Its cold there. You aren’t dressed for it and we would have to go into one of the caverns to the side of the abyss. You can still see it from one of them but its safe there and you’d hardly be likely to fall in. Thing is there are few comforts, just a couple of scatter cushions.”

“Is it noisy there?” Catherine asked innocently still not daring to look at him.

“A bit why?” Devin hesitated not certain of her line of questioning. His mind raced with hopeful expectation.

“I just thought if it were then no one would be likely to hear us.”

Huh! Now Devin began to get the picture but he couldn’t quite believe he was hearing her right. He swallowed with difficulty, “How long did you say you had?”

“A couple of hours, I have to be back at college by four. How far is it to the abyss?”

“Not far, we could do walk it in fifteen minutes and there would be no need for you to go back this way. There is a shorter route from there back to the park and I’d escort you.”

“That’s okay then, lets go shall; we?” She caught his hand and made to walk in the direction she knew the abyss to be when he pulled her back and asked, “Its not that I don’t want to take you up on this offer Catherine, but now’s not the right time, neither is the vicinity of the abyss the right place. Could you wait until I am stationed at Peter’s or would you be likely to change your mind by tonight?” He lifted her chin for her eyes to meet his and it took every ounce of her courage to meet his steady gaze and had she of been going to change her mind, then one look in those warm brown eyes and she knew she’d give him anything. Still she told him unsteadily, “I might.”

“Might what? Is that to changing you mind or being at Peter’s?”

“Won’t Peter be there?”

“Not tonight he told me that he wouldn’t be home for the welcome committee and I would have to look after myself. He’s on call tonight and stationed at the hospital, so we’d have the whole night…and believe me honey you don’t want to rush something like this.” He squeezed her hand in an act of compassion.

“Alright then, I’ll wait till tonight. Do you mind though if I don’t help you carry the stuff to Peter’s I’d intended to see a few other people while I was down here this lunchtime had you of not been available.” In truth, Catherine felt a little embarrassed being with him in light of what they had planned. Fortunately, Devin understood, “Yes that’s okay Catherine there are some additional things I’ll need to do now anyway. Will you come to Peter’s about seven o’clock?”

Catherine nodded and made to move away not even bidding him farewell but Devin caught her hand drew her into an embrace and sought her lips beneath his murmuring, “You’re sure about this?” She told him she was, still he asked again, “You can change your mind honey so just be sure, that’s all I ask. It’s a big step.”

“I know but I’ve made up my mind.” She looked into his eyes and found them warm with love for her and she felt strange standing there in his arms knowing what the evening would bring for the two of them, tonight they would be as one. “Will it hurt?” She had to know, Lisa had said that it would but hadn’t elaborated.

“I believe so, but don’t worry I’ll take good care of you. We won’t rush we’ll take it slow and there are some things we can use to make it bearable for you. I’ve heard it gets better with time.” He smiled tenderly brushing his lips against hers. Both felt the need to cling to one another as their legs became weak with the thought of all the things they were planning to do. It should have been the time to say I love you, but neither were forthcoming and each did not want to commit to the other something each was unsure of in their partner, but Devin kissed her long and hard and Catherine returned his kisses with an ardour she had never before displayed. Not even that first time, this was different, this was a pact. “Till tonight then darling.” Catherine almost swooned at the endearment and could hardly bare to let him go, ‘tonight’ seemed an awful long time to wait. He moved away from her arms and bent to pick up a large bag to either side of him then winking as he moved away he blew her a kiss. On the tip of her tongue Catherine could say it, could hear the words pounding at the back of her mind, I love you, I love you, I love you Devin…but for some reason or another as she watched him walk away those words just would not be uttered.

Vincent was in his chamber and the last person he expected to see was Catherine and how long she had been standing at the entrance watching him he just did not know, but suddenly an overwhelming feeling that she was there had him spinning round to find just that. “Hello Catherine.” He paused unsure of what to add if anything, then mumbled, “I’m sorry about last night.”

A smile lit Catherine’s face, “I owe you an apology Vincent. You’ve nothing to feel sorry for. I acted foolishly and I’ve come to ask for your forgiveness.”

He stared at her dumbfounded, “No,” he shook his head, “It was me. I should never have presumed you should leave the bar and your friends to come with me, there was no reason behind it and anything I wanted to say was circumstantial anyway and it is you that should forgive me, Catherine, I frightened you.”

“Yes you did, but that’s only because I let myself be spooked. I’m afraid my mind did overtime when you asked me to accompany you, I thought of things that would no doubt have been far from your mind. I know that you would never hurt me Vincent and I was a fool to imagine that you might.”

“Perhaps if we were both to apologise then?” Vincent grinned, “And rebuild our friendship over a cup of tea? I was just about to stop and have one when I felt you were here.”

“I’ll agree to that, tea and all” Catherine told him stepping down into his chamber now that she felt welcome there again. “So did you go back to the tunnels when I went off in that cab then?” She asked holding her hands above the stove to warm them.

“Actually no, I went to Peter’s I thought you would have gone there. Then I came back here and spent the evening chatting with Lisa in her chamber. That is something I have to thank you for. Thanks to you, Lisa and I are companionable again. We are very open with one another and able to discuss almost anything.”

“Oh and did I figure during your course of conversation.” Catherine was only teasing him but he could not lie to her, “Actually yes, but then we covered most members of our community and friends.”

“I found Lisa easy to talk to that day I spent with her. She opened my eyes to many things, but you last night when I thought you had come to tell me that Devin had been involved in an accident you helped me to make the biggest decision of my life.”

“And are you going to tell me what that was?” Vincent teased with a chuckle taking her tea to the table.

“Actually no.” Catherine laughed, “Its too personal, some other time perhaps.”

At her reply alarm bells sounded in Vincent’s mind as her feelings crashed around him, feelings mixed with desire and passion and a closely guarded secret. He turned to her his eyes wary and begging for her to confide in him, but she missed the look entirely as head down she bent to pick up the mug of tea he had put on the table beside her and began sipping it her bright adoring eyes just visible over the rim.

Still he recovered well enough to ask, “Hum let me see usually when one assumes another has been involved in an accident one starts to wish that all the things they hadn’t said or hadn’t done with that person were still possible. If it were a fatal accident then such guilt can live on in a heart forever. So, what decision could you have possibly reached baring any of that in mind? What haven’t you and Devin done together yet that you might have regretted never having had the chance to do?” He looked at her steadily his eyes unwavering as he sipped his own tea and Catherine found that disconcerting look too much and had to turn away.

“If its what I think it is Catherine, then I am ashamed of you.” That did it! Catherine’s eyes rose back to meet his silently challenging ‘it’s none of your damn business!’ but she found it impossible to say. Instead, Vincent went on, “You will regret it. My brother is not the person that you think he is.”

“Oh and you’d know would you!” Catherine retorted sarcastically. She should never have started this, so smug had she been, so sure she could play games with Vincent and not have him understand, well Vincent was too astute for words and she should have known that. How come he always knew so much about her? How could he tell what was on her mind, did her eyes give the game away? She remembered how she had felt the night before and some of those fears came back rushing through her like a hurricane wind. Vincent seemed to know her better than she knew herself and that was scary. Not just because he seemed capable of doing it but because he seemed able to pick out the tiny little voices of reason that she kept squashed so that she would not be prevented from doing whatever it was that she had decided to do. And this was one of those occasions.

“I know my brother better than you and unfortunately I am in the position to be a party to everything he does or speaks of and I have the ability to read between the lines and know that what I see there is true.” Vincent told her sincerely.

“So Mr Smarty Pants tell me then what do you see between Devin and me?” She gloated expecting that he would never, ever put it into words, he’d be too embarrassed. But she was wrong and that humiliation bounced back on her.

“You’ve decided to let Devin make love to you.” He whispered the reply averting his gaze from hers a little and though she did not confirm his suspicious her gasp of dismay told him all that he needed to know and he exclaimed, “Catherine you can’t! It would be wrong. Please reconsider before it is too late.”

“Give me one good reason why I should Vincent, or I’m outta here.” Catherine put down her mug and made to stand the need for flight imminent.

He’d hoped to let her down easily. Hoped to reason and tell her that though he was sure there were no facts to support his suspicions but since she was ready to move if he found nothing with which to delay her he blurted the only thing that he knew would make her hesitate, though in so doing he knew that he risked breaking her heart. “Devin is seeing someone else.” He told her softly, hesitantly, hoping that the words did not hurt too much. They did and he felt them each one like a whiplash against her heart.

“You’re lying!” It was the only plausible explanation Catherine could come up with, Vincent had to be lying.

“I wish I was. Catherine look…” he took three steps toward her and she backed away hands raised against him, “Don’t come near me, stay away you hear?” Then she turned and ran from the chamber tears blinding her eyes.

Bereft Vincent let her go. She would want nothing to do with him now. Perhaps when reason found a pathway to her heart she would analyse his confession and explore the possibility, at least with any luck she would. But she might so easily ponder the possibility that he told her these things so that she might start a relationship with him instead. He didn’t know why he should presume that but the thought rose to the fore anyway. Now all he could do was wait. To think earlier both had sought the other’s forgiveness and Catherine had deemed that she was of equal blame for the things that had taken place the night before. Well he could kiss goodbye to that ever happening again. This time Catherine would not come in search of him with an apology at the ready and he’d wait a long time if he expected she would. This time he doubted that she would ever forgive him, but hopefully, hopefully if he had set the seed of doubt in her heart regarding Devin’s infidelity then the loss of her friendship would have been worth it. Or so he told himself, for deep down inside Vincent knew that the loss of her friendship would ruin him.

Her head banging Catherine tried without success to listen to her tutor, instead the only voices that seemed to wrack her tired brain was those of Mel…’I happen to know that you haven’t slept with Devin’…and Vincent, ‘Devin is seeing someone else.’ Those two phrases went around and around her mind like a whirlpool without letup. Why on earth she should tie them together though beat Catherine. Unless perhaps, it had something to do with the gloating look upon Mel’s face every time they made eye contact during the tutorial. That look said it all, and though she did not want to believe Vincent’s declaration she knew deep down inside that Vincent was a trustworthy person and wouldn’t tell her something had he not be certain of his facts, only right now her heart didn’t want to accept that.

Devin had been so nice to her, well then he would, her tiny voice of reason reminded her. You’ve just offered him everything and he’s hardly going to refuse it is he?

Confused Catherine just wished she might fall asleep wake up and have all this be one ghastly nightmare. Tonight she would be going to sleep with her boyfriend, her first time with any boy and she had been geared for that since the night before. Now…now things didn’t seem so probable…now she wasn’t so sure.
Devin said you could change your mind… Her heart reminded her, but she didn’t want to change her mind. She had herself to live with after all and her reputation. What if he put it about that she had offered and snatched it back? What if he tells everyone that you’re easy? Catherine wished her heart would mind its own business, it kept making her choose and she didn’t want to choose. She wanted only one thing…one person…Devin.

At recess her intention was to go along to the ladies and wash her face, she felt she must look a complete wreck and though she sidestepped the area where she knew Mel to be, the other girl intercepted her move and came face to face with her outside in the corridor. Catherine tried to move past without a word, Mel it seemed was intent on delaying her for her own wicked means. “Say Cathy, seen anything of Devin lately?”

Unable to stay quiet Catherine walked right into Mel’s trap. “I saw him this lunchtime actually, and we are seeing one another tonight. Not that it’s any of your business!” She made to move on, but Mel bared her way, her arms folded over the books against her chest. “Oh really? Tell me did Dev happen to be wearing a roll neck? One like this?” With one hand, she pulled at the neck, just far enough to reveal the large love bite beneath it. Catherine drew her brows together, “What is it you want from me Mel? Why are you being like this?”

“What do I want from you? Nothing now. But I would like to lay down some ground rules!” The venom in Mel’s tone was unmistakable and Catherine winced whatever she had done to offend her friend she wished she knew.

“I don’t know what you mean. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need the toilet.”

Mel hesitated went to speak but decided against it, “You’ll keep. But don’t be too sure that you’ll see Devin tonight.” Mel laughed swinging her long hair around her shoulders as she turned to head back for the lecture room. Catherine stared after her. What had all of that been about, Mel’s statements had been hard to decipher and why did she keep bringing Devin into it, it wasn’t like they knew one another…The moment she thought it Catherine clapped a hand to her mouth, “Oh!” Suddenly she could see Devin tugging at his baggage, then holding her, kissing her, the warmth and arousal of his body evident through the wool knit of his roll neck jersey, something alien to clothing worn below, but then he had been going above and it was cold up there. And Vincent coming to take her from Billy’s last night, and what he had told her today, had Devin been meeting Mel at Billy’s was that what Vincent had tried to spare her from?

Washing her hands before leaving the toilet Catherine checked her complexion in the mirror. A wan anxious face stared back at her, an indecisive stranger that she never knew - this wasn’t the reflection that she had anticipated, this wasn’t the image of a young girl about to embark upon her first sexual experience. This was a face she didn’t recognise and those eyes! Sullen, fearful anxious eyes behind which lurked a tired disbelieving mind. A sob caught and held in Catherine’s throat. In all fairness, she had to withdraw her offer to Devin, for she had to know, take time out find out what everyone was insinuating. If it were just a case of sour grapes then there was always tomorrow, that Devin would understand, surely? He might be disappointed but he’d get over that, and the chances were he’d be extra tired that evening anyway after moving all his belongings on the long trek to Peter’s several times that day. So, she pacified herself, seeking and finding reasonable excuses to put off the inevitable, which at that moment in time she deemed to be sleeping with Devin. Deep down inside however, in a place she rarely went because down there resided all the sad things from her life, she squashed the tiny little voice of reason that cried out to be heard. ‘Let him go Catherine, he’s not worthy of you, let him go…find someone else to love…someone that will truly love and respect anything that you decide.’ Catherine dismissed that tiny whispering voice because the kind of person it spoke of did not exist and it was unrealistic to expect that she would find him…ever. That was the story book romance, the once in a lifetime idyllic dream that seldom came true and right now Devin was the only true love of her life…surely he felt the same way…surely he was true…and surely he would wait for her however long it took her to be certain…

Her head splitting, Catherine refrained from returning to the tutorial, she could pick up on it tomorrow, right now she need to get home…and prepare for her evening with Devin. For regardless of everything she had only just decided against that appointment she believed that everything would be washed away once she had his arms around her, his lips on hers, his body surrounding her… And so lost in the dream Catherine put all her doubts behind her…for tonight was the first night of the rest of her life…and she knew exactly how she was going to start it.

Seven o’clock, and Catherine never punctual, was running late. She’d overslept, crying herself to sleep as on her way home from college a million and one doubts assailed her senses. Well now she was ready, just enough time to jump in the car, drive over to Peter’s, fifteen minutes tops and she’d be in Devin’s arms. She couldn’t wait. ‘You lot go to hell’ she cried aloud as doubts started to creep in yet again and pushing them resolutely aside Catherine picked up her purse and keys and headed out of the door. The drive over was uneventful, Catherine smiled she had almost imagined every thing that could go wrong would go wrong. She’d get a flat, be in a jam, have to take a detour, any of those that would have her arriving later than being late was permissible. However, nothing untoward happened that prevented her from arriving on Peter’s doorstep at precisely seven thirty rather, it was here that things started to go wrong. Knocking on the door, she waited minutes before knocking again even harder yet still there was no reply. So searching her purse for the key to Peter’s front door she found to her dismay that she had left it in her backpack at home. Damn! Catherine looked toward her car, well if Devin wasn’t going to open up it was because he either hadn’t heard her or wasn’t yet in the house, maybe he had gone back to the tunnels for a few more belongings. Well then in that case she could return home collect the key, come back and let herself in.
That was fine that was easy, keys collected Catherine got back into her car and all the things she had first expected to happen crept up on her one by one. First, there was a tailback, an accident causing a detour. Second as she passed an ambulance going the other way, she saw Peter, his face ashen, in his car following, and that felt like an omen. Thirdly, the road she had to take had been re-covered only that morning and some loose chippings sprayed from a passing motorist showered Catherine’s car and the bang that resulted as the windshield shattered scared her half to death. Fortunately, she carried an emergency card and was able to arrange repairs but not before another hour had lapsed by which time it was closing in on nine o’clock.

Finally, finally she arrived back at Peter’s to find one light on up in what she knew to be a spare bedroom and so obviously assigned to Devin while he was there, so without knocking Catherine used the key that had caused her so much stress retrieving it and let herself into Peter’s house.

The hall was dark and Catherine fumbled for the light switch turning on the light to illuminate the hall with its dark oak interior. Peter favoured wood, he loved the different textures grains and finishes and with a laminated floor in dark oak Catherine could almost see her own reflection in the surface as she walked through into the kitchen intent on opening the bottle of wine she had brought with her before mounting the stairs to Devin’s room.

That done and retrieving two glasses from the display cabinet Catherine walked back through the hall, discarded her shoes and with a nervous excitement took the stairs slowly one by one careful not to chink the glasses together that would announce her arrival. Her bare feet padded softly across the plush peach carpeting of the stairs and landing and she turned and headed to where a shaft of light filtered beneath one closed door. Her heart hammered and butterflies danced when she realised that when she retraced her steps she would be different, no longer the innocent and inexperienced young girl, but a woman in her own right.
Music met her ears first, ah she loved that melody, it had been a source of wonder to her that the citizens below loved classical music and she imagined making love to the backdrop of Mozart and Beethoven. Suddenly the glasses she had carried so carefully fell from her hands and a stain of red wine covered the landing carpet as she heard voices not just one but two, and two very unmistakable voices at that, “Oh Devin turn that rubbish off its killing my ears!”

“I have you know young lady that where I come from this is real music, and I happen to like it.”

More was said, Catherine didn’t hear it and she would wonder for ever after how she had found the courage to open the door but she did. She turned the handle and pushed the door right back and even though she had expected such a sight before her she hoped she might be mistaken all the same. For the first sound to reach her ears as the pictures swam before her eyes was Mel’s cry of ‘Hey look who it isn’t? Say Cathy how about a threesome!’ As her eyes took in the two semi-naked bodies splayed over the rumpled bed and the sound of her own gasp of horror drowned out anything Devin might have said.

She ran then, tripping over the wine bottle that for a few spiralling moments rolled beneath the ball of one foot and she gloated when a crunch of glass, Devin’s curse and a thud behind her signified that Devin hadn’t been quite so lucky. She ran down the stairs into the hall grabbing anything that belonged to her in passing, then out of the door, down the drive and into her car, only just glimpsing Devin standing on one foot at the doorway holding up his trousers with one hand as he tried to signal for her to stop with the other.

Tears swam in her eyes but Catherine was too angry to allow them to fall, choking them back knowing that she couldn’t go home as her father expected her to be spending the night with Melanie she went in the only other direction that she knew she would find sanctuary. To the tunnels, leaving her car near the park entrance she flew across the dampened grass her feet hardly touching the ground and rounded the storm drain moments later her breath caught and held fast somewhere inside her chest. Here she slowed getting her bearings in the darkness as she sought for the mechanism to open the huge sliding door that would take her into Vincent’s world.
It slid back unbearably slowly for Catherine eager to be within but soon allowed her enough access to slide around the foot or so that was open turning and reaching out a hand to close it again once she was inside. However, her hand was covered by another large and furred one and Catherine gasped first then launched herself against the solid feel of perhaps the only one that would help her now. “Oh Vincent, Vincent I’m so glad you are here.” She wrapped her arms around him and all the recently held back tears gushed forth relentlessly like a dam breaking open and she sobbed against the rough texture of his sweater as if she might never stop.

In silence, Vincent held her, his arms wrapped around her, his lips brushing her hair. He could feel her pain and it left him bereft. He physically ached with her for the distress that she felt, the humiliation that he pondered on, the heartache that ripped his own to shreds.

Finally, he held her away from him, his blue eyes searching her swollen ones and he pulled her back again one hand lightly caressing the small of her back the other brushing the dampened hair from her brow. “Its alright, you’re safe, your safe now. Come, you must stay here tonight, Mary will prepare a guest chamber for you.”

“I don’t want to be any bother.” Catherine held back protesting her eyes pained.

“It is no bother, and you shouldn’t be alone. Tomorrow if you wish, you may talk, I will listen and not make judgements. You have a friend in me Catherine.” He told her sincerely.

“I know I do Vincent, and I’m sorry, sorry for the way I keep treating you. Please forgive me yet again?” she managed a smile all be it a weak one, and an errant tear slipped from her lash onto her cheek. Vincent didn’t think he had ever seen anything more beautiful in his life and he ached to take the tear upon his fingertip and hold it against his lips. Instead, he pretended he hadn’t noticed, turning her into the crook of one arm and guiding her through the tunnels. He didn’t know what had happened with Catherine that night, he may never know. But come what may Vincent knew only one thing, for the rest of his life he would be there for Catherine in whatever capacity she allowed. Be it friend and counsellor or brother or lover, the last said with much doubt, but Vincent hoped nonetheless for at the end of the day being what he was, hope was all he had.

The letter in her hand Catherine read through the contents for one final time. It was old now, an old letter with old news and Catherine didn’t know why she had kept it so long really. Well now it was time to trash it as she had stopped believing in other people’s promises years ago.

Devin’s scrawny handwriting penned while under some form of emotional swing or another had not the impact it first had that day when Vincent had handed it to her to read a week after she had found Devin and Mel in bed together. Unable to read it then, she had contemplating screwing it up in a ball or setting a candle to it, but Vincent had warned her if she did that, she would never really close the chapter of Devin in her life. Vincent was right, Vincent had always been right…and he would never fail to give her counsel if she should ask for it.

Taking a deep breath, Catherine began to read the contents, the questions that she had once asked no longer bothering her. It was in the past now, finished despite what Devin had said.

He’d begun the letter with endearments, set to touch her heart no doubt, set to make her want to read on, no one knew whether he was being truthful when he’d penned them and no one had seen him since to ask.

“My dear darling Catherine,

What must you think of me? I swear it wasn’t how it looked. Mel tricked me and I didn’t do anything with her, honest I didn’t. After you came to see me at lunchtime, I hurried to take my bags to Peter’s and it was while I was pondering our conversation that I realised that I would need to make a trip to the drug store. Catherine, I have never needed to buy contraceptives in my life, it was not only embarrassing but they are so expensive! I had to have them but no way did I have enough money to get a packet with and I couldn’t even afford one. So, I went along to your college with the intention of asking you for a loan to buy some, but when I arrived, no one had seen you and then I recognised Mel from Billy’s and asked her where you were. She told me you had gone home early feeling unwell and that you weren’t going to be able to see me that evening after all. Catherine I’d expected that, expected that you might change your mind, but in all fairness I thought I would hear it from you. It shocked me to know that you would tell your friend about us and that which you had decided to share with me and I was offended by how trivial you had deemed such an experience to be in that you could tell someone. Catherine believe me, what happened next was totally instigated by Mel, she turned up at Peter’s after I’d stupidly told her I was staying there awhile, and I invited her in. I thought we would just chat, have a laugh but she threw herself at me and Catherine the things she did… Well I am ashamed to say that I was aroused and felt unable to refuse her…but darling when you came in we hadn’t done anything…and as she had badmouthed my taste in women and music I was about ready to show her the door…I’m sickened by what I’d contemplated doing with that little tramp. Catherine I love you, believe me when I say that you are the only one that I will ever love. I don’t expect you to forgive me now, but maybe someday you will find it in your heart to do so, and when that day comes maybe then there will be a chance for us. By the time you receive this letter Catherine, I will have left America, I have signed a contract for work abroad, starting with Europe. I will be back Catherine, I promise but maybe not for a year or so. I have asked Vincent to look after you and I’m sure that he will. But don’t wait for me Catherine, if you should find someone else to love then I wish you all the best, I wish you all the happiness he can give, but Catherine should you still love me when I return, perhaps we can pick up the pieces and start again.

Be well sweet Catherine, I’ll love you forever, Devin.

All that time and she hadn’t known he had loved her. How many times had she needed to hear him say it? Then to hear it in a letter broke Catherine’s heart even further and there had been several questions Catherine had needed the answer to, some Mel had gloatingly supplied others Vincent had filled in from things Devin had told him.

Despite the implications Mel had made it had been pure coincidence and a great deal of luck for her that Devin had been wearing a roll neck sweater that day, and the love bite had been by another lad Mel had been with the night before. As to the insinuation that she knew Catherine and Devin hadn’t slept together that too was a wild guess. Mel had been devious and cunning her sole intention to snatch Devin from Catherine and secure him for herself.

At the time, Catherine had been livid, humiliated, embarrassed by the turn of events, and heartbroken, but Vincent had been there to pick up the pieces and turn her life around. Whatever she would have done without him she would never know. However it was time to move on, and she was eighteen now, considered an adult and about to embark on her own career working as an attorney after all and not as a doctor as she had decided years before. In that, her father was delighted, and even more so when Catherine introduced the latest love of her life to him and they had got on like a house on fire.

Smiling, Catherine’s mind drifted back to that time and as she did so she crumpled Devin’s letter into a tight ball and tossed it into the trash with the words, “you said a year or so Devin, its now been two and I’m not waiting for you any longer and besides you said I didn’t have to. Tom’s a good man, he’ll make me happy and daddy adores him. So sorry Dev, you’ve been rejected you’ve gotta go.”

With the letter in the bin Catherine closed a chapter in her life, she hadn’t been to the tunnels in ages, hadn’t seen Vincent in months. She would always have affection for him but Tom wasn’t a part of that particular equation and she didn’t want to have to explain her sudden disappearances and weekends away spent in the tunnels. Something had to give, she had to move on and if that meant leaving the past behind well so be it.

“I’m sure Vincent will understand.” She spoke aloud looking out over the city from her apartment window, “Be Well Vincent wherever you are. I’ll never forget you.”

Then she closed the drapes, tipped the trash from the wastepaper bin into a plastic sack tied it with a knot at the top and dumped it by the door. Tom would take it down to the dumpster on his way home later. That done she rubbed her hands together as if washing the past very firmly from her life and went into her bedroom to start getting ready for her evening with Tom. She had a feeling that he was going to ask her a very important question tonight one that she would do well to accept. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t in love with him he was a good man and would care for all her needs. And Catherine was happy, not the head over heals happy she had been with Devin but she had been young then, immature and she knew now that such love did not make for the long lasting kind of relationship she was certain she and Tom would have. And so she was happy in a quiet sort of way oblivious to the fact that had she but opened her eyes to the truth she would have found that once in a lifetime love that her parents had known. But Catherine was blinded to the truth because her heart had not yet recognised where that truth lay but time had other plans for Catherine and it began that night while she was out with Tom. Someone left a copy of a book on the terrace of the balcony of her apartment and a mystery note attached with one fancy letter written thereon…V.

And the rest, as they say is history…for Part 1 that is…this story continues in Once in a Lifetime 2 - click on 'Next' below: