Respite- A Valentine ficlette

A short story based upon the characters of “Beauty and the Beast”

by Nancy Lynn Knauff

Breaking down her fourth deposition of the day, Catherine’s head felt as if it would roll off her tired shoulders at any given moment now. She let the pen fall from her cramped fingers, her other hand sneaking up to massage the back of her sore neck. She stifled a sudden yawn. Give me a break, Chandler, she chastised herself. It’s only late afternoon. She took a glance out the window, surprised by the lack of sunlight coming from it. As she scanned the office lights coming from the buildings across the street, she added sheepishly, at least I thought it was late afternoon.

Catherine glanced at her watch. Eight-thirty. Not a good sign. She groaned audibly, slapping the manila folder closed and leaving her legal pad on top of it. She had worked over ten hours today, and she probably would be doing more of the same for the rest of the week. No wonder I’m tired, she thought. That’s it; I’m going home.

She entered her apartment sometime later, exhausted from battling traffic and feeling gritty. The suit jacket came off before she reached her bedroom, the matching skirt and silk blouse were flung on the bed, the water was running and she was in the shower before she had been there two minutes.

Later, dressed in a terry cloth robe, her damp hair twisted up into a towel, she decided to take a quick trip to the balcony. The February chill kept her inside most nights but she couldn’t resist a glance of the city from her favorite vantage point. She snuggled into her bathrobe, her toes encompassed in flannel slippers, gazing at Manhattan wistfully.

Something out of the corner of her eye caught her interest on a nearby chair. She picked up the small box as a gust of wind persuaded her to open it from the indoor shelter of the apartment. Inside was a small note accompanied with a few pieces of dark chocolate- her favorite. Her stomach growled, reminding her she had forgotten dinner…again. She nibbled one piece while unfolding the missive to read it. Written in an unmistakable handwriting, it said simply-

Come to the threshold.

-V-

For the first time that day a genuine smile crossed her face. What is Vincent up to, I wonder? She slinked back into the bedroom to quickly dress.

Vincent was not waiting for her when she descended the ladder to the meeting place beneath her apartment building. What she did find was another note and a white rose, stripped of its thorns in pure Vincent fashion. She grinned again, taking a minute to inhale the fresh perfume from the flower, letting its petals lightly brush her lips. The note said-

Follow the path of petals

and you shall hear a chime;

The sweet clang of metal upon metal

sound sweeter than this rhyme.

She giggled softly at the play on words. It sounded like he was talking about the pipe chamber but she wondered what Vincent had meant by a ‘path of petals’.

It didn’t take long to find out. When Catherine ducked out of the entryway into the lit tunnel beyond the threshold she encountered a walkway of flower petals, spread out a few at a time, leading the way for her. Taking her flashlight in one hand, Catherine followed Vincent’s flower pathway.

The path was a new one for her; she surmised that the ways had been changed again. Nonetheless, it didn’t take long to reach her destination- indeed, the petals stopped just outside the pipe chamber. Catherine glanced in. Pascal was bent over a pipe, intently listening to its message with his stethoscope. She let him be. Besides, there was a small torch with yet another note. She shook her head in amusement. Vincent was definitely up to something.

Take the light you see

and carry it through the dark,

To whispers of old and yet to be-

of sorrow and of a lark.

There were no more petals to follow, so Catherine took a minute to figure out the clue. Suddenly it clicked and Catherine picked up the torch and moved on.

A few minutes later she arrived at her next stop. The polyphonic echoes greeted her from the Whispering Gallery, as did another small box underneath the holder she slid the torch into. Inside this one was another treat- three pieces of William’s famous Divinity Drops. These little delectable bites literally melted in your mouth. She popped one in and unfolded the anticipated note.

Weary of the journey, my dear?

The last of these will then appear-

You will find whom you seek

near a waterfall and a friendly peak.

She didn’t have to figure out this clue, even if she didn’t already know where she was going. Another road of petals showed Catherine the way.

As she slipped from underneath the entranceway to the Chamber of the Falls, she was greeted with a welcoming sight. Softly glowing candles surrounded a lush red plaid blanket Catherine knew to be Vincent’s. She took a few steps further. Gathered on the spread blanket looked like the makings of a romantic picnic dinner for two.

“I’m glad you were able to find your way,” said a gruff and satin voice from behind her. Catherine whirled around at the sound. Before her Vincent walked forward from the wall he had been leaning on, resplendent in ruffled shirt with a soft brown vest. His fire-blond mane shone, bringing out his gleaming blue eyes as he looked down at her.

Catherine smiled up at him, both pleased and puzzled. “This is all a wonderful surprise, Vincent, but…” she paused as she looked back at all he had done for her before gazing back at him. “Why?”

He smiled at her, finding humor in her question. “Catherine, have you forgotten what today is?” He revealed one hand from behind his broad back to reveal a rich red rose. “It’s Valentine’s Day.” He softly chuckled at the astonished look on her face.

What?! How could I have… stammered Catherine inwardly. Of all the- “Wait,” she said to him, a sly look crossing her features. “We weren’t going to celebrate until the weekend.”

At that, Vincent bent his head to one side shyly. I know, but… I felt your fatigue earlier today, so I decided to… speed things along.”

“Oh, Vincent,” replied Catherine, her heart filling with the love she was sure he could sense through their connection. She was speechless, something that didn’t occur often. Carefully, as to not jostle her roses and other items, Vincent carefully enfolded her into a heartfelt embrace, kissing her lightly on the temple.

He didn’t hold her long; Catherine’s stomach growled once more in protest. He chuckled again as he let her go and saw a pink twinge line her cheeks. “Come,” he told her, taking the box out her hand to lead her to their perch.

After the much appreciative dinner, Vincent leaned back against an outcropping, Catherine resting against him as he read to her. Between the low lull of the rushing water, the good food and Vincent’s voice, Catherine had the drowsy look of a woman satisfied. As she started to doze off, she snuggled deeper into his warm chest, murmuring “remind me to thank you later, Vincent.”

He looked down at her, a smile also crossing his own face when she drifted off, contented and relaxed in his arms. “You already have, Catherine,” he whispered, wrapping part of their blanket around her snugly. “You already have.”