stjourneysch07

Journeys
Lynn

Chapter Seven

The next day Devin returned a little after noon, with M’bago to drive him. He was sporting a long bandage running the whole length of his upper leg, and walking with a pronounced limp.
"And you warned us not to go anywhere on foot!" Vincent couldn’t resist a gentle tease. "Is this a return of your childhood belief that nothing bad could possibly happen to you?" He turned to Catherine and M’bago. "When we were children, he had the most amazing ability to get into dire straits, and then against all logic to get out again. I, on the other hand, was usually left behind to take the consequences. I have to admit that I find it very satisfactory that for once the consequences came home to the person responsible. I am not the one limping!" While he talked, he pulled Devin’s arm over his shoulder and carefully lifted him to a chair by the firepit to save him limping any further.
M’bago, who was following behind Vincent and Devin, was carrying a baby warthog under his arm. "Catherine, here is your visitor." He set it on the ground, and it looked around at its new surroundings with sturdy courage. As Vincent and Catherine got a look at it, they both laughed out loud.
"That’s the most comical thing I’ve ever seen!" It looked very much like a baby pig except that it was gaily striped in black and tan. Catherine knelt on the ground in front of it, and it immediately moved to investigate her extended hand.
"Here, I saved its lunch for you." M’bago handed her a bottle, and the little animal squealed and fastened on it with great enthusiasm. The little warthog was the center of attention for a few minutes, but when the bottle was empty, he moved to curl up against Catherine’s leg, and promptly went to sleep.
"Thank you, M’bago! That was great fun; I’ve never been mother to a warthog before." Catherine smiled sunnily and settled on the ground, loath to wake the little piglet. "Now, Devin, tell us what happened when you were so foolhardy as to go walking in the bush."
"Vincent has slandered me! I was not foolhardy as a kid; I’m still in one piece, aren’t I? Damn, Vincent, you’d think I never took care of my little brother at all. I remember innumerable times when I rescued you from trouble!"
"Trouble you got me into!" Vincent was grinning, showing his canines.
Devin was grinning too. "Well, that’s possible. But no one was twisting your arm! You didn’t have to walk across the bridge over the abyss on your hands."
"But you did have to rescue me when I fell between the slats. And the reason I fell between them was because I was so small. How old was I, Devin, four? I have a vivid memory of hanging in space, with skinned knuckles and torn clothes, scared out of my wits. And when we got back home, who got disciplined for having torn his pants? And who looked innocent and said he didn’t know how it had happened, but he hadn’t torn his clothes?"
The brothers laughed, looking at each other with affection.
Devin gave his version of his encounter with the warthog with numerous interjections of disbelief and mockery by Vincent. Conversation was lively between the four of them for several hours, and when suppertime drew near, M’bago announced that he was going to cook them an African meal. He went back to the Rover to get the special supplies he had brought for this purpose, and made a meal that they all pronounced superior.
"M’bago, you should have been a chef! This food was wonderful!" Catherine sat back, putting her empty plate down on the ground beside her.
"No, no, an avocation merely. I wouldn’t give up what I do if I were offered a job at the best hotel in Paris." M’bago grinned down at the baby warthog, now asleep at his feet after another feeding. "This," he gestured at the baby animal, "is what I was meant to do."
"I think you’re right. There are many chefs, but only one Akami." Catherine slid to the ground, to pet the baby warthog, who grunted, changed position slightly to accommodate her scratching fingers, and went immediately back to sleep. Catherine stayed on the ground, leaning back to rest against Vincent, still in his chair. He opened his knees so she could rest against him, and reached down to caress her neck, his hand lingering on her skin. She snuggled into closer contact and relaxed, content.
The aura of sexual repletion around them was evident to Devin as he watched this byplay, and a small smile crossed his face. So, you finally gave up and did what you’ve both been dying for. About time, Vincent! Catherine wore you down, didn’t she? Good girl, Chandler.
Catherine turned her head to look at M’bago. "M’bago, do you want to come back with us to New York?" Vincent and Catherine had talked over the possibilities of introducing M’bago to Eliot, and Vincent had agreed with Catherine that it was an idea worth exploring.
M’bago looked up curiously. "An unexpected question. Is there some particular reason that you ask?"
Catherine answered, "I have a friend…actually, the man who lent us the jet, who might possibly be interested in giving some financial support to the Reserve. I haven’t ever broached the subject to him, obviously, since I’ve only known about it for a few days, but I know that there is a possibility that he’s looking for a project that will be worth his time and his money. I can think of nothing that is more worthwhile than assisting you with Akami, and I think there is a possibility that he will agree. I will undertake to see that you get back home at no cost to you, if you would like to return to New York with us next week."
M’bago looked down at his hands silently for a moment, then he raised his eyes and said, "I can think of no reason why I cannot be absent for a couple of weeks, and the chance of financial support for the Reserve, however slim, is worth any amount of time and effort. Yes, I will be very happy for an introduction to this friend of yours. I thank you very much for the opportunity. As a small repayment, if you like I will stay here and guide you for the next three days."
Devin was the first to speak in support of this idea. "Yes, yes, yes!" He turned to Catherine and Vincent. "You people don’t know how lucky we are. M’bago is on a first-name basis with every animal in the Reserve. If there’s something to see, he can show it to us!" So it was decided that on the following Tuesday, five days away, they would all leave for New York, and that for the next three days, M’bago would stay at the camp with them.
Devin watched with some interest as they prepared to retire for the night, but Vincent surprised him. He followed Catherine into her bedroom without embarrassment, turning at the door to say goodnight to Devin and M’bago. Just like an old married man! Devin thought.
*************
They climbed into the Land Rover at sunup every morning, and traveled by roads known only to the Park employees to all corners of the Reserve. They saw and photographed every animal that Akami held, except rhinoceros. "Sorry about that, but I believe we only have three, and they just don’t appear on command," M’bago apologized.
"Oh, right! We’ve only seen more animals in three days than I would have believed was possible. Please, M’bago, for Heaven’s sake, don’t feel bad about the rhino!" Catherine shook her head in disbelief that he could be sorry about such a thing.
Catherine was particularly charmed by ostriches. "Look at those beautiful eyes…and eyelashes!" She brought the binoculars down from her eyes to turn to Vincent. "Did you see?" He nodded, amused at her excitement about eyelashes.
M’bago smiled also. "Don’t be fooled by big eyes, although I agree they’re beautiful. One blow from an ostrich’s foot can kill. They’re not as soft and defenseless as those eyes would lead you to believe. The bush is a hard world, they wouldn’t last long without some means of defense."
*******
They arrived back at the bush camp in the late afternoons tired out by the heat, the long ride and the various exciting things that they saw. Dinner was quickly over with, and everyone gratefully retired to bed early.
After the last day of M’bago’s guided tour around Akami, when they had had a last dinner and said a temporary goodbye, Vincent shut the bedroom door behind them and turned to look at Catherine. "Tired?"
"Exhausted. It’s been quite week, hasn’t it?" She sat down on the bed and began to unlace her boots.
Vincent wasn’t ready yet to turn to practicalities. He stood in the middle of the room, watching Catherine. "The most wonderful week of my life. Whole days in the sun, seeing sights few others have been privileged to see. And the nights…" He shook his head, gazing at her tenderly. "…the nights will remain in my memory forever." A small smile crossed his face. "You were so sure from the beginning that it would happen someday, and I was so sure that it wouldn’t, couldn’t be. When I think what my wrong-headedness almost cost me..." His eyes held hers with increasing intensity, and his next words were said slowly, in that deepest voice and half whisper that sent shivers rocketing through her. "Never to have held you naked in my arms… never to have felt your body convulse in ecstasy under mine…"
Catherine returned look for look, and still holding his eyes, with conscious seductive intent she slowly pulled her T shirt off over her head, revealing a bra that couldn’t have contrasted more strongly with the rest of her practical outdoor clothing. It was a confection made of light blue lace and satin ribbon.
Vincent’s reaction was everything she had hoped for, and more. He came swiftly to the side of the bed, and knelt before her. He reached up to touch the narrow satin ribbon that was the strap, and his clawed forefinger passed lightly down the strap to just touch the swell of her breast showing above the scanty covering of the bra. "This is wonderful. It makes me…well, I didn’t need any further encouragement, but..." His hand continued down to cup the fullness of her breast, covering the lacy fabric completely. "Take it off. It is wonderful, but take it off, please. I want you."
She reached up to the front closure of the bra and it fell away. Vincent looked for a moment, then leaned in and kissed a nipple softly. As his mouth drew it in, he pulled her forward until his body was pressed against her center. Catherine’s head fell back and her hands came up to bury themselves in his mane, as her whole being concentrated on the sensations coursing through her body. While Vincent made her gasp with delight, his hand slid between them to unzip her pants. In a moment, with one more soft kiss he slowly left her breast, and sat back to slide her legs out of the fabric. Then he sat still, just looking at her.
After a few seconds he shook his head. "It does something to me when you’re nude, and I’m still wearing my clothes." He frowned a little, unsure that what he felt was acceptable to her. "It makes me feel…powerful, in total control of your body. It’s a heady feeling! But is it…all right?"
"Does it make you want me more?"
He nodded silently.
"Then I’m for it." She smiled at him and put out her arms, and he came into them with a rush.
"Is there anything that I could do that you wouldn’t agree to?" His mouth moved over her face while he talked, and she could feel him smiling through the kisses.
"M-m-m, that’s nice…no, I can’t think of a thing. What else do you want to do? We’ll have to take this on a case-by-case basis, I think."
He chuckled. "All right, counselor." He sobered, and his voice went back to that lower register that made her shiver. "What I want…is to lose myself in you. I want to kiss every square inch of you, and I want you to do the same for me. I want to make love to you until we’re both unable to lift a hand." He lifted his head away from her so he could see her. "I can’t get enough of you. And I’m afraid that I never will."
She brought her hand up to caress his face. "I’m not afraid." Then she smiled. "Anyway, you can keep trying. And the answer to all of your desires, at least so far, is a heartfelt yes!"
*********
They took off on schedule the following Tuesday. M’bago joined them at the airfield at the last moment and swung himself aboard with a brief case and one small bag as his luggage.
"Is that all you’re bringing? How long are you planning to stay with us, anyway, about an hour and a half? I’d have that much luggage to go to the park for an afternoon!" Catherine laughed up at him.
"I’ve got it down to a science. I’ve traveled a lot to raise money for Akami. I’ll stay for a couple of weeks at the least; I’ve got some other contacts to make while I’m there." He sat down gratefully. "There! I believe I’ve finished everything that was necessary, and I’m on the way!"
Vincent was as mesmerized by the view below him as he had been on the trip south, but this time M’bago was beside him, and they compared notes on geography, history, and anthropology for several hours. Since they were bypassing Cairo on this leg of the trip, going directly to Spain, they passed over the African continent farther to the west, and there were new things below for Vincent to enjoy, notably the enormous stretch of the Sahara.
Catherine watched bemused, entering the conversation only occasionally, as Vincent conversed with someone new whose interests plainly coincided with his own. His voice, his expression, his whole attitude showed her clearly how much he delighted in this extended dialogue. She stayed out of their way as much as possible, sitting back to appreciate the sight of Vincent enjoying himself so thoroughly.
She went up to the cockpit after a while, and took a very short lesson in flying a jet from Devin. "You can’t just hand me the controls! What if I do something…dumb?" Catherine was scandalized at Devin’s casual attitude toward flying the plane.
"I do dumb stuff all the time and I’m still alive. The plane is a lot smarter than you are. Don’t worry about it." He was laughing at her. "Besides, I think you’re not so dumb. You finally got him into bed, didn’t you? …Catherine, aren’t you a little old to be blushing?"
"Devin, I think you’re the only man alive who can make me blush. Except Vincent."
"Now that’s a very interesting statement. What does Vincent do that makes you blush? …OK, OK, I’m sorry, I’ll leave it alone." He chuckled as he turned back to the controls. When he spoke again, it was more seriously. "Catherine, I think you’re the best thing that could possibly have happened to Vincent. I believe you were meant for each other, and I hope that stubborn brother of mine has finally got his head on straight!"
"I think he’s decided what he wants to do. I certainly hope so. I think Father will be the largest hurdle we have to face now."
"You got that right. He’s a formidable opponent, but maybe this time he’s met his match. Between you, you and Vincent have got about half the world’s total of stubbornness. I don’t think the old man’s got a chance."
Catherine laughed. "Maybe Vincent is stubborn, but I’m just the most easy to get along with person around."
"Yeah. You’re not stubborn. You just waited him out for two years. Two years. Nope. Not a bit stubborn." He chuckled again, shaking his head.
************
They landed in Spain late in the day, where they refueled and had some dinner sent in. Then they began the long nighttime trip over the Atlantic. M’bago went forward to spend some time with Devin, and Vincent and Catherine were left alone for the first time since morning. They sat together, embraced, but Vincent had fallen mostly silent, his mood changed from the elation of the afternoon. He’s dreading the end of the trip. Catherine thought. He’s dreading going back to his life underground.
"Are you going to tell me?" She said, finally.
"…No, I don’t think I’ve anything to tell. I’m feeling a little sorry for myself. It’s been such a marvelous time, I’m sorry that it’s over. How are you feeling?"
"The same, I guess. But I’m looking forward to a new life now. The future is looking pretty good to me." She snuggled herself closer.
His arms closed about her tightly, but he held her without answering. Above her head, his face was bleak. His vision of the future was not hers.
**************
Father had been advised through Peter of the approximate hour of their homecoming, and he was waiting in his study. He rose when he heard their voices and came to meet them, taking them both into a welcoming embrace, and reaching over Catherine to squeeze Devin’s shoulder in greeting. Then, as he realized that there was someone behind Devin, "Oh! And who is this?"
Vincent answered. "This, father, is a very close friend. His name is M’bago Kalemombe, and he’ll be staying with us for a few days, or perhaps weeks. I think you will find that he is very good company. I’ve told him that you will have a thousand questions about Africa."
"You are African?" Father’s hand came out, and then he took M’bago into his embrace also. M’bago returned the embrace without embarrassment, and admitted to African birth. "Well, then Vincent is right. I will have many questions. I have followed African politics in the papers with great interest, but there is never enough information. For instance, when the Congolese government…"
"Father, give the man a chance to get a night’s sleep before the grilling begins!" Vincent turned to M’bago. "I told you, he’s endlessly curious about everything."
M’bago smiled at Father, "And I will be more than glad to satisfy your curiosity as well as I may. I hope then that you will reciprocate by giving me a short history of this fascinating world of yours."
Devin laughed. "Woh, you said the right thing there. He’ll be delighted to bend your ear for hours."
While the conversation continued, Catherine had quietly found a chair and collapsed into it, totally worn out. In a few minutes Father looked around and found her nearly asleep. "Look at this, Catherine is asleep in the chair! I am sorry, you must all be very tired. I’ve been thoughtless, but I’ll let you all retire now. I’m so glad to have you home safely, and very anxious to hear all about the trip."
"Tomorrow, Father, tomorrow." Vincent hugged Father again, and then turned to Catherine. She smiled sleepily up at him, and bending, he scooped her up from the chair, and turned to the door with her.
"Catherine’s guest chamber is ready for her. We thought she might want to stay here tonight," Father said.
I’m glad you made it ready, Father; M’bago will use it. Catherine will be staying with me." Vincent looked steadily at the old man, and Father, speechless, watched as he carried Catherine out into the hall. Devin followed with M’bago, who turned at the door to take polite leave of Father. "Thank you for your hospitable welcome, sir. It is much appreciated."
Father’s mouth was still open in stunned amazement. He shut it with a snap, and replied, "Yes…yes, of course, you are a friend of Vincent and Devin’s, you are most welcome here. Goodnight, and sleep well."
M’bago passed out of the room, and Devin turned to say goodnight to Father, and added, grinning widely, "Nice recovery, sir. Well done."
***********
Vincent put Catherine gently in his big chair. When she straightened to get up, he put his hands on her shoulders, his touch a caress. "Just rest there, Catherine. I’ll do it." He left the room for a moment, picking up an unlit lantern as he went. When he returned he turned down the covers on the bed, then from the wardrobe he got her tunnel nightgown, the one she had worn when he brought her injured to this room for the first time. It had been there with his own nightclothes ever since. He knelt beside her chair and began to unfasten her clothing; when she moved to help him he said softly, "No, let me do this for you. Rest there, I will get you ready for bed." She subsided sleepily, and let him undress her and slip the nightgown over her head.
He picked her up and carried her to his bed, where he covered her warmly. He bent to kiss her lightly. "I’ll be with you in a moment." He moved quietly around the room, extinguishing candles, until only the one behind the stained glass window remained. Then he undressed quickly and slid in beside her.
"M-m-m." She smiled without opening her eyes and snuggled closer as his arms encircled her and pulled her against him.
"Go to sleep, my love…my love." His voice was as soft as velvet, and his arms held her cradled warm and safe as she slid into sleep.
***************
Catherine awoke disoriented. She looked around her rather wildly, her body tensing, but as she saw Vincent’s clawed hand cradling her breast, she relaxed, turning in his arms until she could see his face. He was looking down at her with tenderness, and his hand came up to stroke her cheek.
"Good morning. I thought you were going to sleep right through the day."
She lifted herself up on one elbow. "What time is it? I’ll be in disgrace if I miss breakfast!"
"Too late to worry about that, it must be nearly time for lunch." He brought his mouth down to hers, and kissed her lightly. "You needed to sleep, and so did I."
She reached up to bring his head back down to her, and kissed him, not so lightly. "Don’t you want me any more, now that you’re home?" She smiled, teasing a little.
He growled low in his throat. "I want you…always. Wherever, whenever, all times, all places, all circumstances…" He rolled over her, pinning her to the bed. "I want you now!" And he kissed her hard, with tongue and teeth in evidence, his body heavy on hers. "Now! Kiss me…make love to me!"
Catherine’s response was immediate, spontaneous arousal. As she kissed him her hands moved over him, reaching down to his buttocks to hold him tightly against her, moving under him until he groaned with pleasure.
They came together in a frenzy of desire, mouths searching, hands moving everywhere in an instant conflagration of appetite. It was over very quickly, both bodies arching in delirious pleasure, with soft outcries forced from throats nearly closed with passion.
They collapsed together, Vincent’s body heavy on Catherine, but when he tried to remove his weight she cried out in protest, holding him over her.
As she came slowly back to reality, Catherine smiled, stroking his hair. "Well! I guess you’re not tired of me yet." His body still rested bonelessly on hers, his face buried in her neck.
"I’m insane with wanting you." His voice was muffled, his breathing still ragged. "How can I give this up? How can I ever…"
When Catherine heard what he was saying, a slow chill clutched at her insides. What was he thinking?
As his heart slowed and his breathing steadied, he lifted himself away from her and got out of bed, stopping only to look down at her silently, and to kiss her gently. He moved to the wardrobe for clean clothes, then said, "I’m going to bathe, I’ll be back in a few minutes." He was gone with the words.
He was back while she was still getting herself out of bed and ready to bathe also. He came in and sat down at his table, pulling his journal toward him. Catherine moved slowly to the door, unsure of his mood. "Wait for me; we’ll eat…OK?"
He looked up. "Yes, Catherine, of course. I’ll be here." He turned back to his journal.
She bathed quickly, in a fever of apprehension. Something was definitely wrong. When she returned to his room, he was still sitting at the table, but he wasn’t writing. He was staring straight ahead, lost in thought.
Well, I’d better hear it, whatever it is. "What is it, Vincent? Tell me."
He glanced at her for a moment, then turned away again, and spoke without looking at her. "I’m thinking…about the future. I’m wondering what I have done to you." He continued to stare sightlessly ahead of him.
"I…don’t know what you mean. Done to me? You’ve made me very, very happy, Vincent."
He looked at her then, his face softening. "Yes, it has been a happy time. A time for joy, for loving, for the realization of desires. It has been …a splendid time, a magical moment…out of a lifetime." He turned his eyes away again, resuming his empty stare.
Catherine’s face slowly drained of color. There was something bad coming. Oh, please, Vincent, don’t! Don’t!
He turned back to her, conscious of her tension, and put his arm around her loosely where she stood next to his chair, holding her against him with a gentle touch. Looking up at her tenderly, he spoke. "Catherine…Catherine, my dearest love, now we are home. Now the time has come for consideration of realities, and the effect of our actions upon our future lives.
"I have not changed my feelings about the impossibility of your making your home Below. It has never been acceptable to me that you give up your rich life Above to live in…reduced… conditions Below, and this marvelous time we have had in the larger world has further convinced me that you must not give it up."
"I believe that that is for me to decide!" Catherine spoke with vehemence.
"No. I said it is not acceptable to me."
"Oh, Vincent, don’t do this to us!" She was on the edge of tears, but trying valiantly not to cry. This was not the time for weakness. Their future could be in the balance here.
"You must know that I want this even less than you. How…how am I going to live without my arms around you, without the touch of your mouth on mine? How go back to a bed alone, when I have shared the bounty of your body? My god, Catherine, I don’t want this to happen!" He was trembling with the intensity of his feelings. "But I cannot, I cannot countenance your giving up your life Above. I’ve lived in the tunnels all my life; I know what this life is, and it is not for you!
"Equally, and to my shame, I cannot let you go Above for any length of time, or resume your previous work. You are endangered there. It has always been a nightmare to me, and now…now I have feelings of possession, I have…jealous feelings of keeping you close to me that will not let me rest if you continue to live and work Above. Not admirable feelings, but…real and…unchanging. What can I do but let you go entirely?" His voice was hoarse, his throat nearly closed with pain.
Catherine couldn’t believe what she was hearing. "Vincent, how can you say this? We can’t be apart, you know that we can’t. There must be a way!" Tears rolled down her cheeks unheeded as she pled for their happiness.
He reached for her hands. "Please, don’t be angry." His face was anguished as he spoke again. "Yes…there must be a way…it will kill me if I have to give you up." His face softened as he put a hand up to stroke her face. "And I believe…now…that it will kill you, too."
Catherine was a fighter. After the first shock, she quickly rallied. "There is a way to do this. I will not give you up. Hear me, I mean this. We will not be separated!" She gazed steadily into his eyes, intent on making him believe what she said, while she thought frantically, making decisions at high speed. "This is not a problem that can be solved in an hour, or a day. I am going to go Above this morning to resign my job. Whatever we decide to do, I will not be working for the District Attorney any longer. Then I will move below…" As his head came up, she held up her hand. "…On a temporary basis only, until we have figured out how to make this thing work. We need to do some hard thinking. This problem is solvable."
**********
Catherine did as she had promised; she resigned her job effective immediately. Joe was devastated; he raved at her, accused her of disloyalty, shouted and tore his hair, but when his tantrum had worn itself out he hugged her close and wished her the very best.
By the following evening she was moved into Vincent’s chamber. Catherine was dumbfounded at Father’s reception of the change in their relationship, but Vincent was not as surprised as she was. He smiled when she said, "I thought he’d raise the roof! Isn’t he going to say a word?"
"He’s not an unreasonable man, whatever you and Devin may think. He knows that this is an accomplished fact; what can he say about it now that will change anything? I expect I’ll be called on the carpet eventually so he can vent his frustration, but that’s all right. I made it very clear to him before I left that I will make my own disposition of my life."
"Well, I’m very happy that I don’t have to face him. I’m afraid he blames me for this."
"I don’t think he’s assigning any blame. Some of the reason for his opposition was because he was afraid of the same thing I was." His arms went around her, and he held her close to his body. "Afraid that I’d hurt you." His arms tightened further, protectively. "But he can see now, as I can, that that fear was without merit. You’re not hurt." He looked down at her. "As a matter of fact, I think you’re more beautiful now than ever before. There’s a sort of…glow."
"Vincent, spare my blushes. That ‘glow’ is pure sexual satisfaction." She grinned up at him.
He smiled back, and reached down to kiss her. "Are you satisfied? Am I a satisfactory lover?"
"Now who’s fishing!"
This exchange was part of a valiant attempt by both to keep an optimistic attitude, but Catherine knew that Vincent was not sleeping well. Several times she woke to find him sitting at his table, staring down at his open journal. Her more naturally sunny temperament made her confident that a way would be found, but Vincent struggled to keep from falling into a black depression.
Catherine had the glimmering of an idea, but before she told him she thought it would bear further investigation. No reason to raise his hopes, if they were only to be dashed down again.

NEXT