FAMILY

S3 Round Robin (2025)

Chapter 1

Mel

 

“Are the candles ready yet?” Jacob Wells asked, entering the chamber.

Rebecca turned, setting a set of four tri-colored candles in one of the baskets set around the room. Stray pieces of graying blonde hair stuck to her forehead; the steam from the wooden vats filled the chamber with a light haze.  “Almost, Jacob, but they need to dry.”

The eight-year-old frowned. “But Samantha and Kipper already have theirs.”

“Have patience, son,” Vincent said, coming up behind the child. His lips lifted into a grateful smile at his friend. “Rebecca is working very hard; we mustn’t disturb her.”

“Sorry, Rebecca,” Jacob mumbled.

“It’s all right, Jacob. I know how exciting it can be,” Rebecca said as she returned to her work. “Your batch should be ready in about ten minutes or so.”

Jacob glanced back at his father. “Is Alex here yet, Dad?”

“I believe your mom is leading your Aunt Susan and Alex down as we speak,” Vincent said.

“You’re two-thirds correct,” a voice called.

Vincent spun, startled, just as his son shouted, “Uncle Devin!”

The mid-forties old man stooped down and scooped up the kid. With a large grin, Devin ruffled his nephew’s blonde hair. “Hey there, kiddo. Man, you’re getting so big.”

Vincent merely watched as his older brother continued to play with his son. Dressed in faded blue jeans, a green shirt, and a light brown jacket, Devin stood out amongst the usual attire for those who called the tunnels home.

Though his visits had become a little more frequent (especially after Charles passed away), a visit every two to three years or so rather than a decade, it still seemed like a miracle each time Devin Wells returned to the tunnels below the city of New York. 

“We didn’t expect to see you until next month,” Vincent said. 

“Yeah, well, I wanted to surprise you. Even told Pascal to keep the pipes quiet about it,” Devin said, setting Jacob back down.

“It certainly is a surprise.” Vincent smiled and turned to the two other guests. In the semi-darkness and backlit, he would have almost mistaken the older Bennett sister for his wife. But Susan’s red mane was darker and grayer. Her face was also tanner from seeing the sun, rather than being hidden away in a loft or underground with porcelain skin.

“And Susan, Alex, how wonderful to see you both as well.”

The oldest Bennett sister smiled. “Thank you. It’s nice to be here.”

“Are the candles ready?” Alex asked Jacob.

Vincent’s smile broadened as he glanced at his niece-in-law. The excited glint in her eye as she and Jacob began chatting together belied her age of twelve years. But then Winterfest, like Christmas Above, seemed to bring out the childlike qualities of everyone.

“They still deliver those candles to the Helpers?” Devin asked.

“Yup,” Jacob said, standing tall with pride. “And this year, I get to go on my own-”

“Hey,” Alex cut in.

Jacob glanced down, his pale face pinkening. “With Alex.”

“Ah, would you mind if your old Uncle tagged along?” Devin asked. “I haven’t done it in years.”

Jacob glanced up at his dad. In those hesitant blue eyes and human face, Vincent saw his first love and Jacob’s birthmother, Catherine. In the eight years that had passed, the agony of Catherine’s death had faded to a dull ache, healed by their son, Jacob, and the auburn-haired angel who now captured his heart.

“It’s a generous offer, Devin. But I did tell Jacob he could go on his own this year… with his cousin, of course, Alex,” Vincent amended with a smile.

“Jacob,” Rebecca called, poking her head out into the hallway. “Your batch of candles is ready to take.”

It took only a minute for Jacob to collect the basket filled with the tri-colored candles with an ease uncommon for a child his age.

“Do you have the list, Jacob?” Vincent asked.

“Yes.” Jacob set the basket down and pulled it from his pocket.

“Perhaps you can give the list to Alex to hold,” Vincent suggested.

“And Alex, you both stay close together,” Susan said firmly.

“Yes,” the children chorused.

“Can I at least take you to the exit?” Devin asked. 

“Yes, please,” Alex said, pulling her black hair back into a ponytail. “And you have to finish the story of when you were in Kenya.”

Vincent watched the children and his older brother leave, allowing himself a moment of pride even as his heart ached. It was the perfect family picture—a human father and son going on an outing together in the middle of the day. His hands slid over each other in a nervous tick, more conscious of his fur and lion features than he cared to admit.

“Hm, you know,” Susan said, breaking into his thoughts. “I think my daughter has a crush.”

“Devin is a good man.”

“So Diana said.”

Vincent turned, a fresh wave of concern coming over him. “Susan, is everything all right? Why wasn’t Diana with you?”

“She said she’s not been feeling well,” Susan said, adjusting her suitcase. “But and I quote, ‘that it’s nothing to worry about.’”

Vincent gave a brief nod. It would be just like Diana to downplay an illness, but something in Susan’s tone suggested something else. Not for the first time did Vincent wish that he and Diana shared the mystical bond that had once linked him and Catherine, and now their son and he together. He always knew the second Jacob felt unwell, frustrated, happy, or any other emotion one could name, no matter how far away they were from one another.

With Diana, proximity and physical touch allowed their shared empathy to reveal their inner selves to each other. But that only worked when Diana was home, and a recent case had taken her Above for the last month.

“Well, then, I shall go see her.”

“Oh Vincent, wait,” Rebecca called. She returned a moment with a wrapped gift. “You forgot this.”

Vincent took the package with a small nod. “Ah, yes, thank you, Rebecca.”

His friend smiled and then returned to her work.

“And here I thought my sister had moved up from being a Helper,” Susan said.

“Once a Helper, always a Helper,” Vincent said with a teasing smile. Neither Bennett sister seemed to miss anything as he tucked the wrapped candle into his cloak.

“Shall we?” Vincent asked, gesturing her forward. “We have the guest rooms all prepared for you and Alex.”

As they wandered back to the main tunnels, Vincent heard the strains of music coming from the great hall.

XxX

“How are the rehearsals going?” Father asked, entering the chamber later that afternoon as the children’s choir and musicians left.

The new music teacher, Rolley, turned toward the patriarch of the tunnels. “It’s fine. I’m just not sure they will be ready for Winterfest.”

Father smiled. “Please don’t be stressed. There will be other times for the children to perform. And we also have a special artist.”

Rolley raised his eyebrows.

Father grinned. “You. Your music is still the greatest I’ve heard.”

Rolley scuffled. “My music? I’m nothing but a trained parrot.”

Father stepped forward, placing his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “You are much more than that, Rolley. Look at what you’re giving to the children here. And you can certainly compose your own music. But if you don’t want to do a solo act, then you don’t need to.”

Rolley shrugged, uncertain.

“Huh, wish I heard some of that growing up,” Devin said.

Father spun, laying a hand over his heart, blinking as if his eyes deceived him. “Devin, what are you doing here?”

“Apparently, I’m giving my old man a heart attack.” Devin’s grin slipped into concern. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you like that, Father.”

Father shook his head, both exasperated and fondly. “You were always giving me heart attacks; why stop now? I think I’m strong enough to take it.”

“No, no, I’ll be good.” Devin hopped down the stairs. His eyes widened. “Since when did you get a grand piano down here?”

Father glanced at Rolley. “Mouse was able to obtain it years ago and our new music teacher here makes wonderful use of it.”

Devin smiled as introductions were made. “Hm, you know I never tried to be a musician before… or a teacher, come to think of it.”

“I’m not much of one myself,” Rolley said. His hand slid over his stomach to quiet its rumblings.

“Come now,” Father said, gesturing back to the entrance. “I think William can scrouge up some leftovers from lunch. But please be on time, next time.”

Devin gave a mock salute. “Aye, aye, sir.”

XxX

Diana Bennet stared at her computer unseeingly. The last notes of her case had been handed into her office earlier that day, yet she kept typing. The click, click of the keyboard grated on her ears and nerves, but it was better than looking at the timer every five seconds.

Diana’s back stiffened as her eyes darted back to the clock but then gave a deliberate shake of her head. Don’t look too early, Bennett. It’s not going to change the-

Creak!

Diana’s head snapped up, catching sight of Vincent as he descended from the roof and into her loft.

“Have I disturbed you, Diana?” Vincent asked.

“No, Babe. I was just finishing some stuff.” She minimized the digital page and spun around in her chair as he moved further into the room. Her lips lifted into a light grin. “I need to oil that door one day. And hm, I was expecting Ja… what is it?”

Blue/hazel eyes held Vincent’s sky-blue gaze for a moment, feeling him drink her in before looking away.

“Forgive me, Diana,” Vincent began. “I know you prefer solitude when working on a case, but Susan said you’ve been unwell, and I… I just wanted to be sure you were… um well…. after you didn’t come home.”

“I’m sorry.” Diana stood but made no move to approach him. “I just haven’t been myself lately.”

“In what way?” Vincent asked.

Diana shrugged, uncertain how to explain it. The last case had just finished had been intense (as they always were), but this one had left her even more physically drained and… nauseous.

Vincent took another step, withdrawing a wrapped package from his coat. “I might have something that will make you feel better.”

Diana grinned. “I thought Jake was delivering the candles this year.” At the mildly confused look, she clarified, “I think he’s been talking about it since last Winterfest. Is he out now?”

“Yes.” Vincent glanced at the microwave clock before he went and sat on the couch. “I believe Jacob and Alex should arrive at Joe Maxwell’s apartment in five minutes.”

Diana grinned.

For as long as Jake had been discussing when he would deliver candles alone, Vincent had been preparing his list of the Helpers. The DA Joe Maxwell and the returned Elliot Burch were on the list. If Vincent was going to let his son go, he needed the added comfort of those most trusted of the Helpers to keep an eye on the child they all cared for. The child who held Diana’s heart as surely as if she had given birth to him. The day she officially became his mother was one of the happiest in her life. And now…

“Are you cooking something?” Vincent asked, removing his cloak. “The timer is on.”

“No.”

Vincent glanced over at her, confused.  

“Uh, sorry.” Diana scrubbed her hand through her auburn hair with a huff. “It’s just been a long day. Haven’t been sleeping much, I guess.”

Vincent nodded. “Did you finish the case?”

“Yes, it was a tough one.” Diana stifled a yawn and averted her gaze to avoid his eyes. She knew her husband loved her but also found her lack of personal care when she was on a case frustrating. But killers and those human beasts who committed the cruelest of acts weren’t pausing in their crimes so she could get proper sleep.

“So,” Diana said, as she came and sat beside Vincent, “is this my invitation?”

Vincent nodded as he unwrapped the now familiar orange, yellow and white candle.

“Thank you.” Diana leaned over and kissed his cheek while her fingers absentmindedly twirled the candle. “Hm… did Rebbeca change the sizes this year? It seems bigger.”

“We sometimes like to surprise our Helpers with little changes,” Vincent explained.

“Ah.” Diana paused, her lips lifting into a grin and her voice had a teasing tone. “And I thought I had graduated from being a Helper four years ago when we said, ‘I do.’”

“Your sister said much the same thing.” Vincent returned the smile and sat down next to her. “And so, you have ‘graduated,’ my love, look.”

On the bottom, a tiny orange rose was carved into it. Her fingers slowly traced the symbol while her eyes shifted toward the red and white rose bush across the room. At times, it still took her breath away that Vincent, with his feline features and striking blue eyes that reached deep into her soul, had fallen in love with her and taken her as his beloved wife and mother to their son.

 And yet this love they shared had only come about because of a tragedy that even little Jacob or their new love could never fully heal. Diana understood Catherine’s logic at the time, and everything else had been out of her control. But now….

I can’t make the same mistake, even if I’m wrong, Diana realized and stood. “I… I actually maybe… um…”

Why was she stumbling over her words when it could be nothing? Taking a deep breath, she went over to the kitchen island and slid the box Susan had delivered closer to her just as the timer buzzed. She felt Vincent’s eyes tracking her; this close, she felt his concern at her odd behavior.

“Diana, what is that?”

Chapter 2

Cindy

 

(Earlier, while delivering the Winterfest candles…)

 

“Did you ever do this? With my father?” Jacob asked Devin, with Alex in tow.

“With your father and mine,” Devin answered, eying the branching path before them. Left went toward the Great Falls. Right went toward Eli’s shop. Farther down, the way branched again, left toward (eventually) Chinatown, and right toward…

Devin’s mind went blank. I can’t have been gone so long I forget which way the paths lead… have I?

“Eli says he still has the old piano Rolley used to play for him, back when he was a little boy,” Jacob chattered, veering toward the right. It was clear that Eli’s Fix-It shop was their first stop, today.

“I take piano lessons. But only because my mom makes me,” Alex replied, both the children momentarily unaware of Devin’s momentary confusion.

“Lessons are for the unimaginative,” Devin quipped. “Just make it up as you go. That’s my motto.”

Alex pulled a wry face. “I think that works better in Kenya than it does with Beethoven,” she advised, adjusting the burlap bag on her arm. Inside, the Winterfest candles shifted subtly.

“Which is why I prefer Kenya to composers,” Devin said smoothly.

“Did your Mom ever make you do stuff you didn’t want to do?” Alex asked Devin blithely, unaware that for Devin, the subject could be a painful one.

Jacob tried to shoot her a warning look, but it was unsuccessful. She was staring up at Devin’s handsome, scarred face. The brown eyes flickered.

Grace. He felt her name as he felt not just the loss of her, but the loss of never knowing her at all.

He looked down at Alex, and recovered himself. Part of being a fraud was knowing how to school your expression.

“No, but my father sure did. Or at least he tried to,” Devin replied, hoping he’d hidden the sudden sensation of loss he was feeling.

Alex finally caught Jacob’s sideways glance, and let any further question go. Devin, for his part, put his hands in his jacket pockets, a sure sign that he was thinking.

“Just a little further down,” Jacob nudged, guiding them onward.

“Yeah. First stop, Eli’s,” Devin said. He watched the kids scamper on ahead of him, content to let them lead. They looked happy and excited. They reminded him a little of himself and Vincent at that age. The reminiscence was bittersweet.

I’m in my damn forties, and it’s almost Christmas. Charles is gone. Every bit of life I claim as my own is actually me pretending to be someone else. I’m back in a home I ran away from, and I can’t even remember all the pathways, or where they lead. Vincent swears we’re still brothers, but what kind of brother have I been, coming in and out only when it suits me? Father and I… too much left unsaid, between us, and most of the words would be harsh ones, if we spoke them aloud….

Jacob turned around as he walked, sensing the distance between himself and his uncle. “Grandpa taught me to play chess. Dad says he taught him, too. Did he teach you?” Jacob asked.

“Yes. Probably just so he could beat me, regular,” Devin replied. The old tunnel wound on, but at least parts of its bends and turns were looking more familiar. That was the good thing about granite. Time wore it very little.

“Dad beats Grandpa all the time. Maybe you could read a book on chess. Dad could lend you one.”

“I bet he could,” Devin replied, making the last turn with the children. Before him stood a short set of stairs and a large, iron door, the one that led to Eli’s basement.

“First delivery, coming up!” Devin said, hoping his enthusiasm didn’t sound forced. Alex’s smile matched Jacob’s. And their joy was just a bit contagious.

“Eli keeps hot chocolate on a burner in the shop,” Jacob enthused, already anticipating a reward for his efforts.

Devin knocked loudly, before he tugged on the old door. It was hard to budge.

Good thing I came along. From the stiffness of this door, it looks like nobody’s been to visit Eli since last year, Devin thought.

He put his shoulder into it, and the heavy door creaked open. Not fully, but enough so that the three messengers could come inside. Eli, just about to come help open it, stood in the dusty basement of his shop, smiling at the trio. His gloved hands clapped, and clasped together.

“Winterfest is soon! And look who brings it to me! Three visitors! Three is a lucky number. Jacob, is this your first year without your father in tow?” Eli asked, a broad smile on his face.

Jacob beamed. “Yep! Alex came, too. And Uncle Devin, but he’s just tagging along. I could have done it by myself!” Jacob declared, handing over Eli’s candle.

“So you could, so you could. Come in, come in!” Eli gestured. “Alex! Prettier than last year and even more tall. Devin! It’s been too long. So good to see you again!” Eli had warm hugs for all of them.

“Good to see you, Eli,” Devin replied, returning the embrace. He’d often spent time here, as a boy.

It feels good to be home, Devin realized, and let it go at that.

“Children, I know you are busy. But perhaps some hot chocolate on this cold, winter day?” Eli tempted.

“Please and thank you!” Alex enthused, following Eli past the old piano… and a houseful of other cast-offs and left behinds. It was an amazing place. The kind you could get lost in for hours, poking through all the stuff.

Eli escorted the small party into his shop, and cordially poured hot chocolate into Styrofoam cups, before he returned a battered carafe to its warmer.

“Hey! Is that a train set? Does it work?” Jacob asked, fascinated by a toy that ran solely on electricity.  Most of his possessions couldn’t be plugged in.

“An old one. All metal parts. Just got it going in time for the holidays,” Eli replied, indicating that the children could explore the toy.

“My cousin has one of these,” Alex said to Jacob. “I’ll show you how to work it.”

“Watch your drinks. Don’t spill anything on it!” Devin warned as the pair went over to inspect Eli’s latest bit of salvage work.

“We’ll be careful!” Jacob promised, already fascinated by how the metal tracks hooked together.

The two adults looked on, as the children explored their new find.

“That’s practically a museum piece,” Devin observed.

“So am I,” Eli returned, enjoying the adult company. He turned to face his guest.

“It’s been a long time, Devin,” Eli said, polishing his glasses on a rag. The children began to play, their interested chatter fading over the sound of the electric train, as it clicked down the tracks.

“Three years, almost. I think,” Devin replied. “You know, I think Jacob looks a little more like his mother every year.”

He did. Though the little boy still had Vincent’s stunning blue eyes, the soft color of his hair and a jawline that was slowly sneaking in on him was definitely Catherine’s.

Jacob’s blue eyes followed the train around the track, and his head tilted just a bit, causing his sandy hair to fall over his eyes for a moment before he reached up and pushed it back behind his ear. The gesture was one Catherine often used to use, when she was studying a legal brief. It made Devin miss her, a little bit.

You’d love him, Cathy. You’d love him so much, Devin thought.

“Catherine was a beautiful woman,” Eli said approvingly.

“Yeah, she was. I didn’t really notice it, before, but you can definitely see Cathy in him.” Devin said.

“He’ll be nine next year. It’s hard to believe,” Eli said. “And considering who his father is, maybe it’s just as well that he favors his mother.”

Devin and Eli both chuckled at that, a little, as Devin took a sip from his cup. “Here he is, and I’m getting older. But you? You look the same, Eli. How do you do it?” Devin asked.

Eli accepted the compliment in the spirit it was intended, even though he knew it to be a bit of a fib. The last decade had passed for him just like it had for everyone. Arthritis was settling into his fingers, making it harder to turn a screwdriver, or apply a wrench. But it wasn’t so bad he had to give up the shop. Not yet, at least.

“You think I’m the same, you should see Sebastian. He was in here last week, browsing through some things. I think he actually looks younger!” Eli enthused.

“Sebastian! God, it’s been years. I didn’t see him on my last visit. Or the one before that, even,” Devin said, realizing that for some of the helpers he’d known since childhood, not all had received his attention.

“You missed a few Winterfests. And… I was very sorry to hear about Charles,” Eli sympathized.

“Wow!” Jacob interjected, dialing up the power so the train moved faster. The children were engrossed.

“It… it happened suddenly. And then… I was in Kenya,” Devin replied smoothly to Eli, by way of explaining why he’d been away for so long. “And… thank you. I think it was… what, five, six  years since my last Winterfest? Mary taught Charles how to waltz.”

Eli nodded. “Sounds right. Mary’s a good woman. And… that reminds me of something, Devin. Something Sebastian brought me. Something you might just want.”

“Oh? What’s that?” Devin asked, curious as to what the street magician might have that Devin might desire.

A deck of trick cards? A magic wand?

Eli made his way over to a tall shelf, and even Devin had to be impressed by the vast array of contents, strewn across it: And old coffee maker sat cheek to jowl with an electric drill, which was being propped up by a toaster, held in place by a dented trumpet, which sat next to a toy fire truck. Drill bits, rusting hammers, cardboard boxes full of who-knew-what and other items seemed to hold court in the cramped, dusty space.

Devin bet Eli could name every object on the shelf, where it came from, its likely value, and what it would take to get it working again, if it was broken. It was a gift he had; the gift of memory, and a love for fixing broken things.

“Now, Sebastian brought me this,” Eli said, reaching into a box. His hand fumbled around a bit, before he located what he wanted. “Said he had it for decades, and asked if I could fix it for him. It just needed a little spring…”

He grasped what he wanted and carefully tugged it out. It was a small box.

Proudly, Eli brought it over.

“A box. A music box?” Devin asked, recognizing the small, wooden, carved box for what it was.

Eli smiled. “The hinge was a little rusty, and the music wouldn’t play. I fixed it up for him, but he said I should hold onto it, maybe. It was a Winterfest gift to him, he said. From a long time ago.”

Devin lifted the lid to the box. A small round mirror inside the lid showed his reflection. A long-ago tune, one Devin didn’t even recognize, began to play, softly.

“This is nice, Eli, but… why would you save it for me?” Devin asked.  “I mean, I like it and all, but…”

“It’s not the gift, it’s who it came from,” Eli said, handing over a small brass key. “Now, these old music boxes, you wound them with one of these,” Eli said. “Not too tight, though! Or you’ll break the spring!”

Devin nodded, indicating he understood the workings of the simple machine.

“Look. See how old? A real antique, this one!” Eli said, carefully removing the bottom panel on the box. Inside, a playing wheel gently plucked at metal tines, as it spun around. “Sometimes, they had a secret compartment. So you could hide a love letter, or a picture of your beloved. But I didn’t want to take it apart to look for anything like that. Was too afraid I might damage the wood,” Eli rambled.

“Yes, but-“

“Sebastian said he got it as a present, you see?” Eli said, returning the cover to its place. “It was one of the first Winterfest presents he ever got.”

“That’s nice, and I like Sebastian and all…”

“My turn!” Alex declared, happily taking over control of the noisy train. The children changed position, all deliveries of Winterfest candles seemingly forgotten, for the moment.

Eli tugged on Devin’s arm, pulling him away a bit, from the children.

“Sebastian said if I saw you again, I should give it to you. Only to you,” Eli said, meaning, in his tone.

“Okay. Why?” Devin asked. Though he knew Sebastian, the two men hadn’t been particularly close, over the years. He was a friend of Devin’s childhood, and a good one of those, but just that.

Eli gave Devin a thoughtful look.

“Because… because he said that before it came to him, it belonged to someone else.” Eli sighed, not sure how his news would be received, all things considered.

“Spit it out, Eli,” Devin nudged.

Eli sighed, again, weariness in his tone.

“It was a gift from your mother, Devin. This music box. They were friends, and she wanted to give him something. It came to Sebastian as a Winterfest gift… from Grace.”

“From… my mother?” Devin asked. The words felt strange, in his mouth. He looked down. “My mother… held this?”

Eli could only nod.

Devin stroked the inlaid wood, reverence in the gesture. “This… this once belonged to Grace?” Devin repeated, rocked. The noise from the electric train faded to a dull hum, in the distance. The old wood felt warm, in his hands. The tinkling tune continued.

“From Grace… the year before you were born,” Eli said gently.

 

Chapter 3

Janet Rivenbark

Diana didn’t answer Vincent; didn’t even hear him, really. She picked up the stick and looked. It showed two lines.

It was then that she realized that Vincent was standing right behind her.

“What is that?” he asked, then leaned over her shoulder and looked closer.

“You’re pregnant?” he whispered.

“Apparently?” she answered.

“Have you been to a doctor?” he asked, putting his hands on her shoulders. Now that he was touching her, she could feel his concern.

“That’s why I did this,” she told him, turning and holding the stick up. “I’ve been feeling tired lately and a little nauseated from time to time. I told Susan, and she brought this over and told me to use it.”

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she tried to reassure him. “I’m pregnant, not sick.”

“I didn’t mean physically, I meant mentally. It’s been four years and nothing, and now?”

“It’s not like we didn’t know it was possible,” she pointed out. After all, there is Jacob.” She reached up and, cupping his face between her hands, made him look at her. “What I want to know is if you are okay. What do you think of all this?”

He pulled her into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “It just took me by surprise. I honestly never expected this to happen, not after this long.”

“But? I hear a ‘but’ in there,” Diana prompted.

“No ‘buts,’” he said with a chuckle. “If you are happy, then I am happy,” he pushed away from her and looked down at her. “And I mean that. How far along, do you know?”

“Well, I’m thinking something like two, maybe three months. I’ve been up here, and we haven’t been together long enough for more than a hug and a peck on the cheek for the last month. I looked at my calendar and haven’t had a period since the end of September.”

Vincent's hand went to Diana’s abdomen. “You do feel a little rounder,” he said with a smile. “When do you want to let everyone know?”

“I’ll make an appointment with my doctor,” she said. “He might be able to give me a better idea. Then we can tell everyone.”

Vincent pulled Diana into his arms and held her tightly. Diana could tell that his initial confusion and concern had been replaced with the warmth she’d never felt from him before.

 

XxX

Devin followed the children back home after they delivered their last candle. He’d agreed to meet Joe for dinner and drinks the next evening to catch up. He’d asked Alex for the burlap bag she’d carried the candles in, and the music box was safe in the bottom of it.

He wanted to speak to Father; ask him about the music box but as he listened to the pipes, he realized that Father had headed down to the Great Hall. He joined him there, and met Rolley.

“I need to get back to the Study,” Father told him as they slowly climbed the stairs back to the home chambers level. “Will you join me?”

Realizing that he’d probably be unable to talk to him privately for a while, Devin decided to leave the music box with his bags.

“I need to put something in my luggage, I’ll meet you there,” he said.  

Now he headed toward Father’s study; he felt like he’d actually like a cup from the ever-present teapot.

When he entered the study, he was surprised to find it crowded. Mary, Olivia, and Susan were sitting off to one side drinking tea, while Kanin, William, and Father were sitting around Father’s desk, drinking something a little stronger.

Devin joined the men.

“You got some more of that?” Devin asked, nodding at the brandy bottle that was sitting on the desk. It sounded a lot better than tea.

“Glasses are in the cabinet,” Father said, pointing. “Help yourself.”

Devin did just that and took a sip.

Then he picked up the bottle and looked at it.

“This is good!” he said. “Where did it come from.”

“It’s one of the last bottles Catherine sent down when she cleaned out her father’s liquor cabinet. She said she didn’t like brandy and gave half to me and half to Peter.”

Devin pulled up a chair and joined the men.

“Did the children get their candles delivered?” Father asked.

“Yes. Mr. Long wasn’t there, but his son assured them that he’d see that he got the candle. Everyone else said that they were looking forward to the party.” 

“So, what brings you home this time?” William asked after a moment.

“Do I need an excuse?” asked Devin, rather shortly.

William held his hands up. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that we haven’t seen you in a while; I was just wondering.”

Devin patted the big man on the shoulder. “Sorry. I’m just tired; it’s a long trip from Kenya.”

“Did you just get in today?” asked Kanin.

“Yeah, it feels like I’ve been traveling forever. I had to ride a bus from Wajir… I crossed the equator three times yesterday. Once I got to the airport, I had to wait several hours. Then, my flight left Nairobi late. The flight from there to Paris was almost ten hours; we landed late, and I missed the flight to New York, so I had to wait four hours for the next one. Then, it was another nine-hour flight from Paris to New York. But at least the airline upgraded me to first class because they said it was their fault that the flight landed late in Paris. But I can’t really sleep on planes; I just dozed a bit. By the time I landed here, I was delirious. I got a cab and told the driver where to take me. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was so disoriented that I swear I stood on the corner of 72^nd Street and Central Park West for five minutes before I realized where I was and managed to work up the energy to walk to the park threshold.”

“How are you still standing?” asked Father. “Much less just walked with the children on their deliveries.

“My first stop Below after I met Susan and Alex was the kitchen, where I chugged a big cup of William’s coffee before I did anything else,” Devin answered. “Besides, I’ve found that when I travel like that, the best way to acclimate myself to the local time is to wait and go to bed at the normal time and just force myself to get used to the new time. And I left my bag in the guest chamber. Is that okay?” He looked over at Mary when he said it.

“Which guest chamber?” Mary asked.

“The one just down the corridor from Vincent’s?”

“That’s fine. I’ve put Susan and Alex in the one at the other end of that corridor, closer to the bathing chamber.”

Devin nodded, glanced over at Susan, and smiled. He’d met her on his last visit. His gaze dropped to her left hand. She still wore the wedding band from her late husband.

“So, how long do you think you’ll be staying?” Devin’s head swiveled back to look at Kanin, who had just asked the question.

“Well, all this roaming around is getting old. I’ve been at it for over 30 years now. I think I’ll stay for a while; see about finding a job.” He looked at his father. “One that I’m actually qualified to do and find a place Above. I might try my hand at the Helper gig for a while.” 

Devin almost laughed outright at the looks on everyone’s faces. To say they were surprised was an understatement.

 

XxX

“After what I heard about your trip, I’m surprised you aren’t asleep on your feet,” Vincent told Devin later, when they were seated in his chamber after dinner.

“I’m getting there,” Devin told him. “I’m still unwinding, but once I finish this…” He lifted the glass of brandy he’d stopped in the study to get. “…I don’t think I’m going to have any trouble sleeping.” He looked around the chamber and could see where Diana had made some impressions. “By the way, where is Lady Di?” he asked, using the nickname he’d used since meeting her.

“She’s just finished a case, and her Captain wanted her in his office to discuss it. She’ll be here later.”

Vincent had hoped that Diana would be Below earlier so they could talk about… everything… but the phone rang just as they were getting ready to leave. When she answered, it was her Captain, and he wanted to see her right away. He expected that she wouldn’t arrive until late and since she said she had been tired, he wanted to let her rest. They could talk   

 

“Is everything all right?” Vincent had asked.

“It’s just him. He likes to rehash every case; likes to know all the little inconsequential details that I don’t put in my reports. But don’t worry. I’ll be Below right afterward. Maybe in time for dinner.”

“But didn’t you say that you were occasionally nauseated? Will you be all right?” he’d asked in concern.

“It is more like ‘whenever sickness,’” she told him with a grin. “But I think I’ll be all right. More often than not, it’s triggered by something I smell—weird things like bananas. Mrs. Cortez, on the first floor, takes it upon herself to clean the front hall where the mailboxes are. And she loves her pine-scented cleaner. That is one of the triggers. I’ve been holding my breath from the time I get off the elevator until I get out the front door. I usually hope there is no mail in my box so I don’t have to stop and get it.”

“Do you want me to meet you back here tonight?” he asked.

“No, you might get stuck here if we wake up too late and I know you want to get back to talk to Devin. I’ll come Below when I’m don’t. I’m tired, and all I want to do is sleep.”

“You will eat?” he asked, needing reassurance. “I know how you get.”

“I promise. I’ll probably be Below in time for dinner, and I’ll let you wait on me for a change. I’ll eat whatever you put on my plate.”

Vincent hugged her. “I’m afraid I might be just a little overprotective for the next few months,” he told her.

“That’s okay,” she told him, then stretched up on her toes to kiss him. “For the first time in my life, I don’t think I will mind it. In fact, once I’ve been to the doctor, I just might tell the Captain that I’m pregnant and need the next year or so off.”  

Devin was speaking, and something he said drew Vincent’s attention back to him.

“You’re staying?” he asked incredulously.

“Yeah, I think I’ve had enough of the globe-trotting. I’m ready to stay in one place for a while. I’ll get a job and see what it’s like to be Devin Wells for a change.”

“What are you going to do?” Vincent asked.

“I’m not sure. There are a few things that I am actually qualified to do, so I just might have to make a list and write a resume.”

“You could be an actor,” Vincent suggested with a smirk, and they both broke into laughter. 

 

Chapter 4

Allison

Diana came Below to wish Susan and Alex goodnight since her latest case kept her away from them. Diana made her way to Father's chamber. As she quietly slipped inside, she made eye contact with her sister across the room. She watched as Susan slowly made her way over to her as Diana went to stand beside Vincent.

"Are you...?" Susan asked without preamble.

"Shhh. Keep your voice down!" Diana hissed.

Susan's eyes widened in sudden understanding. She pulled on Diana's arm.

"Can I talk to you," she glanced at Vincent, 'in private?"

"Anything you need to say, Sis, you can speak freely," Diana told her.

The three of them moved out of earshot of everyone else.

"I know, but this is something I need to tell you. You can decide what you want to do afterwards. I'm sorry, Vincent, for being so mysterious, but this is something Diana needs to know." Susan tried to explain.

Vincent looked at Diana with concern.

Diana noticed Vincent's look and placed her hand on his cheek. "It's all right, babe. Susan wouldn't do this if she didn't think it was important. She knows there's no secrets between us. She doesn't feel she can share this with you. I promise I'll tell you everything." She caressed his cheek before she let go.

Vincent gave a silent nod of approval, and Diana steered Susan out of the chamber. Silently they moved to Diana's chamber. Once they were inside, Diana turned on Susan.

"What the bloody hell is all this about, Sis? And why didn't you want to say anything in front of Vincent?"

Susan could hear the sting of annoyance in Diana's voice.

"I found something out after Alex was about eighteen months. She had been having some developmental delays since she was born. Her doctor recommended genetic counseling and testing and I found out she has a condition called Fragile X Syndrome."

"Fragile X? What's that? I never heard of it." Diana looked at Susan.

"Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder caused by changes in a gene called fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1(FMR1). FMR1 usually makes a protein called FMRP that is needed for brain development. People who have FXS do not make this protein. FXS affects both males and females. However, females often have milder symptoms than males. Females with FXS can have normal intelligence or some degree of intellectual disability. " Susan explained.

"What kind of developmental delays did she have?"

"She had trouble learning new skills, she wasn't talking at the same time as other children her age. Wasn't making eye contact at times, sensitivity to crowds."

"Alex seems fine to me."

"It took her a long time to get used to people and open up."

"Is that why she never hugged me when she was little? Acting like a little bird with her hands flying about.”

"Yeah."

"What do I do?"

"When you see your doctor, tell him or her what I told you. They will discuss the next steps. FXS can be diagnosed by testing a person's DNA from a blood test. A doctor or genetic counselor can order the test."

"Why didn't you say something before this?"

Susan gave a shrug. "I was embarrassed, okay. Look at our family, everyone's 'normal.' I didn't want Alex to be treated differently. I didn't know I was a carrier till the doctor had me tested. Paul was tested as well, he's not a carrier."

"Did Mom and Dad know?"

"I doubt it. When we were kids, the doctors had no clue about genetic disorders. They didn't know to look for a genetic cause for whatever problem the kids had, unless it was obvious like Down's Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy."

"What am I going to tell Vincent?"

"Don't say anything."

"I can't lie to him."

"Okay, tell him you 'might' be a carrier as well. You'll know more after you see your doctor."

"Thanks, Sis, for confiding in me."

They made their way back to Father's chamber. Susan squeezed Diana's hand and then went in search of Alex. Vincent walked over to Diana, concern in his features.

"Diana?" Vincent took her in his arms.

"Later, babe." Diana rested her head on Vincent's shoulder. "I'll explain everything later. Let's just enjoy tonight."

Vincent nodded, took Diana's hand and they joined the others gathered.

 

XxX

"Father, Eli gave me something that I'd like to ask you about," Devin commented.

"Oh?" Father questioned.

"It's a music box that Grace gave Sebastian as a Winterfest gift."

"Oh my. I've always wondered what happened to that. I remember Grace said it was a gift from her mother. I'm surprised she ever parted with it."

"Do you recall anything she might have said about her family? Do I have any relatives of hers up top?"

"Grace never talked about her family. Her last name was Dorrance, and she was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania, I think. Why?"

"Just curious. I've always wondered. Eli said the music box might contain a hidden drawer. Wonder if she ever put anything in it. Eli said Sebastian never opened it since it didn't work."

"I would be curious to find out myself. Let me know if you find anything?" Father asked.

As the festivities wound down, Vincent walked Diana back to her loft, and Devin went to his chamber to examine the music box in more detail. He removed it from the sack Eli gave him and placed it carefully on the bed. He felt around the outside of the box and found an indentation on either side of the lid. He gently pressed on one and then the other with no effect. When he pressed both sides together, a small drawer popped out from the bottom.

Inside he found an aged photograph. An older couple were surrounded by five adults and a multiple of children. He also found writing on the back of the picture. 'Grandpa John, Grandma Ethel. Christmas 1929.' He found another piece of paper with the names John Thompson Dorrance and Arthur Dorrance written on it as well as Campbell's Soup name next to it.

"At last, something to go on." Devin put the picture back and planned to show Father in the morning.

 

Chapter 5

Jessica Rae

 

 

Diana’s living room was tensely silent, with only the sound of the ticking clock to punctuate the stillness. She and Vincent sat curled together on the couch, her head resting on his shoulder, as he gazed ahead of them at nothing on the wall.

“And you are sure about this?” He finally asked, his deep voice startling Diana and making her jump. He tightened his arm slightly around her protectively as an apology and she shrugged.

“Well, it’s not certain. There’s only a 50% chance that I carry the gene, and only a 50% chance that I can give it to the baby if I have a daughter, and she would most likely be like Alex. A little different, but nothing too severe.”

Vincent closed his eyes, resting his chin atop her reclined head. “And if it is a boy?”

“Still 50%, but he would have a much harder time, as it affects them worse, Susan says.”

“When will we know?”

“It can’t be tested for until at least 10 weeks.”

Ten long weeks of waiting.

“No matter what,” Vincent started to say again, his voice fading.

Diana nodded. He didn’t need to finish the thought for her to know his heart.

No matter what, this child was his child, and he would protect and care for them to the death if he had to.

“It might make things difficult,” she replied softly. “With work and a special needs child, I – I just don’t know how I can do it.”

Vincent reached a hand to turn her pale face toward his, their lips merely inches from each other. “Dearest Diana, do not forget the extensive family you have Below. You are never alone, certainly not with something like this. We will support you in every step along the way. I – I -will support you. No matter what, the child is mine – ours – and Below is not a stranger to those who are a bit different than others, you know this to be true.”

“It is not your world I fear for, Vincent. The world Above is not often so kind to those that are different,” she said softly, and he sighed heavily.

“Truth. But for now, let us focus on what successes we have. The troubles will come in time. And until then, we pray for a miracle.”

XxX

 

“Okay, my turn!” Alex tumbled out of Jacob’s bed onto the floor where she and some of the other children had been taking turns building houses of cards. The highest one achieved had been a two story build with four rooms that had only barely been labeled ‘The bedroom, kitchen, pantry, and attic’ before a slightly overexcited laugh from Jacob blew it over as he was trying to lay another card.

“Aw, come on, Alex,” Jacob groaned. “You always win, though.”

“I have steady hands,” she replied, crouching on the floor like a wild animal, eyeing the bend of each card carefully before stacking it. “Mom says that means I could be a surgeon someday.”

“You mean, work Above?”

“Of course,” Alex replied, frowning at him, then returning to her three level build. “What am I supposed to do down here? Make candles?”

Jacob sat back on his heels, brow furrowed, and Alex suddenly realized she had unintentionally offended him.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Jacob. I – I just meant I don’t want to be a candlemaker.”

“And I don’t want to be awake this late at night, but we don’t always have what we want, do we?” Pascal asked, ducking to enter the small chamber.

“Pascal?” Jacob stood quickly, accidentally nudging the rug Alex was building on, sending her house of cards now four levels high tumbling onto the floor.

“Hey!”

“Easy,” gentle-mannered Pascal soothed, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. I know everyone is tired from helper work today, so I just came to let you know that Mary said to come to the library. There is tea, banana bread, and something chocolate, I am sure. Devin set up something called a projector, and he is going to play a movie for the oldest kids, and then we will all go to bed, alright?”

“Alright,” the children chorused, and in a massive wave they left the room, leaving only Alex standing there.

“Alex?” Pascal questioned, kindly.

“I - I think I offended Jacob,” she whispered, a large tear tumbling off her chin.

“Aw, come now,” Pascal patted her shoulder gently. “That boy is just like his father. They don’t stay angry long.”

“I just don’t fit in, Pascal.” She sniffed. “I’m different than the other kids. I say all the wrong things, it’s just like – if it comes in my head I say it, and it doesn’t make sense until after I’ve said it that maybe it wasn’t the thing to say.”

“We’ve all done that.”

“But it feels weird. I’m different, I know it, I can see it in Mom’s face sometimes, and I hate it.”

She scrubbed at her face, rubbing away the tears with a small hand.

He thought for a moment. “You don’t really want to go watch the film with the others, do you.”

“No, I – I'd probably offend someone.”

“Alright, then,” Pascal replied, reaching out a hand. “Come, let’s walk back to the pipe room. I’d sure like the company to keep me awake.”

 

Susan and Vincent found them there hours later, Alex stretched out on the floor, feet propped up the wall, chattering away, while Pascal moved between the different pipes, keeping one ear on her and one on the messages.

“Alex, we were worried about you!” Susan exclaimed, startling them both.

“Hi, Mom!” Alex scrambled up and threw her arms around her mother, then ran to Vincent.

“She is safe down here,” Vincent said softly, to Susan, who was used to having to watch for the dangers of Above.

“I know,” she replied. “You know how it is, once you are a parent, everything becomes worse case scenarios.”

“Father said you were not at the gathering in the library,” Vincent looked down at Alex. “I see you were being a helper instead?”

Alex glanced at Pascal, who nodded kindly, and she shook her head. “No, I offended Jacob, and I just didn’t want to go down there.”

“Offended Jacob?” Both Susan and Vincent chorused. “How?” Vincent asked softly, no judgement at all in his tone.

“I - I said I would find a job above because I didn’t want to be a candlemaker, and honestly, that’s not how I said it, but I couldn’t repeat it now because impulsive things just fly out of my mouth and I don’t mean to offend people, but I do!” She was crying again, and Vincent held her close, her small face buried in his cloak.

“There, Alex,” he rumbled, laying his large hand on her head. “I am sure Jacob was not offended. He knows there are many kinds of people in the world doing many jobs. You are welcome to work among us someday, if you so choose, or Above. You will always have a home here.”

 

Chapter 6

 Lucy

 

Applause sounded as the projector clicked, and the screen went black. Devin smiled as everyone began to talk about his travels. This was something Devin could offer. For most of those gathered would never leave the stone walls or if they did, none of them would venture beyond the city. But even then, the lives he had been living in Kenya and other places had been different acts.

First I’m a fraud, now I’m a coward, Devin sighed. 

The picture he had found from the music box was still stuffed in his pocket. He had wanted to discuss what he found with Father, as promised, but something had stopped him. It was an unspoken rule of those Below to never bring up the past, to question why they chose to leave their lives Above and come to reside in this hole in the ground.

What right do I even have to intrude on this Dorrance family? Devin asked himself. When Grace left, perhaps forced out.

His heart hardened at the thought as he pulled out the picture to study it again. Had these people forced Gace to leave such a comfortable life? What had led his mother to seek shelter in these walls all those years ago?

Most people didn’t come to the tunnels if family life was nice and cozy. He was already a bastard, what rich powerful family of strangers would want him anyway? His own biological dad had denied his paternal duties in a real father sense (operating more as patriarch of the tunnels than a dad) until roughly ten years ago.

“Who are they?” a voice said from his right.

Devin glanced over to see Diana’s sister, Susan. Her expression was curious, but not intrusive the way Diana’s could be at times. Her dark red hair was loose around her shoulders, a nice contrast to the navy blue shirt she wore.

“Ugh, nobody. I just found this picture.” Why did she have to notice me now?

“Ah.”

Was that an interested “Ah” or just being polite? Devin could almost laugh at himself. How good he was at slipping any role and playing it to perfection. But reading others, especially women when things were less superficial, it was tricky at times.

“I am…I actually think they might be relations of mine,” Devin said, tasting the words both in their honesty and how stupid it sounded. Would she even believe him when it sounded so wrong to his own ears?

And yet, when he looked over at her again, he found that same unintrusive gaze; she didn’t find it such an absurd notion, at least at face value.

“Diana’s told me most people who come down here leave behind family in the city… Above that’s what you guys call it right?”

“Yeah, usually it's to escape a bad past,” Devin chuckled. As a boy, he had fun away from the tunnels trying to find himself, and now he was right back here, trying to find the same thing.

Susan reached over. “May I?”

Devin handed the picture over. It wasn’t doing him much good anyway.

“Hm… Campbells Soup, Alex loves that.” She studied the picture more. “Do you know any of the history?”

“Nope, not a blasted thing,” Devin said. “Except that my mom was called Grace.”

“Maybe I could help you out.”

“How so?” Devin asked.

“My husband’s boss used to work for the family before he struck out on his own. I think it would have been around the time your…your mom came down. He might be able to tell us something.”  

“Really? I don’t want to bother the man.”

“Yes, and it’s no bother. He’s been a family friend now more than anything after… when my…”

Devin took her hand without thinking in a tender gesture. “It’s okay. I get it.”

Susan nodded, and he noted she didn’t immediately pull her hand away. “Thanks.”

“So, your husband’s boss? Huh, it’s really a small world.”

“With all your travels and even here.” Susan waved her hand to compass the whole network of the world Below and its Helpers. “And you still question how big the world is.”

“I guess I’m still learning a lot of stuff.”

Susan smiled.

XxX

Two days later, Diana returned from her doctor’s appointment, smiling. She entered her and Vincent’s chamber to see father and son talking on the bed.

“I’m certain Alex would like it if you included her.”

“I try, Dad, but she’s… odd.”

“Jacob,” Vincent admonished gently. “Alex, yes, is different in some ways, but that doesn’t mean she should be excluded.”

“But she said she didn’t want to be a candlemaker or live down here with us. She made it seem like Rebecca didn’t have an important job.”  

“And she feels bad about what she said. Go and invite her again.”

Jacob jumped off the bed. “Okay.”

Diana followed her stepson’s path a moment as he scurried off. “What’s wrong between Jake and Alex?”

“Alex thinks she upset Jacob,” Vincent began rising. “And my son needs to learn that not everyone is the same.”

“Hm.” Diana turned. “You would think such things would be obvious to him given his own father.”

“I speak more about the invisible differences that are less easy to spot.”

“Ah, yes, I know a thing or two about that, too.”

“Your sister says you are one of the normal ones in your family.”

Diana laughed. “Susan is clearly mistaken. I’m one of the oddest in our family.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Vincent turned to face her as she removed her coat and draped it over a nearby chair. “What did the doctor-?”

“Well…” Diana turned back, a smile spreading over her face. “It’s official…or so she says.”

Vincent hugged her gently before his right hand moved to her still-flat stomach.

Diana watched his lips lift in a genuine smile before a moment of sorrow entered his eyes. Her heart ached for him as their touch amplified his emotions to her for once not trying to hide them. Slowly, not wishing to break this moment, she placed her own hand over his; willing him to understand that she understood the dual emotions that must be swirling inside him. He had never gotten to experience the joys and pains of a pregnancy with Catherine as she carried little Jacob. It was yet another thing Gabriel had taken away from her husband and Diana hoped the monster rotted in hell for all eternity for it.

Even after eight years she knew the guilt would on occasion rear its ugly head that Vincent had been unable to save both Catherine and his son in those long months.

“It’s okay, Vincent. I can stay with Mary if you-”

“Never.” The fierce, protective single word was a beacon of light among the darkest moments. “You… and this… our child are not leaving my sight.”

Diana smiled. “I know, but… if you ever need time.”

“I thank you for such thoughtfulness.” His hand reached up, caressed, and smoothed her red hair from her face. “Your heavenly empathy is a great gift to me, my love. But hear this now. Our child is the future Diana, and he or she should not have any the burden of the past. And Jacob will love being a big brother.”

Diana’s smile returned, reassured by his words. “Who shall we tell first?”

“We must tell everyone now. It has been difficult keeping it all a secret.”

Diana’s eyes roamed over their chamber. A sense of mischief sneaked into her voice as she said, “I don’t think everyone can fit in here, babe.”

Vincent laughed. “I do believe this child brings out your humor.”

“Hm, I don’t think Susan or Alex would ever say I was funny.” 

Her smile grew as Vincent rested his hand against her forehead. “On the contrary, I find you quite funny.”

Diana lightly patted his arm before she leaned in to kiss him.

XxX

That night at dinner, the official announcement was made, met with cheers and whistles of applause from those held most dear to the couple. Diana caught Father’s unease creeping across his face. Why was he concerned?

XxX

The elder Jacob Wells stood before his collection of medical journals, searching. After the announcement of the new child, his new grandchild, Diana’s sister, had confided something else to him.

 He was forever thankful that his friend and former classmate, Peter Alcott, kept him up to date on all the medical advances occurring Above since he had come Below all those years ago. At times he wondered at his choice of profession given his fondness, especially in later life, for familiarity and the steady comfort of concrete, unchanging facts of life. But the medical field was always evolving and changing. Fragile X Syndrome was one such thing, only discovered in 1991 in the Netherlands.

“Is something wrong, Father?” Vincent asked, entering the study.

“No, nothing…” The older man’s eyes flickered to the book held in his hands. “Susan mentioned it, and I wanted to check my records on the subject.”

“I see.”

“As much as it seems like we have Helpers everywhere,” Father began. “It is still a tiny minority in the city.”

“I know, bu-”

“And Diana’s doctor isn’t one of them.”

Vincent stared at him. “You don’t trust Diana’s judgment?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I trust Diana’s judgment more than most; you know that.” Father laid his hand on the medical book. “But if Diana has those tests, or any bloodwork for that matter, regarding this pregnancy she’s putting not only her child at risk, but you as well.”

“What risk, Father? Surely it is better to know if there are any risks.”

“I’m not disagreeing with that, Vincent, but her child, like his or her brother Jacob shares your blood too.” Father’s face darkened. “I won’t give anything to that monster Gabriel, but he at minimum knew how to keep secrets. The medical community would have a field day if they discovered some strand of DNA or blood type they’ve rarely encountered.”

“Rare, not unheard of, Father.”

“But the last thing Diana needs is the stress of her avoiding questions that she can’t answer. Above Diana’s marriage to you doesn’t technically exist.” 

Vincent paused even as his father’s words cut deep. He wasn’t technically wrong. He couldn’t go and be with her at doctor’s appointments or other important moments that a husband should. Jacob’s birth had been kept a secret from the world, but Diana still lived Above, and people knew her. There would be no hiding this child in the same way. His heart ached as he realized that officially he could never come right out and claim Diana’s child as his own, not in the way most husbands and fathers could. But that was going to change once Diana moved Below on a more permanent basis.

After a moment, Vincent asked, “What about if Peter did the examination on Diana?”

“He’s almost ready to retire Vincent. And those tests would still need to go to a lab where anyone could find out. But yes, I can ask him.”

“Thank you. I’ll talk to Diana about this.” Vincent turned to go and paused. There was more beneath Father’s concerns, he could sense it. “Is there something else troubling, Father?”

Father began to fiddle with the journal in his hands. “No…nothing. I’m just glad that this syndrome shouldn’t affect Diana’s health as much while she carries.”

Vincent stared at him.

Father sighed, relenting. “It’s only it’s been four years and nothing until now. Diana won’t be what is considered a “young” mother.”

“Why does that concern you? Diana can still run laps faster than women half her age.”

“So could Grace had she desired.” Father took a deep breath. “She was Diana’s age when she gave birth to your brother…”

And never woke up again. Died in childbirth, Vincent finished the unspoken thoughts. Death had taken so many mothers from their children. The woman who found him, Anna, had died before Vincent had gotten to remember her. Grace had died in childbirth and left Devin adrift. And through a cruel twist of fate, his beloved Catherine had been taken away from little Jacob’s life. It was a horrible trend for the Wells men.

Vincent moved to his father’s side, nodding to acknowledge the truth of the older man’s words, even as mentally he shook his head. No, I’ll do everything in my power to make certain that doesn’t happen. One of my children will know their mother.  

 

Chapter 7

T'Mara

 

The next morning, Devin was up early. He had not slept well since too much had been on his mind. For so many years he had felt isolated, alone. He had never known his mother and his father had only begun to treat him like a son, to really acknowledge him as his own roughly ten years ago. And now...

Now, there was finally hope that he might be able to learn something about his mother; even Father had been a bit more forthcoming about her when Devin had mentioned the music box. Was there a chance that their somewhat strained relationship could finally turn into something more meaningful, deeper, into a truly emotional bond?

And then there was Vincent, the brother and companion of his formative years, with a wife and son and another baby on the way. For someone like Devin who had never really thought much of family, all these new developments were overwhelming.

Devin decided that a cup of coffee – or rather a really gigantic mug of it – might be exactly what he needed under these circumstances. He left his guest chamber and immediately stopped short in his tracks. There, at the other end of the corridor, his little nephew was nervously pacing up and down in front of the chamber where Susan and Alex were staying.

“Hey kiddo,” he called. “What's up?”

“Uncle Devin!” Jacob exclaimed, running up to him. “It's... umm… I mean...”

Devin laughed. “I can guess that you are waiting for Alex, but why are you so nervous, boy? It's still fairly early, she will be up soon.”

“It's not that,” Jacob sighed then inhaled deeply, in order to calm down a bit. “It's Mouse's birthday today and to cheer him up since he is so sad because of Arthur (Mouse's beloved pet raccoon had recently passed away at the ripe old age of 15), Jamie is throwing him a surprise party in the kitchen this afternoon. My Dad said I should invite Alex...”

“Absolutely!” Devin agreed. “I am sure your cousin would love to attend this party!”

“It's just...” Jacob hesitated. “She does not want to... to become a candlemaker.”

Devin laughed. “Why is that a problem? Do we need another candlemaker or what?”

Jacob shook his head and explained to his uncle what had happened between him and Alex.

“She is different,” Jacob ended his story. “She sometimes says such weird things...”

Devin remembered what Vincent had confided in him about Alex and the possibility of his future baby suffering from a similar condition, and he finally understood his nephew's problem.

“Everybody is different,” he explained. “No two people are the same. Everybody has different interests, skills, strengths and also flaws. In some cases the difference can easily be seen, like in your father or my late friend Charles. In other cases, it's not as obvious. But to be different does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. Alex may just be a bit more impulsive than you, which means that she sometimes blurts out things without thinking about how they might affect somebody else. I am sure she did not mean to imply that Rebecca's job is unimportant or that life Below is bad. She just meant that maybe she has other plans for her future. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?”

As Jacob nodded hesitatingly, Devin continued. “Alex is your cousin, your only cousin at that. She only has one other cousin on her father's side, but she rarely sees him since he lives in L.A. So the two of you should stick together; you are family. And believe me, family is very important.” He sighed, remembering the far too many years of estrangement from his own father. “It took me a long time to understand that, but it's true. As the old saying goes, blood is thicker than water. Now go and talk to Alex!”

Jacob nodded and turned towards the entrance of the guest chamber where Susan and Alex were staying. Just when he was about to knock, the door opened and his aunt and cousin emerged.

“Alex!” Jacob shouted excitedly. “I must tell you something, but it is a secret!” He motioned for her to bow down a bit so he could whisper into her ear. “We are going to a surprise birthday party today!”

Alex frowned. “You don't really want me there,” she said. “Because I often say stupid things that hurt or offend others.”

“Yeah, I know, but I do stupid things, too, on occasion,” Jacob replied. “Everybody does. Uncle Devin just explained it to me. Everybody is different, he said, and that the two of us need to stick together since we are family. And something about blood being thicker than water....”

Alex beamed at the man that she adored because of the wonderful stories he could tell about his travels and the exciting life he had led so far. “Your Uncle Devin said that?” she asked.

Jacob nodded. “Yes, yes, that's what he said. So, are you coming with me?”

“If you truly want me there...” Alex was not completely convinced yet.

“We are family, we belong together,” Jacob announced, grabbing Alex's hand.

In the meantime Susan had approached Devin. “I went out into the park yesterday afternoon, since my cell phone does not have reception down here, and I called Nate,” she told him.

Devin frowned. “Who?” he asked.

“Nate Wyburn, my late husband's boss,” Susan clarified. “I told him I needed to talk to him about his former employers on behalf of an acquaintance of mine and that it might be a rather long and maybe confidential conversation. So he agreed to come over to my place next Sunday afternoon for cake and coffee.”

Devin grinned. He had not expected her to act so quickly on her promise to help him find out more about his family on his mother's side. This Susan really was a godsend!

“Thank you, Susan,” he said, “you would not have had to talk to the man immediately. I have lived my whole life so far without any knowledge of my mother's background, I could have waited a little bit longer to learn more about her.”

Susan nodded. “I thought I'd better get to it right away, lest I forget about it, and... I mean, since this does concern you and it is your family, would you like... I am sure Nate would not mind...” She blushed.

Devin stared at her. Was he understanding her correctly? Had she just tried to ask him to join the meeting with her and this Nate person? Could that mean that this attractive, kind woman was interested in him of all people? He sure liked her a lot, maybe...?

“Uhh... next Sunday?” he asked. “You are meeting this boss of your husband?”

“Yes, and maybe... I mean it could be helpful if you were there as well?” Susan's face now definitely was as red as a lobster.

I told Vincent that Alex has a crush on Devin, she thought. What if she is not the only one?

In order to hide her embarrassment, she turned towards the children. “Alex, Jacob!” she called. “Are you done talking? It's time for breakfast and I heard William has prepared some chocolate chip muffins!”

“Yay, breakfast!” the children exclaimed, running up to the adults, hand-in-hand.

XxX

“Father has asked Peter to come down and discuss our problem with us,” Vincent announced. He had told Diana about his conversation with Father, about what risks other than the possible genetic condition her pregnancy could cause.

Diana sighed. Now that Father had brought up the probability of anomalies in her bloodwork due to the nature of her baby's father, she realized that there were other dangers as well.

“My doctor mentioned that she would soon do an ultrasound, so that I could see our child,” she informed Vincent. “What if...?”

Vincent nodded. “You mean if our baby looked somewhat unusual, more like me than you?”

“She is not a Helper,” Diana continued. “She would not understand. She might think that something is terribly wrong with our child, maybe even think that he or she is not...”

“Not viable,” Vincent agreed. “We cannot risk that. Since Jacob looks more like his mother than myself, of course there is the possibility that this child will favor you over me as well, but what if not?”

“I know,” Diana agreed. “But I have been with this doctor for years. What will she say if I leave her now, right after she diagnosed me as pregnant? And who will I go to from now on? As far as I know, none of our Helpers is a gynecologist!”

“We will have to ask Peter for advice,” Vincent continued. “Which is why he is coming down to discuss the situation with us. With the possibility of you being a carrier of this genetic defect, you will need a doctor's support during the pregnancy, but we cannot risk our baby being seen as an anomaly – or even worse, as a curiosity – should he or she inherit my looks. That means only somebody we really, truly can trust, should be involved. Any genetic screening, blood work, ultrasound or whatever other check-ups you may need that could reveal the child's unusual heritage can only be done by somebody we can rely on to keep any unusual data or pictures confidential.”

He thought about it for a moment. “Maybe you should move Below until the baby is born,” he then suggested. “Right now the only people Above that know you are pregnant are Susan and your doctor. Once you start showing neighbors, colleagues, other people you see more or less regularly, will notice, which could cause additional problems should the child look like me. For in that case we would have no choice but to keep him or her Below. But what would you tell people in that case if they asked you about the baby? Surely you would not want to tell them that he or she had died?”

“I would still have to go Above for the actual birth process,” Diana reminded him.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Vincent objected. “It depends. If we can be sure that everything is as it should be and that there are no complications to be expected, maybe our baby could be born Below. You know that Mary has been trained by Father as a nurse and midwife, and if Father and Peter were here as well...”

“Peter is a general practitioner, I doubt he has experience in delivering babies,” Diana observed.

Vincent laughed. “You are wrong about that! He does have experience in that regard, even though his last assistance in a birth may have been a while ago. Guess who he delivered… Catherine!”

Diana stared at her husband. “Peter delivered Catherine?” she asked incredulously. “How would you know that?”

“She used to tell everybody that the first time Peter saw her, she was stark naked, then she added that at that occasion, she had been a newborn babe.” Vincent explained.

Now both laughed, their concerns forgotten for the moment.

“What's so funny?” they suddenly heard Peter ask. They had both been so absorbed in their brief moment of hilarity that they had not noticed his entrance.

“I take it as a good sign that you are laughing,” Peter continued, smiling. “Does that mean that the two of you have already resolved all your problems and don't need my advice anymore?”

Vincent and Diana shook their heads.

“Not really,” Diana explained. “Vincent thinks maybe it would be wise for me to move permanently Below at least until the baby is born, in order to avoid questions, first about the baby's father and later, should our child have to live Below like Vincent...”

Peter nodded. “It could definitely be helpful if you stayed out of sight for the time being,” he agreed.

“It would not solve the question about how I could get the necessary check-ups, the genetic screening and all that, though,” Diana continued. “And it would just cause another set of problems. What would I tell my co-workers, what would my neighbors think if I just disappeared for a few months?”

She sighed. “And there is still the problem with my doctor. She already knows that I am pregnant. If I am leaving her now...”

“You could probably tell her that because of the special situation, with you possibly being a carrier of FXS you are seeking advice from a specialist in that area for the time being,” Peter suggested. “As to how you could explain your absence from Above – maybe Joe Maxwell could help with that? Pretending to send you out of town on some mission or other or something like that?”

Diana nodded. That might actually work.

“Now that that is settled, let's discuss how you can get all the necessary check-ups in the most discreet way,” Peter reminded the couple.

XxX

“Do you have a moment for me, Father?” Devin asked, standing right at the entrance of the library. After his discussion with little Jacob and the realization that family was important to him, Devin, as well, he had decided to show his relatives that he valued them and their input into his decisions.

“Come in, son,” Father called. “Mary just brought fresh tea. Sit down and have a cup with me.”

Father looked at his son. So many years they had been estranged and even after they had made peace of sorts, Devin was home so rarely that he did not know or understand his son too well. Maybe it was too late now to fully connect with Devin, but could it hurt to try?

After Devin had poured himself a cup of tea and settled himself in one of the chairs, Father therefore opened the conversation.

“I take it you want to discuss something with me?” he asked.

“Yes,” Devin agreed. “You know that I have decided to stay in the neighborhood, at least for a while, maybe even for good. Of course that means I would need a job and an apartment Above...”

“It would be nice to have you nearby,” Father agreed. “We all have missed you during your repeated absences.”

Devin nodded. “I know, and now, with all those recent developments, my mother's music box, Vincent and Diana expecting, I am finally beginning to understand how important family can be. Also, maybe I am getting a bit old for the life of an adventurer, and I may finally be ready for settling down permanently.”

Devin took a sip of tea before he continued. “Now, as I said, in order to be able to stay in town, I would need a job. Of course I have acquired several marketable skills over the years, but it has occurred to me that potential employers might be hesitant to hire me due to my lack of references...”

“I see,” Father commented. “In that case you will need to start working for one of our Helpers. They would not ask for a reference. But of course, neither could they afford to hire somebody who is not taking their job seriously. If you can promise me that you won't disappear one morning and call your employer from the other end of the Earth the next day, I will ask around if any of those that have their own business has an opening for which you have the necessary qualifications.”

Devin smiled. “Thank you, Father,” he said and for once he truly meant it.

 

Chapter 8

Jessica Webb

 

Diana was at breakfast with Vincent, Father, Mary, Susan, Alex and Jacob when one of the children ran into the dining chamber, handed her a note, said it was from Dr. Peter, then ran back out.

Diana opened the note, read it, and handed it to Vincent to read.

“News?” Mary asked.

Diana nodded, then looked pointedly at Alex and Jacob.

Mary took the hint. “Alex, Jacob, are you both done with your breakfast?” she asked. They nodded, and she continued. “Good, then I need you to do something for me. We are going to be working on Winterfest decorations today, but I need to have all the supplies transferred from the classroom to here. We will be using the tables in the corner near the entrance. Would you please go to Mouse’s chamber and borrow his cart, then use it to bring everything back here?”

Eager to please and excited about Winterfest, they both jumped up and ran out.

“And don’t run,” Mary called after them, then turned to Diana. “I know all about little pitchers with big ears,” she said with a smile.

“Peter wants me to go to his office this morning to have blood drawn. He has found a lab to do genetic testing,” Diana told everyone at the table. She looked at her watch. “It’s only nine; he wants me there about 11:30. I should put on something besides these sweats.” She got up, and Vincent rose to follow her.

“Don’t you want Susan to go with you?” he asked her as they walked.

“I think I’d rather just go by myself,” she said. “Susan is so uptight about this that she makes me nervous just being around her. Besides, I’m only having blood drawn today. The note said that the lab would send the results to Peter, and he would let me know. We can make our decisions based on that.”

“Even if you are a carrier, that is no guarantee that any child you have will actually have the syndrome,” Vincent reminded her. “You have a 50% chance of passing the mutated gene on to your children, but then they aren’t guaranteed to have it; they might just be carriers.”

Diana nodded. “And it’s not like I would consider terminating the pregnancy, anyway,” she said as they reached their chamber. “I just want to know what to expect.”

 

Later, after having the blood drawn, Diana sat in Peter’s office. Peter was semi-retired and only worked 4 mornings a week, in the office he shared with another general practitioner and an OB-BYN.

“Have you decided what you are going to tell your OB-GYN yet?” he asked.

Diana leaned over and fished a piece of paper out of her bag. She handed it to him. “I stopped at my place to pick up my mail,” she told him. “That was in my box.”

Peter read the letter and looked up at her. “That’s convenient,” he told her.

“Yeah. When I saw her, she didn’t say anything about not doing obstetrics anymore, but I can understand it. She’s been my doctor forever. She’s my mom’s and Susan’s doctor and delivered Alex. She must be over 60. As you can see, she’s not retiring completely; just won’t be monitoring pregnancies or delivering babies anymore, so I won’t have to come up with an explanation about why I’m going to another doctor.”

“Once we know all the facts, you can make a decision about who will be your doctor,” Peter said. “But Dr. Sloane, in this office, can be trusted. He doesn’t know about the tunnels, but I’ve been considering bringing him and my other partner, Dr. Adamski, in on the secret. In the meantime, I told the lab to expedite the testing. They said that it normally takes 2-3 weeks, but they might be able to shorten that to a week to ten days. Their lab is in the city, and I’ll drop the sample off on my way home. I’ll tell you the results as soon as I get them.”

Diana nodded. “What about other testing?” she asked.

“Since we have an OB-GYN in this office, we also have ultra-sound equipment; we can do that here after hours. If we want to do amniocentesis later, Dr. Sloane can do that, too. He would do the procedure, and I’d handle the lab again.”

“It sounds like you have it all figured out,” Diana said.

“Been doing this a long time,” he told her with a laugh. “I’ve had to order lab work for Vincent a few times.” 

XxX

Devin joined Susan after lunch on Sunday for the trip to her apartment. They emerged from the tunnels in the park and then walked out to Central Park West to the subway station. Susan was carefully carrying a white bakery box.

“What’s in the box?” he asked.

“I talked William into letting me have one of his coffee cakes. I promised Nate cake, but I haven’t been home to make one. And William’s coffee cake is better than anything I could make anyway.”

“Have you had any luck finding a job yet?” she asked later after they were seated in the subway car.

“Pops put the word out among the helpers who own or run businesses,” he told her. “The only thing I’ve heard so far is that a public library branch that is run by a helper is looking for an assistant. The assistant doesn’t have to have a degree; he just needs to know the Dewey Decimal System, know the alphabet, and be able to type. I can do that. I’ve got a high school diploma and two years at a community college for basic studies. But they are both in different names.” He laughed. “I was still using Devin then, but the last names are different.”

Susan nodded. “That shouldn’t be too much of a problem. You know several lawyers, maybe you can devise a paper trail to show a name change. But do you want to be a librarian?”

The train stopped and they got up and got off.

“It’s a job and place to start. And I do know about libraries,” he said sheepishly. “I had a job as a school librarian in an elementary school in British Columbia.”

He was surprised when Susan laughed. “I’d forgotten about your extensive experience… What branch does the Helper work in?”

“Battery Park.”

“That’s near my place,” she told him. “That’s where Alex and I go.”

They reached her apartment, a two-bedroom, fourth-floor walk-up. It wasn’t in a high-rent area, but she’d made it cozy and comfortable.  

They shed their coats, and Devin followed Susan into the kitchen and watched her unbox the cake, put it on a plate, and cut it up.

“What time is your friend supposed to be here?” he asked.

“That’s probably him,” she said, just as the buzzer from the street went off.

She went to the intercom, made sure it was Nate, then let him in. He was at the door a few minutes later.

Susan let him into the apartment and then introduced him to Devin.

Devin was surprised at the man’s apparent age. He had to be 90 if he was a day.

When they were seated in the living room and Susan had put the tray with the cake and coffee on the coffee table, Nate spoke.

“So, you’re Grace’s boy,” he said.

Devin was a little taken aback by the straightforwardness of the statement.

“Ah, yeah. I think so. My father told me that my mother’s name was Grace Dorrance, and she was from Bristol, Pennsylvania. Susan told me that you used to work for a family by that name.” He reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out the photograph, and handed it to Nate.

Nate looked at the picture.  

“Yeah, that’s the family. John Dorrance and his wife Ethel were grandparents, and the couple next to them were Grace’s parents. The other couples are their sons and their wives, and the children are the grandchildren, Grace's nieces and nephews. They were a nice family, even if Mr. Dorrance was a little hard on the kids.”

“Do you know how old my mother was when that picture was taken?”

“I didn’t work for them at that time,” he pointed out. He turned the photo over and looked at the date. “She would have been about 16 then.”

Devin did some quick math in his head. “Then she would have been about 37 when I was born.”

“So, your dad wasn’t Luca Ferrari?” Nate asked.

“Ah, no. Who is that?”

“Well, he was the reason Gracie left. She was on a trip to New York with her mother, and she met Luca Ferrari, the doorman, at the apartment building where they were visiting Gracie’s grandparents, John and Ethel. They were there for several weeks, and they started talking. Before Mrs. Dorrance knew what was going on, the two of them had run off and got married. Grace was about twenty-two at the time. That was something like 1935 or 36. I had been working for them for a few years at that time.

“Her parents weren’t happy, but since she was already 22 and still single, and it spared them the expense of a big wedding, they allowed it to stand. Then World War II started, and Luca was drafted. They found out that he spoke Italian and sent him off to Europe as soon as he was out of training. He was a member of the staff of one of the big-shot Generals, so everyone figured he was safe. But the General sent him to work with another officer to help talk to some Italians. It was near the end of the war, but the group was ambushed on the road back to his boss, and he was killed along with all the others in the group.

“From what I hear, Grace was pregnant when Luca was drafted and hadn’t had the baby by the time he left the country. The baby was a boy, but he died of whooping cough shortly after Grace got word that her husband had been killed.

“When her husband was drafted, Grace contacted her parents and asked if she could come home for the duration of the war. The little bit of money she was getting from the Army wasn’t really enough to live on, and since she was pregnant, she couldn’t find work. Her parents said they didn’t have room since her brothers’ families had moved in when her brothers were drafted. But the Ferraris, Luca’s family, took her in, and from what I hear, she lived with them until she and Luca’s son died. I heard one of her brothers say she’d found a job and left the Ferraris.”

“You weren’t drafted?” Devin asked.

“No, I have asthma and a heart murmur. They didn’t want me, but I was part of the Civil Defense volunteers.”

“What happened to my mother after she left her in-laws?” Devin asked.

“I’m not sure. I quit working for the family about that time, and came to New York to start my own business. Grace’s brother asked me to look her up; that was in 1948. He didn’t know where she was living but he did know where she worked. It took me a few months to get around to looking her up, and when I asked at the place she’d been working, they said that she’d been fired when the company had to cut expenses. No one knew where she went. I guess she did all right since you are here?”

That last was more of a question.

Devin didn’t want to give anything about the tunnels away, but knew he had to say something.

“Well, I never knew her. She died not long after I was born. My father is a doctor, but there wasn’t much he could do to help her.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Nate said sincerely. “Grace was a sweet girl, smart, but not real educated. She had a big heart.”

“Why wasn’t she educated? I assume the family was well off.”

“Her father didn’t believe in educating girls past high school. She finished high school, but since her father was one who thought women were only good for keeping the house and making babies, he didn’t want to waste money sending her to college. But you say she wound up with a doctor, so I guess she did OK for herself.”

“Well enough,” Devin agreed. “Until she died. She was only 37.” Devin stopped for a moment. “Do you know if any of her brothers are still around?”

“Didn’t really keep in touch with them, but my youngest sister still lives in Bristol. She has kept me up on all the town gossip.” He laughed. “Although she calls it news. She said that the last Dorrance brother died. His dad hadn’t been involved in running the business for years before he died.  And none of the kids were interested in running it or even working there.”

“Do you have any idea what the Campbell Soup association is?”

“That was the family business,” Nate said with a grin. “Mrs. Dorrance’s maiden name was Campbell, and her hobby was writing a history of the association between the Dorrance’s and the Campbell’s. All the way back to Scotland. Supposedly, they fought on the same side in many battles supporting the Scottish Crown. And her father-in-law was the person who came up with the method Campbell’s Soup used to make their canned condensed soup.”

Devin had to laugh. “So, I’m related to those Campbells. I’ve been eating their soup my whole life. Wait until Pop’s hears about this.”

 

After Nate left, Devin helped Susan clean up; she’d sent Nate home with the rest of the coffee cake.

“How long do you plan to stay Below?” Devin asked when they reached the park threshold.

“Until the second Monday in January, or at least the weekend before that. My office closes for the whole month of December,” she told him. “The boss vacations in the Bahamas. He still pays us a little, but it’s not the full amount, and it makes things tight. Father has been allowing me to stay Below for the month of December for the last few years. It keeps my utility costs down at the apartment, and I don’t have to buy groceries. I help out Below and am a Helper throughout the year… What about the librarian job?”

“I’m going to go talk to the Helper tomorrow. If I get the job, maybe you can help me hunt for an apartment.”

“As a matter of fact, I don’t know if you noticed the sign on the door of the building, but there is a studio apartment on the second floor of my building available.”   

 

XxX

Devin walked with Susan to the chamber she was using, then promised to meet her for dinner before he headed for Father’s study. He found him reading a medical journal, as a cup of tea cooled on his desk.

“Got a minute, Dad?” Devin asked from the top of the stairs.

Father looked up, smiled, then closed the journal and tossed it on his desk.

“That was about to put me to sleep,” he admitted. “So much is going on in medicine these days, and it’s hard to keep up with it. What is it?”

“I just wanted to talk to you about what I learned from Susan’s friend.”  

“Yes. Grace never really talked about what happened before we met.”

“She was from a wealthy family,” Devin said.

“I could see that,” Father said thoughtfully. “She was well-read and had good manners. She wrote well, but she didn’t seem to have any marketable skills.”

“She did work for a while, but I’m not sure what she did. Nate, the man who used to work for her family told me…” and he went on to relay everything he’d been told.

“Campbell’s soup, huh?” Father chuckled. “That explains her penchant for bringing canned soup back to the tunnels whenever she found some. The markets would sometimes throw out cans that were dented, or that had lost their labels. She knew all the places to find them. She kept us fed. Do you think you’ll contact the family?”

“I don’t think so. I have no proof,” Devin told him.

They were both quiet, thinking about what Devin had learned.

“Are you still planning to find a job Above?” Father suddenly asked.

“Ah, yeah. There’s a Helper who works at a library branch. They need an assistant, I was thinking I’d apply for that.”

“And you’ll live Above?”

“I’m not sure yet; until I get established, it might be better to stay Below. No matter where I work, I’ll need suitable clothing and things like subway or cab fare. I’ll just have to wait and see if I can afford rent,” Devin said with a laugh. He was finally beginning to feel like it was possible that he and his father could maybe start acting like other fathers and sons.

 

 

Chapter 9

Milly Rose

 

The final glittering hours of Winterfest were fading. Clamoring children who had taken the liberty of consuming too much sugar and not enough real food ran hither and yon with their little trinkets and gifts from Mouse. (Much to the frustration of Mary, but she said nothing. It was Winterfest, after all).

"I cannot tell you how pleased I am that you are remaining here Below with us," Father said to Devin, who was meticulously studying the chess board at the quiet corner table. "My ragged old nerves can rest easy now. You are sure, my boy, that you will be happy here?"

Devon raised his eyes to study Jacob carefully. "There will be moments, I am sure," he responded carefully, “when the old way will call to me. And in those times, Father, just remind me of this right here, these memories, when those moments come, all right?"

"And when I am no longer here to remind you?"

A muscle twitched in the man’s jaw at the idea, and Devon moved his pawn one space and sat back in his chair. "When you have broken our hearts and left us, where there is family left, there will always be others," he replied, gesturing to where Susan sat with Alex, putting together a paper doll display Peter had brought from Above.

Father looked from Susan to Devin, an eyebrow raised. A knowing shine came to his face, and he chuckled lightly. "Susan?"

Devin simply nodded.

"Well, can't say I saw that one coming, my boy, but I have often been surprised by the actions of my sons, especially in the realm of romance. Do you think she also might be interested?"

"Who is interested in what?" Diana appeared next to them, having finally slipped out of a group of girls who had asked her to put their shiny hair accessories that Mouse gave to them in their assorted braids and curls. She had been there for nearly a half hour and looked exhausted, although cheerful.

"I was just discussing some important matters with Devon," Father replied evenly, not missing a beat. "You look rather frazzled, my dear. Is everything all right?"

"Ah, Mouse and his tinsel hair things. A clever idea, to be sure, but I do not envy Mary trying to

get it back out of their hair tonight at bedtime." Diana smiled and turned her head, showing them a curly tinsel bow nestled into her own hair. “I regret my own decisions, but it cannot be undone now.”

Father nodded dryly, trying not to laugh, but also appear sympathetic. "I see. If William has any lard in the pantry, you might try a little of that if needed."

Devon laughed and stood. "If you'll excuse me, Father, I will see if Susan needs any help.”

"Very well. I will see you later, my boy."

"So, he's staying?" Diana asked, settling into the vacated chair and surveying the chess board carefully. "Are you okay with that?"

"He has changed," Father replied. "A lot. I think his wandering feet have brought him back to where he should have been all along, and didn't know it."

"Where would that be?" Diana asked, sitting back in the chair. "It's your move by the way."

Father took the knight with his rook, and steepled his fingers, resting his elbows on the table.

"Home, Diana. He's home."

"This place is home for so many," she replied, her glance drifting over to where Devin knelt with

Alex, taping small wooden supports to the piece of cardboard that would be the display for her

paper dolls. A knowing smile lit up her face. "Ah. I see."

"Concerned at all?" Father asked, carefully watching her face for any sign of her feelings.

She smiled softly. "Always, Father, just as you are. But we have to let life play out, don't we?

Besides, she would be good for him."

"Perhaps so. But how are you doing, my dear? I know the last few weeks have been hard for

you."

"Trying not to think about it." She picked up her knight and took out a pawn. "It will be a while

yet before we can test, but every single day is going to feel like a year. I don't know how we will wait that long, but we have no choice."

"Does it matter?"

"What?"

Father took out her knight with his bishop. "If this child has an anomaly of any kind, does it

matter?"

"You are asking me that, after raising Vincent?" Diana bit her lip. "Sorry, that came out wrong. I

mean, you know that people are not - as forgiving and accepting. Above - it's a jungle out

there."

"I know," Jacob Wells replied. "Above, yes, That will be hard. But in here-" he pointed to his

chest. "In here, Diana, does it matter."

"No," she replied quickly, then looked away, her face hidden by her hair.

For a moment, she was silent. Father leaned forward, slipping a hand atop hers. "Diana?"

Slowly, she turned to look at him, tears tracking silently down her cheeks. His eyebrows rose in

surprise, and she spoke before he could say anything. "I don't want to sound like a bad person."

"You aren't a bad person."

"Well, thanks. It's just that, I - I'm afraid. What if this child has severe developmental troubles?

What if I bring a child into this world, just to be laughed at by others and ridiculed. Father, that

idea pains me so much, sometimes I can barely breathe."

"Have you spoken to Vincent about how you feel?"

"No, We - we don't - share feelings, so I - I don't say much."

"Ah," he nodded wisely. "The Bond. Diana, dear, just because he had that with- her- and not

with you does not mean you are any less loved. Love is a funny thing. Catherine saved him. At a

time when he lost himself, she stepped in and brought him back to the light. And at a time when

she had been stripped of every dignity that belonged to her and left to die in the dark and the

cold, he brought her back to life. Those things, they leave an indelible mark here." He gestured

to his heart again. "And as you two navigate this new life, while living with the gift of the old

one, Jacob, your day will come. Will there be a Bond, as they had, who knows. But Diana,

Vincent loves you, as well as he can love, and if you do not share those feelings with him, he

cannot be there for you. Do not choose to walk alone, my dear. It is a very cold, bitter walk."

XXX

"Thank you for walking me home," Diana threw her coat onto the couch, and sank into it's

depths.

Vincent sat down beside her, his face a mask of concern. "You hardly said a word on the way over. You seem bothered – distracted - are you alright?"

The dismissal of "Oh, I'm just tired," was right there on her lips, but a glance at his deep, caring

eyes made her swallow the words. She leaned toward him and he wrapped his arms around her,

settling her securely against his broad chest.

 "Diana," he said softly, so many things being said with only a word.

"I'm afraid," she finally whispered, so softly that she feared he had not heard.

But the way his heart beneath her ear fluttered at the word, and his arms tightened subconsciously around her told her that he had heard, and felt her emotions.

"About the future?"

"Yes."

"Dearest Diana," he said softly, "You always have a home with us. You know this. And no matter

what happens, this child will be so loved and cherished. You really do underestimate how

protective that everyone gets over children. Even William will resort to closing the kitchen door

so that the clattering won't travel down the tunnels to the nursery and wake a sleeping baby."

"But - what if - " her voice trailed off and he waited. When she said nothing else, he crooked a

finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.

"What if?"

"What if I am not a good mom?"

His eyebrow raised quizzically, but there was no judgement in his eyes. "Diana, you are a good mom. It's a little late to be a bad one. You couldn't be, not if you tried for a million years."

"But what if-"

He placed a finger to her lips, shushing her. "No. No, Diana. We don't do what-if’s. This child, this creation from our shared love for each other, whether it looks like me or you, or has Fragile X or not, or is a boy or a girl, or lives here or Below, no matter what, you are enough. You are enough for that child, and you are enough for me."

As the winter moon rose over the bleak nighttime, bathing the shadows in mellow light, Vincent and Diana talked long into the night as he detangled the filaments of tinsel from her hair. There were tears, embraces, slow and calming kisses in the light of the single lamp, caresses that soothed the pains of tomorrow.

And as he eventually slipped into the shadows somewhere around four AM, as the glow of early dawn kissed the horizon, he left behind the promise that he would be there for this child. He would be there for Devin. He would be there for Alex.

Blood does not always make one family. Love, chosen to be given, does. And she knew, as she turned out the light and whispered goodnight to the growing child within her, that no matter what the weeks ahead held for their Tunnel family, this child would have a future as bright as all of the stars above New York combined.

Her family would make it so.