Chapter Two

By Jessica Webb

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The tunnels were quieter than usual as Diana made her way to the chamber she shared with Vincent when she was Below. The familiar tapping on pipes and distant laughter echoed through the stone corridors, but tonight, a gentle anticipation seemed to hang in the air. She paused at the entrance, looking for any sign of Vincent; it was quiet.

Inside, the chamber was warm and softly lit. Candles flickered on the shelves, casting golden halos over the books and keepsakes that made this underground home feel lived in. It was as if time stood still here. Not much ever changed. A few of Jake’s toys were on the floor, and books were moved, but it all still matched the mental picture she’d taken before she left four months ago. 

Diana set her bag down and pulled the invitation from her pocket, smoothing the creases with careful fingers. The green card caught the candlelight, its embossed letters a reminder of the world Above—and the family she seldom saw.

She was still lost in thought when Vincent entered, his presence filling the room with quiet strength. He moved with the grace of someone used to shadows, his blue eyes gentle as he regarded her.

“You’re home,” he said, his voice a low rumble.

Diana smiled, holding up the invitation. “Aunt Helen’s at it again. The Bennett clan reunion. She wants us there—well, me, at least. But I was thinking… maybe Jacob could come too this year. He deserves to know the rest of his family.”

Vincent’s expression softened, but a shadow flickered across his features. “The world Above is not always kind, Diana. You know that.”

She nodded, understanding the weight of his caution. “I do. But he’s growing up, Vincent. He’s curious. He wants to belong—to both sides of his family.”

Before Vincent could answer, Jacob burst into the chamber, cheeks flushed from running. He held up his camera triumphantly.

“Jessica says she’ll have the pictures ready soon! And Elizabeth wants to paint one on the dining chamber wall.”

Diana ruffled his hair. “That’s wonderful, Jake. But how would you feel about meeting some of your cousins? Maybe going to New Jersey for a weekend?”

Jacob’s eyes widened. “Really? I’ve never been out of the city. Will Dad come too?”

Vincent hesitated, then knelt beside his son. “It would be… a big step. But perhaps it is time.”

Jacob grinned, hugging his father. “I want to hear all the stories Aunt Helen tells! And maybe take pictures of everyone. I can show you, and you won’t feel left out.”

Diana exchanged a hopeful glance with Vincent. “We’ll talk about it as a family. No promises yet, but… maybe.”

As Jacob darted off to tell his friends, Vincent stood, his hand resting on Diana’s shoulder. “You’re right. He deserves to know more of the world. But we must be careful.”

Diana squeezed his hand. “We will be. Together.”

Outside, the pipes tapped out a new message—news of Diana’s return spreading through the tunnels. Somewhere, William was preparing dinner, and Samantha’s violin echoed faintly from the music chamber. Life continued, Above and Below, but for the first time in a long while, Diana felt a sense of peace, and some hope. Maybe, just maybe, this year the family gathering would be different.

XxX

Alan sat at his kitchen table, staring at the pictures spread out before him. He’d taken the chance to get back in touch with his brother and sister-in-law when he’d returned to New York. His niece had found out that he was a photographer and hadn’t hesitated to ask a favor. He was happy to grant it. The photos he’d printed for her had turned out well. She would be pleased. He’d be seeing her at a family thing in a few days, and he’d give them to her then. He put the photos on the corner of the table.

His eyes strayed to the other photos on the table. They were the prints from the roll Jessica had left behind.

He picked the photos up and looked at them

“The kid really has talent,” he said aloud to no one in particular, as he studied the shots of the park. The angles were good, and the lighting was perfect.

The photo at the bottom of the stack was the one of the bride and groom. This time, he picked up a magnifying glass and studied the man in the photo.

“Good makeup,” he commented before picking up the negative and studying it with his film loupe. “Not doctored,” he concluded. “Could be the Beast from the Broadway play, but where are the horns? This guy looks more feline.”

He studied the photo for a little longer before putting it and the park pictures on top of the stack for his niece.

“And I’ve got to stop talking to myself,” he added with a chuckle.

XxX

Jacob was doing his best to sit still as he and his stepmom rode the train to New Jersey. She told him that someone would meet them at the station. It was going to be a day of firsts for him: first train ride, first time out of Manhattan, first time to New Jersey, first ride in a car, and the first time he would meet the relatives that Diana had told him so much about. He felt like he was walking on clouds.

“Come on, Jake,” Diana said, taking his hand. “This is our stop.” As the train rolled to a stop, they made their way to the door and were the first to step out when the door was opened.

When they entered the lobby, Diana spotted her sister, Susan, near the door and waved. Susan rushed over, and the two women hugged.

“Who’s this?” Susan asked, stepping back to look down at Jacob with a smile.

“This is Jacob,” Diana said, smiling as she pulled Jake forward. “Jake, this is my sister, Susan. She has a daughter, Alexandra, who is a few years older than you.”

“She’s fourteen,” Susan said with a laugh. “And she won’t let you forget it. And you thought the terrible twos were bad.” She leaned down and hugged Jake. “I’m glad to finally get to meet you, Jake.”

XxX

Jake would be the first to admit that he was more than a little overwhelmed by the exuberance of Diana’s relatives. He’d been hugged and welcomed more times than he could count, and he knew that he’d never be able to keep track of all the names.

But there were a lot of kids, most of them older than him, and they were all nice and included him when they played games.

He had his camera on its strap around his neck, and when Aunt Helen greeted him, he asked permission to take pictures.

“As many as you want,” she told him with a smile. “Just make sure that your mom sends a set to me.”

He learned there would be dinner that night, nothing fancy. As far as he could tell, it was a lot like how William served meals: the food was set out on tables, and everyone helped themselves and ate wherever they could find room.

“Are we going home after this?” he asked Diana as they ate.

“I’m sorry. I thought I told you. My sister lives nearby, and we are staying with her tonight. We will be back here tomorrow, and there will be a big sit-down meal in the afternoon, then everyone will head home after dinner.”

Jake had just finished playing a card game with some of the children when a man approached the table. He said hello and handed Alexandra a large manila envelope.

“The pictures I asked for?” she asked, as the other children left and the man sat down across from them.

“They are, Princess,” he answered with a grin.

Alex started to open the envelope, then remembered her manners.

“Sorry, this is my cousin, Jake. Jake, this is my Uncle Alan, my dad’s brother.”

Alan extended his hand across to shake Jake’s.

“I see you are a photographer,” said Alan, nodding at the camera. “How long have you been at it?”

“Since I was about six,” Jake answered. “A friend of my grandfather’s gave me one of her old cameras.”

While they were talking, Alex pulled the stack of photos from the envelope and looked through them.

“What are these?” she asked. “These aren’t pictures of people… except for this last one. The woman in it looks like Aunt Di.”

Jake looked over her arm at the pictures she was holding and recognized his photos.

“Where did those come from?” he asked. “Those look like an old roll that Jessica was developing for me.”

Alan looked from Alex to Jacob.

“You’re the child prodigy with the camera that Jess was telling me about?”

It was at that moment that Diana walked up and saw the picture that Alex was holding.

“What’s going on?” she asked as she all but snatched the photo out of Alex’s hands.

“Uncle Alan had some pictures for me,” Alex started to explain.

Alan recognized the woman before him as the one in the photo.

“I had some photos that a friend accidentally left behind. I meant to give them back to her, but accidentally mixed them up with Alex's prints.  I forgot all about them.”

Diana was holding the wedding photo of her and Vincent, and Alex handed the pictures of the park to Jake.

Alex was exclaiming over the other photos in the envelope as Jake put his into his camera bag. He noticed that Diana had put the one she had into her bag. 

Susan came up and greeted Alan with a hug.

“After all these years of Aunt Helen inviting you to these things, you’ve finally decided to come. It’s good to see you.”

“I wasn’t working this year and decided that a Bennett-style party would be just the thing,” Alan told her. He was talking to Susan but looking over her shoulder at Diana.