Vine, Wine & Dine

My phone pinged. My UBER driver was two minutes away.

Picking up my still unopened bag, I kissed the top of Jillian's head for the last time.

"You don't have to leave."

"I think we both know I can't stay. So, it's probably best if I do."

There would be no hug and passionate kiss good-bye.

Jill avoided eye contact and stayed wrapped in her blanket as I pulled the door closed behind me and took the stairs down to the curb to wait. There would not be any looking back. No waves goodbye. Just a blue Honda Civic pulling up to take me to the airport.

*****

The heat of Napa's hot August nights seemed to drag on longer than those of July. There may have been a factor or two coming into play back then, but now, everything was different.

I had moved on. There would be no more wine tours and rowdy party goers in my future. No, those were things of the past.

I called a business meeting. I asked everyone to attend.

Showing up at my brother's home with a lawyer confused the group. My family. But when the dust settled, my 50% share in our thriving business had been gifted away. I handed over the keys to Bill Jr. and Tiffany. My niece and nephew were now in a full-blown partnership with their mom. They split my shares. Each owning 25% of my half.

Vine, Wine & Dine was still a family business, I just wasn't involved in any of the daily operations.

Erin and the kids were in disbelief, but the truth was this little venture in Napa Valley had saved me from myself. It taught me lessons well beyond the money I had spent. I learned there was way more to life then what I had been doing in my past.

"Whaddya have cooking now?" my older brother asked, while his wife and children worked with the lawyer to sign all of the paperwork.

"Not much. I still have a lease on my place in the canyon, and I have zero plans to leave this area. Who knows, I might write a book. If not, I'll read one. As long as I don't end up in jail, I'm good."

"You know Chris, I love having you nearby. Damn, the whole family does."

This was Bill's way of asking me if I was leaving.

"Then it makes it easier for me, because I plan on hanging around for a long time, who knows, maybe forever."

Erin put her arms over my shoulder and let them drape down my chest. Her mouth was almost touching my ear as she spoke.

"How can we ever repay you Chris. You made all those deals for Bill and me, now we are set for the rest of our lives. But to do what you've done for the kids. I mean this is a dream come true for them."

"It's all about family. It always has been. They'll be fine. With your guidance, they'll learn how to run the place, and within a couple of years, they won't be able to find you and Big Bill, because you'll be hiding in Europe."

A hug and a "we love you", was thanks enough for me.

*****

The lawyer had been gone for the longest time. Dinner was finished. Jr. and Tiff had left to join their friends and share their big news, Erin was watching Yellowstone, and Bill and I were sitting outside on his porch watching the starry skies and listening to the sounds of Napa.

We sat without speaking for the longest time. Just the two of us. Brothers. But Bill couldn't let a sleeping dog lay.

"You all done with the big city?"

"I suppose so."

"Plan and doing anymore trading?"

"Nope. I think everyone is covered. And I got out alive, so no. I'm done with trading shit."

No one every really gets out alive when you worked on Wall St. Even if you leave at a young age, a part of your soul remains behind. Forever carved into a granite memorial on the wall of some unknown banking institution.

"Why don't you call her?"

"Who?"

"The blonde girl. The one you ran off to Baltimore to be with."

"I went to New York first. On business if you remember. Only then did I go to Baltimore."

"Whatever. You've been moping around ever since you got back."

"Let's hope not. Cuz I've been back for three weeks."

"She's a beautiful girl Chris. Far too good looking for a mutt like you." He looked over at me and gave me the big brother nod. "Don't be a dummy. If you wait too long, you'll fuck it up."

"How would you know? You've never even met her?"

"Tiff showed us on Facebook when you went to the wedding with her."

"That little shit."

"Yep. Daddy's girl." He turned his head, so he was facing me. "Chris, life's too damned short to live it alone."

The thought of calling Jillian had crossed my mind more than a few times. There were things about her I missed, but let's be honest. We knew very little about one another. I mean, I hadn't even had the opportunity to let her know what I did for a living, other than what brought us together originally.

"Thanks, oh wise one. Are you having another drink, or do you plan on dragging your sorry old ass to bed anytime soon?"

"I'll have another if you're making them."

When I returned with a pair of drinks, I handed Bill a cloth bag with the words, "The Corkery" printed on the outside. I had carried the precious cargo back with me from my last visit to the big city. Today was as good a time as any to give it to him.

"What's this?" Bill asked as he pulled box containing a bottle of Havana Club Maximo Extra Anejo. "Sweet Baby Jesus. What in the hell is this for?"

"It's for you being you, big brother."

*****

September disappeared in a flash and October was upon the bustling wine industry in the valley. The sights and sounds of harvest and wine making had been going on for weeks. Erin and the kids couldn't keep up with requests for tours. There were talks about a fourth vehicle, but senior put his foot down. He told them to get some more time under their belts and look at it later. Maybe after the slow winter months they could reconsider.

Since the start of my California adventure, I liked to explore the hills, valleys, and backroads surrounding the area.

With a Thermos full of coffee or water, I would fill the Rover and set off on a trek which took me to parts unknown. I'd search for small out of the way restaurants and mom and pop diners. Or if the mood struck, I'd hit a favorite wine maker for a sample and lunch. After a meal, I'd find a tree to lean against, read a book while listening to Wilco playing California Stars from Mermaid Ave or I'd watch the sunset. And sometimes, and only on the rarest of occasions, and from the opposite direction, I would see a sunrise.

Today was a good day. A day where I saw things I had never before witnessed. A day spent enjoying life. And as the sun started to lower, it was a day coming to an end, and for the first time in many weeks, I wasn't the slightest bit sad about it.

*****

The gray Ford Edge was parked on the granite gravel driveway. It stood out as I pulled up. Like the white one from before, it was also easy to tell this one was also a rental.

In the near darkness I could see a figure sitting in a chair on my veranda. She didn't have to stand for me to guess who it was. The blonde hair gave it away. But as I saw the dark leggings, fluffy, oversized, beige sweater and the tanned Uggs, I smiled a happy smile.

"Welcome to Napa stranger," was my simple greeting.

Jill stopped two feet away from me. Almost as if she was uncertain if I would accept her hug. Only when I reached out to her and pulled the fuzzy sweater to me, did she continue.

My ears picked up a couple of deep sobs before she spoke, so I increase the tightness of my hug.

"Don't cry."

"You didn't pick-up your phone, so I call the shop and they told me you didn't work there anymore. I wasn't even sure you still lived here."

"I do still live here. And I don't work there anymore."

"Did they fire you?"

My laugh filled the night air and helped to alleviate some of the tension.

"What's so funny? What will you do for work now?"

"Nothing. I plan on doing absolutely nothing. And no, they didn't fire me. I owned half of the business."

"Why did you sell it? It seemed to be very busy."

"It was. But I didn't sell it. I gave my half away."

"You gave..."

"Are you here for work?" I asked. Changing the subject.

"No. I came to see you. I mean, I have to work soon, but I'm here to see...you...you gave away your business?"

"Shhh...let's go inside and get you warmed up. Did you bring a bag?"

Jill popped the hatch on her Edge, and I grabbed her two bags and a laptop case. I started to walk toward the house, but Jill was staying put by her rental.

"Why would you give away your business?"

"Because I retired."

"Retired? How? You're too young. What will you do for money?"

"I wish I was too young. It's something I should have done five years ago. It feels so liberating. Come on, these bags aren't getting any lighter."

I put the bags by the door and switched on a couple of lights. Jill shivered. She must have been chilled from the dampness of the cool October night. I handed her a sweater and stepped back.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Not very long. A couple of hours I suppose."

"The key is under the front mat."

"I...well...I wasn't so sure I'd be welcome after how poorly I acted the last time we were together."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. Neither of us knew where this was heading. So, I turned and gave Jill a soft hug and a light kiss on the cheek.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll start a fire. It'll help take the chill off. Drink?"

"Please."

"Name it."

"Whatever you're having works for me."

The flames from the fireplace danced across the room. I watched Jill getting a blanket and curling up on the sofa. With two glasses of dark red wine in hand, I walked over and put hers down before sitting across from her.

"So, how's the family?"

There I was asking about her family. The same family causing us all of our problems the last time we were together.

"Stacey and Paul are very happy about being parents. He seems to have settled down since the wedding. I'm just hoping it stays that way. And my mother, well, she's still a cunt."

It wasn't funny, but I laughed anyway.

"Jill, I have to ask. Why are you here? The last time we were together, you told me there was no possible way you could live with what had happened in the past. Then you practically asked me to leave."

"Things change. People change. I've changed. I think." She watched the twirl of red in her glass as she spoke. It gave her courage to tell me what she wanted to say.

"Stacey and Paul are having a baby. I'm a bit jealous. She is never going to have a test. Paul thinks it's his. Stacey now says it is. So, he has no reason to think otherwise. And I guess there's a chance it could be. Who knows? And as long as it's loved does it really matter?"

She took a sip from her glass, but still wasn't looking my way.

"The one I'm having the most problems with is my mother. She knew. I know you didn't, but she did. We talked about it. I told her my plans. About how I was going to come back to Napa to see you. See if you could possibly be interested in me. But things ended up being too hectic. I got tied up and before I could come back, she beat me to it. And you and her hooked up."

Another small sip of courage.

"I understand. You had no way of knowing how I felt about you or about my plans to come back for a visit, but she did. And when I saw you and Stacey at the wedding, and thought about you and my mother, well, I was looking for someone to blame. A scapegoat for everything that happened. And the someone I chose, was you."

"What's changed, Jill? What's different now?"

"Me. I've changed. I think I can be diff...I know I can be a better person. I want there to be an us. I want...I'm sorry, I would like it if you would consider trying to be together with me."

"What if one day, your mother gets into your head. You start to have doubts about us being together. Would you freak out and end what we started?"

"No. I came to the realization she's just another one of the women you have been with. I wasn't a virgin when we met, and you aren't upset by it."

"What about us? Where would we live? Could you see yourself staying here?"

"We could stay here, or we can move to my place in Baltimore. I own it."

I looked into the bottom of my glass at the deep burgundy red liquid for advice, but none came. Tilting it even further, I took a sip and swished the pleasing nectar over my tongue.

"It wouldn't matter where we lived, as long as we were together. But what about money? Jill, money seems very important to you."

"Not as important as you might think. I mean, we'll need some. Everyone needs some. But it's okay, we won't have to be concerned. I have some put away and my job pays pretty good. We'll get by. I can work remotely from anywhere. You said you want to travel, and I want to be at your side. I just need to touch base every quarter or so. They are very..."

Getting up, I walked over to where she was seated and got on my knees. It was the first time we'd kissed since her sister's wedding. When her tongue touched mine, I could feel the excitement. The passion had returned.

"Will you pay me for sex and be my Sugar Mama?" I teased.

"I'll do whatever you want." Her hands touched the side of my face. "I love you, Chris. I'll take care of you, I promise."

"Shhhh. Don't worry about money. We'll work something out."