Strawberry Wine

by Darly Jamison

  “That’s because you raised me to be sure of myself. I never would have been able to move if it hadn’t been for the love you and Mom have shown me.”

  “Maybe we did too good,” he said into my hair. “I miss you being here.”

  And just like that I felt my eyes fill again. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Addy.”

  “Hey, guys.” Mom stood in the doorway. “Can I get in on that?”

  Dad opened the hug and invited her inside. “Just like when I was little,” I said with a laugh, wiping my eyes. “A family hug.”

  “God, Addy, I have missed you so much!” Mom said, pulling me in tighter. “And I like him. He seems very sweet.”

  I laid my head on her shoulder. “He is.”

  “Speaking of Christopher, where did you put him?” Dad asked Mom with a smile in his voice.

  “He’s getting the bags from the car. You know, he said I could pass for Addy’s older sister! He won me over right there!”

  “But, Mom, I don’t have an older sister.”

  “Oh, stop! You know what I mean. He’s definitely a keeper, Addy. I’m glad you brought him home. It’s about time someone caught your eye.”

  “And on that note, we need to get going. I’m starving,” Dad said, breaking apart the family hug. “Addy, why don’t you help Christopher take the bags to your rooms and then meet us at your grandparent’s house, okay?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Mom and Dad turned toward the door just as Christopher walked in with our suitcases.

  “Christopher,” Mom said, placing her hand on his arm. “We’re going to head next door. You and Addy can catch up.”

  Christopher nodded his head. “We’ll be right behind you.”

  We waved good-bye as my parents left, and I took my suitcase from Christopher and led the way up the stairs to the bedrooms. We made a quick stop at the guest room, dropping off Christopher’s suitcase, then headed into my room.

  “So, this was your bedroom, huh?” he asked, leafing through the papers and books that still lay on my desk. “It’s not at all what I pictured.”

  “No? What do you have against navy blue?” I looked around at the walls I’d painted in the days leading up to my senior year of high school. The dark color reflected the mood I was in at the time: reserved, quiet, reflective. I wanted to start over, to begin the school year with a clean slate, and for some reason indigo seemed like a good place to start. Looking around now, the color seemed a bit depressing.

  “I don’t have anything against navy blue. Just seems sort of... inappropriate for a young girl’s bedroom. Especially when the rest of the house is so light and airy.”

  “I was making a statement.”

  “I guess.” He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Your parents are great,” he said, brushing his lips against mine.

  Leaning into his kiss, the nervousness I had felt earlier slipped away. “They like you, too. Both of them. You’ve already won them over.”

  “Just like that, huh?”

  “Just like that,” I said, smiling against his lips. “They know a good thing when they see it. And I can’t wait for you to meet my grandparents. If I know Mags, she’s prepared a feast. I hope you’re hungry.”

  It was then that I noticed the bottle in his hands. “What’s that?”

  He held it up so I could get a better view. It was a bottle of expensive wine, his favorite. “I thought I’d give it to your grandmother. Perhaps we can have it with dinner.”

  A smile spread across my face. “Nice touch. You sure know how to woo my family. They love wine, living here in Lakeside near all the vineyards.”

  “So it was a good idea?”

  “I think so. They’re going to love it, and you.” I stood on tiptoe and gave him a kiss.

  A few minutes later we walked hand in hand across the field of white clover that led to the farmhouse, while birds called to one another as they swooped overhead.

  I pointed out the different areas of the farm along the way. “Straight ahead, that’s where the hay fields are, then behind us is the corn. And over there are the cow and horse pastures, and that smaller area over there is for the goats. The chicken coop is next to that, and on the other side of the farmhouse is the pond,” I said, making certain I mentioned every nook and cranny. “See, that’s not so bad. You’d be a pro in no time.”

  Christopher shook his head and laughed. “I don’t know about that,” he said, and for a moment, I detected a sliver of unease. He shielded his eyes from the midday sun and turned toward the sprawling fields. “This is pretty overwhelming to an urban guy like me. My family moved from the inner city when I was little into the suburbs, and I remember that being a huge adjustment. Country life seems incomprehensible. I’m not sure how anyone does this.” He brought my hand to his mouth and gave it a kiss. “But I love that this is where you come from. I think it’s our differences that brought us together. I’ve always believed that opposites attract.”

  Our eyes met and I gave him a small smile, but the pit of my stomach felt a bit uncomfortable. A subtle breeze moved past us as we continued our walk, and the air began to feel thick and heavy. An American flag swayed gently on the flagpole in front of Mags and Gramps’s house as a couple of farmhands worked in the distant fields.

  My family’s farm had always been a huge part of who I was, even as a teenager when I wanted to escape. It wasn’t so much the way of life I was looking to get away from, it was the thought that I was missing out on bigger and better things.

  As we approached the farmhouse, the smell of lunch wafted in the air around us and suddenly I felt my insides rumble.

  Christopher’s face lit up as he caught the scent on the soft breeze. “Is that your grandma’s cooking I smell?”

  “It is,” I said, climbing the stairs to the back porch. Before opening the door, I turned around and gave him a hug. “Thank you for coming here with me. Everything is starting to feel so real, you know? Like we’re not playing house anymore.”

  I felt him kiss the side of my head. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”

  Peeling myself away, I opened the back door and entered the large country kitchen alive with the aroma of home cooking. As I took in the various dishes that were already set out, my mouth began to water. Mags had spared no expense, just as I’d figured.

  The large rectangle table was draped in a white linen tablecloth with diverse concoctions spread out from one end to the other. The lunch menu was vying with the breakfast menu for most important meal of the day, especially when there were only six people invited to the table.

  I peeked over at Christopher and watched as his eyes danced over the plates of hand-breaded fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn bread gravy, cobs of white corn and homemade sweet rolls. And to satisfy the sweet tooth, a double-layer chocolate cake and strawberry pie piled high with whipped cream. To wash it all down, two bottles of white wine from the local vineyard sat chilling in buckets.

  “Mags, you shouldn’t have gone through all this trouble,” I said, enjoying the look of surprise that crossed her face as she turned away from the countertop.

  She began walking toward me, arms outstretched. “Addy! Come give me a hug, beautiful girl.” I laughed as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in tight.

  This . . . This was what it was all about. Love and laughter and family and fun. Family is always there for you, no matter what, even if you’re the black sheep and move far away. They love you enough to let you leave and are overjoyed every time you return. No one will ever support and love you the same way your family will, it’s a special connection you won’t find anywhere else. Now it was time to introduce them to the newest member.

  “Mags,” I said, stepping back from our embrace. “I would like to introduce you to Christopher.” I noticed the crow’s feet at the corner of her eyes seemed a bit deeper than the last time I had seen her, yet her presence remained strong and confide
nt, unaware of her advancing age.

  Without hesitation, Mags enclosed him in her arms. “It’s so good to meet you, Christopher. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “It’s good to meet you, too. Addy thinks very highly of you. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things. I’ve been looking forward to getting to know you and your family. I’m grateful to finally have the opportunity.” He held out the bottle of wine he’d brought with him. “This is for you.”

  Mags reached forward and took the bottle, then placed her hand on his cheek, her smile as genuine as the hot Georgia sun. “Thank you so much, that is very generous of you. We feel so grateful to meet you, Christopher. It’s not every day our Addy brings home a friend. You must be very special to her.” The look in her eyes told me she already knew what our trip was about. There was no getting past Mags. She placed the wine in the bucket to chill.

  “Hey, there, Addy-Cake. How’s my girl?” Gramps walked in from the family room with my parents trailing behind him. “I hear you’ve brought company with you.”

  I slid over and gave him a hug. “I have. Gramps, I’d like you to meet Christopher Bennett. Christopher, this is my grandpa Henry.”

  The two men exchanged handshakes and smiles. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. Your farm is quite impressive. Addy was pointing everything out to me on the walk over.”

  “Oh, yeah? You a country boy, son?”

  Christopher laughed. “I’m afraid not. I grew up in Pittsburgh. It’s a far cry from Lakeside. But Addy here has told me all about growing up on the farm. I especially enjoy hearing her stories of the farm animals, like when she was little and was chased by the chickens, or when she was kicked by a temperamental cow! I never get tired of her farm tales.”

  “You wouldn’t think it was so funny if it were you who got kicked by the cow,” I said, needling him in the ribs with my elbow. “In fact, if I’m not mistaken, you were afraid of a baby goat nibbling on your jacket when you were little!”

  “What can I say, I was in foreign territory.” Christopher smiled and put his arm around my waist. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the sunset while I’m here. I bet the view is amazing.”

  “You bet it’s amazing,” Gramps said. “You haven’t seen a sunset until you watch it from the swing on our front porch. The crimson blaze just above the horizon as it gives way to a violet sky. I’ll tell you what, you’ve never seen so many stars like what we have here at the farm.”

  “I’m looking forward to it, sir.”

  “Please, call me Henry.”

  “All right,” Dad said impatiently from the background. “Let’s get on with lunch, I’m starving!”

  Mags gave a silvery little laugh. “Okay, the plates are at each seat and there’s a serving spoon in every dish. You make sure you save room for dessert, Christopher. I make the best chocolate cake this side of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

  The conversation flowed easily as we loaded our plates and settled into our seats. I listened to the relaxed banter that went around the table and smiled to myself. God, I missed being home, surrounded by the people I love the most. And every time I came for a visit, the longing to be back grew stronger and stronger.

  “Addy told me once before what kind of doctor you are,” Mags said, addressing Christopher, “but I can’t remember. What exactly do you practice?”

  “I specialize in internal medicine. Basically that means we care for the whole patient, across the spectrum, not just in one concentrated area. We provide long-term, comprehensive care of both acute and chronic illnesses. It’s my goal to one day run my own practice.” Christopher turned and looked at my mom. “Addy tells me you’re a nurse. What department do you work in?”

  “I’ve been in obstetrics for almost thirty years. I was in nursing school while Addy was still a baby. Those were crazy days,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Having an infant while you’re still in nursing school is not something I would recommend!”

  Christopher smiled. “I can imagine. I hear the nurses at work talking about surviving nursing school. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to juggle school and a family.”

  “Speaking of families,” I said, pouring myself another glass of wine, “we have something we’d like to share with you.” I looked around the table at the expectant eyes of my family and held out my left hand. “Christopher asked me to marry him and I said yes.”

  “That is, if we have your blessing,” he added quickly.

  A loud shriek went up and before I knew it, my mom was on top of me, hugging me until it hurt. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Christopher shaking hands with first my dad, then Gramps while Mags stared on with a distant smile. Everyone took turns congratulating us and then finally I came face-to-face with my grandmother.

  “Congratulations, Addy,” she said softly, gathering me in her arms. “I’m so happy for you. I love you so much.”

  My eyes clouded over. “I love you, too, Mags.”

  “This deserves a toast!” Dad said, grabbing more glasses from the cupboard. “What do we have to drink besides wine? Do we have any champagne?”

  Mags laughed. “Heavens no, Carl! Who do you think we are? I’m afraid all we have around here is another bottle of wine from the local vineyard. Had I known we would be celebrating, I would have been better prepared.” She gave me a crooked smile. “Is that okay with you, Addy?”

  “That would be perfect, Mags. Wine and dessert go hand in hand.”

  Wedding talk flowed casually over dessert, and afterward we stood up from the table and began to clear our plates. “I’ll help you clean up, Mags,” Mom said, planting a kiss on my grandmother’s cheek.

  “Nonsense, Renee. You go into the family room with the boys. Addy will stay and help,” she said, looking over at me. “Won’t you, honey?”

  It wasn’t really a question. “Of course I will. I was planning to anyway.”

  The smile on Mags’s face grew wider and a hint of secrecy gleamed in her eyes. I knew exactly what she was up to, and I wasn’t at all opposed. Some of our most memorable conversations had taken place over a sink full of dirty dishes, Mags washing and me drying.

  First menstruation, first kiss, that porno magazine my innocent eyes had witnessed when I was a mere thirteen—there was no such thing as a taboo topic when it came to girl time with Mags. Mom and I exchanged a knowing look as she took her cue and ushered the men into the next room. I turned and gave Christopher a quick kiss before he followed the herd from the kitchen.

  “So, a doctor, huh?” Mags said as she turned on the water to fill the sink. “That’s a pretty good catch there.”

  I poured more wine into my glass and nodded. Following her lead, I began to slide the dirty dishes into the warm water. “I’m pretty lucky. He’s amazing,” I said, taking a glimpse into the next room. Mom, Dad, Gramps, and Christopher were seated in the plush cushions of the couch, the hum of the TV in the background, but no one seemed to be paying attention. Waves of laughter and easy conversation drifted in as the four carried on comfortably with one another.

  Mags and I switched sides at the sink as we began our normal routine; she washed and rinsed a plate, then passed it on to me to dry. “Christopher is great, Addy, he really is. But you’re engaged pretty quickly, don’t you think?” she asked, slipping me a sideways smile. She was never one to mince words; it was one of the things I loved most about her.

  “I know it may seem rushed, but we’ve known each other for quite some time now. We were friends of sorts before we began dating, and that’s how it should be, right?”

  “I don’t disagree with you. You should most definitely be friends first.” Mags was quiet for a moment as she washed and rinsed the next plate, and I took a quick sip of wine before she handed me the dish. “Now, don’t get mad, Addy, but I have to ask—are you certain you’re getting married for the right reasons? You’re not pregnant, are you?”

  I choked, nearly spitting the wine out of my mouth. “What? No, I’m
not pregnant! Of course not! Oh my God, Mags,” I hissed, looking over my shoulder into the next room, making sure everyone was out of earshot. Leaning in closer to her, I felt a slow burn crawl over my cheeks. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I have a career that I love, a beautiful home, and a wonderful man I’m about to marry. This is just the next step. What more could I ask for?”

  Setting down the plate she was holding, Mags stared at me over the rim of her glasses, an expression I couldn’t quite read covering her face. “It’s one thing to be happy, it’s another to feel satisfied. Christopher loves you, that much is obvious, but . . . do you love him? I mean, really love him? Do you feel satisfied?”

  “Mags!” I responded, my eyes wide with surprise. “What’s gotten into you? I don’t understand where this is coming from. Do you not like Christopher? Is that what this is about?” The desperation in my voice was evident, even to me. What would I do if she didn’t approve of my fiancé? I had never in my life doubted the advice Mags had given me; I trusted her more than I trusted anyone.

  This . . . this . . . couldn’t be happening.

  “Of course I like Christopher, he’s a lovely young man. It’s just . . . I see the way you look at him, it’s like you’re not really seeing him. It’s as if you’re going through the motions somehow, but not really feeling them. Happiness is about being happy in your life, but satisfaction means feeling happy about your life. It’s about the big picture. I can’t explain it, but there’s something about your eyes. They just don’t light up the way they should. The way I’ve seen them light up before.”

  I stood there for a moment in total shock. What is this? What is she talking about? It felt as if Mags had just toppled over a complicated puzzle I had carefully constructed, spewing the tiny fragments everywhere. And the pieces, no matter how hard I tried to fit them together, just weren’t making any sense. My eyebrows hitched together in confused offense. “Then you need to get your glasses checked, Mags. They seem to be a bit foggy.”