The Truth is in the Wine

by Curtis Bunn

  The more she thought about it, the more she realized that every time she looked at him, he was looking at her. He did know, she thought. At the very least he was studying me, trying to figure out how I’d look more than forty years later, she thought.

  Brenda did not know what to do, how to handle it, but she washed her hands, took a deep breath and went back to the table. Both of the men stood up to greet her. Lionel held her chair for her.

  “Gentlemen,” Brenda said. “Thought they went out with bell bottoms. Thank you.”

  She got settled in her seat and refused to look up at Mitch. She immediately started talking about a bad blind date experience.

  “My friend, Celeste, set me up with this man about three months ago,” Brenda began. “And, look at me, I’m five-foot-five. This man she introduced me to was the same height as me. Now, I don’t have anything against short men. Just keep them away from me.”

  Everyone laughed. She glanced at Mitchell and her heart fluttered. That smile was the one that owned her heart when she was twenty. She knew for sure then. And she was panicked.

  She also knew then that he knew because he stared at her as if he was sending a message.

  “Mitchell,” she said to him. Just hearing her say his name made him sit up in his seat.

  “Mitch,” Madeline corrected Brenda. “Not Mitchell.”

  “Actually,” he said, “Mitchell is my given name. Only a few people in the world still call me that.”

  He stared at Brenda as he spoke. “But most people call me ‘Mitch,’ ” he added. Then he said, “You were going to ask me a question.”

  “I was,” Brenda said. “I was going to ask how did you pick Lionel to bring with you for me to meet?”

  “Good question,” Madeline said.

  Mitchell smiled and looked away. Then he said, “From the way Madeline described you, I figured you deserved to meet a man who is a good man, committed, smart…someone you’d be comfortable with. Did I do you justice?”

  Brenda glanced at Lionel and looked back at Mitchell. “Let me put it to you this way: I am really glad I am sitting here right now,” she said.

  Everyone smiled as Brenda reached for her wine. Then she remembered that Madeline called Mitchell from Brenda’s phone because Madeline’s battery was weak. She had his cell number and thought of texting him to meet her near the bathrooms. Her mind was consumed with how to broach the subject and how to get a few minutes alone with him.

  She did her best to learn more about him while not seeming as if she was prying.

  “So how is it that two fine men like you are single?” Brenda asked, while grinning with Madeline.

  “Yes, I’d like to know the same thing,” Madeline said.

  “Unfortunately,” Lionel said, “I am a widower. My wife passed a few years ago now. Kidney failure… And I have not found that one woman since. Didn’t even know how to begin to start my life again, really. So…”

  “Sorry to hear that, Lionel,” Madeline said. “I can relate to losing a spouse. My husband died about a year ago, suddenly.”

  “I understand what you’re going through,” Lionel said. “Be patient. Somehow, you’ll find your way.”

  “And you, Mitchell?” Brenda asked. She was not in a mood to hear Madeline’s story.

  “Well, I have been divorced for a while now,” he answered. “I think there could be just one person really meant for you. And she was not it.”

  She knew Mitchell was speaking to her in code. She was so excited and amazed and scared that she did not know what to do.

  “Lionel, so where did you meet Mitchell?” she asked.

  “We actually met in the Army many years ago in North Carolina and stayed in touch. Then we ran into each other years later in Korea. I’m from out here, Oakland. Always felt I’d come back this way when I retired. So I have been back on the West Coast for a long time now. When he told me he was moving to San Diego, it was great because we could get together regularly.”

  “And you and Madeline met in Atlanta, right, Mitchell?” Brenda asked.

  “We did,” Mitch said. “I was visiting a few months ago.”

  “That’s it?” Madeline asked. “There’s more to it than that. Lionel gave a better answer about meeting you than you gave about meeting me.”

  She smiled as she said it, but Madeline was a little perturbed by his answer. “Oh, I wasn’t trying to bore folks with the details,” he said. “I was just getting to the point.”

  “Why would anyone be bored by how we met?” Madeline asked.

  “Excuse me; wrong use of words,” he said. “Brenda, I was visiting your fair city to play golf before the weather broke and visiting with my sister, who I hadn’t seen in a long time. She and Madeline here happen to go to the same church. And at the end of service we were introduced by a friend of my sister’s and have been sort of pals since then.”

  “Now that story was sounding good until the ‘pals’ part,” Madeline said.

  “Everything is a process,” he said. “Gotta be pals to get anywhere else.”

  “Pals sounds a little too buddy-buddy for me,” Madeline said.

  “It’s really just semantics,” Mitchell said. “I came all the way up here from San Diego and then drove ninety minutes because I wanted to see you. And I’m glad I did.”

  He looked at Brenda as he said that last sentence. And she knew he was trying to say to her that Madeline meant nothing to him. But to draw his attention back to her, Madeline leaned into Mitchell’s ear and whispered into it. It was if she sensed his interest in Brenda or Brenda’s in him—or just felt that she was not getting enough attention.

  The last thing Brenda wanted to do was upset Madeline. They had spent the better part of three days together and had overcome some hang-ups in order to, for the first time, feel like friends, like family. Their kids were elated about it, and so she did not want to upset that which was just built.

  At the same time, she had told the group on Thanksgiving that she remained in love or “the idea of love” with Mitchell after more than four decades. Now, miraculously, he was sitting across from her. How could she simply let him drive off, even if she did have his phone number? She was headed back across country the next evening.

  Then a small miracle happened: Lionel excused himself to take a call from his son and Madeline spilled a little Shiraz on her dress and excused herself to tend to it. This happened at the same time.

  Brenda took a deep breath as Madeline rose from the table. Mitch helped her out of her chair and he did not sit back down. Rather, he stood across from Brenda, staring down on her. So, she rose from her chair, all the while looking into his eyes, the same eyes that were so hurt many years before.

  He moved Madeline’s chair out of the way and approached Brenda, who was defenseless. Mitchell delicately placed his hands on her shoulders.

  “Brenda,” he said.

  “Mitchell,” she said. “I can’t believe this. It’s really you.”

  He shook his head. “This is amazing,” he said. “I have thought about you so often over all these years.”

  “I have never stopped thinking about you,” Brenda said. “I even got on my daughter’s Facebook page and put your name in there to see if I could find you.”

  “That’s funny,” Mitchell said. “I remember the last time I saw you.”

  “I remember it, too,” Brenda said. “I remember it well.”

  “You look fantastic,” Mitchell said, smiling. “When I saw you, I felt something. Just through seeing you, I felt something.”

  “You felt familiar to me,” Brenda explained. “And then suddenly, I knew it. And my heart started beating so fast.”

  They stood there for a few seconds, looking into each other’s eyes just as Lionel was returning from his phone call and as Madeline emerged from the bathroom. They stopped side-by-side in their tracks, stunned by what they witnessed.

  “How could this happen?” Mitchell said.

  “I don’t know,
” Brenda said. “I guess it was meant to happen. What else could it be? I mean—”

  Mitchell leaned in and kissed her in midsentence. She kissed him back and Lionel and Madeline looked at each other. “What is going on?” she asked.

  “Hell if I know,” Lionel said. “But let’s go find out.”

  He let her pass and they headed to the table, where Brenda and Mitchell stood in loving embrace.

  “Ahem,” Madeline said as she returned. “Y’all been busy since we left.”

  “Oh, please, sit down,” Brenda said. “You won’t believe this.”

  “I already don’t believe it,” Madeline said.

  Everyone got seated and Brenda said, “Madeline, do you remember on Thanksgiving I told you about the love of my life when I was twenty?”

  “No way,” Madeline said.

  “Yes, it’s him, Mitchell,” Brenda said. “I’m so shocked I don’t know what to think.”

  “Wait. The man you said went off to the Army when you were a kid? This is the guy?” Madeline said.

  “You told her about me?” Mitchell asked.

  “Just a few days ago I told her about you and about us,” Brenda said.

  “Wow,” Lionel said. “So, I guess it’s safe to say this is the woman you spoke of on our drive up here.”

  “Huh?” Brenda said. “What did he say?”

  “He said his heart has only been broken once in his life—about forty years ago,” Lionel recalled. “Said he never told anyone that he was practically in tears over this woman. Turns out you’re the woman.”

  “I feel like I’m dreaming,” Brenda said.

  “Me, too,” Madeline said with sarcasm. Then she gathered herself. She stood up and hugged Brenda. “I’m so happy for you. This is incredible, really. Of all the people in the world…Any-way, Lionel, would you like to join me at the bar for a drink?”

  “I’d love to,” he said, leaving the table to Brenda and Mitchell.

  CHAPTER 21

  JACKPOT

  Ginger and Paul arrived at French Blue and were floating. The realization that they would have a child set in with each passing minute, and it injected their lives with a joy they simply had not had since Helena was declared theirs.

  The restaurant was located on quaint Main Street, across from a chic boutique hotel, lined with specialty shops and restaurants. There was a coolness in the night air, a freshness, which was perfect for the occasion.

  A white brick, lit fireplace greeted them outside the entrance of the destination, where people sat outside in light jackets and sweaters enjoying the climate. Inside was open and airy, with beautiful light hues and sparkling lighting. The huge windows stretched the entire width of the front of the place, and fresh flowers and tasteful art adorned the walls.

  There was a wonderful vibe to the dining room, a wonderful smell. It felt like a celebration.

  They were seated at a table near the front windows. Paul insisted Ginger take the seat with her back to the window so she could take in the entire restaurant.

  This type of thoughtfulness had abandoned Paul many years before, and it had become so routine that Ginger forgot how special it felt to be treated like a priority. She could not pass on the opportunity to let him know that.

  “It’s very nice to be treated like you love me,” she said.

  “I do love you and I’m sorry it took all that we have gone through to get back to showing you that I do,” Paul said. “But now that I’m here, I’m here for good.”

  “I believe you. I do,” she said. “But we’re going to have a baby pretty soon and definitely be wrapped up in her. I don’t mean to spoil this great feeling we have, but we’ve got to figure out the financial part of this. A kid, as much as you love him, is costly.”

  Paul smiled. “What are you smiling about?” Ginger said.

  “You’re extra pretty when you’re pregnant,” he said.

  Ginger smiled, but she was not thrown off course. “This is serious, Paul,” she said. “We’ve got to get on a budget. You know how much stuff we have to get? Clothes, crib, bassinet, stroller—”

  “Wait,” he said, “I thought that’s what the baby shower was for.”

  “I see you’re in a silly mood so we can talk about it another time,” Ginger said. “But keep in mind I have to get maternity clothes, too, as I get bigger and bigger.”

  “Hold that thought,” Paul said as he addressed the server.

  He ordered a glass of sparkling water for Ginger and a glass of champagne for himself. They perused the menu; everything read divinely, as menus do when you are especially hungry.

  “I’m thinking fish,” Ginger said.

  “Good; fish has the Omega3 that everyone is saying we need in our diets now,” Paul said.

  “Yes, but not all fish, though,” Ginger added. “It’s wild salmon, tuna, trout, sardines and maybe one other that have the most benefits… And I see trout on the menu. That’s what I’m having.”

  “I am so hungry,” Paul said. “I’m going to start with a salad, the Living Butter Lettuce with rosemary-buttermilk dressing and candied pecans. Then I want the Head-On Wild Gulf Shrimp with harissa butter, roasted garlic and something called levain. And for my entrée I’m going to have the Fisherman’s Stew with sea scallops, red snapper, squid, tomato-fennel broth and pine nuts. And whatever they have for dessert.”

  “You act like you’re the one pregnant,” Ginger said.

  “I am pregnant,” he said. “I might not be carrying the baby, but I am so connected to you and this pregnancy.”

  Ginger smiled. She could not believe how her life had evolved in a matter of months. The same person who was distant and docile and eventually asked for a divorce was now caring and thoughtful and doing a nice job toward rebuilding their marriage.

  She turned away to retrieve hand sanitizer from her purse and when she turned back toward Paul, there was a small jewelry box in front of her. Paul’s sleight-of-hand was impressive; Ginger did not see him move at all.

  “What’s this?” Ginger asked.

  “Looks like a box to me,” Paul answered.

  The surprise on her face was priceless as she slowly opened the small box, revealing a stunning diamond in platinum setting.

  “Paul…”

  “I hope you like it,” he said.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said. “But why? And how—”

  Paul cut her off. “Why? Because I love you and because you’re here with me, still here with me after all of my craziness,” he said. “You deserve nice things and so much more.”

  “All I really want is for us to have a great family; that’s it,” she said.

  “Well, let’s do that,” he said. “But there’s one thing I have to tell you.”

  Ginger’s face went from joyous to concerned. She did not want to hear anything that would take away from their jovial spirit. And she told him so.

  “Maybe I should hear this at another time,” she said. “We’re in such a good place right now. Let’s let it last a little longer.”

  Paul smiled. “You sure?” he said. “I can wait. But I think it’s time you know this.”

  His smile helped Ginger; he wouldn’t smile if it were bad news. He got a job, she thought. She wanted to say it, but didn’t want to take away from his moment.

  “Okay, go ahead,” she said.

  “Now, don’t be mad I didn’t tell you this before now,” he started.

  “See, you’re making me nervous,” she said.

  “Don’t be,” Paul said. “All this time and I never really thought about how I would tell you this.”

  “Just say it,” Ginger blurted out.

  “We’re rich,” Paul said.

  She was stumped. “What?”

  “Baby, two months ago, I hit the lottery—eight million dollars!”

  He pulled out and handed to her a copy of the check and a bank statement with their names on it that had two million dollars deposited in it and another that had another two-
million plus in it.

  “I…I… I’m…I’m.…Brenda could not get out a sentence.

  Paul sat back in his chair with his arms folded, smiling.

  “Paul, what is this?” she finally said.

  “Breathe,” he told her. “Take it easy. I hit the lottery, baby. I couldn’t believe it. I read those numbers over and over again at least ten times. I literally pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. It was real. Gin, it was a little more than four million after taxes. Pinch yourself so you know you’re not dreaming.”

  Ginger closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then tears seeped from them and down the sides of her face. And then she let out a scream.

  “Oh, my God,” she said.

  The people in the restaurant thought Paul had proposed to her because they saw the ring on the table. Those in adjacent tables clapped.

  “Baby, can you believe this?” he said.

  Ginger did not answer. She held her hand over her mouth. Paul went around the table and hugged her. “Our life is set up to be anything we want it to be now, Gin,” he said. “Anything.”

  She still did not say a word. He helped her wipe away tears before going back to his seat.

  “This is so crazy,” Ginger finally said. “Paul…”

  “I know,” he interjected. “I still can’t believe it.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Ginger said. “How could you not tell me? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Paul’s salad came before he could answer. “Congratulations,” the server said. They said in unison: “Thank you.”

  He reached across the table for Ginger’s hands and he blessed the food. “Dear Lord, we thank You for this food we are about to receive for the nourishment of our bodies. And we thank You for the amazing blessing You have delivered to us. Only You could be this gracious. Thank You, God. Amen.”

  Paul grabbed a small plate and shared his salad with Ginger. He bit into his third piece of bread with rosemary butter, which was so delicious that he asked the server if they sold the butter.

  “Baby, I didn’t tell you at first because I wasn’t sure you still loved me,” he said.