The year had kicked off with a bang, as it usually did. Everyone on the farm had two relaxing weeks over the festive period, but three days into the new year, they had to complete the preparations for the Harvest Festival and then the subsequent harvesting. These first three months of the year was the culmination of a year’s hard work. It would be the test for Marcus to see if he made the right decisions. Well, he and the rest of the team led by Marc.
His father was the Cellar Master, but Marcus had been taking more and more control over the last two years and had been experimenting with new cultivars. It could’ve been Marc’s way of making peace with his eldest son and, in working together, they had formed a kind of truce, but they still hadn’t formed a bond.
It was a tradition that all the family members and permanent staff at Blue Mountain and Twin Peaks joined in for the first picking. This year, Annie and the kids joined too, which surprised Marcus. The previous year she still refused. He was even more surprised that she had stayed when she realised which block they were picking. He had seen her face resting on his house on the hill. Her eyes had then drifted over to his favourite spot in the garden, and the vineyard spread out below to the river.
Marcus wanted her to look at him. He wanted her to understand, but she refused to look at him.
He sighed and concentrated on the task ahead. Everyone, except Annie, was in high spirits as they, with the handful of pickers, gathered at the small block they would pick today.
Marcus had an emotional tie with this block. He harvested it the first time after his return from South America and made the Annebelle Methode Cap Classique. It is now the fifth year in production and one of their signature wines.
As he explained to Annie years ago, the sea breeze had benefited the grapes. He had been proved right. It seemed that the soil mixture was ideal for wines like the Annebelle.
It was early in the harvest season, and the grapes should still be acidic. From this almost two tons of grapes, Marcus aimed to produce a neutral, dry based wine that could develop.
Tomorrow would be the Harvest Festival parade, and on Monday they would start picking the rest of the blocks.
As Marcus suspected, it didn’t take long for the group of people to pick the block. The sun was not even high yet when the tractors made their way to the cellars, followed by everyone who had helped. Marcus and Marc met them at the cellars where they witnessed the pressing of the grape bunches. They then moved to the courtyard between the cellars and the tasting rooms. Marc still upheld one of the old traditions of the farm called the blessing of the grapes. Afterwards, when they raised their glasses in a toast to the harvest, Marcus caught Annie’s eyes. He held up his glass in a silent toast: This one is for you, Annie.
Marcus willed her to understand his reasoning. Did Annie remember that he planted the block just before he left for South America? Did she remember the day they spoke about getting married and building a house?
He made the first vintage just after Annie left for New York. It surprised Marcus that nobody questioned the name he had given the wine. They might think it had to do with Anna. Only Marcus had known the truth. After today, he knew that Annie would too.
When the group dispersed, Marcus wanted to speak to Annie. He found her alone in the cellar, staring at the grapes. Marcus went to stand behind her and called her name. When she turned, Marcus could not breathe. Annie’s eyes were bright. He ached to hold her, but Annie’s posture told him to stay away.
She said nothing. Marcus said, “I didn’t forget my promise, Annie.”
“Which promise, Marcus?” Annie asked.
“You know which one, Annie. Don’t you remember I told you I'd name the wine that came from that vineyard after you.”
He made good on his promise because Annebelle stood for Annie and Belle, the magazine Annie worked for in New York.
Annie drew in her breath. She mouthed the name and swallowed. She closed the distance between them to stand right in front of him. Her eyes looked sad when she shook her head, “It’s a shame you didn’t keep the other promise you made that day, Marcus.”
Marcus frowned, “What other promises?”
“To love me until the end of time.”
Marcus drew in his breath, but Annie didn’t give him a chance to respond. She stepped around him and disappeared in a flash. Marcus started after her, calling out to her, but he didn’t get far as Adam came in and said, “There you are. There is a phone call for you. I’ve been searching for you everywhere.”
A disappointed Marcus followed his brother. He hoped that he would have time to speak to Annie soon.
As soon as Marcus’ footsteps died away, Anna turned towards her husband. She didn’t hide the tears flowing over her cheeks.
“We made a big mistake, Marc. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself. We each had suffered five years without seeing one of our children because of that decision. We first saw Annie trying to cope with Marcus’ leaving. Then we saw them both making the mistake of marrying someone they didn’t love. We’ve seen Marcus struggle through an unhappy marriage. We’ve seen the result of Annie’s decision to marry Kent. I’ve regretted it ever since.”
Marc wrapped his arm around his wife, “We thought we did the right thing, my Love. We were parents. Of course, we worried about them as they were both so young. What if they made a mistake and regretted it later?”
“I know, but it doesn’t make me feel better. They are still hurting now, years later and it’s all our fault. I wish I could do something.”
“No, Anna. We can’t interfere in their lives again. We made that mistake once. I believe that if they should get back together again, they would.”
Anna sighed, leaning against Marc, “I know you’re right, but I still hope their eyes would open, and Annie would forgive Marcus for whatever he had done. I’ve seen how they look at each other, just as they had done years ago, especially when the other one is not looking. I think they still love each other.”
“I’ve seen it too. All we could do is to give Marcus and Annie a chance to work it out for themselves. Promise me, Anna.”
“I promise, but if ever one of them come to talk to me, I will not keep quiet. Will you promise me to do the same?”
Marc kissed Anna’s hair and sighed, “You know, after all these years, I still can’t say no to you. I promise.”
Five bloody months!
Marcus cursed, slamming his palm against the wall in frustration, and regretted it when he felt the sting. His action elicited a strange look from Adam, but Marcus ignored it.
Five months since that first kiss in December, and he still couldn’t get it out of his mind. Was he stupid? All it did was to make him ache more for her than he had before. Her avoiding him didn’t help.
Marcus hadn’t seen much of Annie after the first picking in January. The first three months were his busiest time of the year. He had even let the kids stay up at the big house as most mornings he had been up at four, so they could start picking. By six, when most people woke up, they were in the vineyards.
He only went to the big house to play with the children for an hour in the afternoon. He then had an early dinner with them in the kitchen before Marcus went up to his own house to sleep.
Harvesting kept him busy, but somehow he still had enough time to think of those two kisses.
Annie had kissed him back, but she might now regret it. His first instinct was to go back for more, but Marcus didn’t have the time. Annie had anyway avoided him. He should’ve expected that because Marcus wouldn’t be surprised if she still hated him.
It didn’t stop him from thinking about the kisses. Would he have liked to do it again?
Hell, yes! Should he? That was where his problem lay. His heart told him to try, but his logic told him it was a stupid idea.
Time had slipped by without him being able to follow up on his decision to pursue Annie. It felt as if everything transpired against him.
Things should normalise after the Fashion Week, and then Marcus would take his chance.
Marcus listened to the conversation between Annie and Melanie. His excuse was that the two sisters were chatting on the patio just outside the living room and they were not trying to lower their voices. He deducted, therefore that it was not a secret discussion.
“Why are you not wearing your jewellery anymore? You used to love wearing them, and now I don’t see you wearing any,” Melanie said. Before Annie could answer, Melanie said, “I envied you that heart necklace you used to wear. I promised myself that when I was older, I will ask you if I could borrow it for my Matric Dance. Where did you get it?”
Annie’s voice sounded so sad when she answered, “I got it for my sixteenth birthday from someone I thought cared about me,” that Marcus’ heart lurched.
He remembered the necklace. She always wore it, sometimes hidden underneath her clothes. And he could still remember that she had worn it the first time they made love, glistening against her skin.
He clenched his jaw. The next moment he pulled in his breath when Melanie insisted again, “So why don’t you wear jewellery?”
“Because I don’t have any,” Annie whispered. “Not anymore.”
Melanie gasped, “What do you mean? You had loads of jewellery. I remember Mum and Dad gave you that beautiful necklace for your matric dance and you got the matching bracelet for your twenty-first. What happened to them?”
Annie stayed quiet for so long that Marcus thought she would not answer, but she said. “Kent had pawned the pieces that were worth something. The rest, like the heart necklace, he threw away. The day Kent took that necklace, pulling it off my neck, not caring that he hurt me, I should’ve known that something was wrong. When he tossed it out of the window, he laughed. It scared me.”
Marcus bunched his fists. If he could find Kent Brodie, he would beat him to a pulp. Why had no one ever told him why Annie had left Kent? This information was the first that gave him an inkling of what went on in her marriage. But knowing Linda and her connection with Kent, Marcus should have expected it.
“Oh, Annie. I wish you’ve spoken up earlier. We thought you two were living the high life in New York,” Melanie commiserated.
Annie snorted. “Kent lived the high life. I worked. I wish I’d seen the signs before I married him, but I had too much personal stuff going on. He took advantage, encouraging me to go to New York. I thought Kent wanted me to succeed in my career and I was desperate to get away from here, from and… Anyway, I jumped at the chance to work in New York not realising that Kent had seen it as an opportunity to alienate me from everything and everyone familiar.”
“Well, it is over now. You’re back here with your family and friends. Everyone loves you, and we’ll not allow Kent to hurt you ever again,” Melanie vowed.
“Everyone?” Annie snorted. “I doubt it.”
“What do you mean? Everyone loves you and Maddie.”
Melanie sounded confused. Marcus wasn’t. He knew who Annie meant when she replied, “Maddie, yes, but not everyone loves me. Trust me. I learned the hard way.”
Marcus closed his eyes and thought, “You’re wrong, Annie. If you give me another chance, I’ll show you.”
Marcus exhaled. So how the hell was he going to do that? He shouldn’t think about it. He never got a chance to talk to her. Since that conversation in the cellars, Annie avoided him.
Marcus thought for a while and formulated a plan. Then he stood up. He might have an idea. He just didn’t know if he could pull it off or if Annie would allow him to.
A few minutes later he was in his car on his way into town. He knew where to go to find what he had in mind. He’d been there before.