The grape harvest was in full swing.Sambarely let them get their bags in the door, when he took them offfor a tour of the vineyard.He had laborers helping with theharvest this year.
“Dad harvests his grapes by hand, which ismore expensive a process but protects the grape,” explainedLily.
“I am a traditionalist,” offered Sam waving ahand toward the vineyard.“But I don’t have enough acreage toharvest by machine.”
“I’m afraid I know nothing about harvestingand making wine,” said Sandy.
“Great!”Lily’s eyebrow arched.“Then Ifinally know more than you do about something!”
“And that’s okay with me.”
“Quit picking on Sandy,” chuckled Sam.“Let’sget you two into pickin’ clothes.I have overalls, but you can wearjeans.I sure wouldn’t wear anything that grape juice wouldwreck.”
“I want the overalls, Dad, and so doesSandy.”
“You bet I do.”
After freshening up and changing, they met atthe front of the vineyard.Everyone was given buckets and theybegan picking the grapes.It’s a laborious process but must be doneat the moment the viticulturist or winemaker says the grapes areready.Working on a hilly terrain was tricky keeping one’s balance.Lily showed Sandy how to plant his feet, so he wouldn’t slip.
Sam watched their every move out of thecorner of his eye.Lily was definitely in love with this cowboy.She was so solicitous of everything he did—like she revolved aroundhim.She was in his orbit.If Sandy had been almost anybody else,Sam would have kicked up his heels in glee.Instead, he foundhimself almost moping.
Sandy wasn’t sure how to gauge Sam Cable’sreactions.He didn’t know the man at all, but he had hoped for himto be a little more congenial.Sam seemed to pull in when he shouldhave been reaching out.What’s going on here?Is it the “he’staking my little girl from me” problem again?That didn’t seemappropriate, since Lily had been married once before, albeitbriefly.
What an incredibly tiring day…Sandy was ingood shape, but harvesting grapes used a different muscle set.Allthat standing, bending, picking, crouching… He’d be sore tonight,he knew.
“You guys about done with that row, honey?”Sam called out from a back row.
“Yes, Dad.Want us to start another one?”
Sandy stretched his back and hoped hedidn’t.
“That’s good for today.We’ve made a gooddent.”
They trooped tiredly back to the house, whilethe laborers left for the day.Everyone would be back at it brightand early tomorrow morning.That evening, over dinner, Sandyreceived a crash course in winemaking.
“There are many processes to winemaking.”Samproceeded to take them through de-stemming, crushing to extract thejuice, alcoholic fermentation and racking, where the clear wine isremoved from the sediment.Sandy’s head swirled with viticultureinformation.
“My beautiful daughter grew up with my variedattempts at winemaking.Some not always as successful as others,”Sam laughed.
“Dad, I’m pooped.We need to get some sleepbefore we get up and do it all again,” Lily whined.Sandy tiredlynodded.
“Of course.Lily, you’re in your old bedroomand Sandy has the guest room.All the sheets are clean and newtowels already installed in the bathrooms.”
Sam went to clean up the kitchen, while Sandyand Lily made their way to the bedrooms.Lily mouthed “Sorry” atSandy as they went into separate bedrooms; Sandy wasn’t surprised.They weren’t married and her dad was old-fashioned—and that wasfine.He would have liked to kiss her goodnight, however.Thatwould no doubt embarrass her father, so he just wished hergoodnight.
Sam dried the dinner dishes long after thedishes were no longer wet.He was desperately thinking of how tohandle what was surely going to happen.Sandy was a decent, wellbrought-up man, but…this was going to be much harder than hethought.When Sam was too tired to think anymore, he wearilywandered to his bedroom, and sank down on his feather bed.Sleepdidn’t come easily.
* * *
The next day was a copy of the first.Theywalked all over the hills behind Sam’s house picking every grapecluster that looked ripe.Sam would wander around with hisrefractometer, a device that checks sugar levels.He would alwayscome up to tease Lily and ask Sandy how he was doing.Sandy noticedhe kept his distance.Something was wrong, he decided, but he wouldlet Sam bring it up when it was time.That time would probably betonight, since he and Lily had to leave tomorrow.
After the harvest finished for the day, Samsaid, “Get dressed, you two.I’m taking you out for dinner.”
“Dad, not the Hitching Post!”
“It’s a great restaurant, really, Sandy.Lilyjust has been there one too many times.”
Sandy laughed.“That’s fine, Mr.Cable.Anyplace you say, but I’d like to pay, if you don’t mind.Just torepay you for your hospitality this weekend.”
