Sighing, I shift my gaze, but it finds its way back to her again. The staff guides Siya and Baba towards the setup now. A wide wooden vat is placed at the centre, filled halfway with freshly harvested dark, glossy grapes. It’s large enough for someone to step into comfortably.
Kriti is speaking to the staff, ensuring that everything is arranged properly. For a moment, her eyes flick towards me, staying a second longer than necessary, but I don’t acknowledge it. My focus is elsewhere.On Siya…who is staring at the vat in surprise.
“This is the grape-crushing setup, isn’t it?” she asks excitedly.
Baba smiles, clearly pleased. “Yes. It’s one of the most popular and enjoyable activities of the tour.”
“I’ve heard about this,” she admits, stepping a little closer, her eyes taking in the arrangement with interest. “People actually love this part the most.”
“They do,” Baba nods. “Not for the wine, but for the experience.”
She pauses, studying the vat again.
“Aren’t these usually deeper?” she asks, glancing back at him. “With higher walls and steps to get in?”
Baba smiles at that. “Yes, we have those too. Different setups. The larger ones are used for traditional processing and for adults who want the full experience.” He gestures towards the smaller vat in front of us. “This one is meant for lighter interaction, mostly for the kids who want to enjoy themselves. We’ll go to the other setups after this.”
Her expression shifts instantly. She looks at the vat again, then back at him, almost impatient now.
“Can I go in this one?” she asks quickly. “I don’t want to wait.”
Baba nods, amused. “Yes, you can.”
That’s all it takes. She steps forward and slips off her shoes without thinking twice. She looks at the vat again and steps in. Her foot sinks into the grapes, the unexpected texture causing her to pause mid-movement. The expression on her face changes instantly. Surprise, followed by something almost childlike.
“It feels… different,” she says.
Baba chuckles and asks her to move. She does. Slowly at first, testing her balance, and adjusting to the uneven surface. But then a tiny laugh slips out, and little by little, she relaxes into it. The grapes shift under her weight, and just like that, Siya forgets herself. She laughs freely and talks to Baba, describing every little sensation she experiences while crushing those grapes.
I can hear Haider saying something beside me, but his words hardly register. I’m engrossed in watching Siya… longer than I should be. Finally, Haider stops mid-sentence and follows my line of sight.
I never thought that a simple grape-crushing experience could bring such joy to someone’s face. Feeling more confident now, Siya lifts her arms slightly as she tries to maintain her balance. Baba tells her to slow down, but she only laughs and replies that she’s enjoying it.
Then her eyes find mine, and when she realises I’m watching herintently,her steps falter. My body reacts before my mind does. I take a step forward, but she steadies herself, adjusts her stance, and slows down after that.
I know I should step back, but I don’t. Because the next second, her balance tilts again. That’s it. Without thinking, I take off my jacket and hand it to Haider, who immediately knows what I’m about to do.
Before Siya can lose her footing completely, I march forward and step into the vat beside her. The crushed grapes sink further under my weight, the texture turning squishy and unstable, butI don’t care. My grab her waist and pull her towards me before she can fall.
Her body crashes against mine, her palm flattening against my chest while her other hand fists the fabric of my polo neck for support. For a moment, everything around us goes still. And the worst part is, she doesn’t pull away. Although she’s surprised, there is no awkwardness or hesitation in the way she clings to me.
As ifthis… between us… is normal.
Then she looks up at me and pulls her brows together. “What are you doing?” she mutters.
I tighten my hold on her.
“What does it look like?” I reply. “You were about to fall.”
“I could have managed,” she shoots back immediately.
“But you didn’t,” I counter, my gaze still not leaving hers.
Her jaw tightens as she tries to pull away, almost as if to prove her point, but the moment she does, her foot slips again. That’s it. I’m done entertaining this.
Before she can say another word, I bend down, without breaking eye contact, and slide one arm around her back while the other slips beneath her knees.I lift her effortlessly into my arms.
A soft gasp escapes her before she can stop it. But that’s not what worries me. It’s the sudden silence around us. I can feel it without looking. Every pair of eyes is on me. I don’t need to look at Baba, Haider, Kriti, or even the staff standing at a distance to know how this looks from the outside.
