Page 20 of Always Yours

“So you guys know how to do all this?” Will asks and I can hear the amazement in his voice.

“Yep, and we’ve been doing it for years now,” my sister says, knowing it has become like second nature for both of us. “It was kinda nice having that annoying Australian boy around because he could help me with all the stupid crap I had to do here.”

Will and I both chuckle a little at Lauren’s words, knowing as much as she’d like to keep up this ruse that she doesn’t like him, we know differently.

“Most of the time we get assigned the tasks that no one wants to do, but from doing all the menial shit, we learned a lot too.”

“So this is where you’ll work when you graduate then?” Will asks, but there’s more of an awe in his tone than anything.

“Yeah, probably, but since I’m going to school for business and accounting, I’ll take over the books and administrative side of things and Lauren will run the place.

I take a look at Lauren, who is now climbing a stack of barrels, and I wonder if there will ever be a time that she runs anything but her mouth. I can’t even picture it.

Just as we’re about to leave, Lauren and I both hear the sound of barrels being shifted and we tug Will in that direction.

“Come on,” Lauren calls, looking over her shoulder at Will and me. “They’re moving barrels around, you’re going to want to see this. You have to rotate them and spray them with a little water…”

“Really?” Will says, shooting me a questioning look.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. They’re huge and heavy. It’s just something the public doesn’t normally get to see. And sometimes, they break and wine fucking floods the room. Sixty gallons of wine, everywhere.”

Lauren nods her head and her eyes light up. This is actually why she wants to check it out.

“So how long do these barrels stay in here?” Will asks as we make our way to the back of the large shed.

“It depends,” I say, shrugging my shoulders. “Some are in here for only like six weeks, but those are the mediocre wines, the less expensive shit. Others can be in here for years. But in this shed, they’re in here for about six to eight months.”

“And someone keeps track of all this?” he asks, again looking around at the massive quantity of barrels.

“Of course. My parents do and they have employees who do. It’s a process.”

Just as Will opens his mouth to ask me another question, I hear someone call out my name.

“Ellen! Holy shit! I didn’t know you were coming home?”

It’s Tommy and the sound of his voice makes me smile. When I reach him, he pulls me in for a hug and I return it, squeezing him hard.

“It’s so good to see you. Lauren didn’t tell me you were still working here,” I say as we separate.

“Yeah, in between classes and that I pick up shifts. Your parents always welcome me back.”

“I thought you were going to school in Seattle?” I ask, wondering why he’s back here in February.

“Yeah, things didn’t go so well…”

“He means he flunked out,” Lauren interjects. “Smoked a lot of weed.”

I burst out laughing and I hear Will chuckle from behind me.

“Oh, Tommy, this is my boyfriend Will, and Will this is Tommy. His parents manage the restaurant and café on site and Tommy works around the vineyard doing all the shit Lauren and I can’t do.”

Will and Tommy shake hands, but I can’t help but notice a strange look on Will’s face, and suddenly the air around us seems to be buzzing.

I look over at Lauren but she clearly doesn’t notice and goes back to scaling another wall of barrels.

“We grew up together, went to school together, but he’s a year older than me…” I’m rambling awkwardly and I know it. Luckily Lauren cuts in and saves me.

“Will, you want to learn how to rotate barrels?” Lauren asks and Will nods his head.

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