“Another rough pregnancy?” I guess.
“Terrible,” Una says with a shake of her head. “Nothing helped. There were new complications, I’ll spare you all the details, but Dianne spent months in Havelock General. I visited her a couple of times a week – Doc Miller took me – and she was determined to bring her baby into the world. Abbie’sdelivery was pretty much Dianne’s last accomplishment. She died a few weeks later, just a shadow of her former self.”
“Couldn’t they help her?”
“I don’t know that she wanted to be helped. I remember how despondent she was, and just sad.” She smiles up at me. “I took you along the last time I visited her.”
“I don’t remember.”
“No, I doubt you would. You were so young. But she smiled at the sight of you and you playedI Spyout the hospital window with her and she hugged you so tightly when we left that I thought she’d never let you go.”
A vague memory stirs of a lady in a hospital bed, the smell of disinfectant mingled with that of a lemon shampoo.
“She asked me to look out for her chicks, and I promised her that I would.” Una wipes away a tear. “I didn’t think that would be the last time I saw her. I was sure she would regain her strength, almost by force of will, and come home again.”
“She didn’t.”
“She didn’t. And your father had Candace on his arm before Dianne was six months buried. It was as if he associated Louise with Dianne and had to be rid of both of them to move on.” She pauses, then nods at the arriving bus. “There’s our girl, I think.”
I smile.Our girl.
“I never had much opportunity to keep that promise to Dianne,” Una says. “Patrick didn’t want old friends of hers around, and Candace never had any use for me. I’ll tell you that your mom saw Patrick clearly in both Jake and Austin, and she knew they’d fend for themselves well enough. She thought they might be lonely, but it would be by their own choice, if so. But you.” She looks up at me, eyes bright. “Jake used to tease you something awful, but you always went back for more. You always stood up for him when he found trouble, and youalways defended Austin when he provoked a response from someone bigger than he was.”
“Can’t change how I am, Una.”
“No, but you can keep your eyes open.” She pats my arm. “Don’t stand aside and let someone you trust hurt you, Mike. You deserve better than that kind of betrayal, but only you can put up your defenses to keep it from happening.”
“Are you warning me against Sylvia?”
“Goodness, no!”
“Then who?”
“Oh, Mike.” She shakes her head and smiles indulgently at me. “You have such a trusting heart. Just promise me that you’ll listen to your instincts and protect those you love.”
I make the promise, then Sierra comes charging toward the truck, holding out her phone. “Mike, Mike, Mike!” she calls. “I saw you on The Empire Chronicle.” She grins as I get out of the truck so she can jump in from my side. She slings her bag into the back, kisses Una, then shoves her phone at me again. “And I sawthis.”
It’s a picture of Sylvia and me, locked in the kiss that still has my blood simmering. We’re clearly oblivious to everything around us, the crane operator holding his hands to heaven while he waits on me, Una smiling in the Subaru and Cameron looking grumpy about it all. Sierra, in contrast, is delighted.
“Maybe it didn’t take even fifteen minutes for everyone to learn about that,” I say easily. “Let’s go home.”
29
MACKENZIE
Iconsider my reflection in the mirror of my hotel room and have to give Cameron credit for the change. I usually look practical and efficient. Tonight, I look glamourous and expensive. I twirl a bit, watching the skirt of my long dress swing elegantly behind me and feel like a princess on the way to the ball.
I was planning to drive into the city today, attend the award ceremony – and watch the Niagara people scoop up all the awards for winemakinggrrr– then drive back to Empire in the wee hours of the morning. I wouldn’t miss a single day of work that way.
But Cameron couldn’t believe I’d let opportunity go to waste. She’s also the most persuasive person I know. Of course, I could takeoneday off. Of course, I deserved a break. Of course, just being nominated was cause to celebrate. By the end of our Wednesday night meeting, I had a new plan. Cameron’s plan.
I came into the city on Thursday, loving that I was driving against the rush hour traffic. I checked in to thegorgeous new hotel, had a fabulous dinner with a friend from university then slept like a baby with my phone turned off. This morning, I booked myself into the spa in the hotel, rumoured to be the best in town. A whole day of pampering, of massages and facial masks, a mani and a pedi, a haircut, even some new color, leaves me feeling gorgeous and relaxed. The gown, acquired from that fancy shop in Havelock with Daphne’s encouragement and never yet worn, doesn’t hurt.
I should be thinking about the awards ceremony, what I’ll say if we win in our category. The winemaker’s category is stuffed with heavy hitters, though, and as successful as we’ve been, there are many bigger and more successful contenders. Niagara rules the roost when it comes to Ontario wineries and awards, and Empire is a long way from the Niagara Peninsula and its terroir.
I should be answering my phone, solving the inevitable crises that erupt whenever I step away from the vineyard, but I’m under Cameron’s influence tonight. We’ve all been infected by the idea of the new bistro.
Carpe diem.
