Page 119 of Red Mountain Burning
“Of course, it is.” Emilia frowned. Turning to her father, she said, “She ruins everything.”
Brooks didn’t want her to think that way. “There are a lot of reasons why I’m leaving, Em. Sometimes, we outgrow a place.”
“That’s bullshit, Brooks, and you know it.”
* * *
The daysafter they’d caught her mom were the hardest in Emilia’s life. She wanted to enjoy the exciting lead up to harvest. Along with the tangy smell of ripening grapes, there was a wild and nervous energy in the air, almost like soldiers waiting for war, and Emilia wanted to begin preparations.
Instead, her world was full of goodbyes.
Emilia, Luca, and Abby watched from the driveway as Jake left with Carmen to return to rehab in Seattle.
Once they’d gone, Luca said, “Is Mom sick? I know she’s not going to work. Why is everyone lying to me?” They’d done their best to sugarcoat Carmen’s departure for the young boy with the vibrant imagination.
Emilia put her arm around her brother. “She’s a little sick but almost has it beat.”
“Has what beat?”
“You know how we don’t say the enemy’s name in Harry Potter?” When her brother nodded, she said, “Let’s not name Mom’s, either.”
A few days after that, Emilia had to say goodbye to Jasper. Trying to spend as much time as he could with her, he’d pushed his flight back as far as possible. On August ninth, the day before he left, they met in the morning to hike to the top of Red Mountain, which stood about fourteen hundred feet above sea level. Hand in hand, they strolled through the vines toward the trailhead above the last vineyard block on the eastern side.
As they started the steeper slope, Jasper asked “Have you talked to your mom?” She’d been gone one week to the day.
“Yeah, actually. We Facetimed with her last night. She seems really good. Not nearly as pissed as she was last time.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Yeah. I’m kind of glad I’ll be around to help out while she’s gone. There’s only so much Abby can do. I want to be there for my dad.”
“I have to give it to him,” Jasper said. “He’s the most patient man in the world.”
“Totally.”
“I can hear it in his playing, you know. When he’s down, I mean. He channels all his pain into his music, and it’s pretty wild to be in the same room.”
“I’m starting to wonder who you’ll miss more,” Emilia said. “Him or me.”
“That’s a tough call.” Jasper jokingly placed a finger on his chin. “But I think you win out.”
After a few beats of silence, he said soberly, “Wait for me, Em.”
She stopped and looked at him. They were both breathing heavier because of the ascent. “What makes you think I wouldn’t wait for you?”
“Maybe I’m just afraid of losing you.”
She hated to hear the sadness in his voice and grabbed his arm. “You’re stuck with me, punk. DoIneed to worry about you hooking up with one of your groupies? I’ve seen the way girls look at you when you’re onstage.”
Jasper scoffed. “All I see is you when I’m onstage.”
Emilia’s heart danced.
When they reached the top of the mountain, where the winds blew hard, Jasper took her hand and they spun around, taking in the 360-degree view. They could see for miles and miles over the treeless mountains and hills and the rich farmland. Emilia felt a world of opportunity looking back at her. Feeling his hand in hers made all that possibility seem achievable, and she was filled with a certainty that they’d take on the world together.
They stopped spinning and looked down over the vineyard blocks that were densely planted across the entirety of the southwest-facing slope. She searched for a moment and could barely make out Lacoda, with its sand-colored stone and minimalist architecture. Looking just above the winery, she surveyed their vineyards for the vine they called Angeline. She was too far away to see her, but she fixed her eyes on the general area and saw a cloud of healthy green leaves a few rows down from Sunset Road. From up there on high, she could feel the pulse of the vineyard she’d one day inherit.
Emilia wrapped her arm around Jasper’s waist. “When you’re done doing what you need to do, come back here and put a ring on my finger. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.”
