Page 31 of Let it Breathe
"What do you mean?" CJ asked as he peered off toward the vineyard.
I took an exhausted breath. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid with the vineyard until I get back."
"That's all you need." He placed his hands on the hood of my car. "A weekend at the Super Bowl to convince him to invest in our fledgling family business that no one except you seems to want to hold on to."
"Why do you want to get rid of it so bad?" I stomped my foot.
He blinked and took off toward the house without another word.
I went after him.
"CJ. Answer me. Why do you hate it so much?" I asked.
He turned on me fast, and I skidded to a stop in front of him.
"Because it's a trap. This place, this city, this house, the land. It's a trap that has been sucking the life out the men in our family for years." His nostrils flared, and his cheeks turned red. "I don't want it to happen to me. I don't want to end up like him."
He pointed at the house.
"Our father is an amazing man," I whispered and hugged myself.
"You're right, Chai. He's an amazing man, but he's a selfish father if he wants to leave his kids with the same burden his father left him." CJ blinked back tears and dropped his head. "Whether your friend invests or not, I'm out of here, Chai. If you know what’s good for you, you'll leave, too."
CJ turned and walked away. I walked back to my car, rested my chin on the roof of the car, and took in my surroundings. The house sat on a hill. The front yard overlooked the south side of the vineyards. Harvest was nine months away, and the vines were bare, but the mustard plants were in full bloom and gave off a unique aroma. In a few months, the place would be teeming with people preparing for the harvest. The migrant workers who would make their way up to Sonoma and Napa Valley from Mexico and LA knew and cared as much about our wine as I did.
The parents worked alongside the kids, teaching them about the grapes and the wine. Even though they didn't own it, they took pride in creating it. They cared more about the land than my brother did. It was a precious circle, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like if Darielle weren't around anymore to be a part of it.
I, for one, didn't want to miss it.
If I had to run this place alone, I'd do it. I had to.
I wasn't ready to give up on it, but I had a sinking feeling Donovan was right.
Some things we couldn't control.
