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“Go get some of Momma’s lasagna while it’s still hot,” I said.
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
“Me, neither,” Macie added.
While they fixed their plates, my momma poured them glasses of tea. And here I was, smiling and feeling nostalgic once again as I watched this all too familiar scene play out.
After my parents, Rachel, Macie, and I finished eating supper and Snickerdoodle cookies for dessert, we all got up from the table and began clearing it. When I started rinsing off the dishes and silverware to put into the dishwasher, my momma stopped me and shooed my girls and me away, telling us to go enjoy our girl-time. We hugged her and my daddy, and then the three of us began heading to the bedroom that used to be Rachel’s and mine.
When we reached the stairs, Macie grabbed the cooler bag she’d set next to them. She didn’t have to tell me what was in it because I already knew. She’d brought some wine like on the other occasions when I came into town.
My sister closed the bedroom door behind us, kicked off her flip-flops next to the wall, then walked over and stretched out across her bed. Macie got busy opening a bottle of wine while I checked to see if Chad had tried to contact me. Since I had my cellphone on silent, I wouldn’t have known.
When I saw the screen, I breathed a sigh of relief because there weren’t any missed phone calls or text notifications. Nothing against Chad. I knew he had the best intentions, checking on me so often. But this evening, I wanted my time with my family and Macie to be uninterrupted by him. Besides, I’d already let him know that I made it to Cypress Hills safe and sound. I called him as I was driving over the bayou.
“Here you go,” Macie said, handing me a stemless wine glass that looked like it had liquid sunshine in it.
“Wow. Thank you. I’ve never seen a sauvignon blanc this pretty.”
“It is pretty and it tastes fucking amazing. It’s my new favorite.”
I took a whiff and then a sip. “Jesus, it does taste amazing.” I took another sip. “It’s crisp like others that I’ve had, but this one has by far the most flavor.” Sip number three happened. “I taste lemon, kiwi, and…”
Macie side-eyed me. “Green apple?”
“Yes, that’s it! Tell me the name of this brand.”
“Josh Cellars. Cool story behind it. The owner, Joseph Carr, created it in 2007 as a tribute to his dad, Josh.”
“Aw, that’s precious!” Sip number four and then one more. “This wine is seriously delicious and may be dangerous for me,” I said, chuckling.
“I remember when we couldn’t stand the taste of dry wine. Red or white. We only wanted syrupy-sweet Moscato.”
Rachel cleared her throat. Loudly. “Excuse me. Where’s my seriously delicious and dangerous drink?”
“You don’t get one,” Macie teased.
“The hell I don’t!”
My BFF snorted and took my sister a glass of what was now my favorite wine, too. After the first taste, Rachel smiled and shook her head. Josh Cellars had just gained another fan.
“Are you ready to sit?” Macie asked me.
“Yep.”
After we plopped down onto the floor at the foot of Rachel’s bed, I looked at my girls. “It feels so good to be here. I really was gone for too long.”
Macie nodded. “Don’t let it happen again.”
“You know, both of you could come to see me. You’ve been to my duplex only once since I moved.”
They kept staring at me without saying anything. Then Macie finally spoke. “You have more reasons to come here than for us to go to Fort Worth.”
“Am I not a good enough reason?”
She waved me off. “Hush. You know what I mean.”
And I did.
