We arrived shortly back at Big's house and we just stood there in the archway of his

door looking into each others eyes. He was slowly moving his hand up and down my

back and I had mine resting around his waist with my thumbs in his belt loops. We just

stood there smiling like a couple of teenagers who had just discovered their feelings for

each other. I asked him if this all meant we were going steady. If so where was his letter

sweater or maybe he would like to pin me. He said he wanted to pin me but not with the

one from college. We both started to laugh looking like the purple child, "Violet" from

the movie ,"Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". Big gave me that grin and wink

and said, "Race ya to the shower, Kid." I got a head start because he slipped going around

the marble table in the foyer. Giggling like kids we stripped down and got into the

shower as fast as we could, like we were going to get caught by our parents. Things were

so much easier now. Our feelings were finally out in the open and mutual. No second

thoughts, this time.

After our much needed washing we each went to our own rooms and got dressed. Big

wanted to show me something and he was keeping it a secret. I always told him I hated

secrets but now they seemed so special and magical. I was like a child at Christmas

waiting patiently for the surprise. I dressed in another meticulously fabulous outfit with

of course the perfect matching shoes. Nothing, but the best for my man. I chose a musk

cologne to dab just in the right areas. You know what they say about the pheromone

thing. After all I must keep on with my research on the male species for my readers. I

went into a small study off of the foyer and Big came up behind me and put his arms

around me and said it again. "Carrie, I really love you." His arms were so warm and the

feeling of completeness was overwhelming. I turned around to say it back but he put his

finger to my lips and told me he knew how I felt, he always had. He took my hand and

took me into another room with walls of trophies and ribbons. All for his

accomplishments in the wine making business. I was amazed he had so many. Ribbons of

all colors draped around various wine bottles on shelves. I told him it was very

impressive but where was the surprise. He told me to be patient, he was getting to it. I

told him I had been patient long enough and look how long it took to finally get us out

in the open. He agreed and told me, I had been a good girl and should be rewarded. We

walked to a corner of one of the shelves and there on the shelf was a beautiful wine bottle

etched with a Napa Valley scene. The bottle looked as if it had gold threads running

through it. There was a gold band around the neck and a gold band around the label. I

commented on how pretty it was. Big told me to look closer. Then I saw it. Oh my God.

There draped around the label was a small chain with my name on it. The wine was

named "Carrie's Merlot". The chain represented my "Carrie" necklace. He had named a

wine after me. What an honor and it had won several ribbons of excellence. Big just

stood there grinning like a Cheshire cat. He told me I had never been out of his thoughts

all those years and he had always hoped I would see that special bottle some day. Today

had been that day. My spirit had been immortalized in a bottle of Merlot sitting on a shelf

just waiting to be discovered. I was soaring , Big was my one all along and I was his in

every way. We just needed to blend like the grapes in the bottle of my wine..