I went out to the foyer and there he was waiting for me with that smile. He was wearing a pair of

shorts and a shirt open deep at the neck, exposing just enough to make me lose my train of

thought. As if that has never happened before. He had always had that effect on me. He took one

look at me and said," Well kid can ya yodel." I laughed and told him I could do more than that.

Just put me to the test. He took my hand and said, "Are you ready to be amazed and bedazzled?"

I told him to show me the way. He replied, "I think you have found it." We walked hand in hand

outside through the grape arbor arches and into the open fields. Nothing your eyes could see for

miles but green vines and grapes. The contrast of the green and purple reminded me of some

painting I would see in Charlotte's gallery. Big started to tell me this is where it all starts. He

showed me the grapes weighing down the tender vines. He picked a few and put them to my

mouth and squeezed them gently to express just a little of the sweet juice on my lips. Then I

opened my mouth and he put one on my tongue telling me to close my eyes and just taste it. I

did as he said and while I had my eyes shut he brushed the palm of his hand against my cheek

so softly almost making it an erotic experience. My senses were torn between feeling the juicy

round fruit melting on my tongue and feeling the heat of his hand caressing my cheek. I opened

my eyes to see him again smiling. This moment was getting way more intense than I wanted it to

right then so I told him, " You better show me more before I never learn how wine is made." His

comment was, " I would love to show you more…..of my vineyard of course." I asked what was

next. He took my hand and we walked toward a stone building. It was musty smelling inside with

many barrels end to end on racks along the walls. He told me that's where the wine ferments for

years. I told him I thought we had missed some parts, like how do the grapes get into the barrels.

He told me to follow him and we walked to an outside area where a huge wooden bucket like tub

was sitting. Almost the size of a hot tub. I looked into it and it was about half way full of grapes.

He said, "Well kid time to help make the wine." I told him it looked like fun so I took off my new

sandals and hiked my skirt up and slowly walked up the steps to get into the barrel. Big did the

same thing. Once inside he told me to start stomping my feet. I did and could feel the grapes

squish between my toes. I started to giggle and stomp harder and faster as Big was doing the

same. We both started laughing and he said, "Hey kid you look like Lucy in that episode she was

in, do you remember it?" I said, "Yeah, I remember, she fell on her ass, didn't she?" Big said,

"Yes she did." And with that statement yep you guessed it, I fell on my ass and Big slipped and

fell on top of me. He said, " This is one position I haven't tried." We were both laughing so hard as

we put remnants of grapes in each others mouth, hair, and shirts until we both looked like

something from another planet. He kissed me then hard and held me in his arms and he said it.

"I love you, Carrie, I always have and I always will, nothing could ever tear me out of your arms

again." I pulled back away from him and just stared with my mouth open like a fish. He then

reached into the pocket of his shorts and was fumbling for something. He brought out a

handkerchief as if he knew I was going to cry. He was right, I did and he wiped the tears off my

cheek, I told him, "It's about time you came to your senses, I have waited a long time to hear

you say that and wondering if you ever would.

You are my everything, you are my plus one, I have loved you since the day we met and I haven't

stopped, Lord knows I have tried." We kissed again and held on to each other like we had never

before. It was like we needed each other to breathe. We just sat there in the middle of a purple

mess declaring our feelings. Why had it taken us so long to get to this point? I asked Big, "Where

do we go from here?" He replied, I don't know about you but I think to take a shower would be

good." I agreed so he helped me get my balance as he held my arm so I could take a step out of

the barrel, those few steps weren't near as important as the step we had just taken. He picked up

my sandals and we walked back to the house. I held my peasant skirt up with one hand and the

other I held on to Big's arm tight so I wouldn't slip. We both walked in silence with each of our

thoughts, occasionally glancing at each other with a sigh and knowing this was truly the

beginning.