The crickets and frogs could be considered deafening on this warm summer night, but Claire was hardly paying attention to what was going on outside. She stumbled backward in the unlit farmhouse with a small squeak, her partner catching her by the waist.
"Careful, now," he whispered with a slight chuckle, returning his lips to hers.
She let out a soft moan and melted against him, her heart throbbing so hard she wondered if he could feel it.
A pair of strong arms gently held her. His loving hands tenderly traveled up to her shoulders and her heart leapt for joy as she threw her arms around him. She could not see much in the dark room, but the way his calloused fingers admired every inch of her skin was almost too much for Claire - she was so happy she found that she was holding back tears. He didn't have to say a word; she knew exactly what he was communicating. This swell in her heart, this strong emotion that threatened to make her very being burst could only be adoration, devotion, love. She was whole, and he made life amazing. Every minute, every moment had been made all the more special because he was part of it.
"I love you," he breathed into her ear.
"And I love you, too," she buried her face in the crook of his neck, exhaling deeply. She stood for a moment, simply relishing in the sensations of being drunk on love. The young woman wrapped her arms around his neck and he slowly carried her to the bed, kissing her the whole way there. With each step, her heart pounded harder. His affection was the perfect combination of loving and gentle with the right amount of allure and seduction.
It was so dim in the house that she could only make out the silhouette of her lover in the dark. He crawled into the bed beside her and nestled against her. She marveled in how perfectly their bodies fit together and he let out a happy sigh into her hair. The young woman rested her eyes as he cradled her in his arms, breathing into her shoulder. He smelled of rosemary.
A warm smile crept across her face. "Never leave my side, my love," she murmured, resting her hands on his.
He planted a couple of light, feathery kisses on her neck and she let out a shiver of pleasure. "I never will. I'm yours, Claire. Sleep well."
How good it felt to hear him say that! She felt so safe, so secure, so precious and cared for… Her heart melted as she drifted off to sleep. "You, too…" she mumbled his name in an incoherent slur as she lost consciousness.
Claire's eyes fluttered open to the sound of Koro lightly snoring into her hair. Her face was smashed against her pillow, and she could smell the rosemary she had tucked into the pillowcase the night before. She shifted her head and the young dog let out a small whine. Claire let out a similar cry – her lover was gone and had been replaced with a snoring dog.
"Koro… You're on my hair," she grumbled, tugging on her blonde locks.
The puppy rolled over after a few nudges and released her tresses as Claire sat up, rubbing her eyes, unaware of the disheveled bird's nest that was her hair. She could still feel the warm arms around her, his soft voice in her ear… The fact that he not only was gone, but was never there to begin with wrenched at her heart. She had never felt so lonely in her entire life. Claire began to weep bitterly for a few minutes as she curled herself back up on her bed and buried her face into her pillow. Koro sprang awake and nuzzled her face, attempting to give her kisses. The young woman swallowed the lump in her throat. She wanted his kisses, not Koro's. Claire hiccoughed as she forced herself back up, struggling to calm down her emotions.
Whoever he was…
Dwelling on her dream wasn't helping, she realized. Claire brushed her teeth and gargled as her thoughts wandered and inevitably came back to her mystery lover. She recalled the sensations from her dream – the heart flutters, the gentle caresses paired with hungry kisses…
Whoever he was, he certainly knew how to handle a woman, she thought with a hum of satisfaction, a smirk playing at her lips. Their kisses were much deeper and full of love than her few clumsy attempts at making out as a teenager and stilted pecks on the cheek after blind dates that felt obligatory. Something about his contact felt so familiar, so comfortable. He was gentle yet confident and his lips tasted like sugar and sweet grapes; she couldn't get enough. Figment of her imagination or not, at least he knew how to use his tongue without cramming it down her throat, she thought with a laugh. It was about so much more than the physical contact, though. Those strong waves of love in her heart – she had never experienced that with anyone before, but it had felt so natural, as if they had known each other forever. Her face still flushed at the memory: the affection, the sweetness, the intoxicating attraction. Unfortunately, it had only been a dream… Her heart wasn't the only part of her body that had cried out in protest at this sad fact.
She was startled from her thoughts as her puppy let out a squeaky yawn, extending his long, pink tongue as he did so. She nearly choked on her mouthwash at the sight. Her skin crawled as the dog blinked his large dark eyes, noisily licking the tip of his nose as he stretched. Not taking any chances, Claire applied more toothpaste to her toothbrush and scrubbed vigorously.
0o0o0o0
Claire sat in the shade of her apple tree, struggling to catch her breath in the summer heat. Her shipping bins were all overflowing with tomatoes, but she had hardly put a dent in the fruit in her fields. She was reminded once again of her foolishness in overplanting. The young woman pulled herself up to her feet, panting and staggering a bit.
Fill one more burlap sack of tomatoes and you can have a nice, cold drink… Maybe lay down for a minute and think of… him…
The silly smile on her face quickly faded as her eyes traced the abundance of red fruits heavily weighing down the branches of her tomato plants. The fact that a seasoned farmer had stared at her fields in horror caused a new rash of embarrassment and frustration. The thought of anyone seeing her farm in this condition left her self-conscious. With a wave of newfound determination, she stumbled back into her fields with an empty sack, blinking the sweat out of her eyes.
She let out a shriek in surprise when she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist. The touch wasn't nearly as loving as that in her dream, but the physical contact had brought back memories of last night. She was immediately reminded of her dream and stifled a cry of excitement, briefly remembering her lover's warm embrace.
"Uh-uh! I don't think so, girl!" Karen's voice wasn't all laughter as she pulled her friend back to the shade of the tree.
Claire's heart crashed again as she looked back at her, trying to hide the indignation in her glare. She wasn't sure who she had been expecting, but she didn't have time for games. "Karen…" She focused on keeping her voice level. She looked back at her fields with frustration and attempted to take another step forward.
"You need to cool down. You're shaking and you feel far too warm." Karen tightened her hold on her friend and the smile dropped from her face. "You apologized to me for taking things too far at the beginning of summer. I don't want you to have to apologize again." Her voice softened.
Claire felt a lump form in her throat and her stomach twisted with guilt. The memory of letting her friends down wasn't a particularly happy one. She still felt a bit ashamed for worrying them and causing herself more trouble in the long run with her poor choices. She weakly nodded her head and sat back down under the shady tree.
"That's better." Karen took a seat in the grass beside her, thrusting her canteen into the blonde's trembling hands. She watched her suck down the water thirstily, hardly stopping to breathe. "Hey, you keep that technique up and you might be able to beat me in a drinking contest at Doug's," she laughed softly. "Slow down or you're going to make yourself sick!"
Claire fought the urge to rebel, but her stomach began to churn; she put down the canteen and panted, leaning back against the tree trunk. Her field of vision began to shake a bit and she closed her eyes, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Her tomato plants danced in the slight breeze, the hazy hot rays of the sun causing them to wave back and forth. Karen was right; it was time to rest. Claire put her canteen back up to her lips and let the cool water touch them. Her mind drifted back to her dream – there was something she'd much rather have touching her lips… Sweet like candy, but mature and loving… surely he had to exist somewhere. Her heart dropped a bit. That was the nature of dreams, she realized.
You can wish and dream for things, but that doesn't make them real…
But it had felt like he was right there. She could still recall the loving way his fingers traveled up her arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. There was something so very tender about his touch and he had made her feel as if nothing existed but the two of them. Her heart swelled at the very idea. She was in love with someone who did not exist. The notion depressed her a bit, but it didn't stop her from closing her eyes and imagining the sensation of his soft lips on hers. He was hers, as long as she closed her eyes…
"Claire…?" Her friend's curious voice snapped her back to reality.
"Hmmm?" She choked a bit on her water, realizing at once that she had been pouring it down her mouth and onto her lap; the large wet spot quickly spreading across the denim looked as if she had trouble controlling her bladder. She set down the vessel and let out an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, at least it will dry quickly with this heat."
The young woman was not usually this clumsy and Karen couldn't help but wonder if her behavior was heat related. "Are you still feeling out of it? You want me to take you to see Trent and Elli?" she frowned.
She shook her head. "No, no! I'm fine!" Color began to creep across her cheeks as she began playing with a strand of her hair.
Karen watched her friend carefully and raised an eyebrow. She had seen Claire make that expression from time to time, but it seemed to be increasing lately. The wide eyes and flushed face, a hint of a smile playing at her lips – she looked love struck, despite the fact that she was talking less and less about Gray. Karen found this bit particularly encouraging. A smirk crossed her lips. "So, was he a good kisser?"
Claire's eyes dreamily moved to the leaves hanging over their head for a brief moment before her face went from pink to red. "Wait, what? H-He was… I-I don' t know who or what you're talking about!" she sputtered, avoiding her friend's gaze.
Her reaction was more entertaining than Karen had bargained for. "Oh, my… What have you been up to, Claire?"
"Absolutely nothing!" she squeaked defensively, realizing that she was making herself sound even more suspicious. "After the cow festival, all I've been doing is harvesting tomatoes for the past couple of days. I haven't even been to the inn!" Claire added for good measure. She looked out at her fields, frustrated that she still was having trouble keeping up with them. There simply weren't enough hours in the day to tend to her crops. "The only people I've seen for the past couple of days are Cliff when he leaves in the morning for the mountains and Zack when he comes to get my shipments." It had been another week of avoiding a certain grandfather/grandson duo out for their weekly mountain hike, she realized sadly.
"Huh, that's right. I haven't seen much of you. So I guess I'd better ask you now: what are you planning on wearing tomorrow night? Plus, I know Kai said gifts weren't necessary, but I figured since we were pretty close I'd get him one anyway…"
Claire slapped her forehead with exasperation as she looked once more at her rows of tomatoes. "Kai's birthday!" she let out a frustrated groan; she couldn't believe that she had completely forgotten. She was disappointed in herself for not thinking of him.
"Yeah, silly! He put a message on the town bulletin board and everything. It's an open invitation. Gifts aren't required, but he asked people bring a dish to pass at the luau. He said he refuses to cook on his birthday," Karen giggled. "There's going to be a ton of food, music, dancing, and just hanging out. I told him you were going to be there." Her laughter faded as she realized she should have asked her friend's permission first. "Is that alright? I mean, he's not going to be in town for much longer; he leaves at the end of summer."
Claire frowned at her fields. The overloaded branches looked like waves of red. Karen could see that her friend was conflicted. "Hey, the party won't even start until evening, so it's not like you have to devote the whole day to it. Just come meet us at the inn in the morning to cook the food, and meet us at the Beach Shack tomorrow night. You deserve a chance to party like the rest of us."
She was about to reply that they had just attended a party, but it hardly felt fair to celebrate one friend's birthday and not another. "Alright. You can count me in. I'll need to come here in the afternoon to work, though."
"Okay, just don't work yourself too hard," Karen gave her a stern look despite her soft voice. "And be sure to wear something cute. Just tell him that's his birthday present!"
Her friend frowned; despite the fact that he seemed fine without receiving presents, she didn't feel right not getting him something. "But I really should get him an actual gift…"
Karen shook her head. "Kai has enough trouble getting all of his things together when it's time to leave Mineral Town anyway. He doesn't need more stuff. Honestly, he'd probably be more than happy with a bushel of tomatoes."
"That's what he's getting, then," Claire quickly decided, pushing away her guilt at not coming up with a more thoughtful gift such as the pinwheel she made for Ann.
Karen smirked. "Always eager to please, huh?" Her friend was far too concerned with what others thought of her; she knew for a fact that Kai would just be happy if his friends showed up to his party with food. She wished that Claire could understand that people were happy with her just the way she was.
Eager to please… Claire closed her eyes and was reminded once again of her dreams. Her lover had been so excited to show her how much he loved her and she had been thrilled to do the same. The summer breeze caused her hair to rustle against her cheeks. Her skin was sensitive to the touch and her face flushed pink.
Karen looked at her friend curiously. "What has gotten into you, Claire?"
The farmer's eyes snapped open in surprise. "Uh, I um… I was just thinking about a dream I had last night…" She ducked her head in embarrassment as her gaze moved to the grass. "It's been on my mind all day…"
The brunette gave her a knowing look. "Pondering the meaning?"
"Exactly," she replied a little too quickly and let out a nervous laugh and was grateful that Karen didn't pry further.
"Come on; we're going out." Karen stood up suddenly, dusting off her shorts and running her fingers through her long hair. Claire looked out at her fields with uncertainty, but her companion shot her a stern look. "Just an errand in town. We won't be gone long, and we'll get to sit somewhere cool for a bit."
The blonde pulled herself to her feet; it was hard to argue against that.
0o0o0o0
Claire wished she could say she was surprised that her pants had dried by the time they made it to town, but the heat had made frying eggs on the cobblestones seem possible.
"Ah, Karen, I haven't seen you here in a while. I was starting to get concerned," Duke laughed, fidgeting with the pruners in his hands before putting them in a sheath in his pocket. He looked spent; his discarded vest was hanging on the fence and his usual dapper appearance was disheveled. Perspiration dotted his forehead and sweat could be seen soaking through his shirt.
"Oh, come on!" Karen gave him a playful shove on the shoulder. "We danced at that midsummer's fling just over a couple of weeks ago."
"That's what I'm saying!" he laughed, grabbing a broom that was propped against the wooden fence. "No Karen around the vineyard for so long? I was starting to think you had given up alcohol." He ignored the brunette rolling her eyes as he turned toward Claire. "Well, anyway, I see you brought your friend along. How have you been, Claire?"
"I'm well, thank you. And yourself?" She curiously watched him swing the broom around through the green leafy trellises and a multitude of dark birds flew off, letting out a series of sharp, piercing chirps.
"I'd be better if it weren't for these damn starlings. It's the same every year with these monsters!" Duke waved the broom at another trellis and the flock shifted to another. "You wanna whack at it, Karen?"
A smirk played at her friend's lips, and Claire got the feeling this was a fond pastime for her. "Alright, maybe just once… But we're here to see Manna."
"Alright, just be sure to buy a lot! I'm hoping business will pick up this year." Duke wiped the sweat from his brow as he watched Karen clumsily wave around the broom, making her own squawks at the birds.
"The grape vines are growing so fast already." Claire's eyes widened as she stared out at the vineyard. Lush, green leaves covered the wooden structures. Upon closer inspection, the vines were adorned with small clusters of what looked like peas. Her gaze excitedly moved across the trellises and saw varying sizes of the berries, some the size of barley grains. They almost looked like underwater sea creatures she had seen on an educational program as a child. "Aw, little grapes! How cute!" The young woman's face lit up as she admired the fruits. She was once again reminded how satisfying it was to watch things grow.
"Those will make some delicious chardonnay before we know it," Duke grinned, watching Karen swing the broom around like a madwoman, laughing a little too loudly to sound sane. He pointed to a cluster of what looked like small, violet jewels with small emeralds sparsely distributed throughout. "And these are our precious cabernet sauvignon."
"Cabernet sauvignon," Claire repeated the name, enjoying the way it rolled off of her tongue.
He gave her an enthusiastic nod. "Unfortunately, those damn birds like them too. I swear they get worse every year. And those vines I planted a few years back should be ready for fruit this year. We should have a big harvest if those little bastards don't eat them all first." He let out a halfhearted sigh as he shook his head at the vines.
"Oh, come on, Duke. I think you kind of like chasing them," Karen panted, her cheeks glowing with exertion. "You wanna go at it, Claire?" She shoved the wooden broom handle in her hands before she got a chance to respond. "It's pretty fun scaring them. Don't worry; you're totally justified. Those birds are jerks, eating my grapes…"
"Your grapes?" Claire cocked an eyebrow, amused.
She shrugged, tossing a sheet of brown hair over her shoulder. "Well, sure! I'm gonna end up buying them when they become wine."
"You're just investing in your future drinks, huh?" Duke laughed. "Well, I'll expect you to be drinking heartily in the future. I was just telling Claire how we're going to have a lot of grapes this year."
The blonde looked down at the broom and wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm. The thought of chasing after birds didn't seem particularly appealing to her.
The winery owner gave her a laugh. "I hardly blame you if you don't want to chase starlings in this heat." He held out his hands for the broom and Claire returned it to him. Duke let out a tired sigh as he reached into his pocket to retrieve a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Ah, it's far too hot. I think I'm off to Doug's to get a cold one and see what he's up to. Manna is probably in the wine cellar. See you ladies later." He waved to them and wasted no time heading next door for a break.
"Yeah, let's get out of this heat." Karen led the way to the side building and opened the door for Claire. Both of them let out sighs of relief as the cool air hit them. The cozy smell of oaken flasks and fermenting fruit greeted Claire's nose as they walked down the creaky steps. "Maaannnnaaa~!" Karen sang, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"Kaaaaarrennnn~!" A perky voice sang back to her as the woman turned around from organizing the shelves of alcohol behind her. "How is my favorite customer? Oh, hello, Claire! It certainly has been a while, hasn't it? I don't think we really got a chance to speak at the midsummer's dance. You really looked lovely, honey. A lot of us ladies were saying so! And such a good dancer, too! Cliff was certainly lucky to have such a sweet lady on his arm all night, huh?"
Claire stopped waving and her eyes widened in surprise. What kind of idea had everyone in town gotten of her? She wasn't quite sure how she felt about this.
Manna read her facial expressions and didn't miss a beat. "Of course, anyone would be happy to be around such a kind and hard-working young woman. I hear that your farm is coming along really well. You know, we used to rely solely on the farms over in the Valley for produce around here, so your effort here definitely isn't going unnoticed. Why just the other day, Anna brought over the most delicious tomato salad and we shared it for lunch. Oh, but listen to me! I just keep going on and on, don't I? What brings you ladies here today?"
Karen was browsing the shelves. "A little birdie told me you had a fresh batch of tepache ready."
A smirk crossed the woman's features as she reached for a liter-sized jar with chunks of pineapple floating in the top of it. "Just finished a couple of days ago. Pete's pineapples are fantastic this year, and he produced so many! Even Doug was considering adding tepache to the menu this year but he was afraid that it might not be very popular, as a lot of people around here have never heard of it before. But I say, what's the harm in trying? People aren't going to learn about a new product if they don't give it a taste, right?"
Claire was watching the slices of fruit bob in the jar and jumped when Karen let out a hearty laugh. "You'll say anything to sell a product, you little sneak! I'll take three jars!"
"Ah, Kai's birthday is tomorrow, right? He's such a sweetheart. I plan on showing up with the girls tomorrow. I'm bringing my ambrosia salad. A little taste of the islands should make him feel at home, right?" Manna swiftly took the offered coins and counted them before dropping them into her pocket and grabbing a couple more jars from the shelf. "I think Anna's baking some melon bread and your mother is bringing some mochi. Karen, dearie, you don't have to trouble yourself with cooking anything for the party. Drinks will be fine – we all love your spiked punch, even if it does knock Anna on her ass!" Manna stuck out her tongue and let out a playful giggle. She cupped a hand to her mouth as if someone was listening in on them. "And just between the three of us, that's when she's the most entertaining!"
Claire cracked a smile, but Karen was not amused at Manna's suggestion that she bring the drinks. "But I was going to make my specialty – Chocolate Curry Dip! Don't tell me you've already forgotten about it!" she pouted as Manna placed the jars into a sturdy paper sack and handed it to her.
"Well, that definitely was an interesting dish. Whatever you decide to do will be fine, I'm sure," Manna replied soothingly with a nod. "Anything I can get for you today, Claire?"
The young woman stopped staring at the walls of jars and bottles behind Manna and shook her head. "I'm fine, thank you."
"Actually…" Karen gave her friend a sideways glance and then looked back at the winery owner. "Maybe there is something you can do. You see, Claire's been pondering the meaning of a dream. She's been a little spacey today."
She let out a small gasp in surprise that Karen would say anything about it to someone else, but before she had a chance to say anything, Manna swiftly dug in the shelf behind her and produced a large leather-bound tome and set it on one of the worktables. "So, what did you dream about, Claire? I'll help you sort through your subconscious thoughts," Manna beamed, idly ruffling the thick pages.
"Well…" If it meant she'd have a chance of meeting the man in her dreams in real life… Still, saying what had happened in her dream was a little embarrassing. She shyly shook her head, her face feeling unnaturally warm.
"You show up at the farm with no pants?" Karen guessed. "Maybe you and me were in a magical-girl style death match?" She let out a cackle. "Or maybe you had a dream that you were married to Mayor Thomas?"
"No, not him!" Claire stammered. "I dreamt I was with… someone…" Her voice trailed off. She couldn't believe they were having a discussion about her dreams. Normally, she wouldn't mind, but this particular dream had been very personal…
"Like you were with someone, or you were… with someone? Hubba, hubba, Claire! Are you starting to have your first erotic dreams? They grow up so fast, don't they, Manna?" She clapped her friend on the shoulder.
Manna let out a soft chuckle as Claire whirled around to give her friend a pout. "Not quite that far… Uh…"
"Oh, come on; it can't be that bad. Manna's interpreted my saucy dreams tons of times." Karen shrugged casually and Claire's face burned with embarrassment – partially for herself, and a bit for her friend. Manna's kind gaze caused her to calm down a bit. Despite the fact that she was a generation older than the two of them, she had a very open and understanding aura about her.
"It didn't go beyond kissing and cuddling," she was sure to point out, her eyes quickly drifting to the floor. She immediately regretted saying anything as her face burned. What if Manna told her friends about this dream? She wasn't keen on everyone in Mineral Town hearing about the pathetically lonely thoughts she had in her sleep…
Her friend's eyebrows rose with interest and she looked over at Manna, who smirked as she looked back down at the book on the table.
"So, who was the lucky partner? A friend? A crush? Perhaps an ex-lover?" Manna noisily turned the pages in her book. "These can all mean very different things, and it doesn't necessarily have to be romantic. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Claire. Our dreams are just the way our brain processes what we're thinking." The tone of her voice became gentle, and Claire found herself relaxing a bit.
"Was it me? It's okay, Claire. I'll just take it as a compliment," Karen smirked.
After looking at the two women for a moment, they gave her a kind gaze and she realized at that point that nothing was going to leave this room. "I couldn't tell who it was. The house was so dark I couldn't see." She had to admit that the whispers had sounded so familiar to her, but they were like wisps of smoke; she couldn't remember the subtleties in the voice. "I don't even know if it was someone I knew. Maybe it was a stranger."
"Huh. Very interesting!" Manna scanned the page with the finger. "It says here that if you are groping around in the darkness, it can signify that you are having a hard time making a clear decision on something. It can suggest that you need take your time before making conclusions and big choices."
Karen was giggling like an immature teenager. "Groping in the darkness…"
Claire elbowed her friend in the side and shot her a sour look. "I already said it wasn't like that," she reminded her defensively.
"And a stranger can represent someone who is offering you advice and wisdom on a situation. It can also portray a part of yourself that you keep hidden away from others. Therefore, if you are kissing a stranger, it can show that you are learning to accept a part of yourself that you keep repressed."
Karen stopped giggling. "Wow, that's actually pretty profound…"
"Also," Manna held up a finger before turning the page with a relish, "there's an entire section here on what kissing can represent." She scanned the page. "It can show love, contentment, harmony, or affection. Have you ever kissed anyone before?"
"Well, yeah," Claire averted her eyes and wrung her hands to keep herself occupied. "I had a couple of boyfriends when I was younger."
Manna looked back down at the tome in a businesslike manner. "Alright, so that rules out you dreaming of your potential first kiss. Let's see… a kiss on the hand can depict admiration and respect… If it's on the cheek, it can show friendship, respect, or courtesy. Oooh… a kiss on the neck represents passion and lust… This can represent you giving in to your physical wants and desires…"
Color rushed to Claire's cheeks; she could still feel his lips on her neck as he breathed his words of love to her. The young woman didn't say anything, but Karen's laugh at her expression had told Manna plenty. "We… we were deeply in love," she admitted shyly, as if to justify her reaction to Manna's explanations. "It was almost as if…" Her voice trailed off; she was too embarrassed to finish the sentence. It was far too absurd.
It was almost as if we were soul mates…
"Oooh!" The woman tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear as she eagerly moved to a bookmarked page. "Feeling love in a dream is a big one!"
"Ah, it is?" Her face glowed as she timidly joined Karen behind Manna and peered over her shoulder.
"Definitely! Dreaming of love and other strong emotions can suggest that you are content with where you are in your life. It can also mean that you have some feelings that are carried over from a waking relationship…"
"Oh, interesting…" Claire casually stuffed her hands into her pockets. She decided to stick with the first explanation; thinking about Gray wasn't high on her list of desires today. "Well, I am a lot happier here than I was in the city. Maybe that is what my dream is trying to say…?"
Karen looked over at her friend, curious to see her expression. She had a flushed face, and there was a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. The brunette began to wonder if Claire was telling the truth about not knowing who the dream involved, but she decided not to question her on it.
Manna had seen Claire lovingly press her cheek against Cliff's as they looked up at the clouds together the other day. They had looked so comfortable and natural around each other and she saw them very regularly passing by the vineyard together. For one of the few times in her life, Manna bit her tongue; it wasn't her place to tell Claire that her interpretation of the dream was wrong. "That's definitely a possibility," she had to admit. "Your dream could mean that you are embracing your new life and the new decisions that come with your new lifestyle. It can also mean something else…"
"Oh?" Claire wasn't sure why her heart was pounding in her throat as Manna said this.
"Feeling love in your dream can simply mean that you feel like you are not getting enough acceptance and love in your life. Your mind is just playing out your desires to have a relationship like that. Are there any other details about this mystery man that you can remember? Think of the other senses that you had available to you in your dream."
She thought of his calloused hands, but the symbolism of hard work was so obvious to her that she decided not to bother saying that one out loud. She closed her eyes as her mind replayed the dream and she felt her heart pound with pleasure. She was grateful that she could still visit her lover in her daydreams. "Ah… he tasted like grapes and sugar," Claire answered dreamily, recalling his precious kisses.
"Hubba, hubba, Claire. Does he have a brother?" Karen teased.
Her eyes flicked open and she felt her face get hot. She moved her gaze to Manna, quietly awaiting her analysis. The woman was no longer looking at the book, but she looked up at Claire with a smile. "I have the entry for grapes memorized. They symbolize decadence and prosperity. Sugar, however, can represent that you are denying yourself pleasure and joy that you truly desire deep down. Anything else you can recall?"
"He… smelled like rosemary," she replied. "But I usually put some in my pillow to sleep, so it probably carried over into my dream."
Manna gave her a courteous nod. "That might be the case, but rosemary symbolizes sadness and remembrance. This can also mean you are reflecting on something… It's a lot to think about, huh?" She reached on one of the shelves behind them and produced a bottle of wine. "Well, there's nothing better than thinking and drinking! It should be a little cooler out now, I think. Come on, ladies. Let's head outside and split this fresh bottle of wine."
Karen eagerly padded behind the woman and Claire followed, feeling a strange sense of relief.
0o0o0o0
Cliff was walking past the winery, his bangs clinging to his sweaty forehead and a few bags strapped to his back.
Manna waved to him. "Hey, cutie, come over here! I've got a glass of wine with your name on it. Come sit with us pretty ladies and relax a bit!"
He looked around him curiously before pointing to himself in confusion. Manna never spoke much to him before and he wasn't sure why she was starting now.
She giggled. "Do you see any other people around you?" She beckoned him with her finger. "I won't take no for an answer. Get your adorable keister over here. You've been sneaking past here without saying hello for far too long, hon!"
"Oooh, Manna's on the prowl," Karen laughed, taking a swig of her wine.
"You better believe it. I like my men hot and sweaty." Manna smirked, rolling her eyes at the thought of her husband's increasing griping and moaning about the heat. Cliff was busy shuffling his bags on his shoulders, shyly making his way over to them.
"H-hello." Claire and Karen's company didn't intimidate him at all, but he knew next to nothing about the winery owner.
"Take a seat, hon. You look exhausted." Manna pointed to the empty barrel beside them. After he set down his things, she poured a very full glass for him and he received it with shaking hands.
"That's very kind of you…" He made no motion to drink; judging from his reddened face and trembling hands, Claire could tell he was dehydrated. He eyed up the water pump on the far side of the fence. "Ah… pardon me, but may I use your water pump?"
Manna shrugged, surprised he was asking permission. "Sure."
He carefully set down the glass. "Thanks. I'll be right back." He walked to the pump and drank from his cupped hands for a minute or so, attempting to cool down. Claire watched the water drip from the curve of his lips down the front of his chin and suddenly felt quite thirsty herself, wondering if it had suddenly gotten a lot warmer out.
Manna's dark eyes curiously moved toward Claire as she watched him splash some water on his face, the drops of water glistening in the sunlight. Claire studied the way the water dripped from his eyebrows and the tip of his nose as he blinked, letting out a soft sigh of relief. Some of the droplets traveled down his neck, dampening his shirt and causing some wisps of his hair to stick to his cheeks. "Huh…" Manna took a heavy drink of her wine as she watched with great interest. "He's not bad-looking by any means, is he? You'd think someone that looks the way he does would carry himself with a bit more confidence. When he's not looking worried or frowning, he's actually quite attractive."
Claire found herself rolling her eyes as Karen laughed heartily, but she still found herself watching Cliff intently.
"You could make it a little less obvious, you know. The kid's a bit naïve, but he's not blind," Karen chortled.
Claire nearly choked on her wine and her eyes quickly flew to the dirt, realizing how she had been staring at him. Karen was right – Claire was being rather rude. She decided her face must have felt hotter than Cliff's.
"Oh, you're no fun!" Manna pouted, giving Karen a light slap on the arm. The pair laughed. Claire let her eyes shyly move toward the ground as Manna continued. "Watching them squirm is half of the fun with shy guys. They look so cute when they get flustered. You know, I've always been rather fond of the clean-cut look, but I'd say Cliff pulls off his own style rather well. He must be from far away; no one around here dresses like that. There's something endearing about him, though, besides him just being cute. Something that makes you just want to squeeze him. I think it's those eyes. What do you think?"
"He definitely has the lost puppy look down, but I'd have to say… he's not bad," Karen brushed her blonde streaks out of her eyes with a smirk. "What do you think, Claire?"
Her heart skipped; she hadn't really intended on being included in the conversation. Her tongue tripped over her words. "Ah… I… he's p-pretty handsome," she mumbled, her eyes moving back toward him. Water had dribbled from his chin onto his shirt and she waited with her heart in her throat, wondering what he was going to do about it. She scolded herself at her disappointment when he did nothing but gently tug on the fabric a few times to air it out before he began to walk back over to the group.
"Feel free to use the water pump whenever you like, sweetie," Manna raised her eyebrows with a grin as Karen buried her face in her hand to conceal her laughter.
He was suddenly aware that they were all staring in his direction and he looked behind him curiously. "Huh… is something back there?"
Manna opened her mouth to speak, and Claire looked at her in horror. "Ah, starlings!" Claire squeaked, determined to keep Manna or Karen from embarrassing all of them. "Duke… he says they're bad this year."
"Ugh, they're bad every year!" Manna sighed as Cliff shyly took a seat on the barrel beside Karen. Claire was relieved that she seemed content with the topic of conversation, even if she was complaining. "Chewing holes in our produce, munching on our precious cabernet sauvignon grapes… Really, if they keep coming at this rate, the whole vineyard will be full of them by the end of fall."
Claire scoured her brain for ideas that were included in the farming book she had read from the library. "What about a scarecrow?" she recalled.
"Hmmm…" Manna pressed a finger to her lip. "They seem pretty smart. A scarecrow of a predator of some sort would have to be moved constantly if we wanted it to work at all. Then, there's always the chance that they won't even feel threatened by it."
"Oh!" Cliff's face lit up. He was about to suggest a solution when he tasted his wine. He fell silent, his eyes widening and his mind drawing a blank. "Ah, M-Manna…? What kind of wine is this?"
Despite the fact that he looked stunned, there was a deep joy in his eyes. "It's the cabernet sauvignon," Manna chirped happily. "It had finally ripened – our old vines got decimated by those darn birds. We haven't been able to produce any for years. It's a shame, really, because it's a pretty standard red. I mean, how embarrassing is it that we don't carry one of the basic wines? We had to replant them a few years back. Now that the vines are growing, we're going to start making it again this year."
He noticed they were all staring curiously at the shock on his face and he knew he had to think of some sort of explanation. "Ah, I… I thought I tasted this before. It's very distinctive."
"It's the aging that does it. It brings out the chocolate notes. There are also hints of dried fruits and fig in there. I think this batch turned out wonderfully." She looked proudly around her as her companions sipped quietly, nodding in agreement.
Karen looked at her friend curiously. "How could you have tasted this before? Doug doesn't carry it, and you said you never had alcohol before moving here."
He wasn't sure why he hadn't anticipated anyone asking that question; his face nearly turned as red as the wine.
"What's got you all flustered?" Karen asked amusedly, swinging her feet.
He chose his words very carefully. "Oh, I just dreamed I was drinking this just last night," he laughed weakly. "Weird, huh? It's like I knew the flavor before I tasted it."
"Hey, we were just talking about dreams." Manna nodded with an impish grin. Claire's throat tightened. Manna had promised not to tell anyone else about her dream; was she going to go back on her word? "Tell me about yours. I'm great at reading them." She gave Claire a friendly smile and she felt her heart relax. It seemed that as much as Manna liked to talk, she took her interpretations seriously and was respectful about them.
Cliff's eyes flicked toward Claire and his heart hammered in his throat. "Uh… j-just a dream about drinking a huge glass of wine. It was very refreshing."
"Now that's my kind of dream!" Karen grinned, giving her drink another sip. "Maybe your dream means you should drink more."
Manna shook her head. "Wine represents celebration, companionship, and success. Also," she raised her eyebrows, "Red wine in particular can depict sensuality and excess."
He laughed a little too loudly and shook his head. "Dreams can be i-interesting, huh?" His eyes met Claire's and they shared a warm smile. He still could recall every detail of his dream the night before and he truly doubted that he needed an interpretation to know what it meant.
Author's Note: Wow, seriously, thanks everyone for all of your awesome reads, reviews, comments, follows and favorites! Y'all are fantastic! Again, the support from everyone just makes my heart burst!
I've got quite a huge chapter here! I've been dying to write Duke and Manna again and thought this would be a fun way to sneak them in. I also really wanted to do dream interpretation (I actually did a lot of reading on it for this chapter!)! I sincerely hope y'all enjoy. :)