At Cliff's wish to stay in Mineral Town as long as he could, Claire felt a cautious, quiet joy deep in her heart. Meditating on their conversations and activities the night before, the farmer went about her chores in a slow but thoughtful way, pausing only once to watch over the fence as a nervous Zack pet a steer's nose while May giggled. After a cautious look at Barley behind him, Zack allowed himself a soft chuckle as well.
Claire watched a couple of brilliant red leaves drop to the ground. Things were changing, transitioning…
While a small part of her wished to share her experiences the day before, everything felt so fresh and she wanted to spend the day processing her feelings and everything that had been said. She sent small prayers to the gods throughout the day as she worked, thanking them for her crops and the beautiful weather and asking for clarity of the mind to work at possible solutions to help her dear friend.
The small spark of hope inside her grew into a flame by evening, and that night, she didn't feel a twinge of pain as she sniffed the fresh sprig of rosemary before placing it under her pillow. Although she didn't come up with a plan, she felt a strange sense of serenity that she didn't attempt to fight as she settled in for sleep. Her hand brushed past her right brow as she adjusted herself on her mattress and a small smile played at her mouth as she closed her eyes, remembering the way Cliff's lips felt on her forehead.
It was a knock at her door the next morning that raised Claire from her slumber. In her half-awake daze, Claire blinked at the clock as she rolled out of bed. Her alarm had yet to go off.
"H-hello?" Her voice was squeaky and groggy, and she immediately cleared her throat to remedy it.
"Ah, I didn't wake you, did I? I assumed you farmers were up really early…"
Claire blinked in confusion as she heard Duke's voice, of all people, from the other side of the door.
"Just a m-moment!" Her pajamas were promptly stripped off and stuffed under her pillow as she pulled up the blankets in one fluid motion. Locating a warm, olive-colored sweater and some denim pants, she dressed as she walked to the door. Her blonde head popped through the turtleneck and as she pulled her hair through the collar, she attempted to make it look presentable as she unlatched her door.
"Good morning, Miss Claire. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."
She stifled a yawn. "N-no! Not at all! It's fine!" She struggled to look more alert than she really was.
She was further jolted awake by the sudden ringing of her alarm clock on her nightstand. She jumped with a gasp, and Koro barked in surprise, standing his ground against the fierce appliance. Blushing with embarrassment, she bolted to the other side of the room to turn it off.
Duke let out a hearty laugh, looking rather tired himself. "Well, I guess I did wake you up then." He stretched his arms over his head with a loud yawn.
"Please, come in." Claire gestured toward the table and started the kettle, rooting through her refrigerator for something to offer her guest. She let out a sigh, realizing that she had planned on going shopping today. Rummaging through the cupboards, she found a partial sleeve of sugared vanilla tea biscuits left over from Cliff's visit. He had devoured more than half of them himself, apologizing with a blush as he looked down at the crumbly aftermath that was the tray of snacks. She had just given him a smile; she was pleased that he was now accepting food from her.
Claire emptied the crumbling cookies on a plate and hoped her offering didn't look as pathetic as she felt it did. Her cheeks blazed when Duke gave her a playful grin.
"Good thinking! It's never too early for cookies, right? Thank you very kindly!" He sat down at the table, groaning as his joints popped. "Ah, feels like I need to do some more stretches in the morning." He let out a sigh as he got more comfortable. "I wanted to make sure that I caught you before you were lost out in those fields."
Claire took a seat across from him, feeling a little stiff herself. She frowned at her lumpy mattress before moving her attention back toward Duke, who was muttering something about a particular nagging wife making him come to visit so early. "How can I help you?"
He bit back a chuckle; the young woman was always so formal. "Well, our long-awaited cabernet sauvignons are ready for the picking. There are a lot," Duke explained, popping a partial cookie in his mouth. "I used to do the whole thing by my lonesome, but Manna's worried that I'm gonna hurt myself." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we both decided that it would be nice to enlist some help this year. You're a hardworking lady and I thought you'd be the perfect candidate. What do you say? Can you come over tomorrow at ten? We'll pay you for your trouble."
The kettle began to whistle and Claire jumped up, turning it off. She got the small jug of milk that was left in her refrigerator for her chai latte and set it on the table. She felt a small well of pride that people were looking to her for help and saw her as an expert at something, even if it was simple as harvesting. "Sure, I can do that. Would you like some tea?"
"Ah, I won't stay long enough for a hot drink, but I will have a glass of milk to wash these down." He bit into another cookie.
Claire poured the remnants of the jug in the glass, embarrassed that it only filled the glass halfway.
"Oh, that's fine, dear." Duke dismissed Claire's mortification with the wave of a hand. He wasn't going to scoff at free milk and cookies for breakfast, and he was practically beaming now that he had a promise of help for the busy day tomorrow.
Claire realized with an inward pout that she wasn't going to get the latte she wanted. She poured water in the mug over her tea bag and sat back down. "Is there anything you'll need me to bring tomorrow?" She reached for a tea biscuit and crunched on it, daintily holding her fingers in front of her mouth to hide the crumbly mess.
"Well, we'll have clippers and baskets. Probably just some work gloves and lunch. We'll be working through the day…" Duke took a heavy swig of milk, wiping his lips. "Oh, yeah. We need someone else, too. Can you bring a friend with you? We need someone who's going to work hard, okay? Just between you and me, since Aja left, we've really needed another set of hands around the winery…"
Claire's eyes grew to the size of saucers and the piece of cookie nearly fell out of her mouth. She struggled to swallow, giving him a very emphatic nod. "S-sounds great! I can bring someone who will be excited for the opportunity! Thank you so much, Duke!" she practically screamed.
He took another cookie and laughed, biting into it leisurely. "We're really the ones that should be thanking you…"
Claire sat erect in her seat, watching Duke finish his snack in no hurry. Her heart pounded and she gripped the edge of the table as he finished off the rest of his milk.
"Ah, I can imagine you're not in any hurry to head out there… It looks pretty cloudy this morning... probably rain… It's supposed to be real clear tomorrow, though…" He bit into another cookie.
Claire could hardly contain the bouncing in her seat. The earlier she left, the more likely it was that Cliff was still at the inn…
His eyes flicked toward Claire and he quickly gulped the rest of his biscuit down. He flashed her an apologetic smile as he stood up with a grunt, dusting the crumbs from his clothing. "Well, I suppose I better get out there sooner than later, eh?" He gave her a polite bow of the head. "Thanks. We'll see you and your friend tomorrow."
She blinked, a bit nonplussed as she gave him a small wave, watching him head out. The young woman turned her head and caught her face in the mirror. Her eyes were wide and her excitement was written plainly on her face. She only half-scolded herself for being unable to hide her facial expressions as she pulled on some socks and her boots after running a brush through her hair.
She burst out of her house, running into town. She slowed down her pace as she watched Duke leisurely making his way back to the winery, looking up at the cloudy sky.
The young woman struggled to hide her uneven breath as she slowed down to walking, giving him a cordial smile.
He laughed. "Don't let me keep you from your morning run." He gave her a playful wink. "Go on ahead. I only hope they're as excited about tomorrow as you are."
Her cheeks flooded with color as a grin broke across her face. "I know he will be!" She let out a giddy laugh as she hurried to the inn, throwing the door open and flying up the stairs. She bounced on the balls of her feet as she rapped on the door.
Gray answered, stifling a yawn. The top half of his coveralls hadn't been fastened yet; the sleeves were tied around his waist and he was brushing toast crumbs off of his shirt underneath. His expression was curious but watchful as he saw her in her wide-eyed excited glory. "Haven't seen you in a while, Claire. It's unusual to see you here this early…" He tugged on the bill of his hat.
"Hi!" Claire didn't have time for long greetings and pleasantries. She looked past Gray and spied Cliff sitting cross-legged on the middle of his bed, brushing out his hair. The young man was staring out of the window dreamily. "Cliff!"
His eyes widened at the sound and volume of his friend's voice; her energy was surprising. "C-Claire?" He looked up at her, the faint light of hope in his eyes still burning. At seeing her smile, his lips instinctively began to upturn as well, albeit very cautiously.
She ran to his bedside and boldly planted herself on the foot of the bed, grinning. "Good news! Part-time work! Duke's! Tomorrow! Come with me!" She bounced on the old bed with each exclamation and it squeaked loudly.
"Wait, what?" Cliff dropped his brush and stared at her, his body trembling as he prayed he had heard correctly over the noisy springs in the mattress.
"I'm helping Duke harvest grapes at the winery tomorrow and he told me to bring a friend and we'd get paid! Come with me!" Claire said it all in one breath and gave the bed one final bounce for emphasis.
At her final jolt, he seemed to snap out of his haze. "Are you serious?" He hesitated, afraid to allow his excitement to grow out of control.
It was inevitable for his pulse to skyrocket; Claire took his hands in hers and gave them a friendly squeeze in her enthusiasm. "Dead serious. Come with me," she repeated, and her voice softened.
He looked at the young woman. With rosy cheeks and bright eyes, she positively glowing and her breathing was elevated as she waited for a response. Cliff was silent as he collected his thoughts for a moment. He stared down at the pattern on his green comforter. Temporary work, while nice, wasn't something he could rely on too heavily. After all, he had been struggling to find work in town up until now.
This might be all I've got. Duke and Manna seem friendly enough. If I can show them that I'm a hard worker…
He looked back up at Claire and his brow was furrowed, his deep blue eyes intense. "Alright! Let's do this!" He stood up and began haphazardly gathering his work gloves and canteen in his bag while he carried a thin strip of leather in his mouth for tying back his hair.
Claire grinned; her friend was usually so organized, and she could see that his exhilaration had left him flustered. "The job isn't until tomorrow," Claire reminded him with a playful giggle.
This didn't deter him from his excitable behavior; he was shaking with adrenaline. He began to pace around the bed, energy humming through him like electricity. Should he even dare think that work could end up lasting for longer than one day? The words tumbled out of his mouth as he turned to look at her. "How long do you think they will need someone around for the harvest? I walk past there every day and I can see that they've got a lot of grapes. I wonder if they want to do them all in one day." He gathered his brown locks in his hands and pulled them back impatiently.
"Duke said he used to handle it all himself, but he didn't say how long it took," she admitted, kneeling on the bed. "He did complain that without his daughter around anymore, it's been a lot for two people to handle…"
Cliff's trembling hands gripped her shoulders and Claire stifled a surprised gasp. "Do you think...?!" His voice cracked as he stared at his friend longingly. He was too afraid to finish the last of his sentence. Realizing he was holding her tighter than was probably comfortable, he eased up his hold. Before he removed his hands, he was startled to feel Claire cover his with her own. They were still resting on her shoulders, as if silently begging him not to let go.
"Do I think it might lead to something good? Yes!" she replied with elation, slowly standing up from the bed, but not removing her hands. She couldn't hold back her grin and she felt her eyes well with tears at the hope and joy overflowing in her heart. She patted his hands. "I mean, it has to, right? I prayed all yesterday…"
Cliff gulped.
But I thought the gods didn't want me… to be here…
No.
I have to fight. I have to try.
She was startled when Cliff threw his arms around her and squeezed her so hard he lifted her off of the floor. It felt so good to see him smile again and share his happiness and hope with her. She let out a shriek of joy and giggled.
"You need to save all that energy for tomorrow, man." Gray shook his head and lightly chuckled from his corner of the room as he looked up from buttoning up his coveralls.
"I will definitely have energy for tomorrow." Cliff felt like he could scale Mother's Hill in less than five minutes. The jolt of hope for the future buzzed through him and he squeezed Claire again.
Her heart felt light, yet she couldn't help but feel like crying. She could see the rowdy young boy in his eyes again, that headstrong flicker of a young man that had set forth to create his own destiny. It wasn't until she saw the determination in her eyes that she realized she had feared she would never see that again. His light was back, and it was burning brightly. She leaned into him. "So we'll meet tomorrow morning, okay? He wants us there by ten. Come over to my house at eight-thirty; I'll make us a big breakfast!"
"I'm looking forward to it!" He gave her one last squeeze.
Claire turned to leave, but Gray stopped her.
"Hey, I'll buy us all coffee or tea. I've got time before I've got to go to work." Claire had never seen such kindness in the blacksmith's eyes.
"Okay!" Cliff was suddenly eager to be around everyone.
"On second thought, maybe he doesn't need any caffeine," Gray rolled his eyes as the trio left the bedroom.
Ann was standing in the hallway, her broom resting on her shoulder. "I almost came in there, you know," she glared at the three of them. "What were you all doing? Jumping on the mattresses?"
"Yes, Ann. Three grown adults were jumping on the beds like a bunch of five-year-olds," Gray deadpanned.
"Well, cut it out then! It was starting to sound… unseemly!" Ann let out a fake gasp of shock.
"If you don't want to have to hear it, get us some better beds," Gray replied with a smirk.
The redhead pretended to swoon and gave him a playful swat on the arm, leading the way down the hallway. "Are you guys headed out already?" She noticed the not-so-subtle excitement on all of their faces and was dying to hear the news.
"Just having some celebratory coffee," Gray explained.
"Oh?" Ann was practically jumping up and down with excitement.
Cliff nodded with a grin. "Yeah. You see, Claire found me some part-time work at Duke's tomorrow-"
His words were cut off as Ann threw her arms around him in a deep embrace, knocking the wind out of him. "Wow, a job! Awesome! How long are you going to be employed? Do you think he'll be looking to hire you on for the season?"
He could hardly speak as she squeezed him tighter. "I-I'm not really sure…" He took a deep breath as Ann moved to Claire, squealing and cheering as she hugged her as well.
"Oh, Claire! I knew you'd find a solution! You're always so smart!"
The blonde shook her head with a giggle. "I don't think intelligence has anything to do-"
She was interrupted as Ann tore ahead of them and ran down the stairs so quickly it sounded like she had fallen down them.
"Dad, Dad, Dad! Big news!"
Doug looked up from the bar counter. "What, what, what?" he asked in a teasing manner, a smile hidden beneath his mustache.
"Are you guys coming or not?!" Ann groaned impatiently as the others finished coming down the stairs and approached the bar.
"Coffee?" Doug asked politely as they climbed up on the bar stools.
Gray nodded. "Black. You, too, Claire?"
"I'd like some chai tea please." She smiled up at Doug as he passed Gray his simple order. "Actually, could you make that a chai latte?"
"Sure thing. Cliff?"
"Straight matcha, please."
Ann let out an exasperated groan. "Come on, tell him!" She pulled herself onto a stool and kicked her feet to burn her excess energy.
Cliff gave Ann a mischievous grin. Playfully testing her patience was a regular lighthearted prank around the inn, similar to the way she would lightly scold the roommates for leaving their shared room in anything but pristine condition.
"Me and Claire are going to the winery tomorrow to harvest grapes with Duke. It's just a temporary job as far as I know."
"But it could lead to something nice!" Ann nodded along with Claire. She reached over toward Cliff and instinctively wrapped her fingers around his thick ponytail. She stopped herself before she gave his hair a tug and opted for resting her arm along his shoulders instead. He turned to give her a small smile and she felt a small victory for consciously making a more mature decision.
"That's definitely a possibility," Doug replied carefully, passing Claire her latte, "but we need to just celebrate today." He proceeded to whisk the matcha for Cliff.
The door to the inn creaked open and a friendly but cautious Harris gave Doug a wave before sitting at a table. Ann turned around and frowned a bit, pulling Cliff a little closer before bouncing up from her stool and joining her father behind the bar.
"I've got the tea, Dad."
Doug's eyes flicked across the room. He gave his daughter a sad smile. "Sure."
The hesitancy vanished from Ann's face as she located a fresh mug, placing it on a saucer. "Here ya go!" she chirped.
Claire's smile vanished a bit as she remembered Doug mentioning that Ann had gone to watch the full moon with Popuri. She watched as Ann passed the tea along to Cliff and a curious Gray took a sniff of it, trying to remember how long it had been since he had been to his grandfather's for bitter tea.
Ann watched as both men refused sips of each other's drinks and laughed, the prospects of hope for the future creating a much more lighthearted mood. Ann noticed that Claire was still watching her curiously, idling stirring her chai with her spoon, waiting for it to cool.
"It was mutual," Ann finally said quietly. "He practically finished my sentence for me when I finally talked to him… No hard feelings. He was very polite about the whole thing, and even Thomas stopped by to see how I was feeling the morning after."
"Are you doing okay?" Claire asked gently, searching Ann's face and noticing a slight furrow of her red brows.
She let out a small sigh. "Yeah… I guess it's gonna take a little time. I talked to Mary and a lot of things started to make more sense. I'm not really sure what I'm mourning, though. I suppose in a way, that makes me kind of sad," she admitted quietly. "I never really got him to open up… I just… wanted to be the light in someone's day, I guess." Her eyes drifted to Cliff, who was in a conversation with Gray. "This isn't the first time I've failed with that."
Claire gave her friend a sad smile. "A lot of people see you that way. Do you think the inn would be as busy as it is if they didn't?"
A light blush rose in Ann's cheeks, but she stuck out her tongue. "Well, my dad is a really good cook… And I ain't too shabby myself!"
"No one wants to eat good food around someone who isn't friendly," Claire pointed out. "You make them feel at home and welcome."
Ann gave her a more genuine smile. "I sure try, at least…" She looked back over at her father, who was chatting with Harris. Despite what had happened, she was glad the men's friendship hadn't changed. "At least Dad hasn't mentioned anything about me needing to find a boyfriend anymore." She gave Claire a wry smile. "I'll give him two weeks."
"Good morning, Claire," Duke greeted them as they entered the vineyard. "Ah, here's a familiar face… Cliff Yamamoto, right?"
The young man nodded, and Claire realized how rarely people in Mineral Town used their last names.
"Doug's told me a bit about you, and I've seen you with Claire around town a lot… So, what's Cliff short for, anyway? Clifford? Clifton?"
The young man shook his head and cringed as he spoke. "Cliffgard." His voice was scarcely a whisper. "B-but just Cliff is fine!" he added quickly.
"Alright, Claire and 'Just Cliff', are you ready to work hard today? I've got a vineyard full of grapes."
"Of course!" His face lit up; Claire knew he was eager to prove himself. They followed Duke out to the trellises of grapes. Cliff turned to face his friend and grinned at her playfully. "No slacking off, now!" He gave her a hearty slap on the back.
"Yes, sir!" she giggled.
It was simple, methodical work – clip the grapes that were ripe and drop them into the basket. Identifying the grapes ready for picking was easy enough, and the cool breeze and pleasant weather made it comfortable enough to daydream as she worked.
That gentle touch… his soft breath in her ear…
Goosebumps traveled up her arms as she cast Cliff a quick gaze. She watched the autumn sunlight play with his hair and she dropped another cluster of grapes with a small blush, wondering if she should invite him over again soon.
How would he feel if she ran her fingers through those locks? Up and down his back?
A glow filled her heart as she turned back toward the grapes, but a slight brush against her back caught her attention.
"Ah… how's it going?"
She couldn't help but notice that Cliff didn't apologize for bumping her with his arm. His muscles were flexed as he held the basket of grapes, and she couldn't tell if the rosiness in his cheeks was from exertion or if he was blushing.
"There are a lot of grapes, huh?" Claire inwardly cringed at her obvious remark.
"I thought we agreed on no wine-ing," Cliff gave her a playful wink.
She blinked at him, wondering if he thought she was really complaining.
He stifled a chuckle. "That's for Duke to do when he works the presses in the cellar, right? Wine-ing?" he repeated for emphasis.
Claire shook her head with a laugh. "Get back to work!"
His eyes glowed at her as he hurried off with the basket and retrieved a fresh one. He brushed against her once more. "Hey, I thought it was pretty grape. It sounded vine to me."
She playfully bumped him with her hip. "It seems like all of your ideas for bad jokes are coming to fruition."
Cliff considered this. "Hmmm… almost, Claire."
"Oh, come on! That was a good one!" A smirk played at her lips. "A total case of sour grapes!"
A roaring laughter caused the pair to jump. Duke set down his clippers and wiped a tear from his eye. "Ah, I didn't realize I was going to get a comedy routine when I hired you two!"
Cliff turned a bright shade of red and shifted his basket in his hands as he scurried back to his work station. "Ah, s-sorry, Sir!"
Duke gave him a clap on the shoulder as he walked past. "Don't be! What's work without a little fun, after all?"
Claire was delighted to see Cliff relax a bit, and as they all worked together, they took turns telling stories. Duke shared a tale about a young Karen and Popuri getting lost in the vineyard during a round of hide and seek. Claire mused about some of Koro's antics, and Cliff told a story of him and his sister foraging for honey and being chased by a swarm of bees. The tale ended in laughter, but Claire could tell from the strain in his voice that he was putting up a happy front to hide his nervousness.
Manna came out from the shop that afternoon, turning the sign on the door to "closed" and grabbing a basket of her own. She let out a surprised gasp at the quantity of completed bushels waiting by the cellar.
"Look at you two! You're like a couple of machines!" Manna commented. "You're really fast! I don't think we've ever been this far along so early! It sure takes a load off of my shoulders. Between you and me, this large harvesting day always has me a bit nervous because there's so much to do. It gets a little overwhelming. But I guess it's like they say – one step at a time – or should I say one basket at a time?" Manna giggled at her own joke.
Duke shook his head. "You missed the comedy routine earlier, Honey."
Cliff's cheeks immediately became pink again as he ducked his head, throwing himself into his work. Claire couldn't help but notice that she felt a little flushed as well.
"You're doing such a great job; why don't we all take a quick break to have some lunch?" Duke had filled a pitcher from the water pump while Manna went inside to prepare something to eat for her and her spouse.
"Thank you very much!" Claire didn't realize how thirsty she was. She accepted the glass of water and plopped down on the ground in the shade of a large decorative arbor covered with grape vines. She looked up at the canopy of grapes hanging above her and let out a happy sigh, retrieving her lunch from her bag. "This place is very beautiful, Duke."
"Thank you," the owner beamed. He handed the other glass of water to Cliff, who thanked him. Duke took a seat on a barrel, hiding a smirk at how closely the two friends sat.
"Do you have to maintain the vines in the winter?" Cliff asked him, taking a drink of his water. He was admiring the vines as well. The wind played at the rich, deep green leaves. He could see a place like this being comfortable to visit every day…
Duke stretched his back with a groan. "A bit. Fall is our busiest season, though. We spend a lot of winter planning for the next season and checking the soil levels for erosion. Of course, we also are monitoring the wine we make year-round. We have many unique varieties, and each one is treated a little differently."
Cliff's heart pounded in his throat. "S-so… you keep pretty busy throughout the whole year, then?"
Claire was about to loop her arm around Cliff's, but decided against it in the work setting. She opened a package of rice balls and bit into one heartily.
Duke nodded. "There is always plenty of work to do around here, no matter the season…" He paused, eyeing up the young man as he tried to remember the details about him Doug had mentioned to him in the past. "You're not employed right now, are you, Cliff?"
Cliff gulped, his posture becoming erect as he shook his head. "No, Sir, but I'm definitely looking for work." He prayed that he didn't sound desperate, and he felt a small swell of pride for not stuttering.
Claire held her breath.
"I see…" Duke smiled at him, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, we really appreciate the help from both of you today. Take a few minutes to relax; I'll be out in a bit with some more baskets." He gave them a warm smile and one last gaze before heading back into the house.
Cliff's shoulders slouched and he sighed as Duke closed the door and the tension was gone. "Ah… I-I thought he was going somewhere with that…"
Claire caught the wounded look in his eyes. The light there was flickering, unstable. She wrapped her arm around his. "Hey… he sounded interested," she whispered optimistically, handing him a rice ball.
He accepted the food with a small sigh and quiet thanks. "You really think so?" The hint of a smile played at his lips.
It was endearing. Claire grinned, peeking toward the house before leaning over and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Sure, don't lose hope!"
Duke had to be interested… He just had to…
It took Cliff a moment to register what Claire had done. He blinked in surprise and placed his hand on his cheek, his face flooding with color. "Y-yeah!" A joyful smile cracked across his face and he gave her a squeeze, the rice ball in his hand uneaten.
Claire couldn't wipe the silly smile off of her own lips. "H-hey… I filled those with smoked salmon." She attempted to entice him.
She laughed when he happily dug into the food and she scooted the full container of onigiri between them.
The rest of the afternoon went by quickly for Claire; there was a lot less tension in the air. The four of them worked until early evening, and it wasn't long before baskets full of grapes filled the vineyard. Claire set down her clippers with stiff and aching fingers, wishing for another hand massage from Cliff.
"I think that's enough work for today," Duke smiled. "Please, come inside. We've got a little something for the two of you."
The friends followed him into the house. Manna had the table set with fancy stemware and a cheese tray. "Please have a seat!" She gave them a cheery grin, the promises of a celebration renewing her energy. "We thought you could use some refreshments after all that hard work. It's not every day you're out in the vineyard for so long, even for me and Duke. We appreciate it so much! There was no way we would have been able to get even half that much done with just the two of us!"
Claire glowed as she took a seat at the table. The cushion on her seat felt lovely and she felt herself drooling at the array of cheeses, fruit, and crackers on the table.
"You two did a fine job today. I don't think we've had such a huge crop before." Duke poured them each a glass of wine. "Moscato – sweet, fruity, crisp. I hope you like it."
Claire looked outside at the rows of baskets and was surprised at the quantity. She took a sip from her glass. The wine was pleasant and reminded her of a bit of sweet grape juice. She looked over at Cliff and her smile faded a bit. He took a sip of his drink to be polite, but Claire could read the sudden nervousness on his face. She reached for his hand under the table and held it. He was trembling, and she had a feeling it wasn't from hunger.
"Hey Cliff, can I have a word with you for a moment?" Duke's sudden voice made the young man jump.
Gulping, he nodded, and stood up shakily as Duke ushered him out of the room and closed the door.
Claire's heart stopped. She dropped the piece of cheese she was holding and the world stood still for several moments. She nearly fell out of her chair when Manna's perky voice broke the silence.
"Those cabernet sauvignon were quite a task, no? It looks like Duke's broom waving and screaming at those starlings paid off; we were able to save a lot of them. Of course, if we had a more efficient way to get rid of them, we'd be doing even better. Duke's pretty excited about this season's harvest, and we've been talking about expanding the vineyard recently. There's a lot of empty soil that's just begging for more vines. Of course, Duke just talks about all of these things like they'll magically be done – he often forgets how much hard work goes into setting up the supports for the vines. But I will say that it's nice to hear him excited about something again; it can get rather dull around here with just the two of us doing the same thing every day, so I am pretty happy for him…"
Claire's mind began to wander as she nodded, taking a sip from her glass.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Manna laughed, and Claire jumped with a start. "Here is your portion of the payment for today." She handed her an envelope.
Claire looked inside and her eyes widened; Cliff would be able to pay a weeks' rent with his portion. She opened her mouth to speak, but Manna spoke over her.
"We are very happy and grateful that you came to help us out today. Sometimes it's nice having a couple extra sets of hands around here to help get the work done. I mean, Duke is no spring chicken, but he's out there every day, monitoring the vines. It's really good that you were able to take the time out of your busy schedule to give him a hand. I worry about him sometimes; that's why I suggested that he ask you for help this year, and I'm really glad that he did."
"T-thank you," Claire stammered.
The door flew open and Claire was startled again. Her heart was pounding in her throat.
"Great! So I'll see you here tomorrow morning." Duke slapped Cliff's shoulder.
"Yes, sir!" Cliff was beaming. He hurried over to her friend, grasping her hands in his. "Claire! Duke offered me a full-time job at the winery!"
Her jaw fell open in surprise and she suddenly felt as if she was flying. The heavy weight that had been crushing her heart had lifted all at once.
If Cliff has a job, he can pay rent.
He can stay here.
He can stay home.
"W-wow! That's wonderful!" She blinked away happy tears. She bounced up from her seat to give Cliff a hug, and was surprised when he picked her up and stepped away from the furniture, swinging her around in a circle.
Claire was immediately reminded of their dance at the Fireworks Festival, and she felt as if she could see stars and fireworks right now in his blue eyes. She threw her arms around him with a grateful laugh that began to turn dangerously close to a sob.
"I'm glad I could make you both so happy," Duke laughed, and Manna rested a loving hand on her husband's shoulder. The spouses' eyes met and they smiled at one another.
"I promise I will work as hard as I can for you," Cliff said to the owners earnestly with a polite bow of the head.
"I have no doubt about that if today is any indication." Duke gave Cliff a hearty grin. "Doug says that you're a good guy, and if you're friends with Claire, then I am certain you'll be a good fit for us." He gave Cliff a nod of finality.
"And I will make you proud, too, Claire." He squeezed her hands and she could feel the energy from him humming. "Thank you for bringing me here today, and thank you all for the opportunity." His voice began to crack and when Claire's eyes met his, she saw that they were especially shiny.
"Well, what are we waiting for? We have a lot to celebrate," Manna poured another round of wine. "Feel free to help yourself. Duke and I actually decided to hire you earlier today and I even snuck to the inn next door and ordered a cake. We are really excited to have you join our family!"
There was a rush of emotion that caught Cliff by surprise. His jaw dropped in shock as he tried to process Manna's seemingly causal words. This was all so much… "J-join your family?" Cliff stammered, ducking his head.
"Of course!" Manna exclaimed. "You don't think we would hire just anyone to work in our winery, do you? We are eager to have you here working with us. Come on; let's have some of that cake!"
As they sat down, Cliff's head buzzed with emotions, wondering if he was truly awake.
Cliff's head continued to swim as he walked hand in hand with Claire to her house, where she picked up the bottle of wine that she purchased the week before for Karen's birthday. She explained that Karen was going to have a get-together at the bar that evening.
"Manna said that this is Karen's favorite," Claire told him with a grin. She had lamented days ago that she hadn't had the spirit to craft a handmade gift for Karen with all of the emotional turmoil she had been going through. However, in that moment, her heart felt light and she didn't have a care in the world.
"I don't have anything to give her…" He shyly hung his head, letting out a regretful sigh. "Maybe she won't want to see me after what happened last time…"
Even the image of Karen slapping Cliff didn't break Claire's spirits. "I think that the perfect gift would be the news that you have a job now, don't you think?"
Cliff gave her a hesitant smile as they headed back outside. A cluster of wildflowers was growing by the bank of the stream by her house. "I-is it okay if I pick her some of those? I feel like I at least owe her an apology…"
She gave a nod he headed over to the blue blossoms. "Of course. I have something inside we can tie them with."
Claire darted inside and untied the ribbon from the basket Kai had given her when she was sick. When she met him at the water's edge, he already had a large bundle of the flowers ready.
"Thank you." He accepted the plaid ribbon with a smile and carefully tied a bow.
Claire admired the deep blue petals and sniffed them with a sigh. "Ah, she'll love this; it's really pretty." Autumn truly was a beautiful time of year, and now that she was living where there was a lot more nature, she had learned that the season wasn't a signal of things dying off – there were so many nuts, mushrooms, and wildflowers she had never seen before.
Cliff gave her a warm smile, and she noticed he had one more bloom in his hand.
"I don't think you can tuck any more in there. You tied it pretty tight." Claire giggled at him.
The young man shook his head and his eyes quickly moved to the ground, his cheeks burning. "Uh… Claire, would you mind holding this bouquet for a moment?"
She looked at him curiously, but something about his mannerisms caused her heart to hammer in her chest. "Sure…" She relieved him of the flowers and looked down at the bundle, admiring its beauty.
Cliff broke the stem of the flower, shortening it significantly as he nervously leaned in toward his friend. "Th-this is for you…" His fingers were trembling as he tucked the flower behind the young woman's ear. His face was bright red, and Claire noticed her own cheeks felt uncomfortably warm. "Ah, I'm sorry! I-It was so pretty that I c-couldn't help myself…" A pleased smile crossed his lips as he noticed the flower brought out the color in her eyes. "It looks nice…"
She instinctively wanted to touch it, but she didn't want to knock it out of place. "Th-Thank you," she stammered, twisting a blonde lock of hair around her finger that came loose from her ponytail. They sat in silence for a minute, neither sure what to say.
"W-Well… I guess we better head to the bar now, huh?" The young man let out a nervous chuckle as he pulled himself up.
"Yeah… Karen will like these flowers." Claire looked at the bundle in her arms.
Her friend extended a hand to help her up and she accepted it. She noticed that she was still holding his hand as they passed through her property, but she found that she rather liked it. His touch was warm and friendly; she relished the fact that he wasn't going anywhere and she would never take his presence for granted. She didn't want to ever let him go.
"I was starting to wonder what was taking you two so long." Karen finished her beer and slammed the mug on the table. She cocked an eyebrow when she saw they were holding hands, but she didn't say anything aloud.
"Happy birthday!" Claire shoved the bottle of wine in her face.
"Oooh, thank you!" Karen squeezed her and gave her a smooch on the forehead, messing up her bangs. "I have the sweetest best friend in the world!" She looked over at Cliff, and there was a moment of silent tension. Claire held her breath and jumped when Karen's hug moved to Cliff as she accepted the bouquet. "And what beautiful flowers! What a sweet, sweet gift! Cliff, you didn't have to get me anything!" She placed a gentle hand on his cheek and her voice lowered. "Hey… I'm sorry I slapped you the other day. You were… kinda asking for it, though."
He hung his head in shame. "I know… I'm sorry."
"Hey…" She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek where she had struck him before. "Let's just have a good time tonight, okay?" For all she knew, this was the last social outing that Cliff was going to attend in Mineral Town; she wasn't about to mar the event with arguments. She gave him one last kiss.
"I think she's just feeling good because she's already had two merlots," Gray whispered into his ear as the two took seats beside each other at the table.
"I heard that!" Karen rolled her eyes. "I see you have box for me, Gray. Gift me!" She snapped her fingers and beckoned him to come over.
Claire was surprised he had brought her something; she never really thought of the two as friends, as they often quarreled when they were together. Claire did notice that Karen had stopped grumbling about Gray so much as she felt her crush for him fade away.
Karen removed the lid from the box and almost dropped the contents in her surprise. Her jaw dropped slightly and she blinked rapidly before looking up at him.
"R-really, Gray?"
A hint of a smirk played at the corner of his mouth. "Well, yeah… I figured since you're kind of an apprentice, too, now… Although I think Claire's crazy for taking on that challenge…"
Claire watched with interest. The box tumbled off of Karen's lap as she held up the shiny metal spatula for everyone to see, her eyes glowing. It took a moment for his words to register when she have him a sharp pout, giving his arm a light swat with the utensil.
"Just… don't look too closely or you'll see where the left side is thinner than the right…" Gray's face turned pink as he looked away.
"Aw, it's just got personality!" Karen chirped, turning it over in her hands. "We're both still learning, see?" She tugged on the bill of his hat playfully.
Gray rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his lips. "Yeah, yeah… Just don't hurt anyone with it."
"It doesn't look sharp to me," Karen replied, imitating a flipping motion with the tool.
"I was referring to the results – not the tool itself," he quipped with a teasing chuckle.
Rick burst into laughter a little too loudly and Karen's hair flicked into her face as she lashed her head to give him a stern look.
"You're getting the first batch of cookies I make." Karen's voice was low and threatening until her façade broke and her scolding turned into a giggle.
"What did Rick get for you?" Claire asked.
"He agreed to pick up my tab today; I'm going to make him sorry he agreed to that! You only turn twenty-five once!" Karen roared with laughter. "He also got me this." She pointed to the necklace she was wearing. It was a simple golden chain with a brightly colored jewel in the middle. The rock changed color depending on what angle it was viewed from. While it looked like something Karen would like, she was a little shocked Rick had selected it for her.
"Oh, that's beautiful," she murmured. "Rick sure spoils you, huh?"
"You bet!" She winked as her boyfriend took a seat by her.
"I picked it out," Popuri said proudly, scooting a chair to the table.
There was a buzz of activity as the group engaged in conversation. A small pile of offerings sat beside Karen, and Claire reasoned that their arrival would likely be the last one of the night. She couldn't wait any longer, and she noticed Cliff was fidgeting with excitement. "Hey, everyone, Cliff's got some news!" Claire hollered over the din of the bar.
Everyone fell silent and Claire felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment for being so loud.
"Wow, look at you Claire – so in command today," Karen giggled. "I like it. So, what's up?"
Cliff's face lit up. "Duke offered me a full-time job at the winery today. I-I'm… I'm going to stay in town!" His voice was shaking. He wasn't expecting the rush of friends hugging and congratulating him, asking him questions more quickly than he could answer.
Claire smiled. He had a lot more friends than he thought.
This can be your home.
"Well, thanks for upstaging my birthday," Karen teased, ruffling his hair. She gave him a big hug. "Seriously, though. I'm really glad you're staying." Her voice became gentle as she pulled him close.
"Are you serious?!" Ann had come over and was passing out some drinks. She wiped a tear out of her eye and smothered him. "I'm so happy! See, I told you that you'd get the job! I was just telling Dad that Duke would have to be an idiot not to hire you permanently. You've gotta tell Dad right away!" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back to the kitchen.
Everyone at the table began chattering away happily, and Claire got lost in the loving, celebratory feeling.
"Claire, I'm really happy for both of you." She was startled by Gray's sudden voice. He sat down in Cliff's empty chair and put his hands in his lap. "I know that you're really… close with Cliff." Gray tugged on his hat. "He was pretty upset for the past few weeks, and it seemed like nothing could snap him out of it." He flashed her a genuine smile. "Everyone had a rough time when he was leaving, but you stuck with him. It might not mean much from me, but… th-thanks."
Claire's heart soared as she watched Cliff and Ann walk back from the kitchen together.
"I'm just happy to have him back."
Author's Note: Ah, that was satisfying to write! Lots of stuff crammed into this chapter! I really hope you enjoyed. :)
2018 Note: As you've probably noticed, I've been updating this story like crazy. I want to post a special chapter for this Wednesday, which will be the 10 year anniversary of this story. I hope you all are looking forward to it.
A special thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this. I know I say it all the time, but seriously, it motivates me so much to know that this story is bringing joy to others. I hope it made you smile. :)
See y'all on Wednesday!