Victoria eyed the window for a few minutes then jumped out of her bed. My animals! They are going to be so mad at me and unhappy!! Running to the door, she heard his voice. Whipping around she saw Cliff sitting at her table sipping a cup of coffee.

"Your animals are fine. I put them up last night and fed them when you fell asleep." He watched her carefully and sipped his coffee. Victoria watched him silently at the door.

What do I do? What do I say? This guy just learned a huge part… very emotional part of my past… and I don't know what he is thinking. I don't even know where to move…

"Thank you." She said softly knowing that those two words alone had more meaning in them right now than anything else she knew.

He watched her intently his eyes still warm and caring. "Your welcome." He rose from the chair which he was sitting and refilled his cup with coffee. "Do you want some breakfast? I can fix us up some killer scrambled eggs." He smiled at her.

Victoria suddenly felt a sigh of relief and smiled herself. "That would be awesome." She moved toward the fridge to get some ingredients for a jam bun. "I'll cook something sweet that we both can eat that's kinda breakfast-ie."

They worked in silence as if they had done it before. The only speech they had was when they asked each other to pass something. Victoria's hand began to shake as she cracked an egg so she placed them on the counter after she threw away the shells.

"I want to talk about last night, but I…" Stopping when she caught Cliff's gaze, he went back to stirring the eggs. "I just… I know that was a lot to take in and... and we haven't really gotten to know one another… I- I just don't want to screw what we could be or maybe…" She watched him stir the eggs in silence.

A few minutes passed by before he spoke. "You didn't screw anything up." He said in a calm manner. Victoria looked up into his eyes, "I actually am grateful that you allowed me to be there." He scraped the eggs on a plate and turned the stove off.

Victoria watched him not knowing what to say or do. She just leaned against the counter, held one arm in the other, and watched as he put her bread mix in a pan and stuck it in the oven. What am I… How do I… I wish I could read his mind…. Her eyes wandered over to the oven as she was thinking. A few minutes later she heard a silent chuckle, she turned her head back toward him and found standing directly in front of her and she hadn't even noticed.

He placed his fingers against her temples and traced the curve of her face gently. She melted into his hand and looked up into his beautiful hazel eyes. She placed her hands against his waist still watching his eyes with hers beginning to tear. "Darlin', don't cry." He spoke softly bringing her into a giant hug. She pulled herself closer and buried her face in his shoulder. This feels almost perfect…

She pulled away slowly looking at him with her crystal blue eyes. "Even if they are tears of joy and happiness?" She smiled and laughed a little whipping away the tears. He still held her around the waist and hadn't budged from his spot in front of her. Cliff ran his hand through her hair until the end of its length and looked at her with a smile.

"All I want you to know is… the fact you had the strength to face something of that calamity and that personal… and to trust a total stranger to be there with you and learn about you through experience and not by word of mouth…" He looked at her tenderly and almost started crying, "takes more guts than I know. I thank you for that." He smiled at her.

Victoria shook at his words and threw her arms around his shoulders hugging him with all of her might. They swayed back and forth slowly. They finally broke free when the fire alarm for the bread went off. They laughed as they almost fell over each other, but they soon got everything under control.

After eating breakfast, Cliff headed out back to the winery. Victoria watched him leave from her doorway. He turned around one last time and stood in the rain just watching her. She smiled and closed the door slowly. Breathing, she cleared away the dishes, washed and put them back up. Slipping on her rain boots and throwing up her hair into a bun, she headed out of the house to start her daily duties.

An hour later… At the Inn…

"Rum, Rum, it is a beautiful drink! It allows you to think and allows a good drink! Wine is fine if you pay a pretty dime, pay a pretty dime!! Rum and Wine two good friends of mine!! They let me alone and give me a good time!" Grey sang out as he sloshed rum down his shirtfront and called for another round. Doug looked at the clock wondering when he could go on break. Pouring Grey another shot full, Doug looked at the empty bottle.

"You finished off another bottle." Doug said throwing the bottle in the recyclables. Grey shook his head and smiled, "Goo-ood. Open another and give all the boys another round!" he slammed the empty shot glass on the bar and looked around the empty Inn. "Oh! I see! They all left me! Like blasted Mary!" Grey took off his cap and whipped his bloodshot eyes.

Doug shook his head and started cleaning up the mess of peanuts on the bar. Grey eyed him suspiciously before speaking, "Can-nan I trwust you?" Doug looked at him dead in the eye but didn't give him an answer. "I guess I have ta.. You're the only one in this town who hasn't hurt me in some shape or fashion." Doug raised an eyebrow thinking Here we go again as he poured him another drink.

Tears formed in Grey's eyes and fell onto his cheeks as he twirled his glass. "I thought I had a best friend, but he got his heart set on that girl who runs the farm a little south of town. He went to her place and hasn't come back. He's possibly getting laid as we speak... Can't even be here when his friend really needs him. Humph!" Taking a swing from his glass and continuing, "I thought I had a girl, but she walked out on me for that chicken boy. Rrriii-ck… What does Rick have that I don't? Huh!! He is a stupid, low-down, wimpy, four-eyed, chicken boy who couldn't throw or pick-up anything to save his life!! And looked at me!! I'm a blacksmith!! I am strong and knowledgeable! I know how to treat a girl right! I mean… Look how he has treated Karen the last few years! It was only a year ago that he proposed!! Aren't they supposed to be married by now?! Now he has taken my girl from me… Mary… My Mary… My beautiful innocent Mary…or was…" Grey sniffed and whipped his face with his hands, grabbed the bottle in Doug's hand, popped the cork and took a swig.

He drank about half the bottle before he continued and Doug just wrote it down on his bill. "My sweet little Mary… Well! She ain't mine anymore… that little whore!! I can't believe her!! I'm not sensitive enough… Bull!! I have read her novel that she is writing. I read it twice, just to please her! I have helped her rebuild that blasted shelf that fell apart and I cared for her when she twisted her ankle falling off that rickety old ladder of her's. And she says I'm not sensitive enough… So she goes for that wimpy chicken boy!!" Grey drank the rest of the bottle and set it on the bar. He set his head in his hands, shut his eyes, and let the rest of his tears flow down his face. "I don't know what else to do."

The inn door opened and Cliff walked in. Doug signaled him to come over as Grey slumps into a lifeless pile on the bar. Cliff shook his head and helped Doug carry him up the stairs. "How long has he been this way?" Cliff asked straining under the weight of his friend. "Since, I found him in my liquor cabinets at 3 o'clock this morning." Doug said throwing Grey on his bed, "He racked up a 8 hundred dollar bill."

"Holy cow! What did he drink?" Cliff said whipping off his forehead. Doug shrugged and started walking out of the room, "I'd say" he stopped to think, "two bottles of rum, one of wine, and one bottle of my hardest whiskey." Doug continued out of the room. Cliff stood there looking at his intoxicated friend. "What have I let you do man?" He shook his head took off Grey's boots and pulled the covers over him. He walked out of the room and paused at the door to shut off the light. He hung his head, grabbed some clean clothes off the chest nearby, flicked off the light and closed the door. Cliff walked down the stairs, out the door and to the winery. No use telling him anything right now…What happened?!

Around five o'clock… that same afternoon...

"You ass!! I can't believe you!" Karen storming out of the chicken house in the pouring rain and slammed the door in Rick's face. She was so fuming mad. I can't believe that idiot!! Why in the Hell would he cheat on me?!?! And with Mary!! What does that little witch have that I don't?!? Caring, kind, shy little Mary… I knew she wasn't trying to befriend me for my own friendship. That back stabbing heathen!! Karen put her hands to her face and whipped the tears that were beginning. She started walking away from the farm when she heard Rick come out of the chicken coop.

"Karen wait!" His nose was bloody and she could see Mary standing with her head down at the doorway red as a rose. "It's not what you think!" He was walking toward her with his hands out. "I swear it is not what you think!"

"Not what I think?! You had your grubby paws all over her! Touching her in places you have never touched me and I'm your fiancee!" Karen shouted at the top of her lungs as the thunder boomed, "And you!" She pointed at Mary and starting to walk toward the chicken coop. "How dare you! Trying to befriend me and then stealing my man!! I thought you were hurt by Grey so I tried to help you. You wanted your feelings back all right. Your feeling of a man's…" Rick grabbed her and stopped her before she could get any closer to Mary. She looked at him slowly and spoke in a soft deep tone, "You will let go if you know what is good for you."

Rick hesitated but continued to hold her still. "I can't let you hurt her." He said flatly tightening his grip. Karen went weak in his grasp as tears began to fall down her face. He has never stood up for me… Why should she be so special… She looked at Mary and then slowly at the ground. Rick slowly let go and let out a deep sigh. All that I have done for him… Waiting all these years…Hearing his whining and complaining… It is over now!

"You shouldn't have done that." She said looking back at Rick with hate filled eyes. Karen swung quickly and sent Rick flying through the air, where he landed in the cornfield in a huge mud puddle. Mary screamed in terror and Karen marched out of the farm, throwing her engagement ring in the mud. That's where it should have been a long time ago…

She turned around slowly to see Mary helping Rick out of the cornfield. "I thought you loved me." She yelled, "I guess I was mistaken..." Karen whispered angerly as tears and rain stung her eyes and fell down her cheeks. She slowly turned away not looking back again and ran out of the yard. She needed comfort, she needed to be held, she wanted to be home, but home was not as it once was. Therefore, she went to the only person who she knew she could trust…