Chapter 1
Up at 4:30am, Eden Salazar found herself enjoying the quiet, alone time. The early morning hours are similar to late night hours. The moon is still out. There’s an eerie hush in the house. It’s the perfect time to meditate, journal or watch trashy reality tv, which is the option Eden most settled for.
Two days until her birthday. Not a milestone birthday, just 38. Over the hump of mid-thirties and fast approaching 40. Every year, Eden would take an inventory of her life. She’d jot down a list of things they did that year or things she accomplished. Eden picked up her journal and started on this year’s list.
Vacationed in Mt. Bloomburn
Taught the girls how to ski
Saw a movie premier at El Tajon Theater
Volunteered at Ava’s first dance recital
Ava’s first dance recital
Rick signed his first housing project contract
Sage won second place in the Math Pros competition at school
Eden liked to reminisce and look at the list from the prior years. Last year’s list went something like this:
Visit Uncle Ray and Aunt Marg in Lake Minnow
Attend Rick’s Cousin, Sonia’s wedding in Mexico
Paddleboard in Mexico
Sage started karate classes and earned her yellow and orange belt
Ava started preschool
Ava graduated preschool
Took the girls to see a grunion run at Grizzly Beach
She sat starring at last year’s list and then flipped to this year’s list. There was one thing she knew changed her this year. One thing that she couldn’t bring herself to put on the list. A miscarriage. She closed the journal and reached for the tv remote. Nothing like a little Real Housewives of who the hell cares to lift her out of the dark road she was barreling down. It was the perfect escape until Sage wandered into the living room rubbing her eyes.
“Good morning, Mama.”
“Hey, sweetie. How did you sleep?” Sage sat next to Eden nuzzling into her armpit.
“Good.”
Within 15 minutes the rest of the house was awake and in hustle mode.
Rick, Eden’s husband, isn’t quite a morning person like Eden. He usually woke up looking like he’d been hibernating for the last six months. Hair tousled. Eyes squinty. Scratching and stretching his body. A beautiful sight.
“Ricky, are you taking the girls to school today?” Eden shouted from the kitchen.
“No. I thought you were.” He responded. Eden rolled her eyes and huffed.
“I have a meeting this morning! It’s Tuesday, remember?” She was growing annoyed. She and Rick were not on the same page lately. Since the miscarriage, neither of them could bring themselves to talk about the loss. It was a time when Eden wanted Rick’s support, a time when she couldn’t do it alone, but it seemed he gave her no option. After 10 years of marriage, the miscarriage flipped them on their ends and proved to be a subject they both avoided.
There was a muffled response coming from the master bedroom. Ugh, I hate this, she thought and marched up the stairs. “Okay, I don’t want to get into a fight, but you know I have to go in early on Tuesdays. Why didn’t you tell me last night that I needed to take the girls today?”
Rick shrugged and starred at Eden with his doe eyes, infuriating her even more. “Seriously? Talk to me. I hate when you do this.” Eden paused and walked out of the room, mumbling, “if I keep talking to him, we’re going to get into a fight.”
They all continued with the rush of the morning. Eden directed the girls on the typical tasks. “Brush your teeth. Brush your hair. Don’t forget to put on matching socks. Is the dog fed?” It was a routine they completed each morning, yet without Eden questioning whether things were done, they often did not get accomplished.
After rushing out the door and dropping off the girls at school, Eden took a deep breath. She had about 20 minutes to herself before arriving at work. Time to pump up the jams! Anything by Lizzo or Missy Elliot would work.
Driving onto the vineyard at 8am was Eden’s favorite part of her day. The sun isn’t quite at full radiance and the crisp ocean air is still lingering. There are many wonderful things about working for a winery but after nearly 15 years in the industry, parts of it have grown a little stale.
Eden entered the conference room. Charlene, her office mate, was already sitting in a seat with a notebook and pen in hand. She is the only person in the office Eden trusts and perhaps the only one who seems sane. “Hey, Char. Happy Tuesday!” Eden could tell she was being a little over the top with the slight smile she received from Charlene. “Hey,” Charlene said with a slight husk to her voice.
“Good day my fellow office mates!” Patrick, the office gossip, loved to make an entrance. After working with pretty much the same group of annoyed co-workers, he still hadn’t picked up the eyerolling expressions as he entered rooms. Poor Patrick, Eden sympathized and muttered out loud a faint, “hey.” She knew most of Patrick’s attention seeking antics were a result of extreme loneliness and the only way Eden could cope with it was to focus on the empty little hole in his heart. All though one time, Eden rolled her eyes so hard during a meeting following one of Patrick’s little dramatic charades that her contact fell out. Luckily the only one that witnessed the eye rolling was Charlene.
“Char,” Eden whispered. “I’m going to ask Blaire today. Are you still interested in going?”
Charlene perked up a little, “Oh, yeah.”
“Going where?” Patrick chimed in.
Blaire, the winery manager, walked in. Blaire always dressed the part. Her wardrobe was the perfect mix of country and office chic. “Good morning everyone.”
“Good morning,” they responded. Patrick a little louder than the rest.
Blaire proceeded to give a quick update on tasting room sales, website sales and upcoming specials. All the things Eden curated for her in a weekly report. Blaire looked at her watch. “I’m sorry, I have to cut our meeting a little short today. We have some visitors touring the vineyard and they requested I give them the tour personally. Does anyone have anything to share quickly?”
Eden looked at Charlene, who was looking at her with no indication of whether Eden should ask. Deciding to go for it, “Yes, I have a quick statement and question.”
“Okay. Let’s hear it.” Blaire sat there intently looking at Eden. She was great that way. She always gave her full attention.
“I’d like to expand my product knowledge and learn more about the making of wine. The Wine Expo is in a few weeks. It would be a great place to get a concentrated block of time to devote to product knowledge.” Eden started to get hot and felt her ears turning red.
“Yes, you want to attend? Is that what you are getting at?” Blaire seemed even keel, but her interjection told Eden time was short.
“Yes. And perhaps, Charlene should go too. It would be good for her…”
“Yup. Sure. Charlene can go too.” Blaire stood up. “I’m sorry everyone, I really must go. Have a great day!” She walked out of the room at just 15 minutes past 8am.
Eden looked at Charlene, smiled and raised her eyebrows in excitement.
“Aren’t you ladies going to have a fun time? I’ll be here in the office holding down the fort while you get two days of drinking.” Patrick’s tone matched his comment, dripping with distain yet somehow patting himself on his back.