by Bria Marche
“Your dad has a vineyard? You mean a real one?” Josh popped a handful of buttermilk ranch pretzel pieces in his mouth.
“Of course, a real one, silly. He lives in a chateau on one hundred hectares in France.”
“What’s a hectare?”
“Oh sorry, it’s how they measure area in some other countries. One hundred hectares is like two hundred fifty acres. What would you think if I invited my parents to spend Christmas here?”
“Well, that’s not my call, but it would be fun to meet them. Do you actually speak French?”
“Oui,” she said, with a smirk.
“You amaze me more and more very day. Want a glass of wine?”
“Oui,” she smirked, again. “Let’s make love, then dig some holes. I think there’s a shovel in the shed.”
Josh’s head almost snapped off his shoulders. “Just like that?”
“Oui, just like that. Is there a problem?”
“No problem,” he said, laughing. “You’re my kind of woman.” They snuggled deeper under the blankets and made love, twice.
***
They dressed at two p.m. It was time to take Kismet out again anyway. Sasha wore that warm, wool coat Vic picked out for her over her sweatshirt and jeans. The scarf, wool socks and duck boots were perfect companions for this cold day, and the task at hand.
Josh pulled the collar up tighter around her neck, and adjusted her scarf. “Where are your gloves? You’re going to need them. It’s only thirty-five degrees outside.”
“I’ll get them. This shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes. The information said to take three samples. One right away at a few inches, another at a foot and the last sample at two feet deep.” She jammed three plastic zipper bags in her coat pocket along with a magic marker and the shed keys. The gloves were stretched over her fingers.
Josh put on his heavy, Carhartt jacket and a pair of work gloves. “Ready? I’ll get Kismet.”
“Yep, let’s get this done.”
Kismet relieved herself before they even got to the shed. Sasha handed Josh the key and took the puppy back to the house while he searched for the shovel.
“I found something even better than a shovel,” he said, as he held up a post hole digger.
“What in the world is that?”
“It’s a post hole digger. It’s less messy and we can dig faster with it. Got your bags ready? Show me where you want to dig.”
At the vacant lot they stood and looked around. “I guess one spot is as good as the next. I want all of this to be a vineyard, so dig anywhere, Josh. I don’t think it matters.”
He targeted in on a spot and held the tool high. The slamming against a solid object beneath the dirt shook Josh’s arms. They were physically vibrating.
“What the hell was that?” he asked, not expecting a real answer.
“Josh, your arms are shaking.”
“Holy cow, that was quite a whack I took.” He moved a few feet to his right and hit the dirt again with the digger. The same sound of a solid object rang in his ears and vibrated through his arms. Within a ten foot area of trying, the results were always the same.
“Sasha, there’s something under the dirt, something big and wide. Let’s try farther back toward the end of the lot.”
Josh knew better than to hit the ground so hard now. He apprehensively shoved the post hole digger into the ground and it cut through the dirt perfectly. “Good, there’s real soil here. Let’s grab the samples and get back in the house where it’s warm.”
Sasha marked the bags while Josh dumped an armful of logs into the fireplace. Within minutes the smoldering embers turned into a toasty fire again.
“Do you think that was just a big rock?” Sasha asked as she rubbed her chilled hands together in front of the fireplace.
“Nope, there’s something odd going on here. I’ll be back in a few minutes, hon. I have some old plat books at the office. We need to figure this out.”
“Okay, I’ll start the coffee.”
Josh leaned in and kissed Sasha. “I’ll be right back.” He gave her a wink as he zipped up his coat and walked out the door.
Sasha waited by the fireplace, rubbing Kismet’s pink belly as she snoozed. Next to the fireplace was where Kismet loved to sleep. The heat warmed her little body. Two cups and the carafe of coffee were already on the table. A plate of brownies from Hankerson’s Bakery sat next to the carafe, along with two dessert plates and a stack of napkins. Sasha heard the front door open. Josh was back. He carried a stack of plat books that dated back to the early 1900’s.
“Hey, babe, that coffee sure smells good. These maps and books should tell us something. I have a feeling that lot wasn’t always vacant. I’ll go back out tomorrow and see if I can find a perimeter, but I’m thinking there’s a cement slab a few inches under the grass. Who knows how long it might have been there, if that’s the case. That might also explain why it’s an empty lot. There could have been a carriage house or barn that went with this place at one time. These books will show us the lots, and if there were structures on them.”
“You’re so smart, Josh. It would be fun to know the history of this house and if there were more outbuildings too. So what will we do if there’s a big chunk of cement under there? It would take up some of the space I wanted for the vineyard.” She handed him a cup of coffee and two brownies she placed on a dessert plate.
“Let’s see how big this ‘thing’ actually is first. We can draw up some plans that could still work out perfectly.”
They cozied up next to the fire, Sasha’s legs resting across Josh’s on the floor as they paged through the books.
Tarrytown was different back then. Street names were changed. They needed to find a building downtown they were familiar with. From that point, they could backtrack to the place where Sasha’s grand Victorian stood then, and now.
“Is this my house?” Sasha asked, excitedly. “Sunrise Avenue used to be called Adams Street. How utterly boring.”
Josh took a long, hard look. He followed the streets from Main and Second, downtown, to where Sasha’s house ought to be standing now. “I think you’re right, hon. It shows only three houses on the entire street. Let’s see.” Josh flipped the book back to the cover. It was dated 1911. “Yep, this is the Victorian, and there’s a smaller building next door. I’m sure it was part of the original property. That’s why your lot is so big. It stayed with the original house instead of being divided and sold as a separate lot. That’s a nice feature, Sasha. Tomorrow we’ll outline where the old building stood. We need to come up with something to poke in the grass.”
“There must be something in the shed, right?” she asked, with brownie crumbs suspended from the corners of her mouth.
Josh laughed and licked them off. “Yes, honey, we’ll check out the shed in the morning.”
Chapter Seventeen
Bundled up Sunday morning, Josh and Sasha scoured through the shed looking for some type of pokers.
“What are these?” Sasha asked, holding a fistful of rebar rods between her gloved fingers.
“That’s rebar, and it will work perfectly. Now all we need is spray paint.”
“I have spray paint from Mia’s estate sale. I painted arrows on the signs that led people to her house. I’ll get it.” Sasha ran back to the house and found the paint in the cabinet under the sink. It’s bubble gum pink, but I guess that doesn’t matter. The thought made her giggle.
Back outside, she found Josh standing in the area they were at yesterday. “Here’s the paint,” she called out.
“Good job, hon. I’ll poke and you follow me. Every few feet spray a dot on the grass where I tell you to.”
“Okay, that sounds easy enough.” Sasha pulled the scarf tighter around her neck to keep the cold wind out.
Within an hour the perimeter was laid out with bright pink dots. Josh pulled a tape measure out of his jacket pocket, and with Sasha holding one end, he measured the length and width. It was a slab from
an earlier building which had either burned down, or been removed for some reason. The outline was rectangular in shape. It measured twenty five feet wide and forty feet deep.
“Well, there goes my vineyard,” Sasha said, shrugging her shoulders with discouragement written on her face.
“Not necessarily.” Josh had a twinkle in his eye and a smile across his lips. “There’s still the entire back of the lot and along the sides of this slab. We can put it to good use.”
“How’s that?”
“Let’s go inside and warm up. I’ll draw my idea out for you and we can go over it with a hot cup of coffee.”
“That sounds good.” Sasha took his hand and snuggled deep against his side. “Wait, I have to do something.” With the can of pink paint still in her hand, Sasha sprayed an outline of an enormous heart with initials M.D. loves J.R. on the grass. “Now we can go inside.”
With a blank piece of printer paper on the table and a pencil, Josh drew his vision for Sasha. She mentioned how she wanted to have weddings at the Victorian, so he went with that idea. He explained everything as he drew. They needed to remove all the grass cover from the cement slab to expose it. Then, they’d place antique re-purposed bricks over the slab. The weddings could take place, right there, on the bricks. They could build Victorian arches and trellises matching the house everywhere. In short, the wedding ceremony area would be in the center of the lot. They could make it a beautiful, secluded area, unseen from the street. The grapevines draped over the trellis, arbor and pergolas would lead right to the bricked wedding garden where the ceremonies would be held, privately. Plus they would be surrounded by an entire vineyard. Every couple married there would have their own brick engraved with their names and wedding date placed among the other bricks.
“I’m just throwing that idea out there for you, Sasha. You have the final say. But you get what I’m trying to describe, right?”
“Of course, and it sounds gorgeous. I can picture it in my mind. We can start all of that in spring. Meanwhile, the samples will be tested. If the soil is good for grapes, we can start everything as soon as the ground thaws.” Sasha bounced in her chair like a school girl. “That gives us the entire winter to turn this house into a showplace. Tomorrow I’m taking the soil samples to the Agricultural Department in White Plains. I can’t wait to get started, Josh. This is going to be wonderful.”
Josh put two pieces of coffee cake in the microwave to warm them up. “I can move my showings around to the afternoon tomorrow if you want me to go with you,” he said, as he licked off his fingers.
“Thanks, but I’ve got this.” Sasha threw another log on the fire and sat at the table.
Josh brought out the coffee cake and two cups of steaming, fresh coffee on a tray, and joined her.
“Doesn’t your brother wonder what you’ve been doing with your time? I mean, you don’t go to the office as much as you used to. Business is okay, isn’t it?” Sasha took a bite of the coffee cake and handed Kismet a treat of her own.
“No worries, business is fine. I get most of my phone calls done in the evenings, or in the morning before I come over. Most people are working during the day anyway. And my brother already knows about you. How can I keep someone as wonderful as you a secret? He’s my twin, after all. I’ll introduce you to him soon.”
“That would be nice. I’m so excited about my future plans. I love living here in this great town and this beautiful home. It’s hard to contain how I feel about everyone, especially you. You were unexpected. I had it up to my eyeballs with men.” Sasha paused before continuing, to choose her words carefully. “Well… you know the rest. Anyway, I’m so glad we got to know each other on a real level. The stupid games at the beginning could have been a deal breaker for both of us.” Sasha walked around the table and sat on Josh’s lap. She leaned in and snuggled against his neck. “I appreciate and love you so much.” She kissed his warm lips, then held him some more.
***
The soil sample fiasco at the Agricultural Department in White Plains took close to an hour. Sasha had to explain her reasoning, fill out the necessary paperwork and pay the testing fee. With the usual red tape now complete, they told her the results should be back within a month. She drove back to Tarrytown and stopped in at Hair Brained.
“What’s up guys?” she asked, as she plopped down on an empty styling chair.
Tina began examining her hair. “What shampoo are you using? Your hair is way too dry. You need a root touch-up, and a trim too. Let’s go over to the shampoo bowl.”
“I use generic shampoo. You want to do my hair now?”
“Hello blondie! Don’t you ever use generic shampoo again. We have a salon here, and you’ll use what I tell you to use. I should slap you upside the head. Anyway, do you have something better to do? We’ll have lunch afterward, I’m buying.” Tina wrapped a cape around Sasha’s shoulders with a towel tucked inside. “Lay back.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Sasha said, giggling.
Sasha explained what she and Josh discovered on the vacant lot. The entire salon listened closely as they sipped their tea. Nobody wanted to miss a single word. They were responsible for the town gossip, and it was their duty to get it right.
“Josh came up with the best idea ever for the wedding garden. It’s going to be so beautiful.” Sasha examined her manicure as Tina applied blonde hair dye to her roots.
“The question is,” Vic interjected, “has Mia and Aaron even set a wedding date? If they’re going to be the first couple married there, and you damn well better hold to that promise,” she gave Sasha a stern glare, “then the wedding garden has to be ready when they are.”
“I know it takes a few years before grapevines start producing grapes. But as far as the ambiance for the trellises and arbors go, I’ll just use the existing grape ivy and plant some more. It grows fast and can climb over all the structures. The wedding will take place under a large pergola, so I’ll make sure to plant plenty of grape ivy there too. It will work fine as a fill-in for the time being.”
Old Mrs. Thompson was getting her blue hair color freshened up and permed. “It sounds lovely dear,” she said. “Who are you again?”
Sasha looked at Vic and Tina before replying. “My name is Martha Destiny,” she said, happily.
“Well, isn’t that precious? My mother’s name was Martha, or was that my sister?”
It was twelve forty-five when Sasha’s hair repairs were complete. “C’mon, let’s get the hell out of here and have lunch. Jennifer, there aren’t any appointments set up for us for a while, are there?” Vic asked.
“Nope. You guys are clear until four o’clock. I’ve got everything covered. Enjoy your lunch.”
Tina, Vic and Sasha headed for Morey’s. It was close, and the lunch crowd atmosphere was pretty lively. They sat at the bar, luckily arriving just when a couple left.
“Grab those stools,” Tina yelled to Sasha.
The tables were all taken, so the bar was their only option. They were just having sandwiches and a couple of beers anyway.
Seated at the far end of the bar were the same women Sasha saw with Josh the first day she met him. Several more “babes” were with them today. Skanky was the adjective Vic used to describe their kind. They were loud, obnoxious and halfway to no man’s land with dirty martinis lined up in front of them. Their voices easily carried to the end of the bar where Vic, Tina and Sasha sat.
“Morey,” Vic called out.
Morey wiped his hands on the bar towel and walked over. He chuckled, knowing Vic was ready to spout off.
“Can’t you tell those drunk hags to take it down a notch? There’s still three hours before Happy Hour even begins, for crap’s sake.”
“Vic, they’re customers. Unless they cause a scene, I don’t have a reason to yell at them. They aren’t driving, thank God.”
“Yeah, but they’re a pain in my oversized ass and my ears.”
“Do you want me to grab you a table as soon as one opens up?”
he asked.
“Naw… forget it. I don’t want to be a bitch. We’re only going to be here for an hour anyway.”
Morey laughed and walked away, nodding his head to Vic as he disappeared into the kitchen.
The noise from the end of the bar continued. Sasha’s head jolted to the right when she heard the discussion was now about Josh Redmond. The women commented on how they couldn’t believe the rumors they were hearing. Josh was seeing someone, for real. He wasn’t just using this babe for a piece of tail, like he was so well known for. They missed having his arms around them, buying them drinks, and all the flirting he did. He was such a good kisser too. What the hell was wrong with him, anyway? Who is this woman he’s seeing? How dare that bitch take away their boy-toy.
“That’s it. I’ve heard just about enough from you skanks.” Vic jumped off her barstool, her hands clenched tightly into fists.
“Vic, no!” Sasha grabbed Vic by the arm before she stormed to the other end of the bar. Sasha gave her a slow smile. “I’ve got this, hon.” Sasha pushed back her barstool and stood. She smoothed her clothing and ran a hand through her freshly styled hair.
Vic sat down and leaned in to Tina. “This is going to be good. Where’s my damn popcorn when I need it?”
The women snickered and laughed at Sasha as she approached them. They consumed just enough drinks to make them stupid.
Morey walked over to Vic. “Are you trying to start something with them?” He grinned and watched as Sasha stood within inches of the four, drunk women.
“Who are you, and what the hell do you want? We didn’t invite you to sit with us.” Meg, the only woman with a coherent voice, chose to be the spokesperson. She raised the martini glass, trying to find her half opened mouth.
“I’m the bitch Josh Redmond is dating,” Sasha said, as she peeled the martini glass out of Meg’s hand and threw the contents in her face. The plastic toothpick holding two speared green olives lodged in her hair. The olives dangled near Meg’s eyebrow like edible pieces of hair jewelry.