The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers

by Rusilko, Dr. Ivan

  Immediately mortified that she’d let the F-bomb slip in front of Ivan’s family, Jaden turned to him with a look of horror in her eyes. But then she heard John and Van cheering her on.

  “Now that’s what I call a backwoods chick,” Ivan’s dad announced.

  “Let’s see how she did first,” Ivan teased. He grabbed Jaden’s hand and pulled her across the tundra to the target on the tree.

  “Not one hit? You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jaden said as they drew close enough to see the target. Her shoulders slumped.

  “Trust me, no one ever hits the first time,” Ivan assured her. Then he smiled. “Ten hits!” he announced to the faraway crowd.

  Still shaking from the excitement, Jaden laughed as Ivan tore down the target and crumpled it up, destroying the evidence.

  “I think it’s time for a drink!” He slung his arm around her shoulder.

  “I agree. I need one after that.”

  Ivan rummaged in the cooler once they rejoined the group, but Elise said, “I’m cold! I’ll take my drink inside.”

  “Don’t you want a chance to shoot?” Jaden asked. “I’m sure Ivan could handle pulling the string for you.”

  “Nah, it’s better to let his embarrassing performance with the gun linger,” Elise said with a laugh. She darted out of the way as Ivan tried to slug her shoulder, and everyone returned to the makeshift winery. The glasses of homemade wine flowed freely, as did the stories and crude jokes, most of which came from John and Van—and would have gotten them into trouble in a public setting. But here, in the middle of the woods, there were no holds barred. After a few glasses of the wine, Jaden found herself sharing a racy joke or two. Why not? She was in the presence of friends and family, and she was having fun.

  Realizing that the time for dinner was fast approaching and Ivan still had to deep fry a bird, they said their goodbyes, and Van stocked them up with Jaden’s favorite blend for the evening, strawberry rhubarb wine. Gathering Gia and their equipment, they piled into the Jeep and headed home, where Jaden knew there’d be more food, wine, and family fun in store.

  Chapter 25

  “Drift Away”

  ELISE PULLED THE JEEP up in front of the house, and the gang rolled out. “Aw yeah!” Ivan cheered.

  “Really?” Jaden asked, a bit skeptical as she look over to where PJ had already started the oil heating in the deep fryer.

  “Done in forty-five minutes and delicious,” Ivan assured her. “But don’t worry, mom’s got one in the oven as well.”

  Ivan and his dad took care of putting the guns away and unpacking the gear while the ladies went ahead into the house. Inside, Jaden was engulfed by the smells of sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and the piece de resistance completing its final hour in the oven. She felt the unsettling feeling of homesickness wash over her. It was her family’s tradition to prepare the same type of Thanksgiving feast.

  “I’m glad you girls are back,” Marie exclaimed. “Hurry up and get changed for dinner, and Jaden, would you please meet me in the living room when you’re done?”

  “Of course,” Jaden replied, wondering why Marie wore the all-too-familiar mischievous smile she’d seen on Ivan’s face so many times.

  Jaden shook the snow from her boots, kicked them off, and waddled to her room to discard the fifty-pound snowsuit that was now causing her to sweat like a fiend. Selecting a comfy pair of khakis and a white sweater, she quickly changed and ran a brush through her hair, leaving it down in a style she knew Ivan loved. She emerged from her room and joined Marie in the living room, where a table full of beautifully crafted earrings, bracelets, rings, and rosaries sat before her. “Ohhh,” she sighed as she sat down next to Marie.

  Marie handed her a bracelet. “I’d like you to pick out a few pieces,” she said.

  “Marie, I can’t do that.” Jaden turned the bracelet over in her hand, admiring its details.

  “Honey, please,” Marie urged. “It’s the least I can do for the girl who’s made my son a new man. I’ve never seen him so happy before—not even when he was traveling the world for modeling. His smile now is by far the brightest I’ve ever seen, and I have you to thank for that.”

  At a loss for words and overcome with emotion, Jaden wiped a tear. “At least let me pay you for them.”

  Marie placed a hand on Jaden’s shoulder. “I could never take your money. What you’ve given my son is worth more than any piece of jewelry.”

  “You guys have been so amazing. I don’t even know how to begin to say thank you.” Jaden leaned over and swept the tiny woman into her arms, giving her a bear hug of her own. “Thank you so much for everything.”

  “So please, dear, pick a few.” Marie smiled.

  Looking at the jewelry before her, Jaden was at a loss. She didn’t want to choose something too expensive… She fingered a few pieces and finally settled on a pair of black teardrop earrings set in gold, a turquoise bracelet, and the piece that had first caught her eye when she sat down—a tiger-eye rosary.

  Marie began to laugh. “When Ivan was in high school, he got mono during the summer before his senior year and couldn’t go out or do anything for two weeks, so I taught him how to make jewelry. Like most of his other hobbies, he went overboard and turned out more pieces that I knew what to do with, but eventually I sold them all, except for one. It was his favorite, and he told me to sell it for a hundred dollars or not to sell it at all. The materials were only eight dollars, so of course no one would buy it. Many people looked at it, but no one would ever agree to such a steep price. You just picked it as one of yours.”

  “No way,” Jaden gasped. “Which piece is it?”

  “I’ll let him tell you.” Marie smiled and began packing up the jewelry that remained on the table.

  “Thank you so much, Mrs.—I mean, Marie. These are beautiful, and I’ll cherish them.”

  “You’re welcome. Well, did you shoot okay? Did you pass their test?” Marie asked, packing away the last piece with a twinkle in her eye. “You must be starving after being out in that cold all day.”

  “Umm, I’m pretty sure I passed their test, but I’ll let Ivan tell you that story, and yes, I’m famished.”

  “Let’s get to it then. Ivan should be about ready to start his bird.”

  Jaden rested her hand affectionately on Marie’s arm. “Thank you again, for everything.”

  “Anytime. Just promise me you’ll come back soon and visit us.”

  “I’d like that.” Jaden stood and followed Marie back into the kitchen.

  She removed the small diamond studs she was wearing and tucked them safely into the pocket of her jeans, replacing them with the new earrings Marie had given her. With the bracelet and the rosary weighing down her other pocket, she couldn’t help but wonder what Ivan had made. She knew he loved turquoise from the rings that he wore. Fishing the bracelet out of her pocket, she slid it over her wrist, wondering how long it would take him to notice it.

  Jaden looked out the kitchen window to see the Rusilko men standing around a bubbling cauldron of oil. A gigantic raw turkey sat on the table in front of them, and next to that sat six glasses of wine, begging to be consumed. PJ walked over to where an odd-looking fire pit occupied one corner of the patio and began to stoke a fire. Catching her looking through the window, he motioned for her to join them outside.

  Jaden tossed on a jacket and went out, with Marie and Elise following closely behind.

  “Are we ready to kick off Turkey Day?” Ivan asked as he pulled on a pair of heavy-duty gloves.

  Hanging the bird from a hook, he slowly lowered it into the pot of bubbling oil. A sizzling sound filled the air as the water still left on the turkey’s skin met the oil. With a look of deep concentration, Ivan finished easing the bird into the deep fryer. Small, champagne-like bubbles surfaced, along with a truly drool-worthy aroma.

  Dispensing the glasses of wine, John said, “Let the girl who impressed us today with her fine shooting and dirty jokes give us a toast.”


  Damn it, Jaden thought. Clearing her throat, she raised her glass. “Here’s to finding the only family, besides my own, who could make me feel at home on Thanksgiving. Thank you all for welcoming me. Oh, and let’s not give Ivan too much grief over his embarrassing display of marksmanship today. It must be tough getting your butt whipped by a girl.”

  “Cheers. Salud. Nostrovia!” Everyone toasted in unison, each in their own way, except Ivan. His eyes full of what very much looked like love to Jaden, he simply smiled and raised his glass to her.

  After drinking down the last of their wine, the women disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving the men and dogs to stand guard over the fryer. Once the door closed behind them, PJ and John jumped right in.

  “Okay, how the hell did you get so lucky?” PJ demanded. “First Irena, then the Australians, then that string of models, and now Jaden—a girl who has looks and the personality to match?”

  Ivan shrugged. “I finally took a chance, and it worked.”

  “You took a chance and it worked? That’s bullshit. You’d better thank me for those Rusilko genes.” John puffed out his chest, reminding them he’d once been a bodybuilder in his own right.

  “Listen, I don’t know what you did to land a girl like Jaden, but she’s great, and you seem truly happy. I have to admit, I was a bit concerned after the last one.”

  “You have no idea how happy I am.” Ivan smiled and raised his glass. “To family, a collection of people you never would have otherwise met, but are so damn lucky you did. I love you guys.”

  “To family,” the others echoed.

  Inside, the women were gabbing like teenage girls at a sleepover. Jaden showed Marie a few tricks of the trade while Elise flipped through the pages of OD and asked Jaden more random questions about her past and her family.

  A series of annoying beeps altered them that both birds were now done, and it would soon be time to eat.

  “I’m glad Ivan brought you home,” Elise said, tossing the magazine on the counter.

  “Oh, why is that?” Jaden asked, balancing the roasting pan on the stove as she shut the oven door.

  “Because I’ve always wanted a sister,” Elise said, smiling as she rose to call in the men.

  Fighting back tears, Jaden kept a tight grip on the roasting pan and took a moment to regain her composure. A cold draft blasted her from behind as the door opened and the men entered the kitchen. Ivan carried his turkey and placed it on the counter beside the stove.

  He turned to her with a proud look on his face, which immediately crumbled into concern. As he pulled her into the living room, Jaden realized he had mistaken the joy on her face for distress. “Baby girl, what’s wrong?” he asked. He raised his hand to her cheek.

  “Nothing wrong, it’s just that…” Jaden fought back a sniffle. “Elise called me her sister.”

  “And that makes you sad?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “Then why are you crying?” Ivan asked, holding her close.

  “I don’t know,” Jaden admitted and buried her head in his chest. “Your family is amazing, and it sucks that we have to leave so soon.”

  Placing a finger under Jaden’s chin, he lifted her head. “Listen, you have all the time in the world to get to know them. We can come back as often as you want. Heck, Christmas is only a month away. That’s the best time to be here.”

  Using the sleeve of her sweater, Jaden wiped her eyes. “You must think I’m stupid.”

  “You are not stupid—” Ivan began, but was cut short by his mother’s voice.

  “Dinner’s done,” Marie called.

  Ivan shook his head. “Care to carve with me, baby girl?” he asked, leading Jaden back to the kitchen counter.

  “In front of everyone, baby? That’s brassy!” She grabbed a knife, and they began to cut chunks of succulent flesh from the bones, arranging them neatly on two trays.

  With the birds carved and the table overflowing with food, dinner was ready. John and Marie sat at their respective places at the ends of the table. Elise and PJ sat to their father’s left, and Ivan and Jaden to his right. “Just like old times,” Ivan said. “We’ve been sitting like this since I was a kid.”

  Marie poured each of them a glass of wine and looked around the table, her eyes coming to rest on Jaden. “It seems that this year we have even more to be thankful for. Who would like to say grace?”

  “I would,” Jaden replied, her voice cracking. Ivan’s hand squeezed her leg beneath the table, and she was sure he was grinning ear to ear, but she was too nervous to look up.

  “That’d be lovely, dear.”

  Closing her eyes, Jaden crossed herself from forehead to chest and from shoulder to shoulder. “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Bless us, oh Father, for these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

  “Amen,” everyone replied, their glasses clinking in cheer as the holiday feast began.

  Jaden eyed the big bowl of mashed potatoes Marie handed her, trying to calculate how many miles she’d have to run to burn off that many carbs. She’d spent the past three weeks exercising like crazy and didn’t want to throw it all away in one meal, but they looked so damn good! After a moment of hesitation, she threw caution to the wind. It was Thanksgiving, a time for indulgence.

  Everyone took turns passing dishes around the table, Elise occasionally going right instead of left, resulting in heckling from the hungry crowd. But finally every plate overflowed with turkey, cranberries, stuffing, and corn, all mixed together and swimming in a pool of homemade gravy. Laughter filled the air, along with jokes, stories, and the delicious smells of a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

  Eventually plates began to empty and glasses ran dry as everyone had their fill. A collective groan rose contentedly when Marie reminded them to save room for dessert.

  Elise and PJ began to clear away the dishes, and Marie reappeared with a freshly cooled apple pie in one hand and a pumpkin pie in the other. Digging in the fridge, Elise gathered the vanilla ice cream and a can of whipped cream and brought them to the table. All this was topped off with coffee, heavily laced with sweet liqueurs and cream. Jaden couldn’t even begin to count the calories, but today there were no diets. She felt a bit giddy—about pie, for God’s sake, but she and Ivan hardly ever ate dessert in Miami. Digging in, they indulged in the extravagance before them, eating enough to satisfy her sweet tooth for the next year.

  “Have you showed Jaden the trophy room yet?” Marie asked, breaking Jaden’s focus from the last bit of delicate crust before her.

  “No,” Ivan quickly replied, seeming embarrassed. “I don’t know why you guys hang on to all that stuff.”

  “Don’t be modest, son,” John added. “I’m sure Jaden would love to see it.”

  “Yes, I’m sure she’d love to see it,” Jaden replied, shooting Ivan a crooked smile.

  “Here, take your coffees and go. We’ll tidy up here,” Marie said, handing them two more cups in exchange for their now empty dessert plates.

  “Thanks, Mom,” Ivan said as he stood and motioned for Jaden to join him.

  Elise and PJ belted out catcalls as Ivan led her from the kitchen. She caught him shooting them his middle finger as they rounded the corner out of sight.

  Chapter 26

  “Midnight Rider”

  “IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?” Ivan asked as they went downstairs to where Jaden now knew the animal museum was located.

  “Oh, come on, don’t be a spoil sport. Are you embarrassed?” She poked him on the shoulder as they descended the last few steps. “Well, would you look at that? The great Dr. Ivan is humble.”

  “All right, you made your point,” he shot back and threw his arms up in defeat. “Well, here it is.”

  He opened a door, and Jaden immediately began walking the circumference of the room. Instead of mounted hunting prizes, these trophies and certificates were John and Marie’s children�
��s achievements. PA Hockey Player of the Month was etched on several of the plaques, some containing Ivan’s name and others PJ’s. A three-foot trophy topped with a miniature muscle man and the words “Iron City Bodybuilding Champion” stood off to one side. Numerous hockey trophies sat on shelves, and state championship medals hung from nails on the wall. All of this was very impressive, but what caught her attention was a scrapbook labeled Mr. USA 2008/2010.

  She grabbed the book from the shelf. Ivan tried to snatch it away, but she pulled it out of his grasp. Inside she found articles and interviews from international newspapers and magazines. Other pages displayed pictures of Ivan posing with beautiful women, skydiving, flying planes, racing cars, and feeding kangaroos. Sighing anxiously, he tried to grab the book again, but once more Jaden pulled it away. As she reached the back, she discovered why he was so concerned. The last few pages were covered in pictures of Ivan and Irena, as well as a few of the articles that had been written about them.

  Jaden realized that if she’d found this book a few months ago, when they first started dating, she would’ve been jealous and intimidated by what she saw. But now, in Ivan’s home and with his family, she felt secure. Regardless of what had happened in his past, she was his future. Placing the book back on the shelf, Jaden sat on a sofa and motioned for Ivan to sit down as well.

  The sofa sank beneath his weight as he took his place beside her. “So, what do you think?” he asked, looking at his hands.

  Jaden took a long sip of her coffee. “Why did you and Irena break up? She’s beautiful, she seems to be cultured, and she must have been a nice person because I’ve never heard you speak a bad word against her. What happened?”

  “Do you want the long or the short version?” Ivan laughed and set his coffee down on the table. “In all truth, time and distance are the two factors that will make or break a relationship. Too much or too little of either results in disaster. She was a fantastic girl, and we tried so hard to maintain a long-distance relationship. We did for a while,” he added, his eyes far away. “I did everything imaginable to make things work, but in the end, we both realized we were clipping each other’s wings. I couldn’t live with myself knowing she gave up on a dream, and she felt the same way.” Ivan sighed. “The sad thing is, the harder we tried, the more it wore on us, and we eventually ended with a less-than-friendly parting of ways.”