Duncan wilted in his seat. The bold and self-assured way Diego confronted the accountant jumpstarted Julia’s heart. Diego circled the table toward where Julia stood, all the time directing his gaze at the top of Duncan’s bald head.
“You should also know, Señor D’Angelo, we who work here at the Nooksack Valley Winery are able to live on very little. As long as we have places to sleep and food on our tables, we can forgo our salaries until the Siegerrebe goes to market. If I’m not mistaken, we’ll fare quite well once the public tastes our quality wine. In the meantime, I’m sure there is enough revenue from previous sales to keep us going until then. Sí?”
Diego stood behind Julia and continued to stare at the chastened accountant.
“I’ll have to confer with James,” answered Duncan. “He’s co-owner, after all, and quite honestly, doesn’t share your enthusiasm for either this winery or the not-yet-harvested or produced wine. Perhaps when we meet again, we’ll all have a clearer idea of what needs to be done next.”
Duncan hastily rose, grabbed his jacket and computer tablet, and hurriedly left the room. Everyone at the table applauded, except the youngest participant, Umberto Colon. He angrily rolled his eyes and shook his head as Joaquin attempted to explain to him why they had no choice but to work without wages for the next few months.
Joaquin gave the youngster a friendly slap on the back.
“Come on now, amigo. Don’t fret so much. This’ll be fun. You’ll see. Besides, you know what you’re doing in the production department now. And how could you not with me as your teacher?” Joaquin teased. “Esso! Let’s get back to work. I’m sure in no time I’ll convince you that you’re doing the right thing.”
The two men readied to leave, but not without shaking the hand of their new boss. Julia knew she could trust the older gentleman. She wasn’t so sure about his young coworker.
Mariela lingered to leave the meeting with her brother.
“I’ll be home as soon as I speak with Julia,” Diego said. “So, you need not wait for me, Mariela.”
“Of course, Diego.”
Mariela turned her attention to Julia. “Thank you, Señora, for including us in this meeting. It certainly was an eye-opener. Our people will only be too glad to help you through this first harvest. You must tell us how we can help you through this difficult time.” She glanced back at Diego with a look of concern on her face. “Don’t be long. We have a long week ahead of us.” Diego and Julia watched Mariela sashay out of the building with all the dignity of a royal dignitary.
Julia took in a deep breath to steady herself. “Thank you, Diego. You don’t know what it means to me to have the support of everyone here at the winery. I only have one chance and one chance alone to make this work. If we don’t make good on our harvest, I’m afraid we’ll lose the winery for good.”
“You can count on me, Julia. Like Mariela, I’ll make sure you can count on each and every one of us.”
Julia was overwhelmed with gratitude. So much so that she threw her arms around him and planted a warm kiss on his cheek. In merely a few days, Diego had become not only her right-hand man, but her friend as well. Yet, as soon as she kissed him, she realized she had somehow overstepped a boundary. He hadn’t returned her embrace. Instead he turned around and walked away, leaving Julia with nothing to do but stare at his back in embarrassment.
“Well, that was interesting.” At last Barbara chimed in. “And I’m not sure what was more interesting, Duncan backing down or Diego exiting.”
Julia took a moment to gather her emotions. The way her body just reacted to the man who before Saturday’s funeral service hadn’t interested her came as a surprise. Of course, she’d been aware of who he was, Robert’s right-hand man from the first.
Yet, she’d never before considered Diego to be anything more than that—a hired hand. Now, however, she understood why the winery had functioned as well as it had during Robert’s illness. Diego was a first-rate orchard manager and she was lucky to have him here on staff.
Julia turned toward her friend. “Yes, this whole meeting was interesting, wasn’t it?”
“So what are you going to do about financing? You and I both know it’s going to take more than a few thousand dollars to get this place whipped into shape.”
Julia fell back into her seat. “Honestly, I’m not sure what I’ll do. But what I know is this. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure the Nooksack Valley Winery has a fighting chance of becoming the profitable business Robert and his father wanted. Even if I have to lose everything including my savings along the way.”
Barbara put her arm around Julia’s shoulders and hugged her close. “Why don’t you ask James if he can loan you the money you need to see this next harvest through? It’s as much in his good interest as it is in yours.”
Before Julia answered, an enraged James blustered his way through the door.
“How dare you have a meeting without me! What in the hell do you think you’re doing? Pulling the rug out from under me?”
Barbara flew to her feet in total Sheriff-mode. “Just calm down, James. Right now! You know damn well we had a meeting here this morning or you wouldn’t have made sure your stooge of an accountant attended. I don’t doubt for a minute the only reason you’re here now is because Duncan couldn’t wait to fill you in. You merely waited until you knew the meeting would be over by the time you showed up. Am I right?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” James sputtered, his face reddening. “Besides, this isn’t any of your business!”
Barbara clenched her fists. In an effort to remain calm, she spoke carefully in a measured, but normal tone of voice. “I’m the sheriff. You made a threat to a person in my jurisdiction. Therefore, James, this is my business!” Barbara was not about to back down.
“I’m not about to be thwarted, particularly by some woman, who acts far too big for her britches.” He turned away from her.
“Look, Julia. Gayle, Duncan, and I aren’t going to be pushed around by you or that Mexican field-rat you call your orchard manager. I’m giving you fair notice now. This winery closes permanently as of this coming Friday. There’s very little you can do about it. I want you and all the people who work here to be gone by the time my people show up. Or else!”
Julia wanted to vomit. Yet rather than show her fear, she held the tremor in her voice in check.
“Or else what?” she asked calmly. “Yeah,” echoed Barbara. “Or else what?”
James put his hands on the table and leaned forward. “Mark my words—if you and your people are still here when I show up Friday, I won’t be responsible for what happens to them. That responsibility, Julia, will be wholly on your shoulders, not mine.”
Then as confrontationally as James appeared, he furiously exited through the door, slamming it behind him.
Julia sat gobsmacked. When she finally found her voice, she said the only thing she could think of. “Shit!”
“Shit is right, as in ‘it hit the proverbial fan’.” Barbara lowered herself into the seat next to her friend. “Listen, Julia. I’m not sure what all is going on with James and this winery, but I do know he can’t threaten you with bodily harm and expect me to ignore it.” She drew in a deep breath.
“Why don’t you call Alicia and see what she has to say about the legal ramifications of this whole thing? I’m sure she’ll give you good advice, and besides, it’s important she knows what’s going on here as well.”
Julia let out a long sigh, hoping all the frustration and confusion she felt would disappear into the air. “I know what you’re saying, Barb. It’s simply that I hate to bring her into this. Alicia will worry, and there’s really nothing she can do. Besides, I want her to focus on her schoolwork. She’s got this final year of law school left and then she can study for the bar exam.”
“Well, let me ask you this one question. If this were happening to your sister, would you want her to share it with you or keep you in the dark?”
“You’re right. I’ll call her when she’s out of class. I can’t afford a lawyer right now, and I need some legal advice, and fast. Something about this whole thing simply doesn’t sit right. But for now I’d better get back to work.” Julia squeezed her friend’s hand. “Thanks so much for being here, Barb. When I decide what I’m going to do about Friday, I’ll let you know.”
Both women stood and embraced. “You just remember what I told you,” Barbara whispered into her ear. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure you and this winery get the chance you need to have it on its feet again!”
~ ~ ~
Julia didn’t know whether to throw up or pass out. Instead she decided the best thing to do was to keep busy. Motivated by Mariela’s remarks, Julia marched to the gift shop and retail store to see if the woman’s suggestions made any sense. No sooner had she turned the corner, than Julia saw Mariela seated on the floor, her back to the door.
“Mariela, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” Julia knelt and cupped her hands around the woman’s shoulders.
“It is nothing, Señora.” Mariela hastily wiped her eyes with a linen handkerchief she’d pulled from her bra. “Sometimes the dust on the floor gets in my eyes and, well, you know.”
“You overheard Mr. Reynolds, didn’t you?”
Mariela hesitated long enough for Julia to know she’d guessed the truth. “Sí.”
“And you’re worried about your family?”
“Sí, but also about you, Señora. What’ll you do when he closes the winery? Where will you live? And what’ll happen to the rest of us? I’m scared, Señora. Mr. Reynolds is a very angry man. And if there is one thing I know for certain, angry men do angry things.”
Julia pulled Mariela into a quick hug. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but I’ll tell you this, Mariela. No one is going to take anything away from me or from any of us without one hell of a fight. Now please, no more crying. We’ve got four days to come up with a plan. In the meantime we’re going about our business as if nothing stood in our way. Okay?”
Mariela blew her nose into her handkerchief one last time and searched Julia’s eyes for assurance. “Okay, Señora.”
“Oh, and Mariela?”
“Sí.”
“No more of this Señora business. We are partners. And partners call each other by their first names. Please, call me Julia.”
“Sí . . .”
Mariela hesitated for less than a second, but long enough for Julia to raise an admonishing finger.
“Sí, Julia!” Mariela grinned.
Julia returned her smile. “That’s more like it!”
Both women hugged each other one last time before Mariela went back to work with Julia at her side.
~ ~ ~
Unlike her usual talkative self, Mariela remained quiet most of the day. Normally she doled out orders to her husband, nagged her children about their chores or homework, or philosophized with Diego regarding issues of naturalization versus non-legality, public education versus homeschooling, and bachelorhood versus marriage. But not today. When Rafael asked what was wrong at dinner, Mariela, not wanting Eduardo and Felicia to hear, simply mouthed the word later.
As soon as the table was cleared, dishes washed, and everything put away, Mariela excused the children to go outside to play while she and her husband and Diego sat on the steps of their front porch.
Rafael took Mariela’s hand in his and spoke first. “What has your tongue today, mi querida? Why are you so upset?” Mariela wanted to cry but knew in her heart she had to be strong not only for her family but for the people—her people—who worked at the winery. No longer was it time for tears but for strong talk. Diego obviously assumed his sister intended to share the events of this morning’s meeting. He sat quietly near them and polished off a much-deserved bottle of cold beer.
“I overheard Mr. Reynolds speaking to Julia right after our meeting today. I didn’t mean to listen, but I was in the gift shop and he was yelling. He told her we were all to be gone by this Friday. That he’s closing the winery down for good.”
“Que sucio hijo de puta! That dirty son-of-a-bitch,” Diego sneered, angrily rising to his feet. “He refuses to leave the poor woman alone. First, she loses her career, then her husband, and now she’ll lose the only thing her husband had to leave her—the winery.”
“Easy, Diego,” Rafael interrupted.
Diego paced furiously back and forth in front of the stoop.
“We mustn’t waste our energy on anger, but focus our attention on what we can do,” continued Rafael.
“Believe me, my energy would not be wasted on a man such as him. His words are dangerous and fueled by something evil. I’m not sure what that is. Envy, perhaps? Or greed? No, I say we fight back and fight back hard. Make him see we are not intimidated by him baring his teeth.”
Mariela had had enough. “Diego. Stop this instant! We’ll not give up this winery. Neither will we do so with violence. I have an idea if you’ll hear me out.”
Diego kicked a rock in front of him and wiped the sweat off his face with his bandana. “I’ll be back and then we’ll talk. But right now, I need some space.” He slammed on his hat and strode toward the vineyard.
~ ~ ~
Julia had no appetite for supper. She tried to lie down for a short nap, but it didn’t take long for her to realize she wasn't in the mood for sleep. The wheels in her mind spun at a hundred miles per hour. It was five o’clock. In another hour Alicia would be home from class and they finally could talk.
Barbara was right. Julia shouldn’t shelter Alicia from the financial burdens of the winery. At the same time, Alicia didn’t need to worry about James and his temper. Yet, Julia needed to talk to someone who not only understood all she’d gone through, but what was ahead of her as well.
Even in good times the winery was a demanding enterprise. No matter how much work Robert had put into it, Mother Nature always had the last word. One could project a banner harvest, but then in a matter of seconds a hail-storm might raise havoc and destroy all the hard work of planting, watering, pruning, and nurturing.
A winery wasn’t only vulnerable to the weather, but also to insects, predators, and human error. It was built on hard work, and on the fragile trust in a Higher Power. What Julia could not reconcile in her heart was why God gave her the winery if He didn’t also want it to be a success?
The phone rang twice before Alicia picked up. “Hey you!” she said sweetly.
“Hey you!” Julia answered back.
It didn’t take long for her to share the new problems with her sister. Surprisingly, the more Julia spilled, the stronger she felt committed to keeping the winery open, come what may. No more tears, she again reminded herself. She wouldn’t endure the fist-shaking threats of her brother-in-law any longer. For James’s perpetual tirades to end, she needed the right ammo.
“So, what are my legal rights here, Alicia?”
“Well, there are a couple of things you should be aware of. First of all, when Robert was still alive, the ownership of the winery was divided into three equal parts—Robert’s third, your third, and the remaining third to James. Now, that Robert is gone, however, his third should go to you. James may very well contest that. However, I believe there exists a grace period of re-proprietorship between the time one of the co-owners dies or gives up his or her share until the new partnership goes into effect.”
Julia echoed back what she thought she’d heard and thus understood. “So, what you’re saying is James has no legal right to throw me out or to dispense with the winery until the time’s elapsed in the contract.”
“Correct. Even if he wants to clo
se the winery and take over the land, he still needs to either take you to court to force the sale of your portion of the winery, or offer to buy you out. You and I both know he can’t do that in the next four days.”
Why didn’t I talk to Alicia sooner? thought Julia. Not only is she a genius at corporate law, but all those years of law school are finally paying off.
“And I’m not selling. Period!” Julia vowed.
“Great! Do you need me to come back up to Washington and help you out this Friday? I will if you want me to. Just say the word.”
“No. I don’t think that will be necessary. Barb will be here. A few workers at the winery have offered to help as well.”
“Well, my offer still stands. You give me a call if you change your mind. You know how much I like a good fight, especially when it involves James.”
Alicia giggled at her own wit, which Julia echoed. They wished each other good luck and much love and all the sisterly repartee they were so used to exchanging in their many phone conversations. As usual, the call ended with each of them air kissing their respective cell phones before hanging up.
The evening sunset colored the sky. Before she put both herself and the James issue to bed, Julia still needed to speak to one more person. She grabbed her sweater and started the long walk to Robert’s grave just beyond the edge of the vineyard.
While he was alive, she loved their late-night talks together. Robert often said how much he admired her creative mind and intelligence. They shared less about their feelings for one another than they did the events of the day or the issues of the world around them. Julia cared a great deal for Robert.
Love's Harvest (A Salmon Run Novel Book 1) Page 6