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In Vino Veritas – Chpt 9
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“I missed the vineyard and my friends in France. And quite honestly, the work was just too taxing for me. Every where I turned there were people and organizations in need. Which wasn’t actually the problem. The difficulty for me was that there were only limited funds. And over and over, worthy entities were having to be denied grants and resources. It broke my heart that I was breaking hearts by saying ‘no‘. I spent many sleepless nights. I was constantly anxious. Stressed to the max. Calls were constantly flooding into my office asking for donations that I simply couldn’t accommodate. Sometimes I would find out that lives had been ruined because of the decisions I had to make. Organizations fell apart. People in need went hungry.
“I tried to have a personal life. But I truly never knew who liked me for myself or loved me for my money.
“One day, I’d simply had enough. I broke down. Threw in the towel. I decided I had to disappear. I left my office. Went home. Packed a bag. Drove to the airport. Caught the Red Eye to San Francisco in hopes of regaining a healthy perspective with a refreshing reprieve. And of course I ended up touring the vineyards. Fell in love with the wine country. Realized how much I’d missed it. And, well, I never went back to New York. Bought a winery in Sonoma. And started making wine.
“So that’s it. Short version. How I became a winemaker.”
Helena took a sip of wine.
“I’m sorry,” Bette said quietly, pensively. “I mean, unless you’re happy now. I’m just sorry you had to go through that pain.”
“Yes, I guess I’m fairly happy,” Helena mused. “I’m a wealthy woman, Bette. All of the profits from my winery go to charity. And it’s doing well. I have no need in the money department personally. But I would like to have someone special to share my life with. That’s what’s missing. I promised myself long ago that I wouldn’t go looking for it. But if it happened, I would embrace it.”
“I feel like a heel,” Bette lamented.
“Why is that?” Helena asked, quietly and sympathetically reaching for Bette’s hand.
“For saying I hated you,” Bette murmured.
“And why did you?” Helena replied, caressing the palm she held.
“It’s a long story,” Bette said with embarrassment.
“I believe I have time,” Helena answered softly.
They stared into one another’s eyes.
“Bette. You seem very special to me. I felt it the minute I saw you. I haven’t felt that way since…well, since…Anne,” Helena confessed.
“The woman who sent you off on your extended holiday in Bordeaux?” Bette asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“That’s scary, Helena.”
“I know.”
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So good.
I’ve certainly had times I wished I could disappear, but I haven’t the means of a Peabody. Usually when we speak of the rich being calloused we don’t mean it literally. Nor does Helena seem to be the ‘calloused’ type, despite the callouses. Time for Bette to come clean.
I really like the story and where’s it going, but I can’t wait for Bette and Helena to enjoy each other in privacy. Thanks and PPS!
I can understand why she’s scared…but I say screw it Bette, just go for it…pps
I think Azmama said it all in her brief, yet perfect comment. In fact, I confess I devoured your chapter ( with great, gluttonous anticipation ) as my dessert tonight, Z, and this was just… perfection : the perfect amount of saucy wit and sensuality. You have a very unique recipe here. For some reason, I realize I only have culinary analogies to describe this story of yours, Z, but this is an amazingly tasty fic and one that makes me hungrier and hungrier…
Ahhhh…quite lovely indeed. I appreciate that you are allowing their souls to connect, honesty to be displayed and healing to begin as they simmer. It makes anything after that sooo much more special…PPS
Why thank ya kindly z!! Not quite enough simmering in this one, but I agree with akira, that it is time for them to get out of the office and go somewhere lovely and romantic and..in a sea of candlelight…let the simmering continue!!!
wow this one went deep. I like the way you have created Helena ; she’s funny, she’s alpha but she definitely has a human and soft touch and that’s the Helena I like. I wonder if Bette’s gonna tell her why she hated her although we already can imagine it was because Helan had to deny a grant. i’m with th other Bette should take Helan out of that office and either go home or to a nice hotelroom to enjoy the rest of their night in privacy cuz I wouldn’t be surprised Alice will show up any time soon. PPS
Z, I loved it!!!!
tsk tsk, susannah and akira, always with the smut..behaaaaave grrls. i love it when helena’s written with an actual talent or two up her sleeve. as always, super fun. silly bette for hating her…on the show and in this story. but bette’s sweet in your stories. pps!
aw hb, do I hafta??? I love this Helena and I like the Helena on the show, if only she weren’t lobotomized. I about fainted when Kit was explaining to HELENA PEABODY what bourgeois means. Anyway I digress…shades of funnyone!! HB, I want to know what benefits I will be receiving as your favorite person, so I can lord them over funny!! LOL Anyway, Helena DOES have talent…she can make a basket from the free throw line with her back turned and eyes shut! What else can she do?? Hmm…Remember when she was evil and seemed to have some kind of fetish for pregnant women? Z, take pity on me here and write soon or I shall be forced to go on bsbbling.Not a pretty sight, but it would be hb’s fault anyway.
mmm… scary indeed, to be compared to the woman who broke Helena’s heart :-S — quite a challenge to take up !! now, will Bette take it up ? I hope so and Bette will have to tell her everything too, to unburden her heart so that she’ll be free to move on and really LIVE her life instead of putting up with it :-) — Now, are they old souls too ? finding the other through eons and the flame of a candle ? wine and candlelight sometimes allow to shed the light on dshadows in someone’s soul much better than the light of the sun… now, all they need is some soft jazz music to really bare their souls -and everything else ;-)- to each other, perhaps some Billie : her music just makes my heart swell :-)