Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Ellie
Since going public on Instagram with Sam, my life has been manic. My parents found out, so I had to explain, like I’m some sort of teenager. Then all my university girlfriends wanted to know why, how, when and how often, but I brushed them off.
A style magazine actually posted our photo together, and made it into a fashion feature, with where they thought our clothes were from. They got the value of my gear wrong though, I don’t wear $100 LuluLemons, I’m a KMart girl at $10 a pair.
I’m looking forward to us going away together this morning for Christmas Eve, but the only thing that’s nagging me is that I’ve barely seen Sam over the past two weeks. We’ve had stolen moments here and there, times when we’ve pulled each other’s clothes off hungrily, but not enough. Every moment felt rushed, his thoughts somewhere else, towards the race at the end of next year. It’s consuming him in a way I couldn’t imagine. I feel like he’s in a snowglobe, or perhaps a terrarium, where he’s moving around in his own world, and I’m stuck outside, looking in.
Tayla and I had a surprise visit the other day, Corey brought a huge hamper to wish us Merry Christmas, and his way to apologise to us, I suppose.
“Next time we’re doing dinner at my house”. Corey winked. He’s such a charming ratbag, I think I forgave him straight away.
“Nahhh. Keep groveling”. Tayla had a way yet to be convinced. Her pink hair swished, and I couldn’t tell whether she was flirting with Corey or not.
Corey pretended to loosen up his t-shirt collar. “Until next time. Happy Christmas, ladies. I’m sure I’ll see more of you now than ever”.
As soon as he left, I raised my eyebrow at Tayla.
“What? He’s hot. But he’s also a ratbag. Not going to let him off the hook so easily. Anyway, I’m off to Dunedin now, gotta catch the midday flight”. I bet she’s leaving late so she could see Corey that morning. She’s her own worst enemy. We hug and she’s off.
Because she works for a school, she’s off on school holidays and could leave much earlier. I work for a daycare centre, where the only days off are the statutory public holidays, so I’m working this morning on Christmas Eve until midday. After lunch, I'll go pick up Daisy from my place, and Sam from his place.
I took the rather rash decision to go up to my parents in my car to drop Daisy, then switch to his car for the longer drive down to O'Neill's Bay.
Being Christmas Eve, there aren't many kids in today, and they all get picked up early, after their parents finished some last minute Christmas shopping, I guess. Us teachers finish tidying up, then have a shared lunch, and we swap secret Santa presents. I give Hamida a gorgeous scarf, and she loves it. In return I get a lush box of artisan chocolates from Debra. We could eat them in the car on the way up to Matakana.
I pick up Daisy, get my bags, and make sure everything is closed up for a couple of days, and drive to Sam's house in Bella Vista to pick him up. I message him to come down when I arrive. Wow, he's made an effort. For a start he's wearing shoes and socks. Some dark jeans and a nice casual shirt hug him in all the right places. His brow is furrowed.
“I don't understand how you convinced me to go in your car. Look at it. It's held together by chewing gum and prayers”.
I can't contain a laugh at that. Sam's so funny sometimes. “She's a nice little runner. I've had her for over 8 years now, since I learned to drive. Surely you must remember your first car”.
“I remember alright. It was a Ford Laser Sport 1987, a bit similar to this one. The only difference is mine went to the wrecker's yard, which is what yours should do too”. He knocks on the roof, and one of the side mirrors drops. I adjust it back in. He puts a duffel bag in the boot, gives Daisy a pat in the back seat, and gets in the passenger's seat, still shaking his head.
“Don't listen to him, Dorothy. You've been a very good car”. I stroke the dashboard, and he laughs. I blast the music as loud as the old stereo will allow, and we set off northbound towards my parents' place.
The cheer is short-lived, as exactly halfway to Matakana, there's smoke under the hood, and I have to pull over, to Sam's increasing annoyance.
“For fuck's sake, Ellie. This tuna can isn't even capable of making it 100 kilometres up to your folks'. We're stranded on the state highway with your dog, cars flying past doing 100”.
Between us, he knows a bit more about engineering, and manages to get the car to start again. We get back inside, and he's deadly serious.
“You're getting a new car”.
I laugh at that one. “And you're funny. I can't afford a new car, why do you think I drive this one?”
“I'm going to buy it for you. Consider it a Christmas present”. He seems quite pleased with the thought.
“I'm sorry but I can't accept it. It's too much. I'll just get a loan from the bank and pay it off in installments”. My pride is wounded. I don't earn much, but I'm proud of my work, and what I've achieved so far in life.
“How about I buy it for you and you pay me back?” He's like Daisy with a bone, once he has something in his sights, he doesn't let go. Seems like his latest fixation is me getting a new car.
“I'll think about it”. I try to shrug it off, hoping against hope he forgets.
“Don't think about it, it's settled. When we come back from O'Neill's Bay we'll look at some car dealerships”.
I quickly try to change the subject, as we're getting closer to my parents' place.
“Have you ever been up here?”. The tunnel gives way to native rainforest, and native rainforest merges into vineyards on sunny hills.
“I've been through here many times, but not stopped. Seems like there are a few wineries nearby. One time we should come up here and check some out, do some tastings”. I like it that he comes up with future date ideas.
I turn off the highway onto a smaller road, then when I see the all too familiar sign for Ako Wines, I turn onto the long driveway. With one eye I spy his reaction. He seems stunned and rightly so. My parents own a small winery North of Auckland. He may have even tried their wines and not known. I park up, and let Daisy out who's feeling right at home among the vines.
“So, what do you think?” I try to gauge his reaction.
“I don't know what to say. Is this your parents' place?” He's still a bit incredulous.
“Yes. Let's leave the bags for later”. I grab his hand and lead him to the massive front door that I open without knocking.
“Anybody home?”. I take it all in, and try to see it through Sam's eyes, who's never been here before. Though large, the house looks very shabby and worn. I'm sure I would ordinarily say it's a house lived in, but with fresh eyes it just looks a bit dirty and neglected. I'm suddenly a bit nervous, I'm starting to have doubts whether bringing Sam home for Christmas Eve was the best idea.
Sam
From the moment we turned into the Ako Wines driveway, I've been in a surreal movie with a dreamlike quality.
Firstly, it's a winery. Ellie never told me her parents own a working winery. This is huge. Secondly just what the fuck is happening in this house? There are several clocks, and they all tell different times. Does my head in. I'm barely containing myself from going around and changing them all to the right time. Thirdly, I hate to say it, but it's untidy. Huge house, stuff everywhere. Makes me very anxious, like a sensory overload.
Ellie squeezes my hand, she can tell I'm uncomfortable. Her mum and dad come through a side door, and she hugs them tightly.
“We missed you so much”. Her mum is crying now.
“I missed you guys”. Ellie hugs them back just as tightly. “I've brought Daisy to stay with you for a couple of nights… and more importantly, this is Sam”.
“Mr and Mrs Tennyson”. I shake hands with both, but Ellie's mum Martha comes in for a hug.
“We heard a lot about you, young man. We're very proud of you”. Her dad claps my back.
I laugh awkwardly, and look imploringly at Ellie. Help .
“How about you go pick up the bags from the car, and I'll sort out some food and water for Daisy?”. She throws me a lifeline.
Ellie's dad Mike accompanies me. On our way to the car and back, I try to make small talk.
“Ellie didn't mention you had a winery. I'd love to try your wine”. It seems I said the right thing.
“Ellie's such a rascal. We'll give you a short tour, then you can have a tasting with dinner”. Mike grabs my bag and I carry Ellie's bag.
Daisy's settled in for the night after having some biscuits. I walk to the verandah and take in the sweet summer evening smell. Cicadas are chirping wildly, and vines are the only silhouettes you can see for miles in the twilight.
“How about you give me a tour of the place, darling?” I'm dying to spend some time alone with Ellie. I don't even know if we are to stay in different rooms tonight. Are her parents old fashioned? I have this image in my head of having to make ropes out of sheets and climbing through her window to get to her.
“Make it quick, dinner will be ready in 10 minutes”. Martha brings me back to earth.
As soon as we get to the hallway, I grab her waist and kiss her with urgency. I grab her by the ponytail and press my hardness against her, so she knows the effect she has on me.
I hear steps so we move apart, our breath ragged. She puts a hand on my chest.
“Later”.
The sound of steps goes away, but it's been too close. I must keep my hands and dick off her until later.
From the verandah, she points out the various outbuildings part of the working winery, and tells me more about the history, and the variety of wines they have here.
“Wow, it must have been a magical place to grow up, sweetheart.” I hug her from behind, and take in the intoxicating scent of her.
“You're joking, right? I hated it. All my friends were in town. We moved here when I was 14. I couldn't drive, I was just stuck here dependent on my parents taking me places”. I can't make out the tone of her voice. Sometimes, like this moment, I really hate not being able to interpret other people's cues. I don't know when people are sarcastic. I can't tell in some situations if they're joking or not. More importantly, I can't tell when Ellie is happy or sad a lot of the time, unless she explicitly tells me.
“I suppose you're right, I hadn't thought of it that way. Your parents seem alright. And they love you very much”. I kiss her head.
“You'll catch a cold out there, you two. Time for dinner”. Martha, Ellie's mum, is giving a voice to all mums in the world whose children are trying to steal more time together with their loved one.
Christmas Eve dinner is spectacular. Martha's food is Michelin star quality, and I say so. I'm not one for unnecessary compliments, and Ellie understands. The wines are delicious. I try a Malbec with the main, and some bubbles Methode with the dessert.
We exchange some presents with Mike and Martha, but Ellie and I will open ours tomorrow, in O'Neill's Bay.
“They like you”. Three single words from her on the way to our room, but they make me very happy.
“They're lovely people. I'm glad I met them, and found this part of you. I'll buy some Ako wine off them, it would be good to take some to my mum and dad”.
I follow Ellie up the steps trailing behind her. She's just perfect. I don't know what I've done to get so lucky.
Her room is airy, full of photos with friends and family, Daisy, and some posters of boy bands. Some I recognise, some I don't.
“At least there are no photos of ex boyfriends on the walls.”
Ellie bursts out laughing. I guess I said that out loud.
My attention is drawn by the King Single bed. It's too small for two people. I try to make light of the situation.
“So what's the deal here, do I sleep on top of you? Or on the sofa downstairs with Daisy?”
She wraps her arms around my neck and presses her body against mine. I can't think straight.
“I think it's my parents' way of saying we should sleep apart. There's a mattress on the floor to the other side”.
I don't like it one bit. I want more of Ellie, not less.
“Yeah nah. You sleep on top of me then, I'm heavier”.
I try not to think of the day ahead, and visiting my parents, and what that means. One day at a time.