Chapter Fourteen Satoshi #2
Please note that the boss is going to call his minion after he closes tonight, and she is going to do *exactly* what he tells her
From: [email protected]
Subject: Nomination: Young Australian Sommelier of the Year
Attached: ASY_Invitation.pdf
Dear Mr Tsukamoto,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been nominated to compete for the title of Young Australian Sommelier of the Year, honouring the country’s best sommeliers under the age of 30.
This year’s competition will consist of a service examination and a blind tasting, with an awards dinner in the evening. It will be held in Naarm/Melbourne on 28 February. You can find full details in the attached invitation. Please RSVP by 14 February.
Sincere congratulations on your achievement.
In vino veritas,
Chandler Michaels, MS
Convenor
Australian Sommelier of the Year Awards
@tsundokubar shared a new photo to Instagram.
[Photo: Satoshi standing behind the bar at Tsundoku, sipping from a glass of champagne.]
[Caption: @tsundokubar Here’s our co-owner Satoshi celebrating his nomination for Young Australian Sommelier of the Year! Come into Tsundoku and browse through our lovingly curated wine list, or tell Satoshi what you like and let him choose for you – he’s here every day!]
ISAMU
Congratulations on your nomination, Sato
Well deserved
SATOSHI
Thank you
ISAMU
If you don’t have a junior ready to run the floor by then, I’ll cover so you can go to the awards ceremony
Dates are in my diary
How’s the search going?
SATOSHI
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Getting there.
MS TRAUMA BOND SUPPORT CIRCLE
MAXI
Congrats on the nom, Satoshi! You deserve it.
CARLTON
What Maxi said – huge congrats, mate!
SATOSHI
Thank you
It was a lovely surprise
MAXI
I’ll bring something special for us to blind next study group
I was going to suggest we meet more often anyway – we’ll never be ready to sit this bastard exam in August if we don’t knuckle down – but now we definitely should so we can get you ready to take the Young Aus Somm title home!
I’ll ask my boss if you can stage if you want to practise service
SATOSHI
That’d be great, although Mondays are my only night off atm
Speaking of – you’re both welcome to stage at Tsundoku whenever you want. I could use the cover
FIONA
Satoshi!!!!!
Fiona sent a photo.
[Photo: Screenshot of @tsundokubar’s most recent Instagram post]
CONGRATULATIONS!!
SATOSHI
Thank you
It doesn’t mean much outside the industry, but in my world it’s a pretty big deal
Well, a reasonably sized deal
To a limited group of people
FIONA
Translation: it’s an *enormous* deal
I’m so thrilled for you!
And so proud of you
And I plan on demonstrating that at great length next time I get you alone
SATOSHI
Can’t wait x
Literally, I can’t wait – any chance you could come in before Thursday?
FIONA
You will definitely see me before Thursday, but not for the reasons you’re hoping
I promised Lex I’d bring them by tomorrow afternoon
Matt’s first formal visitation is in the morning, and Lex is Not Thrilled
SATOSHI
Matt’s coming to Hobart?
FIONA
Just a video call
But he’s requested that I bring the kids to Melbourne next month so they can meet their siblings in person
Including the new siblings – Laura will have given birth by then
Spoiler: I’ll be asking you to take my mind off it a lot. Like, A LOT.
SATOSHI
Spoiler: delighted to x
But question – when in Feb will you be in Melbourne?
FIONA
End of the month
We’re on a monthly visitation schedule, but Matt asked that the Feb one be as late as possible in case Laura goes past her due date
Which she won’t. Twins are almost always early.
Which he should remember from when the girls were born, but…
SATOSHI
Will you be there on the 28th?
FIONA
Yes. Why?
SATOSHI
That’s the Aus Somm awards dinner, and I have a +1
You could meet some people in the wine world – make some connections for your column
FIONA
Can I think about it?
SATOSHI
Of course
FIONA
It’s not that I don’t want to, but I’ll have the kids with me
And I don’t exactly want to leave them with Matt, Laura, and their half-siblings they’ve only just met
Including two newborns
SATOSHI
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Of course I understand if you can’t make it work, but if you can, I’d love to take you
How many people get to have the Australian wine scene’s hottest new columnist on their arm?
FIONA
You really are perfect, aren’t you?
FIONA
Thanks for spending so long chatting with Lex today
I know how busy you are x
SATOSHI
Lex and I are pals I always have time to chat with them
They didn’t say anything about Matt, in case you were wondering – we mostly just talked about books
In that they talked, I listened
FIONA
That’s how most discussions about books with Lex go
But thanks for listening – it means a lot to them, feeling like they’re being heard. Particularly on a day like today.
SATOSHI
How did it go?
If you want to talk about it, that is?
FIONA
TL;DR: about as well as could be expected
Lex stared at the screen and refused to say anything, and Matt got the girls so amped up about meeting their new siblings that they’re not going to talk about anything else for a week
Was so glad you and I managed to sneak some time today, even if it was just a couple of minutes making out in your office x
The way being with you lets me escape my life for a while always makes me feel so much better
SATOSHI
I don’t want to just help you escape your life, though
What if I came around to your place tonight after close?
I could sneak in after the kids are in bed, sneak out again in the early morning
Not angling for sex here, btw – just to literally sleep with you.
FIONA
I would love that, but it’s probably not a good idea
That’s just *asking* for Rosie or Georgia to wander in in the middle of the night and scream, ‘Mummy, why is Satoshi sleeping in your bed???’
Which would turn into them announcing it to every single person they’ve ever met
SATOSHI
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Offer’s open if you change your mind x
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Wedding
Attached: guest list.docx; run sheet.docx
Hi Satoshi and Isamu
This is just a quick email to touch base with you about our wedding at the winery on 2 Feb.
I’ve attached the finalised guest list and a draft run sheet.
It’s not very big (only twenty people), so hopefully this will be a pretty easy event.
The only complicated bit is that we’d like to Zoom in my brother Elias briefly during the reception to give a toast – he won’t be able to make it. Is that okay?
Also: we know you’re our hosts, but Sadie and I hope you’ll consider yourselves our guests too. You’ve been so generous to us – we’d love you to be part of our celebration.
When you’re putting together the final cost of the event, please include yourselves* as part of the headcount – we’d be delighted to subsidise you to eat your own food and drink your own wine.
Best,
JF
*and a +1, if you’d like!
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: Wedding
Attached: fishershaw_menu_final.docx
Dear Jonah
Thank you for this information.
Twenty people will be very manageable. As previously discussed, we can accommodate the ceremony outside; but in the case of wet weather, we can hold both ceremony and reception in the cellar door. The Zoom element is no problem.
I have attached the menu for your sign-off, which includes the price per head. It also includes our in-house suggested matched wines.
Thank you also for your kind invitation. I will not require a +1, but would be delighted to raise a glass with you.
Regards,
Isamu
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: Wedding
Hi Jonah and Sadie,
The standard matched wines list Isamu has sent you is great, but I’d be happy to assist you with some bespoke pairings – that is, of course, my area of expertise. Perhaps you might like to come by the bar for a tasting?
And I’d also be very happy to toast to your happiness (no +1 required).
Cheers,
Satoshi
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: Wedding
Hi Satoshi,
Who are we to turn down a wine tasting with an expert (congrats on your award nom, by the way)!
I’ll get Jonah to babysit sometime this week and bring Fiona along so she can help me pick some good ones – she knows more about wine than either of us.
Also: how would you feel about me having my hens’ night at Tsundoku on 31 Jan?
I know you have a no hens’ nights policy, so no hard feelings if the answer is no, but I can solemnly promise this won’t be a rowdy night of drunken debauchery where we trash the place.
It’ll only be four people (me, Chess, Fiona and my friend Julia), and it’ll be nice calm adults eating cheese vibes, not penis cake vibes.
Thanks,
Sadie
From: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: Wedding
Hi Sadie,
For you, I can relax the no hens’ night policy. I’ve made a booking for you on 31 January.
Looking forward to seeing you and Fiona for a tasting soon.
Cheers,
Satoshi
FIONA
OMG Satoshi I am so sorry about today
SATOSHI
Why?
I got to see you
I didn’t get to touch you, and I suspect many courts of law would consider that a crime, but I would much rather see you than not see you x
FIONA
You are so sweet that sometimes I think I made you up x
I meant about Sadie!
Who knew one person could fit so many pointed looks and innuendos into an hour and a half?!
I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable
SATOSHI
Well, we are doing all the things she was hinting at
FIONA
I know, but…
SATOSHI
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This is a genuine question and not an attempt to pressure you into anything: why don’t you tell her the truth?
She already knows part of it – if she knew all of it, she might lay off the suggestive comments
Which might be more comfortable for you than the speculation
FIONA
See, that makes perfect sense
Because she would definitely be supportive
But I can’t – not yet