Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
It was barely three in the afternoon, but it felt like I’d lived through an entire week since breakfast. But as I sat on the back terrace with a glass of rosé, as the sun hung low and a gentle breeze drifted by, I felt at peace.
" Bonjour , Elodie," a voice behind me said, the tone smooth. I turned to see Félicité approaching, her expression a curious blend of caution and intrigue, like a sommelier faced with an unlabeled bottle.
" Bonjour , Félicité," I replied, feeling like my American accent mangled her beautiful name. I forced a smile. We stood there for a moment, two strangers connected by DNA and surprise inheritances, the silence taut between us.
Finally, Félicité broke the silence. "So, that must've come as quite a shock, no? Like finding out you're secretly royalty, but instead of a tiara, you get a vineyard?” She grinned.
I exhaled a long breath. “It was definitely a surprise. For everyone. I had no idea. I promise you that. I half expected Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell me I'd been Punk'd ."
She furrowed her brow at the reference.
I half laughed. “It was just this hidden-camera reality show my mom used to watch where this one actor pulled stunts on other celebrities.”
She smiled thinly. “Ah, Oui . I know you were surprised. We could all see it in your expression. You were just as surprised as we were. I think the only person who had any inkling was that old bat Colette."
The words were a little harsh, but there was a smile in her expression as she said it, like she was describing a favorite, if slightly senile, aunt.
"They must've been very close. Pierre and Colette," I ventured, feeling like I was tiptoeing through a minefield of family history.
Félicité nodded, her fiery hair bouncing like a shampoo commercial. "Like she so elegantly put it, she's been around longer than any of us. I think, in many ways, she was Grandpère’s best friend. I'm a little ashamed to say it, but at the end, she was pretty much the only one who was around. My brothers probably wouldn't admit it, but we weren't always so great with Grandpère. It's hard, you know? You just live your life. We live far away. You don't come as often as you should. And then one day, it's too late, and you're left with a chateau-sized serving of guilt."
I nodded.
"It's nice that he had you, though," I offered. "It's nice that you had him."
Félicité gave me a wobbly smile, like a soufflé on the verge of collapse. "It must be strange to have not known about us."
"It's pretty bizarre. I always knew about Dad, of course. And I do have some memories. But he was pretty clear that he didn't want anything to do with me or my mom. And I sort of just let that go.”
"You never tried to see him? Tried to track him down?" Félicité asked, her eyebrow arched.
"I suppose it would've been easy enough to track him down. But no, I never wanted to. I mean, when I was little, I was very curious. But eventually, I came to the conclusion that if he didn't want anything to do with me, then I didn't want anything to do with him. A mutual ghosting, if you will."
"Seems like a fair trade," Félicité nodded, tone crisp.
"I didn't come here to disrupt," I blurted out, suddenly feeling so out of place. "I hope you know that. I didn’t come here to steal this place from you all.”
"No, I assume not," Félicité said, her lips quirking. "What are your plans, though?”
"About what? My new career as a wine baroness?"
"With the estate. The chateau, the winery. What are you going to do? Sell it? Move in? Start a reality show— Elodie in Provence ?”
I laughed, the sound mingling with the chirping cicadas. "I have no idea, honestly. Still processing everything, I guess. When I got on the plane, I thought that, I don't know, maybe I was inheriting some sort of family heirloom or some paintings. I had no idea I was coming home with a winery."
"Well, I don't think you can bring it in your carry-on. What do you know about wineries?"
I shook my head, feeling like a bobblehead in an earthquake. "I know how to stand in a tasting room in Napa. I'm pretty sure that's the extent of it. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Are the boys terribly angry?"
She tilted her head, considering the question. "Angry? Well, I think my brothers are a little upset. But frankly, I think it's just their pride. They are greedy. They never wanted this place. Grandpère tried to get all of us involved over the years. Tried to teach us about winemaking. But no one ever had any interest. Papa never had any interest, either. So, you know, I'm not really surprised Pierre did what he did. I think my brothers probably hoped they could just sell the place and pocket the change. Which I guess, for all I know, is your plan, too."
I chewed on the idea. “I admit it's tempting. More because I don't know how to reconcile the fact that I live in California. An entire world away. And I don't know anything about running a winery or even a house this size. My little house is about 1,000 square feet back home. This place probably has closets bigger than that."
Félicité laughed, a warm sound that seemed to breathe life into the ancient stones around us. "Well, you do have options."
"Your brothers?" I asked.
Félicité sighed, the sound heavy with years of family drama. "If you're asking if they want to buy it from you, I doubt it. Unless they've suddenly developed a passion for pruning vines and stomping grapes."
"What are they going to do? Start a rival winery out of spite?"
She shrugged with a casual French nonchalance. “I’m not sure. I think, just like you, we're all processing. But let me give you some advice, Elodie. You seem like a very genuine person. And despite our rough start, I’m very excited to meet you. I mean, all of a sudden, I have a sister! That's pretty incredible. Even if the circumstances are very weird.”
“Like a plot twist in a soap opera written by a drunk screenwriter,” I said.
She offered me that confused expression again. “You say very strange things.”
I laughed. “I know. You’re not the first person to point that out.” Evan often commented on my nerdy catchphrases and quirks. I shook it off—it didn’t matter what Evan thought anymore.
“I’m really happy to meet you all too. I’ve been an only child my entire life. And now I find out I'm actually one of four. Talk about pretty crazy."
"Be patient with my brothers," Félicité advised, her tone softening with warmth. "Give them some time. They are not so bad once you get to know them. Let them warm up to you. Let them warm up to this whole thing. In the end, we may find some common ground. Who knows? Maybe we'll all be stomping grapes together at the next harvest."
As I stood there with my newfound sister, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope.