Waiting by the Vine

Rolling green fields. Vineyards. With the sweetest and tart grapes. Perfect for making wines. Wives crushing grapes with their feet in large barrels. The sun glinting on the bus window. Those circle things in the sunbeams. An endless blue sky.

The bus window was ajar. Cool air flowed through Nadia’s black hair. She hadn’t dyed the roots in a while, and they were red.

Berlin was still eight hours away. Leon…

She needed to see someone from her old life. Someone who felt like home. Someone she could laugh with and forget her woes.

She sat next to a pregnant German woman called Belinda. She was short with brown hair and blue eyes. She was near term. Nadia was surprised she opted for a 12-hour journey.

Belinda looked young. Maybe eighteen.

“My bloody husband is cheap…” She sighed, “I fear little Gregory here will be in rags when he is born…”

Gregory. She couldn’t bear the name, but didn’t show it.

CLUNK! SPLUTTER!

The bus coughed, wobbled, and then stopped. The passengers craned their necks to look. What happened? The sky began to grey. The rain came next. Window’s closed. Cold. Nadia gave her coat to pregnant Belinda.

Nadia asked the driver what was happening. The driver blushed. A man in his forties. Smitten with a beautiful woman like Nadia.

"On a appelé un bus de remplacement, il devrait arriver dans une heure,” he said nodding his cap. ("We have called a replacement bus which should come in an hour")

“Merci, monsieur.” Nadia nodded.

The passengers were restless. The cell connection was bad out here. She should have told Xiao Mei. But frankly Nadia wanted to spend some alone time with Leon. Xiao Mei would have tagged along without hesitation. And Nadia could never say no. Xiao Mei had been in enough danger hanging out with Nadia anyway. Nadia was no good for her.

1 hour. 2 hours. 3 hours. Nothing. No bus.

The rain had stopped. There was a sign for a vineyard 0.5 miles away. They had all gotten down to stretch. The night sky, full of stars. A whole galaxy. Nadia looked up. Breathing in. Sweet moist air.

Belinda sat inside the bus wearing Nadia’s coat like a blanket. Fast asleep. Nadia had goosebumps on her arms.

She decided to go for a little walk.

"Ne vous éloignez pas trop… Le bus de remplacement va bientôt arriver…" The bus driver said. ("Don't go too far... The replacement bus will come soon...")

Nadia nodded. She went anyway.

She followed the road. Winding. She began to talk to Greg.

“Greg. You don’t know how mad I am at you. You made me change. Made me into this thing…”

She looked at the dove tattoo on her bare shoulder.

“I’m not innocent… I’m rotten… And you were supposed to be my best friend. But you were just like all the men I avoided all my life. Well… I did what you wanted. I fucked the whole lot of them. And… And… I don’t feel any better…”

She turned the corner into the vineyard. The fences where the grape vines hung and crawled through. Hugging tight for support. Without the fence, what would they be?

Greg was her wall. The one she could rely on. But he wasn’t here. He had joined the Mafia and killed Alice.

The porch light turned on. A farmer came out.

"Hé, fille, qu’est-ce que tu fais là, au beau milieu de mes champs à cette heure-ci…?" He said. ("Hey, girl, what are you doing out here in the middle of my fields this late…?")

"Notre bus est tombé en panne… et on a faim." Nadia said. ("Our bus broke down… and we're hungry.")

"Il faut faire quelque chose pour ça." He smiled. ("We have to do something about that.")

Nadia, the farmer, and his two eldest sons loaded the car up with sandwiches and pastries. Water, and coffee in flasks. Wine too. They made it to the bus.

The food was shared around. A moment of happiness. Bellies, full. Smiles and conversations over hot coffee. Blushed cheeks from a glass of red.

"T’es un ange. Que le bon Dieu te bénisse,” The bus driver teared up over a pastry. (“You’re an angel. May the good Lord bless you.”)

Nadia sat with Belinda. They nibbled on ham sandwiches. Nadia asked why she chose the name Gregory for her son.

“Gregory is the name of my favorite high school teacher. He still believes in me. Even when I’ve fucked up my life. I hope my Gregory will be better than me.” She said.

“I am a fuck up too. Divorced. I work as a stripper in a night club… Alone…” Nadia said.

“Jesus… At least I am Christian… You need to find God…” Belinda left the seat and sat away from Nadia. Taking Nadia’s coat with her.

Nadia sighed. Gratitude was a rarity. Would Leon judge her the same way? People were so silly.