Page 10 of A Vineyard for Two

‘Takes after his master.’

‘I see you haven’t lost your sense of humour.’

Harper stood up. The dog looked disappointed, but resigned to the fact that the scratches were over and trotted back to the porch to lie down.

‘Dinner is ready. Where is everyone?’ Georgia’s voice boomed through the living area stopping whatever Harper wanted to say next.

‘I can hear a car pulling up now,’ Harper said, walking to the window.

A few moments later, the passenger side doors on each side opened, and Tyler and Zoe got out. She hadn’t seen her siblings in over six years, and the thought brought an ache to her chest.

Zoe’s hair was longer than she had used to wear it. Gone was the crew cut she had fancied straight out of high school, and in its place were long blonde locks that looked like they were a hairdresser’s dream.

Tyler looked tall and straight, with a crew cut that made him look much older, and he wore a crisp shirt that looked like it had just come out from under an iron. It must have been the instilled army habits.

‘Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,’ Tyler said as he entered the door grinning from ear to ear.

All of a sudden, Harper felt her feet lift off the ground as Tyler lifted her up in an embrace.

‘Good to see you too, Tyler,’ she said when he finally put her back down.

‘Have you shrunk in the last six years?’

‘No, but you’ve lost a hair or two.’

He grazed his hand along his head. ‘Touché.’

‘Hey Zoe,’ Harper said when her sister walked through the door.

‘Harper.’

There was a slight nod from her sister, but the tone of her voice said it all. Expecting anything more would have been selfish. So Harper smiled, but didn’t push to get any closer.

Leo followed but said nothing as he made it through the doorway and straight for the kitchen with a box of wine.

After a few moments of awkward chit-chat, Georgia called from the kitchen that dinner was ready, and everyone bustled to the dining table. Harper waited until they all sat down before choosing her spot. It was a mistake because she ended up sitting right opposite Brookes, who had made himself scarce when her siblings arrived. Now they were all seated at the table — her brothers and sister were chatting away while Georgia and Brookes were ingrained in deep conversation, their heads leaned in towards each other. Each one of them looked comfortable, and she felt like the odd one out. She was a stranger in a home that used to be hers, and as she observed their natural ease with one another, she realised that a part of her had missed this.

‘So Harper, how long are you planning on staying?’ Zoe asked as she put her fork down on to her plate and grabbed a napkin to dab to her lips.

Harper swallowed the wine and left her hand sitting on the glass flute. ‘Tomorrow.’

‘In and out.’

‘I know where I’m not wanted.’

‘Now hold on for a second. No one asked you to leave. You did that on your own accord,’ Leo said.

‘That’s enough,’ Georgia cut in. ‘You will not speak to one another in that tone.’

‘Maybe I should go. Georgia, save me some of the dessert for tomorrow,’ Brookes said, standing up.

‘Sit down,’ Georgia said. ‘No one is going anywhere.’ She turned to Leo. ‘Grab another bottle for the table. We have much to discuss.’

Leo did as he was told.

‘Georgia,’ Brookes started.

She put her hand out to stop him. ‘What we’re about to discuss involves you too, Brookes.’