It was not hope yet.
But it was the possibility of it.
CHAPTER 4 – The Choice to Stay
The rain continued until dawn.
Judith slept in a small room above the tasting hall while Jacob remained in the office, reading Samuel’s papers beneath the yellow light.
When she found him the next morning, he was wearing his tuxedo trousers and a work shirt borrowed from Martin. His wedding jacket hung over the back of a chair, soaked at the shoulders from the night before.
He had removed his wedding ring.
It sat on the desk beside the company documents.
Judith stopped in the doorway.
“You don’t have to punish yourself by working before breakfast.”
“I’m not punishing myself.”
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to learn how much I don’t know.”
She entered carrying two mugs of coffee.
He took one.
For a while they stood side by side, looking through the glass doors at the vineyard.
“Do you remember the year after Dad died?” Jacob asked.
“Yes.”
“I remember you telling me he went away.”
“He did. He went away permanently.”
“I thought you meant he had chosen to leave.”
Judith turned toward him.
“Who told you that?”
“No one. I was six. I heard Aunt Mara say the word accident, and I thought accidents happened because people wanted to go somewhere else.”
Judith set her mug down.
“Oh, Jacob.”
“I know it sounds foolish.”
“It sounds like a child trying to make sense of death.”
He stared into his coffee.
“I don’t remember you crying.”
