The Regrets of Wine Sommelier

The Regrets of the Wine Sommelier

[MARINA]

The CEO summoned them into the office at four fucking AM in the morning, and boy, how tired they all were. The CEO herself looked sharp, dashing in a pantsuit they all wondered if she had stayed the previous night ironing it.

Well, if they had to know, she certainly did.

She wore a red pantsuit, her shoulder-length black hair shone under the light bulb. She was playing with the tiny bracelet on her wrist as she remained focused on the man in the front talking about Lake Rimaria and its water.

She and the frontman were the only ones focused.

Ivy Tanner was busy gazing at her, the two lawyers who seemed not to want to be there but had to be because their lives were on the line stared at Ivy Tanner. Their eyes screamed, "please, save us."

From the corner of their eyes, she saw Ivy staring at her, she ignored it she wasn't busy this morning. She nodded all along as the man continued with his explanation, once in a while jotting down the important notes.

"Sometimes, it depends on the grapes." The man paused, and a yawn escaped his lips. He mumbled an apology and continued, "the soil affects its PH, thus, the taste."

Yeap, he was talking about wine.

The previous day, after her meeting with the lawyer, Ivy had joked about getting a wine taster to explain to them the taste of wine and the changes that happen after. Of course, she regretted it immediately because Marina had asked her to call the man standing in front of them now.

He continued with the explanation, ignoring the way everyone was staring at him. He winded up, "as for the report from Lake Rimaria, they might be correct."

Marina spoke for the first time, "enlighten me."

The man looked down, his face showing he was regretting even adding those words, "well, I am just a sommelier, and I know they can't lie about the water and the impurities."

"Do you lie about wine?" Marina challenged.

"No. I don't. What I am trying to say Miss Marina is, they tested the water after a month and found something new, and that is why they reported the changes and advised against using the resources you were planning to." His face had turned from tired to gleeful, he was proud of himself.

Chuckling, "good point."

The man looked at the table, eager to sit his ass down.

Marina stared at the notes she has been writing about wine, grapes, and machines for harvesting. Someone might think she was contemplating joining the wine industry.

"Can I seat, Miss Marina?" The man asked.

No answer.

Marina tapped her chin with the beautiful pen she had in her hand, concentrating. And then... Her phone rang.

"Fuck me." Ivy squealed.

Slowly, Marina looked at Ivy, her eyes with a hint of amusement. In the background, the phone continued ringing, everyone's attention on it, and then it stopped. They all sighed and returned at looking at Marina.

It rang again, over and over. Marina chose to ignore it, tapping the pen on the table, she asked, "Ivy, what do you think?"

"I think you should pick up your phone, Marina," Ivy replied.

"Wrong answer, but sure." She said.

Instead of staring at the caller ID, she kept eye contact with Ivy, she heard the person on the other side asking if she was okay, clicking, Marina removed the phone from her ear, stared at what time it was, and ended it.

"Thank you for coming." Marina paused, looking at Ivy.

"Cliff." Ivy whispered.

"Yeah. Thank you, Cliff. My office will call if I need anything else."

The moment she finished her sentence, Cliff, the sommelier, practically ran out of the meeting room they were in. "It is almost 6 AM, how about we work." She said no, it wasn't a question.

"Marina, can we speak for a minute," Ivy asked, silently hoping Marina wouldn't say no. Between the two of them, Marina was going cuckoo.

"Meet us in my office." Marina gathered her papers, handed her hand to Ivy, pulled her up, and draped her hands around her. Feeling Ivy stiffening, she blew air into her ear. "Does someone hate my touch?"

"No." Ivy cleared her throat.

"You can touch me then."

"Marina," Ivy warned, staring back and waving off the two lawyers. When they got to the door, Marina stopped, "meet us in my office." They moved aside for them to move, and when they were out of hearing range, Marina whispered, "yes?"

"Marina, this is ridiculous, they will find lawyers and sue us."

"Aren't they lawyers themselves?" Marina joked.

"Uh-uh. But you could have waited till 8, seriously, did you have to call us 4 in the morning to come here and listen to shit about wine."

"I thought the presentation was great. You didn't? And here I was wondering if you staring at me you were thinking of wine down my boobs, you licking it from me, you know..."

"Jesus fucking Fuck! Can you stop making that kind of comment?" Ivy's face heated up, has suddenly Marina lose her mind.

"Fine. You don't like me, my beta." Marina let go of Ivy. Staring at the notes in her hand, she said, "I am just curious and I wanted to hear someone's else side. This has never happened."

"And 8 couldn't have waited?"

"Pass." She began walking, and Ivy followed from behind. Marina turned around, "4 is early?" Her pen fell from her fingers, she bent to pick it up and laughed when she saw what Ivy wore. Dark pajamas with cute kitties. "Aren't you cute? Not once did I think I will see someone wearing a chiffon shirt and pajama, you are exceptional. Now, follow me, one cup of coffee and you will be awake."

The eerie silence in the office made Marina smile, she loved it. "It is going to be a good day." She whispered.

"Right." Ivy rested her head on her shoulder.