The Third Shadow

Sixteen

Please note I have posted two chapters at once. If you missed the last one about the grape harvest you'll need to scroll back.

Plot reminder: Ellie is Jacks' daughter, Adam her partner. Sarah and Olivia are from Nottingham

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Monday June 9th, 2014

There was the pop of a lifted cork, the gentle trickle of glasses being filled...

"Cheers then," offered Adam, lifting himself to his feet. He held his glass out before him, strangely formal, waited for Ellie and I too to lift ourselves to our feet before chinking his glass against each of our own. Beneath us, the roast lay steaming and sizzling, just that minute removed from the oven. This being my daughter and her dopey, boho boyfriend we were talking about, it was however of the tofu variety rather than an actual fat-dripping hunk of dead animal.

"Here goes..." smiled Ellie, the final clink of glasses hers against mine.

I watched as she and Adam took their first sips; watched carefully, looking for any hint of a wince or grimace, something which might negate the sincerity of the compliments which, for politeness' sake, would inevitably follow. I was heartened that their expressions displayed nothing other than simple, unadultered pleasure.

"Full-bodied," concluded Adam.

"Fruity," added Ellie.

Satisfied, I too took a sip, my own pleasure heightened by the knowledge of just how much sweat and toil had gone into it.

Outside the window in front of me, the top deck of a bus had halted for the lights, a couple of tired-looking faces turning to peer at the softly-lit dinner scene to their left. Early evening in Putney High Street; for inhabitants of street-facing first floor flats, privacy comes at a premium.

"How's the roast?" Ellie enquired as we settled down to our meals.

"Fantastic!" I replied, forcing down a mouthful. "Who'd have thought these meat substitutes could be so..." Completely lacking in flavour, I wanted to say. So devoid of pleasure. Even Ellie's cat seemed disinterested, had soon sloped off to the armchair, was regarding me with one open malevolent eye.

"Yummy," Ellie finished for me.

"Exactly," I nodded.

Adam was meanwhile wagging an accusing knife. "'Alf the problem with you carnivores, you don't know what you're missing."

The sentence would have of course made more sense substituting the word 'carnivore' with 'herbivore', but I decided to let it go. They'd made an effort, after all; it was difficult to be anything other than a little touched.

"Tell you what though Mr Jacks, whoever's not tasted a drop of this 'ere plonk of yours don't know what they're missing neither."

The formality of his address - the 'Mr Jacks' - was just fine by me. I'd never encouraged him to use my christian name, nor likely ever would. 'Jim' was an honour which I one day hoped to bestow on a more fitting suitor to my daughter's hand.

Outside, meanwhile, the bus had moved on, been replaced by another. More gloomy, intrusive faces peered in at us.

"Top drawer," Adam continued, slurping himself out another glass from the bottle. "Like wine should be. You know - strong, earthy." The latter was Adam's favourite adjective."So, been any news with that case you was involved with?" he asked.."You know, the thing with them two brothers."

I shrugged sadly. "I'm afraid not, no."

"Strange," he reflected between glugs of negroamaro. "Was everywhere for a while. You just couldn't get away from it. Seems to 'ave dropped off the radar a bit of late."