His Chosen One

Ten

Nicklaus

"A wife? You've gone and found yourself a wife? Who is she? What's she like?" Claire's voice holds half her smile as she exclaims over half-poured wine and freshly carved chicken, her husband Cameron looking at me with eyes just as wide as my sister and the wonderful now-adult children that they've created together... I've not really pushed the idea to them... I've not given any indication of showing any follow-through... And yet here I am sitting at their table announcing that I've met the one I'm hoping will become mine.

"Actually... His name is Ezra... And I've met him through a home for wives and mothers... He's very sweet..." And tender... and loves to be held... and smells like the heaven itself all wrapped up in a sweater made of sunshine and a mouth that looks like it may very well be made of rainbows... "He smiled at me and now I don't know how I'll ever be the same..."

"Oh goodness... What on Earth were you doing digging around some home for wives and mothers, Uncle Nicky? You always told us that you never wanted to get married." The one who speaks up first is my eldest nephew, Damien, the late twenty-something still not quite at peace with himself or the world yet in his still budding adulthood... He may think that he wants what I myself thought I wanted... That eternal bachelorhood seems glamorous and that if he builds his life alone he'll never have to worry about someone else's mistakes causing all that he's worked for to come crumbling down around him... But he's going to climb all the way to the top only to realize that wealth is not the same as happiness and that the only real fortune is having the privilege of not living his entire life alone... Even if it just means having a single good friend that might hold his hand if romance truly holds no appeal to him...

"Damien! Don't talk to your Uncle in that tone. I think its past time that Nicky has found someone to settle down with." Claire's husband, Cameron, is the next one to speak, and his words bring a bit more calmness to my shakey heart, my attention still divided by the conversation at hand, and wondering whether or not my sweet Ezra's tears have dried themselves and if he might possibly find it within his heart to call me this evening or if he'll need time between now and tomorrow to cope with the aftermath of my having to leave... It had felt absolutely awful leaving him... Not bringing him with me to family dinner when there has always been enough room for him right next to me at the table has left us both feeling so so so lost, "Do tell us about... You said him?"

"I woke up one day and found that even though I was comfortable... I was not happy. And as it so happens, I didn't seek out Ms.Ezalie's home... I just kind of happened upon it... And after speaking with them a bit I decided... Why not? Even if I didn't find anyone romantically... I figured maybe I could work something out with the head of the institution, let the home use the vineyard for day trips, or something of the like... I'd still get to have the vineyard become more lively without taking on more actual work like extra wine tastings... And now, while they are still absolutely welcome to come and enjoy the property like I had intended to offer it up so long as they respect the vines... As long as Ezra wishes it I intend to bring home my sweet Cherub home so that he can start nesting soon..."

It will absolutely be such a treat to watch Ezra make himself at home... I bet that he'll want to change a few things at home... Make some of the sharp edges just a bit softer so that he'll feel comfortable enough to think of my home as his own... It will be so very stunning to watch him in all of his cute housecoats and I bet he would love a personal pet of some kind... The horses are a bit too big for him to play with on his own, not that he wouldn't be welcome to spend some time with them in the pasture if he would like to... I bet a cat would be the perfect match for my sweet Ezra... But it would need to be calm with an even temperament, he doesn't seem to be overly energetic and it would be a shame to get him a pet that doesn't at least share a few of the same personality traits...