Barsetti Vineyards

Vanessa             Griffin came back downstairs after he put the kids to bed.             I sat at the table nursing my blues with a glass of red wine. I rarely drank anything but stuff from my father’s vineyard out of unnecessary loyalty—and because it was free. Griffin brought bottles home all the time even though he rarely…

I was dead asleep when my phone rang. The screen lit up my dark bedroom, and I fumbled for it with squinted eyes. I expected to see Lorenzo’s or Cane’s name on the screen…but it was Vanessa. I took the call right away, seeing that it was almost two in the morning. I’d only been…

Crow It was almost midnight when I entered the base. The cars were parked against the concrete wall that was topped with barbed wire. After I added mine to the line, I approached the warehouse doors, which were cracked open. The sound of loud laughter reached my ears—and I knew what I was walking into….

Pearl             We’d just finished dinner when there was a knock on the door.             Vanessa immediately looked at me, like she hoped it was her father.             I shook my head. “I haven’t spoken to him.”             Griffin rose from the table and placed Cassandra into her highchair. “I’ll check.” He walked out and left the room.             My…

Crow             When I walked into the dining room, Lars was already there. Polite as ever, he hadn’t touched his food while he waited for me to join him.             I took the seat across from him and barely looked at him twice.             Alejandro, the new butler, came into the room and removed the silver coverings from…

Vanessa             The second Griffin came home, the kids rushed him like they hadn’t seen him in weeks rather than a few hours. Like always, he released a playful growl then scooped both of them, pretending to be a bear playing with his cubs. He held Little Crow upside down and made him laugh, and then…

Griffin             Vanessa and I took turns putting the kids to bed at night, but I’d taken on the roll for the last few nights that my mother-in-law has stayed with us. I didn’t mind the extra load because Vanessa needed to be there for her mother. And Pearl watched the kids at dinnertime so Vanessa…

Pearl             I grabbed a couple things from the closet and shoved them into the bag. My make up bag was taken from the counter, along with all my skincare items that I used every morning and night. It was all shoved inside without any organization.             “Button.” Crow’s disapproving tone came from behind me.             I zipped…

Pearl             I grabbed a couple things from the closet and shoved them into the bag. My make up bag was taken from the counter, along with all my skincare items that I used every morning and night. It was all shoved inside without any organization.             “Button.” Crow’s disapproving tone came from behind me.             I zipped…

Pearl I looked out the window in the living room, seeing the distant hints of spring in the vines. Instead of looking like a ball of dead twigs, bits of green started to appear, the beginning of new life. It was dark outside, but the up lighting along the property made it visible. It made…

Crow             I stopped at the bar and grabbed a drink before I moved to the corner booth where my brother was already seated. In his hand was a short glass, scotch on the rocks.             He took a drink before he addressed me. “You’re late. Started to wonder if you were going to show up.”             “I…

Vanessa             Mom and I were seated at a table, and she immediately ordered a bottle of wine for us to share. The waitress came over, uncorked the wine, and then poured the two glasses.             Instead of looking at me or asking me about the kids, she stared at the waitress hard, bullets coming out of…

Crow             I walked up to the house and Adelina was the one to open the door. “Crow, what a lovely surprise.” She opened the door wider and let me into the house before she embraced me with a tight squeeze.             I kissed her on the cheek. “Lovely to see you. Is my brother around?”             “He’s…

It’s been a week since that shitshow dinner, and Pearl has barely met my gaze ever since. Our dinners are spent in silence. She never seems present, her mind somewhere else, and sometimes when I speak she doesn’t seem to hear it. At bedtime, I’ve made my moves…but she turns over and pulls the sheets…

It’s me, Crow. I let my daughter Vanessa handle the newsletter last week because she had that long story to tell about Little Crow and that was far too much for me to write. A couple paragraphs is the max for me. I’m just not a wordy guy. But I will tell you that Little…

Heeey Biiitcchheesss! It’s me, Vanessa. So I’ve found myself in a dilemma recently. The winery has been closed for the winter break, so Griffin has been home with us every day, which has been soooo nice. Other than his workout sessions, he’s available for me and the kids. And he’s available to me after bedtime……

They say Paris is the most romantic city in the world. Horseshit. The French think their wine and food are superior to ours and that’s fucking nonsense. The women think they’re the most beautiful in the world, but they’re dull on the inside, and I like the sass that Italian women possess. My wife isn’t…

Hello, 2024.It’s me, Crow. It’s that time of year where we talk about our new year resolutions… As you can probably guess, I don’t have any. It’s a time of year where we judge ourselves for our inadequacies and our flaws. I choose to accept my flaws. I choose to accept who the fuck I…