Beyond the Vines: A Romance Novel by Mariah R. Embry

Author:Mariah R. Embry
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-12-25T07:00:00+00:00

Tears blurred the world into an array of spring colors. Beneath a cherry tree with pastel pink leaves like the cotton candy Jonathan always begged for at the county fair. Rays of sunlight shone through the branches making the little redbuds in the tree sparkle.

Spring was amongst them. The world blossomed with new life. The grass was an emerald rich green as if each strand was coated with special care and the best quality paints. Walking through the valley felt like walking in a work of art—Mother Nature’s masterpiece. The center focus being the vines that were tended to in sunshine and rain. Heated with care when frost tried to freeze the grapes over. Early morning hours with no sleep were spent caring for the grapes. Hours lost picking each and everyone with a gentle touch between two fingers. Now the vines looked pristine, strong. As if they were not just planted in the ground. They looked as if the earth’s core sprouted each one and filled it with gold, allowing it to sparkle like jewels beneath the sun.

They were diamonds. The most precious piece of life in the fields. A fruit that brought wine to people around the world. A renowned beverage that God himself drank. They slaved to keep those vines held strong. Fingers calloused, feet punctured, ankles twisted, arms bruised, skin darkened until burnt.

Amina aimlessly picked at the skin peeling off her shoulder. Flecks of flesh that met their end under that fireball in the sky. Even in the winter months, Amina found herself endlessly sunburnt. It had become such a normal part of life that she’d grown accustomed to the pain. Many things hurt Amina that she became used to. Life was normal with a strained muscle, scabbed over fingertips, and dust in her eyes. Yet there was one thing that pained Amina. One thing that she’d never seen coming and never imagined could cause such agony…

Amina missed her dear friend Celeste more than she’d ever missed anyone before.

Perhaps it was because Celeste rescued Amina off the side of the road. She was cold, scared, alone, and with her child. A mother--supposed to guide a child--yet didn’t have the vision to see their path. Celeste led the way. She gave Amina a home, a job, courage to see for herself, earn for herself, be independent, and no longer fearful. There was another thing, though. Something else Celeste gave Amina. Something Amina never thought she’d have again.

Hope.

What Amina hoped for, she did not know. She knew what she wanted--to be healthy. For Jonathan to be healthy, for Celeste to come home, for her family to accept the life she chose. Yet, she did not hope for those things. Why hope for something that had a clear endpoint? Jonathan would be healthy--he was strong. Celeste would return home--she was strong. Amina’s family would never accept her choices--they were strong. Such forces could not be tampered with.

So what did Amina hope for?

It was something deep-rooted within her. Something she could not see because she did not know what it was.

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