Once in a Blue Moon

by Diane Darcy

“New boyfriend?”

  “Don’t ask.”

  Jessica giggled again. “He wants to marry Mom.”

  Richard lifted a brow. “Oh, that’s all right then. I thought it was something serious.” He studied her. “Melissa? Did he scare you?”

  Melissa shook her head. “Get real. He’s just some nut case who apparently likes to be slapped around by women. So, how’d it go today?”

  Jeremy sighed loudly. “What a day.”

  Melissa met Richard’s gaze and they both smiled, amused by Jeremy’s grown-up statement. She finished clearing the table of sewing paraphernalia and set out mismatched bowls and utensils. “We’d just about given up on you two. Sit down and we’ll have dinner and you can tell us all about it.”

  The family quickly sat around the table and Melissa ladled stew into bowls and set out biscuits, peaches, and vegetables.

  Jeremy grinned at Jessica. “Do I have a story for you. I rode a horse today.”

  Jessica’s back straightened. “That is so not fair!”

  Melissa grinned, happy that everyone was home. “Yes, but he didn’t get to do laundry, did he?”

  “Oh right, Mom!”

  Jeremy puffed out his skinny chest. “We moved cows from one range to another.”

  Richard nodded. “Yep, we’re officially real cowboys now.”

  The bragging tone made her smile. “You big handsome boys, you.”

  Richard laughed.

  Jessica grumbled about the unfairness of life.

  Jeremy spoke with his mouth full. “The other guys treated me like I was already grown up. Like I wasn’t even a kid. And we ate lunch in the mess room, and I helped carry food from the cookhouse, and me and Dad had baths in big barrel tubs.”

  Jessica chimed in to tell about their day.

  Melissa slowly ate dinner and let the conversation wash over her, nodding occasionally. She really was tired. Drained. She’d worked many hours of overtime in the past years, but never had she felt this bone-weary exhaustion.

  After dinner, Richard did dishes and Melissa poured hot water into the tub in the bedroom and started more heating. When Richard finished putting dishes on the shelf he looked around the room. “Anyone want to play cards?”

  Melissa turned to stare at him. Cards?

  “Yeah!” The twins said in unison.

  Melissa sighed. She might as well. It wasn’t like Jay Leno was going to show up to entertain them.

  The cards were round and the printing different from any Melissa had seen.

  Richard shuffled awkwardly. “What do you want to play?”

  Melissa shrugged.

  “Go fish?” asked Jessica.

  The cards were quickly passed out.

  Jessica studied her. “Mom, do you have a three?”

  Melissa glanced at the two threes in her hand and straightened, a spark of enthusiasm penetrating her fatigue. She remembered how to play this game. No way was she giving up cards. “Go fish.”

  When it was her turn she smiled at Jessica, anticipating her reaction. “Do you have a three?”

  Outrage widened Jessica’s eyes. “Mom, you can’t do that! I asked you and you said you didn’t have one!”

  Richard chuckled. “No cheating, Melissa.”

  “Moi?” Melissa showed a three card. “Hand over the three.” she said to Jessica.

  Jessica’s eyes widened innocently. “I don’t have one.”

  “I know you do.”

  “Mom!”

  Melissa chuckled. “Fine, take it.” She gave Jessica one card. She’d pick them up next round with her spare three.

  The cheating grew worse, everyone joining in, and soon every card in the pile was gone and no one would admit to having anything. They were laughing their heads off.

  The dog came inside again and Melissa reached over, plucked a biscuit from off the plate and threw it to him.

  He gobbled it down and looked for more.

  She threw him the last one, then studied each family member in turn: Richard, smiling and happy; Jessica chattering like never before; and Jeremy glancing from one parent to the other, lapping up the time spent together.

  She suddenly realized that at this moment, for the first time, she was really glad to be here. The smile on her face was real, not faked to manipulate an outcome, and she felt...happy.

  Richard grabbed her hand and smiled. “This is great, isn’t it?”

  Melissa nodded and, for some unknown reason, tears pricked the back of her eyes and her chin wobbled. She nodded again. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

  * * *

  Richard stepped onto the small porch and into the warm night air to join Melissa where she sat on the top step, her head tilted back.

  He closed the door for privacy, shutting out the sounds of Jessica splashing in the bath behind the bedroom curtain and Jeremy’s soft snores. This was a good opportunity to spend some time with his wife, to wind down, and he had every intention of taking advantage of it. “Hi. What’s going on?”

  “Just looking at the moon.”

  Richard glanced up. The three-quarter-moon hung innocently in the sky, very bright against the patchwork of stars blanketing the night.

  “I’m counting down the days until Halloween. It’s my new favorite holiday,” Melissa said with a slight smile.

  Richard was pretty sure she wasn’t joking, but he chuckled and sat beside her.

  Melissa turned, her face serious. “I never told you, but on the night we were...sent here, something strange happened when I got home from work. I was outside in the moonlight, and it...I don’t know, it pulled at me or something. I think I almost came back here alone.” She paused, and her fists tightened. “I fell down and had to crawl to the porch.”

  Richard was surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me at the time?”

  Melissa shrugged. “Once I got out of the moonlight, I was fine. I just thought I was sick or something.” Her brows drew together. “I think we need to make sure we’re in the moonlight all night during the next blue moon. I think the moonlight has to actually touch us. It would be horrible if we miscalculated and didn’t get home.”

  Richard thought about how well everything was going for them, for their family, and felt irritated. “Horrible?”

  Melissa nodded. “I don’t know how the people living here can stand it. Drudgery, day in and day out. It is horrible. If this were permanent, I don’t think I could handle it.”

  Richard stood, held out a hand, and pulled her up. He didn’t want to stay here permanently either. There were too many benefits for the kids in the future. But while they were here, it was a good opportunity for them to make some memories and reconnect again. Besides, how many people got to view the past up close and personal? He, for one, was having a great time and wanted her to share the experience. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”

  Holding hands, they walked around the perimeter of the cabins to the corral. A horse ambled over, no doubt hoping for a treat. Richard rubbed the animal’s soft nose, wondering where to begin, and how to convince her to take advantage of their time here. “I want to thank you for tonight. It was wonderful. You worked really hard today and dinner was great.”

  Melissa shrugged, looking sad.

  “Is everything okay?”

  Melissa nodded. “Fine. I’m just tired.”

  “It was fun playing with the kids tonight, wasn’t it?”

  Melissa looked down. “Yes, it was fun. Do you know, I haven’t ever played cards with the kids before.” Her voice cracked.

  Surprised by the emotion in her words, Richard cupped her elbows and turned her toward him. “Hey, come on.”

  She sniffed and a tear made its way down her cheek. “I was thinking about a divorce, you know. Before we came here.”

  Richard sighed, wondering where this was coming from. He lifted her left hand and encircled her empty ring finger. “I know.”

  “I was ready to walk away from you and the kids.”

  He already knew, but h
earing it had his stomach clenching. “I know.”

  “So why do you put up with so much from me?”

  “I love you.”

  Melissa snorted and wiped tears off her face. “Be honest.”

  Richard hesitated, took a breath, then paused again. How did he put into words what he’d never thought about? “I do love you, Melissa, and I don’t know, maybe I’m a fixer. Heck, look at my career; I like to fix things up.”

  She laughed a little wildly. “Are you saying I’m broken?”

  He thought about her high-strung personality and forced himself to be honest. “I don’t know. Inside, sometimes, maybe. You’re complicated.”

  “So you’ve said.” Her jaw worked, she swallowed and looked down. “I don’t want a divorce.”

  Relief closed his eyes. He drew her close, fitting her head under his chin as he wrapped his arms around her.

  She clung to him.

  He wondered how much of her sudden desire for their marriage to work had to do with their circumstances and her new dependence on him and how much to do with her true feelings. Regardless, he was glad for her change of heart and could only hope it was permanent.

  “I wasn’t planning to let you go without a fight, you know. Me and you, what we have, it’s forever, Melissa.”

  Her hand clutched at his shirtfront and she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. He could see she was touched.

  Lifting a hand, he caressed her face with the back of his fingers. “Can you do me a favor? Let’s enjoy our timeout from real life for a while, okay? Really have fun?”

  Her expression was soft and she nodded slowly. “Just make sure you get me home when the time comes, okay?”

  He grinned and gave her a swift kiss. “Count on it.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Melissa’s head jerked forward and she almost fell off the bench. She suppressed a moan and lifted a hand to massage the kink out of the back of her neck.

  “...he said unto them, Give place; for the maid is not dead...”

  She’d fallen asleep in church. Again. She couldn’t seem to stay awake. It was a good thing they were sitting on the back row where no one could notice.

  “...but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn...”

  Melissa glanced at Richard who seemed to be enjoying the boring sermon. For some reason there was a look of amusement on his face.

  On the other side of him, Jessica and Jeremy were playing a game of rock, paper, scissors and next to them, so were Sully, Henry and Jed. She rolled her eyes. It was like sitting next to five children.

  She studied Jessica’s newly finished outfit for a moment, a feeling of pride filling her. She’d done a good job on the dress. Jessica had received several stares.

  Melissa yawned. It was just so hot in the clapboard building. Even with the side windows and back door open, there wasn’t much of a breeze. Surely the sermon would end soon?

  She shifted on the hard wood bench. The pew was killing her back, butt and--since there was no room to stretch out--her legs, as well. At least Richard could sit with his thighs apart. She glanced around, looking for a clock. How much longer could this last?

  A huge bumblebee-sized fly buzzed past, and she swatted at it, missed, and watched it move up the aisle that divided the room. It landed briefly on a lady’s needlepoint handbag, then headed to the front of the room to pass the podium and finally settle on the organ.

  The minister’s middle-aged wife sat on the bench in front of the musical monstrosity, smiling and nodding at everything her husband said. Yeah, right. She was probably daydreaming about canning peaches or something equally exciting. Anything had to beat listening to her husband’s monotone.

  If Melissa had thought about it, she would have expected a fire-and-brimstone style sermon in this era. Not so. Eeyore would be scintillating next to this guy. But many in the congregation seemed interested in what he had to say. One woman dabbed at tears and seemed touched by the message, or perhaps she simply had something in her eye.

  Melissa yawned again. Another, smaller fly grabbed her attention and she watched it lazily buzz around the heads of the congregation, passing a matronly woman and her husband. One of their kids, a teenage boy, made a grab at it, but it flew out one of the side windows. Melissa wished she could escape so easily. She looked outside and, noticing headstones, grimaced. There were people buried right outside the window? Trapped for eternity listening to insipid sermons? Tough luck.

  She leaned forward to try and stretch her back, and as if on cue, Sully, Jed and Henry all leaned forward to grin. Did they honestly think sharing their pew made them all buddies? She leaned back so Richard blocked their view of her.

  A child hung over the back of the bench in front to stare. About four years old, she was darling: frilly dress, ringlets, chocolate brown eyes, and...apparently a nose-picking problem. Melissa quickly looked away.

  She needed air. It was stifling in the church. Her back felt damp and her legs were sticking together. She eyed the hymn book in front of her and wondered if it would be considered sacrilege to tear pages out to fan herself.

  “...the town picnic. Husbands, think about what you do. Your children and wives depend on you to stay sober and in possession of your faculties. And you need to set a good example for the youth. Now, my wife will be organizing the potluck, so if any of you ladies...”

  Yada, yada, yada. The minister continued to drone on. She just wanted church to be over so they could get out of this oven. Her gaze wandered and she noticed a fashionably dressed young woman in a nearby pew, eying her, staring at her hair and dress. Melissa felt her cheeks heat even more, if that were possible and wished her unfashionable appearance didn’t matter to her.

  She studied the clothing some of the other women wore and tried to make herself feel better. Truly, she couldn’t believe the appalling lack of fashion sense displayed by the church-goers. Pleats? Drooping poufs? Overskirts with ties? These fashion disasters were their Sunday best? Ha! Their finery? Ha, ha!

  But she had to admit they weren’t all horrible. The dress on the young brunette two rows up and across the aisle was interesting. A printed linen and green broadcloth, the blouse was fitted with a yoke at the shoulders. Two-piece sleeves and a round collar finished the slimming, elegant look. Not bad.

  And if Melissa remembered correctly, which she did, the slender woman with the lace-accented blouse had a skirt that sported front drapes overlapping in the center and a bouffant back. The overall effect was very stylish for this backward era.

  Melissa glanced over at Jessica’s newly finished dress again. The pale-green jersey was perfect for her fair, blonde coloring and the fashionable dress was more stylish than anything on display.

  But still, it was a child’s dress and not likely to capture the attention of any of the ladies present. It was too bad Melissa couldn’t get hold of some more material. She’d like to create a design that did away with the bustle altogether.

  The fat-butt look was definitely on its way out, and she’d like to be the first to instigate the upcoming style in this backward town. Get some flared or ripple skirts going. Or perhaps a French fan skirt. Maybe a puffed sleeve or two, just to stay in style. Or a loose-fitting jacket. Or a blouse with a diamond shaped belt.

  But why stop there? If she sharpened the collar on a Victorian bodice, or took a wide lace collar with beads and fitted some twentieth-century shoulder pads in the sleeves she could--

  Melissa sucked in a breath of hot air. What was she doing designing nineteenth century dresses in her head? Ugh! She was being contaminated by this place and she wouldn’t stand for it! She turned her gaze to the front of the room and pictured the minister’s wife wearing a slinky red backless dress with spaghetti straps and a slit up the side.

  She smiled, imagining plump thighs encased in black silk stockings and high heels. And what if...she pictured the snug-fitting torso of the dress with the long puff sleeves and collar of the upcoming 1890's styles.

  Ugh!
It was happening again! Apparently the heat had fried her brain and she needed to get out of there fast! She needed to...stop being so intrigued by the idea. If she used black silk for the modern-looking bodice, and double puffed the sleeves and designed a bell skirt with an A-line and a seam down the center back...she fought the incoming ideas for a moment longer, then mentally shrugged. When in Rome, right? At least the ideas were keeping her awake.

  * * *

  About fifteen minutes later, the reverend finally closed with a prayer. Finally.

  “Amen.” Melissa quickly stood and, since she was in the back, slipped out the door first. Blessed cool air. She hurried down the steps and crossed the grass to get out of everyone’s way.

  Stopping beside the white picket fence under a shade tree, she stood close to the gate and waited for her family to appear. They needed to get home as quickly as possible and it was a long walk so they’d better get started. She still had supper to make and okay, yes, she was feeling a bit self-conscious in her freshly washed and pressed but still ugly dress. She wanted out of there.

  Glancing toward the main street, she breathed in the fragrant flowers planted under the fence and also the smell of Sunday dinner cooking nearby. There were farm wagons, buggies and horses parked in front of the fence, up and down the road, and in the field across the street.

  Sometimes, this whole living-in-the-past thing seemed more real than her life back home, almost as if her old life were simply a dream. A scary thought, and one she didn’t want to pursue. She turned toward the church again, and the sun shining off the white steepled church momentarily blinded her.

  The congregation poured out of the building and started to form groups on the lawn. Red-faced farmers, shopkeepers, women and children, all freed from the long meeting, chattered and smiled in the warm summer air. Finally, Richard and the kids appeared.

  She lifted a hand to get their attention, but Richard seemed to want to talk to everyone around him. He finally noticed her, but instead of coming over, beckoned her to where he stood by the reverend. Reluctantly, she started forward. She glanced around for Jessica and Jeremy, but they’d disappeared.