Once in a Blue Moon

by Diane Darcy

  Irritation had her grinding her teeth. She didn’t have time for male displays of stupidity! “I can’t. You have to take it. It’s important.” When she got home, she wanted to cherish the history and lore of that ring. She especially wanted to keep the history of the ring between Richard and herself. She wanted the ring Richard had given her, not the one Curly had.

  Curly studied her, nodded, and his fist clenched around the ring. “I’ll remember you forever.”

  His melodramatic attitude irritated her further. He’d kidnapped her, kept her from her family, and very probably forced them to stay in the past for three more years. Now she noted the way he was clutching the ring like it was a keepsake. No. She didn’t want him to keep it. She wanted him to gamble it away. It was hers.

  “Yes, well, as soon as you’re ready to forget me, ditch the ring. Your future wife won’t want jewelry that belonged to another woman.” Her voice was harsh, but she couldn’t help it. The guy was an idiot, and she was out of time.

  Curly looked down, and the lamplight illuminated his sad expression.

  Melissa softened. “Look, I wish you a long and happy life. If someone like me can find love, so will you. And when you do, don’t forget to ditch the ring. It’s important.”

  With a sigh, she shook her head and moved swiftly away. She’d done what she could, but was out of time. She had to leave. Now.

  She jerked the quilt off the back of the sofa. “By the way, I’m taking your blanket and your horse.” Her eyes narrowed, daring him to object. “You can pick them both up at Sully’s place later today.”

  She quickly moved outside and shut the door firmly behind her. She whipped the quilt around her body, covered herself completely, head and all, and stepped into the moonlight.

  The early morning air, crisp and cool, washed over her face, but there was no tingling, no nausea, no reaction whatsoever. She breathed a sigh of relief, lurched down the stairs and headed for the horses.

  Nervous about riding, she chose the smaller of the two, realized it sported a side-saddle, and ground her teeth. Curly was a blockhead!

  She rounded to the larger animal and blew out a breath. She could do this. She didn’t have a choice. She untied the horse’s reins and awkwardly mounted, her skirt and the ends of the blanket bunching underneath her.

  The animal’s ears twitched, its big body tensed, but thankfully, it stayed still.

  Melissa straightened the material of her skirt, made sure the blanket covered her completely, and situated herself onto the hard saddle. The stirrups were a little too long, but not bad, and she blessed her long legs.

  She patted the horse’s warm, glossy neck. “Now listen up.” She tried to infuse confidence into her voice. “I want no trouble from you. I’m in a big hurry, and I need your help.” With a tug of the reins, she turned the horse toward the main road and urged the animal to run.

  She clutched at the quilt as it tried to slip, held tight to the saddle horn as if her life depended on it, which, considering their speed and her inexperience, it probably did, and pointed her toes to grip the stirrups.

  The ride was bumpy, awkward and graceless. She didn’t care. All that mattered was they were moving quickly and in the direction of her family.

  She thought it might be getting lighter in the east, but she tried to ignore it. Her breath came in hard pants and she tried to concentrate on the striking of the hooves against the dirt-packed road rather than the impending sunlight.

  Everything would be okay. She had to believe that. If they didn’t make it back, well, they’d live in the past for three more years. Melissa was definitely starting up a design company. They could go to L.A. or New York.

  She’d get the designs she’d given to Sully to bury. Draw more, and get some backing. They’d figure it out. As long as they were together, everything would be all right. Her stomach clenched at the thought of staying, but if that’s the way it had to be then she’d deal with it. The most important thing was that her family was with her.

  Was it lighter? She couldn’t be sure, but fear clutched at her throat, threatening to strangle her. Her family was still there. They were waiting. They had to be.

  Melissa clung to the saddle horn and spurred the horse to greater speed. Within a minute, they reached the main road. They seemed to be making good time. Only a mile or so to go.

  Hope tightened her throat. Could she actually make it in time? Was it possible they could still go back?

  More light brightened the morning air.

  Her hope dimmed, but Melissa still visualized reaching the site of their property and finding her family there waiting for her. Her vision blurred and she realized she was crying, trembling. Scared to death.

  As if sensing Melissa’s urgency, the horse ran fast, never slowing, and she blessed his stamina, thankful that she’d chosen the right animal after all. Finally, they hit the last stretch of road.

  Frantically, Melissa searched up ahead. The dawn light fought with the darkness and won. She could clearly see their property. She could see the small oak, the long grass, the hill. But she didn’t see her family. Didn’t see anyone.

  Surely they heard her coming? Didn’t they hear the horses hooves, the urgency? Why didn’t they come forward? Why didn’t they show themselves?

  Seconds later, Melissa reached the property, and reined in the horse.

  The animal, muscles bunching, skidded to a stop, blowing air and breathing hard.

  The sun hit the horizon, bright and clear.

  Horror prickled at Melissa’s neck and she jumped off the horse, ran to the top of the hill and searched Sully’s yard.

  Her family was not there.

  Wild desperation spurred her to action and she rushed down the hill, holding the blanket over her head. Of course they weren’t outside. They were in the cabin. Out of the moonlight. Waiting for her. They had to be. She threw open the cabin door. “Richard!”

  There was no response. The interior was dark. Empty.

  The full horror of the situation washed over her. Her family had gone back without her.

  They’d left her in the past alone. “Richard!” She screamed his name.

  Panicked, she threw off the quilt, ran back up the hill, and searched the sky for the moon. It was still there, but as the sun blazed, it faded in the sky.

  “Richard!” Melissa screamed his name, terrified.

  Waves of disbelief crashed upon her. Her mouth parted and her breathing escalated.

  She couldn’t believe it.

  They were gone.

  They’d left her.

  The sun bright and warm at her back, she stared at the moon. “Take me!” She raised her arms and jumped up and down. “Please, take me back! Please!”

  Weak and shaking, out of energy, out of hope, she stopped moving. Her chest heaved as the moon blurred through her tears. “Please,” she moaned the word and lifted a hand in entreaty. “You have to take me back.”

  Nothing happened. She didn’t feel so much as a goose bump.

  It was over.

  It was really over.

  After a long moment, she sank to her knees, bowed her head and let the tears come. She’d just made the biggest mistake she’d ever made in her entire life.

  She’d lost everything.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Her entire body started to shake.

  Three years. The words rang in her head like a mantra.

  Three years, without her family.

  Three years of isolation.

  Three years alone.

  What was she going to do?

  A dog barked nearby and Melissa’s head jerked up, her breath catching as searing hope flared in her chest. Could her family be nearby? Perhaps they’d been out searching for her? Perhaps they’d obtained a dog and were trying to track her down?

  Her gaze wildly searched the surrounding landscape, finally anchoring on the only moving objects. Sully, his wagon, horse and dog. They were coming home. Melissa’s family wasn’t
with them. Hope died as quickly as it had surfaced.

  Shoulders slumping, Melissa knelt in the wet grass and watched listlessly as the huge dog spotted her and came streaking ahead to greet her. He was coming fast, his massive body eating up the ground between them.

  Too fast.

  Uh, oh. Melissa stood and held up both hands in front of herself for protection.

  Zeke didn’t even slow, but rushed up the hill and when he reached her, jumped up, his huge body hitting full force.

  Melissa was knocked backward and over the side of the hill. She hit the rain-softened ground, rolled a few times, mud and muck smearing her. It didn’t matter. Nothing did.

  She stopped at the bottom of the hill, landing on her back and out of the sunlight. She lay in the shade of the hill, unwilling to get up. Unable to care that she was lying in mud and probably much worse.

  Whimpering happily, the dog jumped on top of her, licked her face, then dug his muzzle between her neck and shoulder, coating her with slobber as his big body wriggled furiously.

  Melissa’s eyes clenched tight as emotion swamped her and suddenly she was so grateful he was there. That the dumb animal loved her. She wrapped her arms around him and grief for the loss of her family filled her heart and spilled out of her eyes. She started to sob.

  Nausea rolled in her stomach. She felt physically ill at the loss of her family. Just like when--

  Startled, she opened tear-filled eyes to look up at the sky. She blinked. The blue moon, pale, but still visible in the heavens, seemed to wobble, grow larger, then rush at her.

  And everything went white.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  “Melissa?”

  Richard’s voice, coming from far away, was joined by Jessica’s.

  “Mom?”

  Someone lightly tapped Melissa’s face. It was irritating. She turned away, but bright light made her flinch, and she jerked her head back.

  “Mom, come on, wake up.” Jeremy’s voice. Closer.

  Heavy with sleep, Melissa moved her head back and forth. She lifted her brows, trying to get her eyes to open. Light struck her in the face again, and she squinted, her eyes teared, and finally she managed to open them.

  Her family hovered above her.

  It took Melissa a moment to accept that her family was actually there. That she was really with her family.

  They all looked worried. Jessica wiped at tears; Richard was pale, and obviously upset; Jeremy’s forehead wrinkled in a frown.

  Melissa took a huge gulp of air and lunged at Richard. “You’re here!”

  Richard caught her, pulled her onto his lap and sat back in the long grass, his arms tight around her.

  Jeremy and Jessica threw themselves at her, their arms wrapping around Melissa’s back, Richard’s neck and each other.

  She lay motionless, her cheek against Richard’s shoulder, and savored the feel of her family surrounding her as her heartbeat slowed to normal.

  After a moment, she relaxed her hold, and felt Richard’s shoulders, arms and chest, testing to see if he were real. She reached out and touched Jeremy’s hand, then Jessica’s face.

  She glanced at Sully’s cabin, old and weathered once again. Her breath caught, and she wrenched out of Richard’s arms and scrambled up the hill.

  And there it was. Her house. Her big, wonderful, gorgeous stucco house. The deck, the flower beds, the shrubs, the whole lot. Sprinklers sprayed the lawn. Sprinklers!

  Joining her, Richard put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

  She turned to him. “I can’t believe it! I’m home! We’re home. We actually made it back!” She gathered in Jessica and Jeremy, held them and hugged them tight.

  Richard’s arms encircled the three of them.

  She looked at the house, the manicured lawn, the landscaped yard, the huge oak tree, and the science presentation set up in the corner by the trampoline and getting wet. “What day is it?”

  Jessica smiled. “According to the newspaper out on the porch, it’s August 1st. It’s the morning after we left.”

  Jeremy grinned. “Pretty cool, huh?”

  Melissa shook her head in amazement. “Three months. We lost three months and to the rest of the world it’s like it never even happened.”

  Zeke streaked after the neighbor’s cat, barking happily.

  Melissa stared at him; remembered clutching him. “I must have brought the dog with me. What is Sully going to think?”

  Jessica shook her head. “Ooooh. He’s going to be so mad at you!”

  Richard’s arms loosened a bit. He blew out a shaky breath. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

  Melissa turned to look at him and realized those words were the first he’d spoken to her. His face was tense. He was still upset; upset about almost losing her. She took a breath and tears filled her eyes.

  She nodded, understanding very well how he was feeling. “I thought I’d lost you too. All of you. I was kidnapped by Curly Jenkins. I had a chance to go back, but I didn’t dare leave without you.” Her eyes widened and she hit Richard’s chest. “You left me! I stayed for you, and you left me!”

  Richard’s mouth gaped. He ran his hands over her back, shoulders and hips, checking her. “Curly Jenkins kidnapped you? How? Are you hurt?” His face darkened. “I’ll kill him!”

  Melissa smiled. “Lucky for him he’s already dead.”

  Anger at Curly flushed Richard’s face, then he inhaled, blew out a breath and slowly shook his head. “We thought you’d gone back without us. When we woke up an hour ago and realized you weren’t here, we tried to get back to you. We stayed out in the moonlight, but we couldn’t return. And then the sun came up and I thought...” His voice broke and he looked down, cleared his throat.

  She touched his arm.

  Richard laid his hand over hers. “It was the longest hour of my life. When we heard the dog bark, and then found you--”

  Melissa opened her arms and he pulled her close.

  After a moment, Richard leaned back. “You would really have stayed in the past to be with us?”

  Melissa nodded. “I did stay in the past to be with you.” Her throat closed and she swallowed. “I would have done anything to be with the three of you.”

  She paused, then took a breath. “I know I’ve messed up a lot over the years. I know I’ve been selfish. That’s probably an understatement.” She looked up. “But I want you to know that the three of you mean everything to me. I would have stayed in the past if I’d had to so we could be together. I’d have done anything. I love you all so much.”

  She held them close, and they hugged her back and happiness bubbled up inside of her. She had absolutely everything she could want right here in her arms. Everything that mattered.

  The dog circled their group, then tried to nose in and get a place.

  Melissa looked up at the moon, barely visible, but still in the sky. “Thanks,” she whispered.

  Abruptly, the smile left her face and her eyes widened as she realized the moon was still there. She grabbed Richard by the hand and pushed the kids toward the house. “Come on! Hurry! Everybody get inside!”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  The pancake bubbled on the surface, and Melissa slid the spatula underneath and expertly flipped it over. Golden brown around the edges, and with a lighter center, it was perfect.

  A car engine sounded outside and Melissa quickly looked out the kitchen window, a buzz of anticipation fizzing up inside, but the car passed by the house. What was taking so long? Melissa needed to think about something else or the wait would drive her insane.

  She still couldn’t believe they’d been back since Monday. Five whole days, and the time had flown. The kids had been back in school since Wednesday, and Jeremy had received an A on his blue moon project. Of course.

  Melissa had taken the week off work to think about what she wanted to do. Xavier was in shock since she’d never taken so much as a single day off before, let alone a week.

  He wa
s also very suspicious, especially since Melissa had told him where to find the dress Kari had made and instructed him to have it worked into the winter lineup. Very un-Melissa-like behavior.

  And when she’d passed on a very important client to him, he didn’t know what to think, and had promptly given her a raise, which had kept Melissa smiling all week. In addition, she still felt a warm glow inside when she thought about the way Kari had tearfully called to thank her.

  In the meantime, Melissa had been working on some new designs, which were slightly western in flavor. She’d been corrupted, no doubt about it. The strange thing was, she didn’t seem to mind anymore.

  She’d also been cooking and cleaning. Claudia had received the week off with pay, and a raise to boot. The woman had just about passed out.

  Richard had worked a few half-days, but mostly he spent time with her and the kids.

  Melissa gently lifted the pancake and set it on a plate. Richard came up behind her and enveloped her in a hug. “Mmm, smells good.”

  “Me, or the pancakes?”

  “Both.”

  Melissa chuckled. She didn’t doubt it was true. Since she’d been back, she hadn’t been able to get enough of bubble baths or skin lotions. She handed him the plate.

  Jeremy snorted. “Watch the mushy stuff, guys, there’s kids in the room.”

  Jessica giggled, her mouth full of pancake.

  The doorbell rang.

  About time. “I’ll get it!” Melissa slapped the spatula down on the counter and headed for the kitchen door. A spurt of excitement raced through her. She’d been hiding a secret all week, and it was finally time to tell all. She couldn’t wait. Melissa yanked open the front door.

  Her mother-in-law, Carol, smiled in greeting. Dressed in casual tan slacks and a sweater set, her thick salt-and-pepper hair perfectly coifed, she looked happy, calm and reasonable. Just like always.

  “Hi!” Melissa gestured wildly. “Come in, come in!”

  With a look of pleased surprise, Carol followed her back to the kitchen.

  Jessica jumped up. “Grandma!”