Blue Moon Enchantment (Once In A Blue Moon Series)

by Jeanne Van Arsdall

  “We’re going bike riding around the trails. Why?”

  “You’ll be careful, of course.”

  “I’m always careful, Mom. And the bike is sturdy.”

  She had such a look of frustration on her face. “We’re concerned about you.”

  “Don’t—”

  “Seeing someone everyday...well...”

  “Stop worrying. I’m a big girl now.”

  “That’s why we’re worrying.”

  Obviously, my mother was speaking for my father as well, hence, the use of the pronoun we. I knew exactly what they were thinking and worded my reply carefully.

  “You and Dad brought me up right. I can tell the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. You’ve instilled in me the smarts needed to make rational choices. So why are you doubting yourselves, now?”

  She pursed her lips in thought as she mulled over what I’d said. I’d taken the worrisome wind from her sails and she gave me a less harried, anemic smile. Then I blew her sails into a tailspin when I half-teased, “I love him, Mom. And I’m going to marry him. See ya later.”

  I left my poor mother standing there wondering whether or not she should chain me to my bed. I might have been kidding with her then, but in my heart I meant every word. I’d meant what I said about being grown up. I knew what I felt for Michael had to be love. I’d never felt this way about any guy before. The very thought of him had the power to lift my spirits and make my heart soar. I may have spent nearly every summer of my life at Lake Flint, but with Michael I felt as if I were seeing it for the first time. I suddenly became aware of the quiet beauty of the place. I discovered more to do and see than merely hanging out at the lake or beach.

  One beautiful summer’s night in early August, Michael and I walked along the lake holding hands. We stopped by the rail where my father and I had made our wishes when I was a child. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair as he smiled down at me. I smiled back at him. He drew me close and covered my mouth with his. Then he turned to look at the full moon.

  “Look, Nadine, it’s a Blue Moon.”

  “My father told me that anything you wished for under a Blue Moon always came true,” I said.

  “Always?” he asked with the mischievous little smile I found adorable.

  “That’s what he said.”

  “Then let’s make wishes.” His eyes were like emeralds, twinkling in the moonlight.

  We closed our eyes and made wishes. I wished to be with Michael forever. Since you couldn’t tell anyone your wish or it wouldn’t come true, I didn’t know what he’d wished for, but by the look on his face I had a pretty good idea.

  “Promise, Nadine...promise me on that Blue Moon that you’ll meet me here next year.”

  “I promise,” I said.

  Then, under that magnificent moon, we sealed our pledge to meet with a kiss. If I could have put that moment into a bottle and saved it forever, I would have. I had been granted my childhood wish. My handsome prince stood there before me. And no matter what, I knew with all my heart I would always love Michael.

  We swapped telephone numbers. I’d keyed his into my cell phone. We’d stay in touch while we both went back to school. And perhaps, if time permitted, get together during the holidays.

  That night of promise turned out to be the last night we’d spend together. The next morning, my grandmother called my mother with terrible news. My grandfather had been rushed to the hospital. He’d had a heart attack. I’d hastily said goodbye to Michael. The tears in my eyes were for Michael, but my concern was for my grandfather.

  We drove directly to the airport and booked a flight to Arizona. From the airport, we went straight to the hospital. My grandfather was already in the operating room when we got there. We found my grandmother sitting in the waiting room, her eyes red and swollen from crying. My mother tried to comfort her, but ended up adding her own tears to the mix. It took another two hours before the doctor came to speak with us.

  “Mrs. Carlson, if he gets through the night, he’s going to be all right.”

  A collective sigh of relief could be heard after he gave us this prognosis. He then proceeded to explain what he’d done in the operating room. My grandfather was a feisty old man. Even though Grandpa wasn’t out of the woods just yet, we were given hope. I knew that if anyone was going to pull through a quadruple bypass it would be him. We were allowed to peek in on him before we all went to my grandparents’ place to spend the night.

  The following morning we returned to the hospital to see him. He was fully awake and though his voice was dry and gravelly, he managed to bark orders to the nurses. Though his skin still bore a gray cast, we knew he was on the mend. And that’s what counted.

  My parents and I remained in Arizona with my grandmother until my grandfather was able to go home. It wasn’t long before he was his usual cantankerous self. He was very political and extremely opinionated. He was forever writing scorching letters to the local newspapers. I guess, no one ever told him it could be dangerous to discuss politics. To tell the truth, when my grandmother had told my mother that Grandpa was in the hospital, I actually thought that somebody had shot him.

  We returned to New York in time for the beginning of the new semester. That’s about the time I realized I couldn’t find my cell phone. For me it was a category five disaster. It contained every important telephone number—including Michael’s.

  My father found me in my room ransacking all my bags, dumping everything out, as I frantically searched for my phone.

  “What’s going on, Nadine? This place looks like it was hit by a bomb.”

  I must’ve had a panic-stricken expression on my face when I looked up because his demeanor changed quickly to one of concern.

  “What’s wrong, honey?”

  The pent up tears began to stream down my cheeks. “I think I lost my cell phone.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll call the carrier and discontinue your service. We’ll get you another phone.”

  “You don’t understand...” I whined as more tears welled in my eyes.

  “Honey, we’ll replace it. Losing your cell phone should be the worst thing that ever happens to you.”

  “It is.”

  “You’re right, I don’t understand,” he said running his fingers through his hair.

  “It was my phone book. Michael’s number was in it. And now it’s gone...”

  As if a curtain of uncertainty had just lifted from his eyes, my father took me in his arms and held me as I sobbed on his shoulder. I could tell we were both on the same page now.

  “Sweetheart, he’ll find a way to get in touch with you.”

  My father contacted the carrier and let them know I’d lost my phone. I purchased another a few days later. I thought about what my father said. If Michael was going to find a way to contact me, he’d have to be very creative. I now had a new cell phone number and hadn’t given him my home number, which is unlisted. My parents didn’t want a ton of calls from students.

  I tried to get in touch with Michael, but hit a dead end. I was beside myself. How do you meet the man of your dreams only to lose him? The last resort would have to be the summer. Would Michael still keep his promise and come? I never got the chance to find out.

  A few weeks before Christmas, my parents were killed instantly in an auto accident caused by a drunk who’d run a red light. We’d started the day as usual having breakfast together. Had I known it would be the last time I’d ever see them alive, I would’ve said all the things I should’ve told them and held them close. However, I’m no seer and can hardly deal with the present than be able to read the future. I’ve been told nothing is instant, not even pudding. Well, they were wrong. I was an instant orphan. An only child, I didn’t even have siblings with whom to share my grief. All I had were my grandparents who flew out to be with me.

  It’s difficult for me to retell what actually happened from the moment the police came to my door with the news about my mother and father to th
e days following their funeral, because I was in some kind of suspended animation. I knew I wasn’t taking their deaths well. In truth, I didn’t care. I didn’t want to feel. I wanted to believe it was all some stupid nightmare I’d awake from and they’d be still alive.

  My grandparents put my house on the market and whisked me back to Arizona with them. During this time I was a caterpillar living in a cocoon of my own making. My grandparents tried everything they could to bring me out of it, but I resisted. It was easier to sulk and feel sorry for myself. Then I met one of their neighbors, Charlotte White.

  Charlotte was somewhat younger than my grandparents. I guessed her age to be around fifty-seven. She had a pleasant, round face, permanently lined from always smiling. The gray streaks in her hair were becoming and she wore her age well. However, it was the inner beauty that made her special. Whether or not our meeting at the pool was planned by my grandmother or pure chance, I’ll never know. I’m truly glad we had the opportunity to talk.

  When my parents’ lives were snuffed out like a candle, I had trouble dealing with it because of the way I’d always viewed things. I’ve never considered myself a deep thinker. Solving the world’s problems I left to my grandfather and others. But, I always believed things happened for the best. It’s my version of looking at the glass being half-full as opposed to half-empty. I’d tried to find the silver lining or good in everything. I had a great deal of help in doing so from my father who was a born optimist if ever there was one.

  However, I couldn’t find any good in the death of my parents. My entire world had come undone. There was no longer any rhyme or reason to my life. And like my world, I simply came apart at the seams. Until my meeting with Charlotte.

  She had lived in Los Angeles, a single mother trying to bring up three kids. Her husband, a construction worker, had died in a freak accident leaving no insurance money. This forced Charlotte to work two jobs in order to keep a roof over her family’s head and food on the table. She found it difficult, but had no choice. Her oldest son joined a gang and was killed. The middle child got hooked on drugs, while her youngest was killed in a drive-by shooting. Her world imploded. As she put it, “I didn’t just hit bottom, I lived there. I crawled into a bottle of vodka and grew gills.”

  Looking at her the day we met, I couldn’t believe she was the same person she’d just described. She’d had more than her share of tragedy and loss in her life to last three lifetimes and yet she’d pulled herself together and moved on with her life. What was my excuse?

  “Don’t look so amazed. I found my answer in the Lord. With Jesus’ help, I found the strength to stop drinking and help my Jared kick his habit.”

  No, I didn’t find my answer or salvation in religion. Instead, following my conversation with Charlotte, I took a hard look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t like what I saw. I’m certain my parents weren’t happy with me, either. They were probably furious with me for feeling so sorry for myself. Knowing my dad, he’d want me to get on with my life.

  I enrolled in the local college and soon decided to become a paralegal. I’d begun a new chapter in my life; one I knew would please my parents. And no, I never forgot Michael. He would always remain in a special part of my heart.

  ***

  I landed a job at a prominent law firm in Phoenix. There were five partners, fifteen lawyers and three paralegals, including me. At twenty-two, I was the youngest of the paralegals. The other two women were in their late thirties. They took me under their wings telling me which lawyers to be wary of and which to definitely avoid.

  There was one lawyer, in particular, who seemed to be off their radar—Josh Thompson. I met him at my first office Christmas party, which I hadn’t wanted to attend at first. Since Michael, I hadn’t really dated much and found I didn’t care one way or the other. Molly, one of the other paralegals practically twisted my arm.

  “Coming to the office Christmas party, Nadine?” she asked during lunch one day.

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Don’t want to,” I replied quickly.

  She came back at me immediately. “You never go out. What kind of life is that?”

  “Mine. And I like it just fine, thank you very much.”

  She rolled her eyes at me. “Well, it’s about time you started dating again. A pretty girl like you...damn! A nun gets more action.”

  My face grew hot at her implication, but I managed to say, “I like the way things are.”

  “How could you? It’s as if you’re watching the world go by from the other side of the window.”

  Despite Molly’s butting into my personal life, I truly liked her. She’d been a good friend to me from the first day I’d started with Thompson, Brown, St. Charles, Gould and Woodward. She was always there when I needed help and advice. She also knew about Michael. I’d hoped she’d respect my feelings on the matter of dating and my desire not to get involved with another man.

  “Just come to keep me company,” she said.

  With all she’d done for me, it seemed the least I could do, so I gave in and said, “All right.”

  “Great.” She hugged me, nearly sucking all the air from my lungs. All I wanted was for her to release me so I could breathe again.

  ***

  When Molly and I walked into the employee lounge where the party was being held, the room was already filled with people, buzzing with the cacophony of a dozen different conversations. My gut instinct was to turn around and run. Unfortunately, Molly sensed this and took hold of my arm. “Let’s go to the bar and get something to drink. After all, this is a party.”

  We got our drinks and moved off to the side. The room became more crowded and we somehow got separated. This was the last thing I’d wanted to happen. I backed my way into a corner where I’d feel safer. I didn’t mind being alone. However, I soon discovered I wasn’t.

  A male voice behind me said, “I see you love crowds nearly as much as I do.”

  I turned to face a tall, pleasant-looking man in a navy blue pinstriped suit. For a split second, he reminded me of Michael, with his dark good looks. The smiling eyes I looked into were blue, not green.

  “Is this your first office Christmas party?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “Thought so. I’m Josh Thompson, not to be confused with the partner. Couldn’t even get him to adopt me.”

  I laughed, already liking this man.

  “I’m Nadine Stone and probably even lower than you on the food chain.”

  “Why, you have the distinguished look of a lawyer,” he replied.

  Smiling, I told him I was only a paralegal.

  “Don’t sell yourself short. Without your work, the cogs of this fine institution wouldn’t get oiled.”

  “Thanks for being nice.”

  “My fair lady, nice doesn’t come into the picture. I was merely being honest. Come, let’s refresh our drinks and go sit somewhere and talk. We have a great deal of catching up to do.”

  Josh and I talked the afternoon away and had dinner together. He was a nice guy and I enjoyed his company. We shared many things in common, especially heartbreak. He was coming out of a relationship that had gone sour after a year-and-a-half. He’d thought she was everything he wanted until he discovered she led a secret life. A sales rep for a large pharmaceutical company, she traveled a great deal. Josh had no idea she had lovers in different states. He discovered this by accident.

  “She’d mentioned she had a convention in Las Vegas. Since it was her birthday and I’d never been to Vegas, I decided to go surprise her. Only, I was the one who was surprised.”

  “What happened?” I asked, leaning closer.

  “Well, I was told by the front desk clerk she wasn’t in her room. I figured she might’ve gone out to dinner and decided to have a drink while I waited for her to return. I walked into one of the bars and nearly freaked.”

  “She was there?”

  “Oh, she was there all right. She was in the corner
giving some man a lap dance.”

  “Did you confront her?”

  “Not just then. I had a couple of drinks while I tried to calm down. I didn’t want to commit murder in front of all those witnesses. I waited until they left and followed them up to her room. Now I was certain.”

  “So you banged on her door and...”

  “Nope. I had a better idea.”

  This was like a suspense novel. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to hear what Josh had done.

  “I went home and waited for her to return. She had no idea I knew about Vegas. I’d used my cell phone to take pictures of her with this guy and blew up the pictures. I hung them up over my bed. You should have seen her face when she saw them.”

  “Just like one of those MasterCard commercials, priceless?”

  “Exactly. She couldn’t deny it. Spitefully, she told me about the other men. How I didn’t strangle her, right then and there, is a miracle.”

  I knew that woman had hurt Josh badly, for even now as he retold the story, I could detect pain in his eyes. I found myself telling him about Michael. In a way we were kindred spirits and became close friends, often having dinner or getting together on the weekends.

  In the blink of an eye, two years had flown by. Josh and I grew closer. My grandparents loved him and envisioned us getting married. I loved Josh, but it wasn’t the same kind of love I’d had for Michael. It could only be characterized as a comfortable relationship, with no bells ringing or whistles going off. If I married him, I knew I’d never want for anything. He’d be a good husband, faithful and loving. However, as good as it sounded, I felt something was missing.

  Josh and I talked about the possibility of marriage, only it was always just that, talk. We didn’t go beyond. Perhaps he sensed my hesitancy or was uncertain himself. However, as time wore on, I knew we were heading down that path.

  As August approached, Josh found himself wondering where his life was heading and shared these thoughts with me.

  “It’s time I settled down and began to raise a family. Want to help?”

  “Are you asking me to marry you?”

  “Yeah, if you’ll have me.”