MOON’S
CHOICE
By
Janet
Lane Walters
Chapter
1
Faith
sat at the kitchen table and cradled a mug of tea. Had she made the right decision? Selling the farm gave her a chance to finish
her education and provide for the children’s future. She had seen a house in town near the
community college and had enrolled to start the fall semester. The house would be hers tomorrow. There was money in the bank for the
children’s education. She should be
dancing not feeling sad.
The
cup thudded on the table. What would
Jimmy think? She wished she could ask
him but he’d been dead for a year. She
also wished he had loved her as deeply as she had loved him. Not that she resented the marriage. He had been the man she was destined to love.
Her
aunt entered the kitchen from the porch.
“How are the children?”
“The
twins and Patty are in bed and Buddy’s reading.” Faith sighed.
“Child,
you’re doing the right thing.”
Faith
nodded. “I can’t help thinking about the
land being in Jimmy’s family since they came to this country. What if one of the children resents leaving? One of the might want to be a farmer?”
Grace
Lowe poured a cup of coffee. “Haven’t
seen any of them showing a love for the land.
They’re young. They’ll adapt.”
Faith
laughed. “Maybe better than their
mother.”
Grace
sat at the table. “How would it have
been until you lost the land to the taxman?
You sold the stock and the machinery to pay him. You’ve the chickens, one milk cow and the
kitchen garden. Sold your ring last year
to buy school clothes for Buddy and the twins.
House is falling apart.”
“I
know but I still wonder what Jimmy would think.”
“No
question there. About the money and how
much drinking he and his buddies could manage.”
The older woman walked to the screen door. “Moon’s full tonight. You might catch a glimpse of him in the moon
pool at the Lodge.” She dangled her car
keys. “Take these. I’m here in case one of the kids wakes.”
Should
she, Faith wondered. Why not? The pool in the maze had shown him once. She checked herself in the age-speckled
mirror. “I won’t be long.”
“Take
your time.”
When
Faith pulled into the parking lot at Quinnesec Lodge she frowned. She’d forgotten this was the day the last
group of guests arrived and were served dessert in the garden near the maze. A wave of sadness slipped around her. Soon there would be a different kind of guest
here. Instead of vacationers, business
people would come for retreats and conferences.
She
left the car and stood in the shadows cast by a large oak tree. A group of people wandered past. Their laughter over the legend made Faith
want to confront them but she refrained lest she be identified as an intruder.
The
legend was true. On the night of a full
moon a seeker could see the image of their true love in the water. Ten years ago she had seen Jimmy.
A
few more people strolled from the garden.
One of the staff dimmed most of the lanterns while others gathered the
remains of the welcome party. Once they
left Faith slipped into the garden and reached the entrance to the maze. She ducked inside the boxwood hedge and
caught her breath. Did she remember the
path to the center?
She
closed her eyes and envisioned the route.
Inhaling deeply she chose the second from the right of the five openings
and made her way along the gravel path.
Clouds skimmed across the moon forcing her to stop several times. When she reached the end of the path she
crossed the grass to the pool.
Faith
knelt on the stone-lined edge. For a
short time she wondered how the area had appeared before the Lodge had been
built. Trees would have surrounded the
clearing. Perhaps animals had come for
water. There would have been wild
flowers growing near the pone. And on the
night of the full moon an Indian maiden had seen the face of her true love.
Her
thoughts calmed. She brought memories of
her dead husband to the fore. “Jimmy, I
had to sell the farm. I’ve already sold
everything I could to pay the taxes.
When the children were ill, without the kindness of strangers, I would
have lost them.”
She
bent her head and gazed into the pool.
Moonlight sparkled on the dark water.
Slowly they formed the face of the man she had loved. Tears trickled over her cheeks and splashed
on the image. The features changed. She covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.
The
man she saw was blond. She didn’t know
him yet he seemed vaguely familiar.
Perhaps the set of his eyes or the stubborn chin sparked a fleeting
memory of someone she had known.
What
did it mean? She had already seen her
true love in the pool. Was it possible
to find true love a second time? Not
wanting to consider the idea she rose and rushed along the twisting path toward
the garden.
When
she reached her aunt’s car she sat and shook.
What did the vision mean? She had
no time to search for a particular face among strangers. The moment her churning emotions settled she
drove home.
Her
aunt waited on the porch. “You look as
scared as a raccoon caught in the hen house.”
“I
saw Jimmy. His face changed into a
stranger’s.”
“I’m
glad.”
“Why? I loved Jimmy with everything I was. How could I ever love another man?”
The
older woman glanced at the sky. “Moon’s
choice. You’re too young to remain
alone. I believe the moon offers you
another chance. Don’t make my
mistake. There’s nothing wrong with
finding love again.” She opened the
screen door. “I’m for bed. The imps will be up with the sun.”
Faith
nodded. “I’ll sit awhile.”
After
her aunt left, Faith sat on the edge of the porch. She stared at the full moon. Though she knew the time to move on had
arrived she felt edgy. She wasn’t sure
she was ready or even wanted another love.
*
* *
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