An Excerpt From A BLUE MOON
By Vanessa A. Ryan
Madam Grace leaned back in annoyance. “Give me
your watch,” she said.
Finding this alarming, I hesitated, wondering if she
was going to steal it. But I gave it to her.
She held it to her cheek and closed her eyes. She
said, “You are in a state of––how you say?—dull,
mediocre. But that will not last. You––”
The doorbell rang and she got up. “Excuse me,” she
said. “I must get that. Make yourself comfortable
until I return.” Seeing my dismay, she smiled.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be long.”
After she left, I peered out the window. A young,
sallow complexioned man with dark hair stood on
the porch.
I heard Grace speak loudly to him in a language I
didn’t recognize. He answered her in that same
language. Something about their conversation—not
to mention the heat in the room—and the fact that
she still had my watch––made me uneasy. It wasn’t
because I thought she was after my money or that
he might be in on it. That was a given. No, it was
something I couldn’t put my finger on. I knew I
should have run out then, watch or not, but
moments later the woman came back, and it was too
late.
“I am sorry you have been waiting.”
“No problem.”
She sat down, closed her eyes, and again pressed my
watch to her cheek. Then she opened her eyes and
gave me back my watch. Taking a deep breath, she
said, “I see that your boyfriend is crude––not
civilized.”
“That’s him, all right.”
“He has strange habits. Why do you put up with him?
Why don’t you find someone better?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. I’m lonely. I can’t seem to
find anyone else. I guess I like having him around and
he said he would help me with my career. I like him,
though he’s not what you’d call a good catch in the
normal sense. What else do you see? Will I marry
him? Will he help me with my career?”
“I see that you don’t really know men. You let them
treat you like dirt.” She looked down at the cards. “It
is because you never knew your father.”
Maybe she was psychic. “That’s true. My father died
when I was a kid.”
“Beware. I see danger around you. There is a plot
against you. For another fifty dollars, I will pray for
you at the church in the mountains. Only I can break
this dangerous spell.”
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