Dark Moon

by Victoria Wakefield

  Maryanne wore her leather pants and a see through flowered top with a red tank underneath. She looked hot and I was happy to see she seemed a lot more cheerful.

  Michael texted that he was there to pick us up, so we grabbed our bags and stepped outside. He was standing next to his BMW, hands in his pockets. When he saw us, his face lit up and he gave a slight wave.

  “You must be Maryanne. I’ve heard so much about you I feel like I already know you,” Michael said with a smile.

  “Likewise,” Maryanne replied.

  Michael opened the back door of the car for her. Before she got in she looked at me and mouthed the words he’s hot.

  On the way to the bar, we chatted casually. It was strange to be spending time with them together, but strange in a good way.

  I had never been to the bar Michael took us to. It was dark but not too noisy, even though it was packed. We grabbed a high top square table, and Maryanne sat down across from us.

  “What would you lovely ladies like to drink?” Michael asked us.

  “Rum and diet Coke for me,” Maryanne answered.

  “That sounds good for a change,” I agreed. “Make it two.”

  “Coming right up.” Michael got off the stool and headed to the bar to place our order.

  “Damn, Lana!” Maryanne exclaimed when he was out of earshot. “You told me he was hot, but you didn’t do him justice!”

  “I know.” I grinned.

  “And he’s such a gentleman, too. Maybe I really do need to expand my dating pool,” Maryanne mused. “You know, find someone a little older, more mature.”

  “I can ask Michael if he knows anyone to set you up with,” I offered.

  Her fact lit up. “That would be cool. Have you met any of his friends yet?”

  “No. He said he doesn’t have any close friends. But he still may know someone single and worthy of your company,” I said, grinning.

  Michael returned and set down our drinks. He had a beer bottle tucked under his arm, which he put down in front of his seat. Michael casually draped his arm around the back of my chair.

  “So how did you two become friends?” he asked us.

  “We didn’t know each other before we were roommates,” I said. “At first I was so pissed that I had to share a room with someone, but now I like it.”

  “Yeah, Lana tried her best to ignore me the first month, but I was persistent.” Maryanne laughed. “Most people would have taken the hint, but I was determined to crack her icy exterior.”

  “That’s the same thing she did to me when we first met,” Michael told Maryanne. “I thought I was going to have to beg her to go out with me. Hell, I practically did.”

  “Hey, I didn’t introduce you guys so that you could compare notes about me,” I said playfully.

  So much of my time with Michael was spent kissing and making love, I had almost forgotten how charming he was. He talked about work, told funny stories about the nurses and his colleagues. I was having a great time, and I could tell Maryanne was enjoying herself too.

  Michael was just about to go get us a third round of drinks when a waitress set down a glass in front of Maryanne. “Wait, I didn’t order anything,” she said in confusion.

  The waitress motioned towards the bar. “Courtesy of the gentleman over there.”

  We all turned to see who had sent Maryanne the drink. A man with dark hair smiled and waved at her. Maryanne waved back, looking pleased.

  “What should I do?” she asked us. “He’s really cute!”

  “Go talk to him!” I exclaimed. “The stool next to him is free.”

  “Do I look okay?” she asked, smoothing down her already perfectly styled blond hair.

  “You look fabulous,” I said, laughing.

  Maryanne stood up, grabbed her drink, and walked over to the bar. In almost no time, she was laughing and flirting with the guy who had bought her the drink.

  “Alone at last,” Michael whispered in my ear. He leaned forward and kissed me. “I’ve been dying to do that all night.”

  “Me too,” I replied. “I’m having a great time, but I want to get you home soon…have you all to myself,” I said suggestively.

  “You read my mind.” Michael glanced over to where Maryanne was sitting at the bar. “But I’m not sure Maryanne will want to leave her new friend yet. I’ll get us each another drink and maybe after that we can pry her away.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” While Michael was at the bar, I surveyed the crowded room. There was a group of people playing darts on one side, and the pool tables on the other side were all being used.

  I used to hate places like this. I really had changed. Before, I would have been miserable, uncomfortable and worried that I looked as out of place as I felt. But now was the first time in my life I actually felt normal, the first time I could truly forget that conversation with my fake parents two years ago. The one that I had thought, until I met Michael, had ruined my life.

  Michael returned with the drinks. He scooted his chair closer to mine and placed his hand on my thigh. “I’m really glad to finally meet your friend, but God I want to get out of here,” he said, a devilish smile on his face.

  “Soon.” I paused. “Thanks for being so cool about Maryanne coming out with us tonight.”

  “I did want to meet her, but I can’t say I was thrilled to find out I had to share you this evening,” Michael admitted.

  “Do you know any guys you could set her up with?” I asked.

  “I think she’s doing an okay job of finding guys herself,” Michael said wryly, motioning towards the bar.

  When we finished our drinks, Michael went to the bar to settle the tab and I walked over to talk to Maryanne.

  “Lana,” she said, “this is Toby.”

  We exchanged hellos and I turned to Maryanne. “Sorry to do this,” I said apologetically, “but we need to head out.”

  “So soon?” Toby looked disappointed. He was older than I’d initially thought, probably in his early thirties. But he was definitely cute, and Maryanne seemed into him.

  “Sorry,” Maryanne said.

  “What’s your number?” Toby asked. “I’d love to take you out tomorrow.”

  Maryanne gave Toby her number, which he punched into his phone. He stood up and hugged her as we were leaving. “It’s been a pleasure,” he said, looking only at Maryanne.

  “Likewise,” she replied, smiling demurely.

  We headed for the door, where Michael was standing, waiting for us. “Toby’s really good looking!” I said enthusiastically.

  “Definitely!” Maryanne exclaimed. “I know I just met him, but he seems so nice. And mature. Not like Doug.” Her face clouded momentarily, but she shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “Not going to think about that prick.”

  “Good idea.” I squeezed her hand.

  “How did it go with your admirer?” Michael asked once we were outside.

  “Oh, not too bad,” she said breezily. “His name is Toby. He’s thirty-four and he’s a lawyer.”

  “Do you think he might be too old for you?” I asked skeptically.

  “Hey!” Michael slapped my arm playfully. “Watch it.”

  I laughed. “I made an exception for you, old man.”

  Michael and I slipped our arms around each other’s waists.

  “Okay, lovebirds.” Maryanne groaned. “Take me home and then you can ravage each other like you so obviously want.”

  I just grinned. Nothing could shake my good mood.

  That’s what I thought at least. Now, looking back, I have no idea how I could have been so incredibly stupid.

  Chapter 15

  The next few weeks went by in a blur. I went to the school nurse and got on birth control pills so we wouldn’t have to use condoms anymore, and Michael gave me a key to his apartment.

  I tried my best to balance life between school, Maryanne and Michael. Luckily, after she got over feeling like a third wheel, Maryanne actually enjoyed hanging o
ut with Michael and me. When we went to bars, Michael always ordered drinks for us, and no one ever questioned our ages.

  Maryanne was dating Toby, and although she wasn’t madly in love with him like I was with Michael, she seemed to be having a good time. He took her to nice restaurants, and the four of us had gotten together a couple of times. Our lives were working out perfectly.

  For our one-month anniversary, Michael bought me a pair of platinum pearl teardrop earrings. They were beautiful, classy and obviously expensive. In the past, it would have seemed extravagant. But I was a different person now, and I loved the earrings so much that I never took them off, except when I was sleeping.

  A week after he had given me the earrings, Michael told me that Rose was coming to visit Becky, and he wanted me to go to dinner with them on Saturday night. I was hesitant at first. “What if they don’t like me?” I asked Michael.

  “How could they not like you?” He shook his head as if I’d just said the most absurd thing in the world.

  I agreed to go, although I couldn’t shake my nerves. I was his niece’s age, for heaven’s sake. Sure, it was only a nine-year age difference between Michael and me, but to some people that was a lot. And what if Rose thought I was immature, a bad match for her brother? She was always so worried about Becky, and she and Michael had lost their mother way too young. It was probably in her nature to be fiercely protective of her family.

  Still, Michael and I were serious – really serious. It made sense to meet his family. And someday you’re going to have to take him to meet yours. I pushed the thought of my fake family aside.

  Saturday night I took extra care with my clothing. I wanted to look mature, for Rose and Becky to see me and think I was years older than Becky, that I barely looked like a college girl. So I chose my black dress, the same one I had worn on my first date with Michael. I worried about the slit up the side, but decided it would be fine as long as I covered my shoulders.

  I paired the dress with a creamy white sweater that Maryanne lent me. I kept my hair simple, soft and wavy around my shoulders. With the clothes, my hairstyle and the pearl earrings, I looked sophisticated. Sophisticated, I mused. In the past, that was never a word I could have imagined using to describe myself.

  Michael picked me up at a quarter to seven for our reservation. He let out a low whistle when he saw me. “Now I feel underdressed,” he joked. But Michael looked fantastic as usual in khaki pants and an un-tucked blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

  We arrived at the restaurant before Rose and Becky and were led to a table in the back. We sat down on one side, facing the door. Michael ordered a bottle of wine. I tried to relax.

  “Just be yourself. There’s no way they won’t love you instantly, the way I did.” He squeezed my hand reassuringly.

  Rose and Becky arrived a few minutes later. I recognized them immediately. Rose was slender, with dark brown hair and high cheekbones. She was thirty-seven, but looked closer to thirty.

  Becky was shorter than her mom, with light brown hair that had hints of red in it.

  Michael stood up to greet them when they arrived at the table, kissing them both on the cheek. I stood up too, not wanting to look rude.

  “And you must be Lana,” Rose said, shaking my hand. She was warm, friendly. Happy that Michael had found someone and willing to accept me without even knowing me.

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” I said sincerely.

  Becky shook my hand too, but she was frowning, clearly unhappy to be dragged to this dinner. Michael poured them each a glass of wine.

  “So Michael tells me you’re going to be a pediatrician. How far along are you in med school?” Rose asked me.

  I glanced at Michael out of the corner of my eye. Had he told his sister I was older than 20? Was he ashamed of my age?

  Michael laughed. “I said Lana was going to med school. After she finishes her undergrad degree.”

  I smiled and relaxed. Michael hadn’t lied to them. “I’m working towards my degree in Economics right now.” I turned to Becky, who hadn’t said a word. “What about you?” I prompted.

  “Nothing as fancy as a pediatrician.”

  Ouch.

  “Becky!” Michael sounded embarrassed.

  “English,” she said flatly.

  I waited for Becky to elaborate, but she didn’t. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, I finally said, “That’s cool.”

  “What about you, Rose?” I turned to Michael’s sister. I wasn’t going to force Becky to talk. It was obvious she had a chip on her shoulder about me, which made absolutely no sense, considering we’d just met.

  Rose and I chatted easily. She talked about her job as a physical therapist and her love of tennis. “Michael and I used to play, when we were a lot younger.”

  “You never told me that,” I said, smiling at Michael. He would look good on a tennis court. Then again, he’d look good doing just about anything.

  “We should play sometime,” Michael suggested.

  “I don’t know the first thing about tennis,” I confessed.

  “I can teach you; it would be fun.”

  I caught Becky rolling her eyes. What the hell is her problem?

  Oh well. I wasn’t going to worry about her. I took another sip of wine.

  The rest of the dinner was pleasant, despite Becky’s obvious dislike of me and her sullen mood.

  It’s too bad Rose doesn’t live near here. I wouldn’t mind spending more time with her.

  “It was so nice to meet you, Lana,” Rose said once we had left the table and were outside of the restaurant. She gave me a hug as though we were good friends and hadn’t just met.

  “You, too,” I replied, smiling.

  Becky, of course, didn’t say a word.

  “You can go on to the car,” Michael said, handing me the keys.

  I gave him an odd look. “Just want to finalize my plans with Rose for the rest of the weekend,” he explained.

  “Okay.” Why didn’t Michael want me there? What did he have to say to his family that I wasn’t supposed to hear?

  Stop being so paranoid, Lana.

  I was almost to the car when I realized I had left my sweater – Maryanne’s sweater – in the restaurant. I turned around to go get it. I started to say something as I was approaching Michael, but stopped when I heard the tone of his voice. I stepped back into the shadows.

  “What the hell was that all about?” Michael was saying.

  “I don’t know what you mean.” That sounded like Becky.

  “Why were you so rude to Lana? You didn’t even give her a chance! You decided you didn’t like her before you ever met her.”

  “That’s not true, Uncle Mike,” Becky argued. “She was in my History class last year, and she didn’t even recognize me. She was such a snob. Not friendly at all.”

  Because I try not to talk to anyone, I wanted to scream. Had she not noticed that I sat in the back row and didn’t socialize with any of the students?

  Michael sighed. “I find that hard to believe. Either way, you’ve got to forget about it. Lana is a sweet girl, and she wants to get to know my family. Like it or not, she’s here to stay.”

  Rose hadn’t said anything up until this point. “He’s right, Becky.” I strained to hear her soft voice. “Lana seems very nice. You have to trust your uncle’s judgment.”

  “You know she’s my age, right? Isn’t that a little bit young for you? And I still don’t understand what happened with Abigail,” Becky said angrily. “At least she was almost your age.”

  That must be the girlfriend who cheated on him.

  “Jesus Christ, you’re still bringing up Abigail?” Michael snapped. He took a deep breath and lowered his voice. “I know you liked her a lot, but that was over two years ago. I’ve never looked back, and I never will.”

  They stood there in silence, obviously at an impasse. Heart racing, I started walking forward. “Hey!” I called loudly in a fake, cheery voice. �
��I forgot my sweater. Be right back.” I stepped around Michael and walked into the restaurant.

  When I got back outside, Rose and Becky were gone. “Finalize your plans for the weekend?” I asked, a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

  “What did you hear?” Michael said.

  “I guess pretty much everything,” I admitted. My voice sounded angry, but I wasn’t mad at Michael. I wasn’t even mad at Becky. No, I was furious at the universe. The universe that was against me, because of what I was. The universe that would never allow anything to go right in my life, not for any length of time at least.

  Michael took my hand and we started walking towards the car. “Ignore Becky,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll warm up to you.” But even Michael didn’t sound convinced.

  “Who’s Abigail?” I asked, feeling red-hot jealousy wash over my entire body.

  “She’s the one I mentioned. My last serious girlfriend before you. I didn’t want to talk about her – not because it’s a painful memory – but because there’s just no point. I don’t even think about her anymore. I haven’t in a long time. When I found out she was cheating on me with my best friend, that was it. The relationship was over. I can’t handle betrayal.”

  Betrayal. I hadn’t been completely honest with Michael. What would he think, if he ever found out the truth about me?

  I took my hand that wasn’t in Michael’s and reached up to touch my earrings, my beautiful pearl earrings. It was a habit I had started the moment he gave them to me.

  “What are you thinking?” We had stopped in front of the car now.

  “I believe you,” I said slowly. “I don’t want to talk about Abigail either. I’m just sorry that Becky thinks I’m a snob.” I paused. “For what it’s worth, I doubt I could tell you anyone who was in that class. I’ve changed since I met you – for the better. I didn’t let anyone in, didn’t want to know anyone or for anyone to know me.”

  Michael shook his head. “I know you were standoffish with me at first, but I find that hard to believe. You’re so warm and caring, and I see how much your friendship with Maryanne means to you.”

  “She was the only person I let myself care about,” I admitted. “Until you.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Michael lightly on the lips.