On Luna Time

by Amber Crawley

  The lighthouse is only halfway built, but thankfully the pier appears to be finished. The downtown area looks very similar to how it looks at home and there are several homes scattered up and down the island. But, everything looks bare compared to 1979.

  Without anywhere to go, I nearly froze last night on the beach. Luckily, this morning I found an ad in the paper for an open room. I’ve already purchased some new clothes and settled in. I’m staying in one of many guest rooms in the Swan family home.

  It’s hard to believe that I’m staying under the roof of the founders of Port Swan.

  Dorothy

  April 14th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  This is going to sound unbelievable, but I think I met you.

  Next door to the Swans live Walter and Bessie Marshall and their twin daughters, Flora and Luna. The twins have features like every Marshall woman I’ve ever seen, myself included. Dark hair, entrancing eyes, and petite figures. I have been invited to dinner with them tonight, and I plan to find out more.

  Dorothy

  All that I thought I knew about Luna Time suddenly felt petty. Every journal entry I’d read only scratched the surface, and I was looking at hard evidence that Luna was real. She was a Marshall.

  April 15th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Last night’s dinner was the most informative night of my life. Where do I even begin?

  Luna and Flora were at each other’s throats all night. They didn’t seem to be fazed in the slightest that they were arguing in front of company. If anything they used me as a pawn in their game.

  “What boy would want a livewire who does nothing but dream? Don’t you agree Dorothy?” Flora said, sitting down next to me on the sitting room couch.

  “At least I’m not a goody goody.” Luna plunked down on the other side of me linking her arm in mine. She leaned in close and whispered, “Flora isn’t the one you’ll want to hang around if you’re looking for fun.”

  “Oh sure, if you want to surround yourself with a lush who sneaks drinks out of her father’s study, then go right ahead. Luna knows all about having fun,” Flora spat, rolling her eyes.

  “Well, it’s all thanks to you, my dear. If you weren’t so busy trying to impress father I wouldn’t have the chance,” Luna responded.

  By the end of the night, I learned that they are both after Perry Davenport, the young Davenport who’s managing the lighthouse build. Tomorrow I am going to go down there myself to see what I can find out.

  Dorothy

  April 16th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Perry Davenport is a fox. I can see why they’re fighting over him. I nearly went weak in the knees when he spoke to me, which he did for quite some time. He gave me a tour of the lighthouse; they are in the process of building the library now. The shelves aren’t in place yet, so I wasn’t able to tell if our secret room is already part of the plan.

  Flora showed up right as I was leaving with a packed lunch for Perry. He kissed her on the cheek, and she blushed at him but shot daggers at me. I don’t think she’ll be attempting to befriend me again any time soon, Luna seems more fun anyway.

  Dorothy

  April 18th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Today Luna invited me to go on a picnic with her. We went across the water on a small boat over to the mainland. It’s the same spot the Davenport Vineyard will someday be. There were some wild grape vines growing, but it doesn’t appear to be anything but free land at the moment.

  She served us cold tea in fine china tea cups that she brought in a picnic basket. After we finished sipping, she asked to see my cup. She looked inside the same way I’ve seen my Grandmother Louise do all my life.

  “I know your secret,” she said with a smirk that made me believe every word she said was true. I can’t shake how much Luna reminds of Grandmother Louise.

  Dorothy

  April 20th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Another girl checked in today. She’s staying in the guest room next to mine. Her name is Gina. She reminds me of Liza, and she makes me miss home.

  Dorothy

  Gina. My mind raced as I attempted to find reason in what I was reading. Herbert and Louise weren’t lying, Gina jumped whenever she felt like it. She broke the law of Luna. I tried to convince myself that it couldn’t be true as I flipped over to Luna’s laws.

  4. Each traveler only gets two full moon jumps - one to travel and one to return.

  If this law is broken you will be eternally stuck on Luna Time.

  Eternally stuck on Luna Time. I felt as if someone had kicked me in the stomach. I needed to know where she was… or when.

  April 21st, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Luna invited me and Gina over for a big founders dinner tonight. The Swans, the Davenports, and a few other families who live on the mainland will be in attendance. Me and Gina are going to town in just a bit to shop for a new dress.

  Dorothy

  April 22nd, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  No only does Perry Davenport have eyes for Luna and Flora, but also for me and Gina. He made a comment to all of us that I couldn’t shake, “The four of you are the spitting image of one another.” Gina hasn’t come out and said it, but I think she’s one of us.

  Dorothy

  April 25th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Luna took both me and Gina with her to have a picnic today. The weather was warm, almost summer-like. We sat on a quilt sipping spiked tea out of fine china. It was disgusting. I’m not much of a drinker, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Luna drank much more than she should have, and I was thankful she did. She told us all of her secrets.

  Luna plans to leave Port Swan on the next full moon.

  Perry Davenport is in love with her, but she told him she would only be with him if he actively pursued Flora.

  Luna asked Perry to build the library and persuaded him with sex to design it around the secret room.

  She knows who we both are.

  Dorothy

  April 26th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Gina is my daughter. She’s so beautiful and funny, but in quiet moments, it’s clear to see that she’s heartbroken. She refuses to tell me about her life.

  “My childhood is yours to savor and knowing about my life will only cause you to try and change it, which I can’t let happen. Just know that when it’s time for me to jump, even if I don’t act like it, I love you.” Gina’s sad eyes were filled with sorrow as she spoke.

  All I want is to make whatever it is that’s haunting her better, but I can’t. All I can do is enjoy our time together now.

  Dorothy

  May 10th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  Life has been a blur the past two weeks. Dinner parties, picnics by the water, and a lot of hours spent at the lighthouse. Perry likes the three of us --Luna, Gina, and me-- watching him work. Flora comes and sits with us occasionally too, but she never stays put long.

  Yesterday after Flora left, Luna told us more about her plan to jump off the Swan Pier at midnight. She said that Mathilda Swan, a relative of the Swan family, came through town in February when the pier was being built.

  “Mathilda breathes enchanting words and speaks her dreams into reality. In truth, she can’t be described, she can only be experienced. But she’s gone,” Luna said, as she stared out at the deep wide ocean with wonder.

  While we couldn’t get all of the facts out of Luna, she did tell us the most important piece of the story: Mathilda linked the time portal with the full moon.

  On Luna’s 18th birthday, which is in 2 days, the portal will open up at midnight for Luna to jump through time. If she jumps at exactly that time, she will activate the spell. If she doesn’t, it will never open again. I have to make sure she jumps so I can get back home to my family.

  Dorothy

  May 11th 1873
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  Dear Luna,

  Flora was crying in the garden today, and Gina was there with her. I stayed on the sidelines and watched in hopes to find out something about my daughter’s life.

  “Luna doesn’t understand,” Flora cried. “Not being with your twin is like not having legs. I don’t know where Luna is planning to go, but wherever it is I’m going with her.”

  Gina picked petals off a flower as if she were playing he loves me, he loves me not. Once she took all of the petals off the first flower, she grabbed another and started again. I was afraid she was going to tell Flora everything.

  “Spending time away from someone you shared a womb with is simply not an option. We belong together, always.” Flora stuttered between tears.

  Gina took in a big gust of air and held her hand over her mouth as if she might be sick. “You should talk to her about it, today.”

  Flora can’t know. If she does, she will stop Luna from jumping.

  Dorothy

  May 12th, 1873

  Dear Luna,

  I confronted Gina this morning about her conversation with Flora. She had nothing to say other than to assure me Luna would be there. We have ten hours til midnight. I will make sure we all jump off that pier, even if I have to pull them in with me.

  Dorothy

  I flipped the page looking for what happened next but there was nothing else. That was the last of the journal entries. I pulled out my pink envelope and crossed out number 8.

  1. Find a place to call home.

  2. Paint my life.

  3. Live like the weather.

  4. Buy a yellow dress.

  5. Refill the basket with food.

  6. Visit the vineyard.

  7. Look for the house on Luna Road.

  8. Read the journals.

  9. Find Gina.

  10.

  Twenty

  n

  The silence of the dark vineyard was broken by a choir of crickets singing a lullaby. I stared into the midnight sky from the bed of Wren’s truck. Luna’s nearly full presence lit the cloudless sky surrounded by star’s sprinkled like confetti.

  “How does it feel to finally be the wise old age of eighteen?” Wren asked.

  “Going from seventeen to eighteen can only be described as moving from earth to the moon. I’m basically a whole new person now,” I said, sarcasm smothering every word.

  He tickled my side until I let out a chuckle that tumbled out from deep down in my stomach. I flailed my arms around as I attempted to wiggle out of his tickle attack, letting out a snort of laughter that I’d never heard come out of my mouth before. Wren made an “O” with his mouth, then laughed so hard his eyes went shut. I slapped my hand over my mouth, tumbling down into Wren’s chest until my giggles dissolved into the air and there was nothing left but quiet, cozy feelings.

  “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I asked Wren with my head rested on his arm that shadowed as my pillow.

  “I’m already doing it,” he said, rubbing his fingers along mine.

  “Picking grapes and sitting behind a lighthouse desk is your life goal?”

  “Well, when you put it that way...” He laughed pitying himself.

  “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant.”

  “I know,” he said, kissing the top of my head.

  “When I was younger, my Dad was always talking about turning our house into a bed and breakfast. The kind of place tourists would stay at while visiting Port Swan.”

  I sat up, leaning back on my hands as I looked down at him. Gina’s journal entry cried out, desperate to be heard. Their house next to the lighthouse is my favorite place in all of Port Swan. In a dream life, I’d fall back home, buy it, and make it into the most amazing bed and breakfast North Carolina has ever seen.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “I don’t know, he just stopped trying I suppose. But I think about it sometimes. That house is far too big for three people, once Rosemary gets married that is. I think it would be a fine bed and breakfast, and I’d like the chance to run it someday.” Wren sat up, leaning back on his own hands to meet my position.

  I looked up at the sky, landing on Luna’s nearly full glow. “We only get a short amount of time to live our fullest life before it’s over. Time changes without us having any say over it.”

  He leaned over, pulling my chin up to look me in the eye. “Did turning eighteen make you profound as well as wise?”

  I shrugged. “I just realized the things I’ve wanted my whole life were right here, waiting for me all along.”

  Wren ran his thumb along my lips and across my chin. With his pointer finger, he pulled me toward him meeting his lips to mine. Muscadine grapes, menthol, and him covered my mouth.

  He held my face and kissed me deep, opening my mouth with his. We fell back onto the quilt, tangled up in each other as images of a life with him flashed through me, the life I would give anything in the world to have and yet never could. Our hands trailed each other’s bodies as we kissed each other with passion that flushed my cheeks red and warmed me deep inside.

  “I love you, Nessa.” Wren said, in between breaths.

  “You do?”

  “I love you,” he said again.

  Those were not words I was used to hearing or an emotion I was used to feeling. I had never felt worthy of love and still didn’t think I deserved it. I stopped his oncoming kiss by holding the sides of his face above me. I pecked his lips a few times as my lips began to tremble. I’d never wanted to give all that I was to someone else until that moment. “I love you too, Wren.”

  A beam radiated out of him, and he fell down on top of me and squeezed me into a tight hug, intense happiness pouring out of him. “You do?”

  I nodded, feeling at ease with the world.

  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Wren said, tucking my hair behind my ear.

  “Ask me anything.”

  “Well, you know Rosemary’s wedding is coming up and… well, I’d like to ask you to come as my date.” His hand trailed up my body as he gathered enough courage to look at me. “What do you say?”

  I stuttered, nearly breathless, as irrational thoughts of staying forever crossed my mind. If Gina broke Luna’s laws, why couldn’t I? “I’d love to.”

  “Yea?” Wren asked, as he met his lips to mine yet again with quick, playful pecks in between words. “Rosemary said you’d never agree to it.”

  An instant frown hit my eyes and my face followed. I swallowed before breaking my own heart, as well as his. I felt sick to my stomach as I said, “She’s right.”

  “But...” Wren began, making his way to an upright position.

  “I have to go back where I belong.” I couldn’t stop trying to find Gina just because of something I overheard underneath a pier. She delivered me a letter, so she had to be in 2019.

  “And where is that?”

  I pulled myself up to lean against the cool metal of the truck bed. The cold felt good against my heated skin, which was burning up from my racing heart.

  “Somewhere I can come visit?” He asked, looking at me with hopeful eyes.

  I swallowed again, looking up at Luna with an unusual sense of hatred. I shook my head and my voice cracked as I answered, “no.”

  “You belong here,” Wren said, jumping over the side of the truck.

  “I wish I did,” I said honestly, stumbling over my words as I climbed out. I just wanted to be Nessa and Wren for as long as I could. I bit my lip and felt my heart literally break as he kicked his boot against the side of a tire.

  “You know I have to leave in a couple days,” I said, remembering Herbert’s words. You’re both going to get hurt.

  “Have you been talking to Rosemary?” He spat and started toward the grapes, bolting down one of the many paths that sat between the vines.

  “Why would you ask that.” I asked, running behind him like a lost pup
py. The fall air coming off the water was cool. The pantyhose that covered my legs didn’t bring any warmth. I rubbed my arms hoping Wren would see and wrap himself around me, but he kept walking.

  “She said the same thing. That you were leaving and that I needed to distance myself from you. Is there something I don’t know?” Wren said, turning to face me. His body was stiff, and he had his hands were gripped tight his crossed arms.

  My mouth felt hot, and my eyes burned. All I could do was shrug. Anything I said would come out in the form of vomit if I wasn’t careful. I wanted him to know everything about me. His sister knew my secret; I felt like that was justice enough for him to know too. But he couldn’t, because I knew he would leave forever if I said it out loud. I stopped walking, so he stopped too. Slowly, he made his way back to me, grabbing both of my hands in his.

  “What is it Vanessa? Just tell me.” He hadn’t called me Vanessa once, with the exception of introducing me to someone. My real name on his lips felt like daggers being thrown, hitting the target with perfect aim. It didn’t matter that he was holding my hands, he was angry.

  “I can’t Warren,” I said, spitting his name back at him and letting go.

  “So there is a secret?” He stuck his hands in his pockets, his go to move when he was uncomfortable. “You can tell me, you just won’t.”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I did,” I cried. I had two days left in Port Swan before the full moon. Two days left before I would be gone from 1949 forever. Two days to be loved by the one person who had ever loved me.

  “Try me.”

  I turned around and began walking toward the water. The spinning light on top of the lighthouse made its way over to me as if it were calling my name. “Your father knew my mother, and he knows everything about my family. Rosemary does too.”