Once In A Blue Moon

" The asterological phenomenal is puzzling scientists as there seems to be no reason why the full Moon would be, in fact, bluish in color, - "

The loud thud made Tessa jumpstart out of the half-slumber she had been slipping into, watching the evening news.

She blinked in the dark living room, trying to pinpoint what had made her wake up. She was just about to think she ahd dreamed whatever had woken her when she heard a wail.

The noise came from outside the front door, and she approached it gingerly, was it a cat? A puppy? A raccoon, maybe?

Should she get a broom to chase it away?

The wail again and her blood froze in her veins. That was no animal, it could only be...

She threw the door open and gasped in incomprehension. A glinty metallic drone, with the strangest package on her doorstep.

She could hardly believe it, her hand rising to her mouth in shock, in disbelief.

Who in their right minds had set a baby on a drone?

She got past her shock and gingerly picked the bundle up when the baby fussed again. She had trouble holding back tears, how could anyone do this to their baby?

" Shhh, shhh, it's okay, you are going to be okay, " she whispered to calm him? her? down. She couldn't guess, the baby was trapped in a bundle of cloths, what the drone had been using to carry it.

She closed the door with her foot and went straight for the living room and her smartphone. Someone had to call the police, get them to investigate, find the mother, get this poor thing back where it belonged...

She wished she could have taken it out of the blanket bundle: tears were springing in her eyes, she was getting a bit hysterical. The baby stared at her with wide eyes; a human presence had calmed it down.

" You will be okay," Tessa whispered, almost lost in those hazel pools, glinting with intelligence and caring. Enough to tear anyone's heart out, how could anyone wish to part with such a beautiful being?

" You will be fine, you will be okay, we will find your mama, and you will be happy, " she promised as she dialed the local police.

Unfortunately she knew the sheriff's personal number all too well.

He said he would come immediately, most people considered her a little crazy, considering what she had had to survive, and Sheriff Derby had taken it upon himself to help her as best he could.

Sit tight, I'm coming right over, were his instructions, and so she sat with the baby in her lap, wishing she could remove the bundling covers and set the baby's arms free.

" So what's your name? You must have a pretty name? You're so pretty, tell me your name? "

The baby cooed and smiled or laughed; Tessa became convinced it was a girl, but she couldn't be completely sure. The baby looked happy and that was all that mattered until the sheriff arrived.

" Where do you come from? " Tessa asked.

The baby made an intense frowning expression, as though carefully considering the question... or pooping in her diaper, but Tessa wasn't sure she should cut open to know... for more than one reason.

It was evidence, wasn't it? And she had no diapers in the house.

She had thrown everything away.

The baby yawned and sighed, and Tessa put her on her chest, rocking her softly, and trying to stop her hands from trembling too much... and the tears from springing in her eyes.

How she had longed for this feeling, this closeness again. Having a small, tiny being completely dependent on her, that special smell that emanated from them, simply enchanting.

If angels existed,babies were certainly the closest to them.

But this one wasn't hers, far from. She couldn't get attached, although it had been a few minutes only and she knew seeing this angel go would tear her heart out.

She really had to work on her instant attachments, she couldn't afford to lose her balance, her emotional stability, so hard earned, anymore.

But how could anyone abandon such a fragile being?

The baby was almost asleep when the sheriff rang the doorbell, and Tessa walked slowly so as not to wake her.

" Come in, Dan, I need your help, " she said in a near whisper.

" What's going on? You sounded worried on the phone, everything ok? "

" The strangest thing happened, I was asleep and- "

" How is the little angel? Everything okay with her? " the sheriff asked, moving to tickle the baby.

" What? " Tessa looked at him in puzzlement and waltzed out of his reach.

" What? Is she sick? "

" Sick? No, this baby, I... Look! " Tessa went to the front door and showed him the drone.

" Yeah ? Didn't that belong to Jeff? " he looked distraught to have even said the name, and Tessa swallowed hard, trying to keep the flooding memories at bay.

Why was it so hard for her to say goodbye? Life was full of goodbyes, life was a series of constant goodbyes. She had to stop dwelling on things past and concentrate on the future, whatever it held.

More goodbyes...

" No Jeff never had a drone, his brother Jacob, he brought one that time ... that's it, but Dan, what I am trying to tell you, the baby, the drone brought this baby to me. You have to find the real parents, "

The sheriff blinked at her in incomprehension. " Tessa, what are you saying? "

" This baby, do you see this baby? "

" Sure, I see Coralynn, Tessa. I see your baby, " the sheriff said, looking concerned.

Tessa's breath was nearly knocked out of her, hearing her daughter's name. " Don't say that, how can you say that? How can you say her name like that? "

" She's right there in your arms, how can I not say her name? What's wrong, Tessa? Have you taken your meds today? "

" My meds? What- what are you saying? "

She was getting agitated and the baby was feeling it, starting to fuss and wake up from her slumber.

" I think you are a bit confused, you should sit down. You were right to call me, we will just talk about this, okay? Why don't we sit down? "

" But I- What do you mean? I took my meds, " she retorted.

He was raising his hands appeasingly, to get her to be calm . How many times had he done this in the past year? Get her to be calm, give herself a breather... ever since the accident, but she wasn't completely wrecked anymore.

" Okay, that's good, very good, can you give me the baby? Can I hold her? "

Almost despite herself, Tessa held the baby against her protectively. Before realizing how ridiculous she was, as she had called Dan for that very reason.

" You can... they put her in these weird clothes, I don't know what to make of it, I was waiting for you - "

The sheriff cradled the baby gently. " Who did? Someone came to your house? What happened Tessa?"

" The drone, delivered this baby. Her real parents must be worried, or, anyway, she needs to find her home again, don't you think? "

Dan licked his lips slowly, as though he was trying to come up with the right words for her.

" Tessa, this is Coralynn, this is your baby, " he finally said, looking at her with a little apprehension.

Tears sprang in her eyes. She felt really angry at him, that he mock her this way, he who had been her greatest support.

" My baby died in a car accident along with my husband last Christmas. She was two months old. My life crashed down the drain, I spent months in therapy - "

" Jeff died. Coralynn was fine. You were wounded. " Dan insisted.

" Do you think I have dreamt this? The pain, the suffering, the anguish? Months upon months, Dan! This baby was delivered on my doorstep by that horrible machine. "

Dan got up and went to pick up one of the photographs on the fireplace mantle. Balancing the baby on one arm, he picked up many photos, headless of their expensive gold cases, and dumped them in front of her.

" Your wound has got you confused sometimes, and your grief for Jeff is overwhelming you. Are you sure you took your meds? "

Tessa looked at the pictures with complete confusion. Herself in a hospital bed, crying, with Coralynn in her arms.

A funeral in the snowy cold January, her crying, Coralynn in her arms.

More pictures, always she looked sad, always her baby, half-asleep, in her arms.

" I remember these pictures, " she muttered under her breath. " But I was alone, Dan. They both died and left me alone. "

" Is that what you prefer to believe? Is it too hard to take her now? "

" I would give anything, anything! To have her again! " Tessa replied viciously. " Do you know how many times I couldn't sleep, how I cried every night, how many times I wished I was dead? Do you know every day is a struggle to get up and put this fake smile on my face because life goes on, and it's full of goodbyes, and why would I get to cry about it, others pull out of it faster, so pull out of it?! Do you know how much I miss her? That I would give my life for her, gladly, gladly! Take it, please take it! Do you know the pain?? Do you? "

" Yes, " he said in a whisper. " Yes I know your pain, "

" So please don't insult me by saying I could be dreaming this, wanting this pain. If I could have her back, I would be the happiest woman alive, "

" Then take her please, " Dan said, handing her the bundle again.

" She's not mine, she belongs to her mother, whoever she is, and I would never impose this pain on another mother. I would never steal her baby. "

" I know, but she is yours. "

" No, I don't care about these pictures, I never would have framed them in gold, I hate those pictures, my pain, all they show is my pain, "

" Do you believe in miracles, Tessa? "

" Before last December, I would have said yes without hesitation. And I was a fool. No miracles, no premonitions, no ghosts, nothing but life and death, black and white. Please bring this baby back to her home. "

Dan breathed out tremulously, looking at the baby, who had opened her eyes now.

She was looking at them with rapt fascination. Complete trust in the adults supposed to take care of her, how Tessa would have loved to be that person again. But she wasn't a thief. The hand she had been dealt was filled with suffering, but it was hers to bear.

" Sometimes, Once in a Blue Moon, strange things happen. And some wishes come true, if you believe in them. But you have to believe in them. Or the wishes vanish with the Moon. Take her and believe, "

Dan was gone in an instant, the baby was on the couch, cooing softly.

And Tessa was more than baffled.

The Blue Moon was at the window, waning as it was close to lowering below the horizon. And in its light, the baby seemed to wither, become immaterial, invisible.

Tessa couldn't move. She was a rational woman, she didn't believe in anything beyond the realm of reality.

Reality was harsh and cruel and there were no second chances, no one was privileged, no one was given gifts. No one cared.

The baby let out a strangled cry of fear and that made her jump forward to grab her.

" Don't worry, honey, you're okay, " she whispered, crying despite herself.

Was she insane, or was the baby losing weight, disappearing in the cloth bundle?

" Please no, don't take her, she cried. I believe! All right, I believe! "

But it wasn't true, she didn't believe, no one could have such power.

Once in a Blue Moon, could miracles happen?

Could she allow herself this belief? Could she hold on once again?

Even if it meant saying goodbye later, saying goodbye again?

She was terrified, but she couldn't let the baby go.

" Coralynn," she said, forcing her lips to form the name, looking directly in the baby's eyes. Her baby, no doubt about it.

" Welcome home, I missed you so much,"

Coralynn gave her a wet kiss as the Blue Moon disappeared below the horizon.