Chapter one
1151 Words
Eve of Esmerelda's Third Birthday
"Momma, I love the moon! She's so pretty," Esmy said with all the enthusiasm of a typical three-year-old.
Merideth smiled at her daughter as she touched her silver-white hair, "And how do you know the moon is a girl?" she asked.
Esmy shrugged her shoulders and said, "She told me when she visited me, Momma. Can we go out and catch fireflies before Daddy gets home?" With that Esmy was out the back door and in the yard trying to catch the glowing bugs and squealing with delight as they seemed to come to her almost willingly. The dew covered grass soaking her feet as if it had just rained, causing the little girl to dance from foot to foot. Then stop as a firefly would land on her hand, blinking its iridescent butt in a series of short spurts. Beckoning its mate before it would fly off again. Esmy's little eyes crossing as she brought her little fingers closer to her face in an attempt to get a better look.
Merideth's gasped, but shook the thought away. There's no way that the moon goddess came down to my daughter. It's just her very active imagination. She's a toddler, after all, the moon goddess has come to her but surely she would not be starting to visit her yet? She looked at the clock and realized it was time for her daughter to get her bath and be ready for bed. Her birthday is tomorrow and her dad will be home from work soon.
She opened the door and called her daughter in. Esmy looked a little disappointed but came in. Merideth ran her daughter's bath and got her in. They giggled and blew bubbles with the bubble bath before the door slammed opened to the bathroom.
Merideth gasped, she was startled, seeing her husband stumbling in, his eyes glazed over she knew tonight was going to be a bad one.
"Esmy, come give daddy a kiss," he slurred. s**t, he was drunk.
"No, Mitchel, you're drunk. Stay away from her." Merideth said trying to protect her daughter from the onslaught that was bound to happen.
"Don't tell me NO, woman. NOW GIVE ME MY DAUGHTER," he demanded as he struck his wife, leaving a glaring red mark across her cheek.
"NO, you will not harm my baby girl. You can beat me all you want but you will never touch her!" she took a protective stance in front of her, but it did little to stop what would happen next.
As he reached out to grab her, in his drunken stupor he missed and fell over. Bumping his head on the toilet. Hopefully, passed out until morning.
Merideth hurriedly grabbed Esmerelda wrapping her in her favorite princess hooded towel.
"Momma, why is daddy so angry today?" Esmy asked her she was clearly frightened by what she just saw.
"It's okay, Pumpkin, Momma won't let anyone hurt you," she reassured her daughter hugging her tighter to her chest as they went to Esmy's room. She turned on the night light and pulled back the pink and white striped comforter that laid on the toddler's bed. She dressed her daughter in her princess pyjamas. Kissed her on her cheeks. Telling her to have sweet dreams as she gently tucked her in and walked out of her room.
Merideth walked down the hall to her room rubbing the cheek that Mitchell hit knowing full well that it would be bruised in the morning and that he really wouldn't care. She looked in the mirror on her dresser inspecting the injury looking to see if there were fingerprints or just the palm of his hand. Why couldn't he just reject us a pair so we could move on? He didn't want Esmy, and it's apparent he no longer loves her. She cried herself to sleep, hoping her dreams at least would be pleasant.
**********Merideth's Dream******
Merideth opened her eyes to be sitting at a long mahogany table, the polish shimmering in the lights coming from above. At the other end of the table are two ladies one glowing golden in color, the other white almost silver, both giving off a calming almost serene feeling. Beside them a wrinkled old with a long beard, neither glowing nor serene but definitely benevolent. "Hello, Merideth," they said.
Merideth looked around nervously unsure of who they were or what was happening. Seeming to sense her fear the ladies reached out to her, " There is no need to fear us, we are here to help you. Give you guidance, if you will. You are your daughter's current protector, but in time you will no longer be able to help her or protect her. As you well remember three years ago, I can down and blessed your daughter shortly after she was gifted to you."
Merideth left out a soft gasp as she realized who the two ladies were. "You have been doing a wonderful job with her." Herema and Selene assured Merideth. "She will still have more battles to fight even though we blessed her and her fated one. And when the time comes you will be able to leave the man that left the mark on you." Selene looked at Merideth with a touch of pity in her eyes. The silent man at the end of the table only nodding occasionally at what the ladies are saying. He seemed to be taking it all in as if he was working things through in his mind. She could almost see the wheels turning.
"You said that in time I won't be able to help my daughter, please don't tell me any more about my future. I don't want to look at a clock or calendar and count down my days. I know that is what he does." She said looking at the old man. "I just want to enjoy whatever time you bless me with, with her. So long as I can see her shift."
The trio of gods at the table smiled at Merideth. Most people want to know how and when they die. They would give anything to know, but she doesn't. How strange, we could give her that gift right now so she can make the best of the time she has, and she doesn't want to know. She is not like other mortals, she didn't even beg for a longer life.
The old man nodded his head at Merideth and a different smile forming on his face. It seems he has worked out the problem that was vexing his mind. With that, he stood up and was getting ready to speak.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Merideth's alarm clock woke her from the dream. She has no idea what the old man was about to say or do. She pushed the thoughts from her head, today was Esmy's birthday, she smiled.
- Writer
