Once in a Blue Moon Read Online Free Page A

green eyes to stand out
and look larger than usual. The red lipstick she wore slashed
brilliant color against her white skin. She ran a hand through her
short, spiky black hair and turned away. The shaking had almost
stopped. She glanced toward the den, drawn by the muted sounds of
the television. She’d better talk to Richard.
    Taking off her
remaining shoe, Melissa dropped her hand from the wall and moved
toward the partially open door. The phone in her skirt pocket rang
at the same time her daughter Jessica vaulted down the stairs.
    Jessica took one look
at Melissa, turned and walked back upstairs. Irritation flared.
Didn’t she even rate a hello? “Jessica, come here.”
    Jessica stopped, her back to Melissa. “ Mother --”
    The phone rang again
and Melissa dug it out. “Come down here, I want to talk to you.”
She checked the screen. It was a client. “But give me just a
minute, I have to take this.” Melissa lifted the phone to her
ear.
    Jessica sighed loudly
and stomped down the stairs, turned off her music and pulled out
her ear buds.
    Melissa talked for a
moment, reassuring and bright, as she watched Jessica cross her
arms and tap her toe, major attitude emanating from her.
    Claudia came in,
quickly deposited Melissa’s things, shot Melissa one last glance,
and left.
    Finishing the
conversation, Melissa hung up the phone and studied Jessica. With
her long blonde hair, light skin and vibrant blue eyes, she didn’t
resemble Melissa or Richard. She wore all black, as usual. Melissa
made her vast amounts of classically beautiful clothes and still
Jessica chose the gothic grunge look. At least she hadn’t dyed her
hair, yet, but her eyes were outlined in black too, and she oozed
bad attitude. She was twelve going on sixteen, completely skipping
the sweet years. Melissa refused to rise to the bait. “Have you
practiced your piano? Done your homework?”
    Jessica gave her a fake
smile. “Why, hello, Mother. Nice to see you today. How are you
doing?”
    Melissa arched a brow.
She couldn’t do anything right with Jessica anymore. She nodded,
acknowledging the rudeness, then attempted a smile. “Hello,
Jessica. How was school today?”
    Jessica smiled, shoving
her hands into her back pockets. “School was great. We had a drug
bust.”
    Melissa winced. She’d
prefer to enroll Jessica in a private school, but her husband and
Jessica both insisted on public. An old argument and one she didn’t
have time for right now. She turned her attention to Jessica’s
black jeans, ragged, with holes gaping in knees and thighs. “What
are you wearing?”
    “They’re called jeans,
Mother.”
    “What happened to the
outfit I brought you yesterday?”
    Jessica shrugged.
    Ignoring the spear of
hurt, Melissa groped for something to say, somehow feeling that
Jessica waited to hear something, but not sure what. “Are you going
to self-defense class with me tomorrow night?”
    Jessica shrugged again.
“Nope. I’ve got plans.”
    “Jessica. You need to
learn self-defense. What if something happened at that school of
yours? You need to be able to defend yourself.”
    Jessica snorted. “What for? If anything happens, I’ll just
mention your name. If they know you, they’ll run screaming in
terror. Besides, sometimes I think it would be a relief to you if
something did happen to me.”
    Melissa’s mouth fell
open, surprise and hurt rushing through her. She closed her mouth,
took a breath and let her face go blank, something she’d learned to
do long ago as a child. “How can you say that?”
    Jessica stared her
straight in the eyes. “Very easily.”
    Melissa took a deep
breath. “Jessica, I do love you.”
    Jessica nodded. “Yeah
right, Mom. Keep saying it and someone might believe it.”
    Pain, strong and sharp,
speared Melissa. Jessica had no idea what a bad mother was. “What
is that supposed to mean?”
    “You figure it out. Are
we done bonding yet? I’ve got things to do.”
    Melissa waved a hand