Moon Girl: Part 3

Moon Girl

To follow this story from the beginning, please check out "Moon Girl: Part 1" [here] and "Moon Girl: Part 2" [here]

4.05pm June 13, 2018

The day had been a very fulfilling one for Diana. She worked as a Vet Doctor at the prestigious Thompson Animal Care Center (TACC), a Veterinary Clinic owned by her parents, Femi & Morenike Thompson. TACC was managed by its very brilliant Head Veterinarian, Dr. Richard Olusola. The TACC medical personnel always assigned the worst cases to Diana because she seemed to have a special way with animals and was usually able to heal them regardless of their condition. She had been working with 2 very sick dogs for the past 2 days and from all indications, both dogs should have died today. The Caucasian, named Ted, was fine now and would be discharged tomorrow. Bernard, the Boerboel, had been given a diagnosis of late stages of the very infectious Parvovirus. He was already half-dead by the time he was brought to TACC but thanks to Diana’s care, he was miraculously alive although still rather weak. Diana, walked out of her office with a smile, thinking of the slightly ugly but adorable Bernard and the funny things he had told her.

She was rummaging through her bag for her car keys and because she wasn’t looking, she bumped into someone. “Oops! Sorry!” she said looking up to behold Dr. Richard. He had been hurrying to her office to see her before she closed from work. There was a standing order from Mr & Mrs. Thompson that their daughter, Dr. Diana Thompson was to work only morning shifts and close unfailingly by 4 pm. The hospital administration had long since stopped wondering about this, attributing Diana’s schedule to the eccentricity of the family. Richard and Diana stood there smiling at each other until they heard someone chuckling. It was Dr. Gbenga Cruz, the most playful, humorous man in the clinic. “Go get a room and stop burning up the building with the sizzling tension,” he said, laughing at them as he sauntered past. Diana rolled her eyes at him and Richard shook his head and they walked out to the parking lot. She unlocked her car and dropped her bag on the car seat then turned to face Richard. He was leaning indolently against the car but his burning intense gaze belied his relaxed posture. “When will you make me the happiest man on earth D?” he asked. “It is fairly obvious you feel almost the same way I feel about you, why is it so hard for you to make up your mind? I have waited for six months now. I don’t just want to be your boyfriend, I want to marry you D. I will take care of you with all that I have. I will cherish you more than my own life. I will protect you with every fiber of my being. I will love you until my dying breath. I know you love me too, I can feel it even though you won’t admit it. Marry me, Diana, please” he said fervently. Diana stared wordlessly at him. Her heart was beating too fast and she felt both hot and cold at the same time. She wanted desperately to say yes but couldn’t. There was too much he knew nothing about. Could she tell him? Would he still feel the same when he was armed with the full knowledge? Her heart broke as she watched his eyes darken. He was taking her silence for yet another rejection. She held out her hand to touch his arm, but he jerked back and away from her touch. “Don’t patronize me D” he said and turned to walk away.

She drove home in tears. That was the first time Richard had walked away from her. She had seen something scary in his eyes as he turned away. Was that “loss of hope”? Was he giving up on her? Could she afford to lose the man she knew she loved for the sake of her secret? Was her life supposed to be bereft of a husband’s love? Was her uniqueness a blessing or a curse? Several thoughts ran through her mind as she drove and the tears continued to run silently down her face. She got home and as usual, her Mum was waiting to meet her. She walked straight into her mother’s outstretched arms and burst into tears in earnest. “Shush my darling, it’s alright, you are home now. I am here for you” said Morenike. “I know Mum, but it’s not enough anymore! I want Richard! I need him even! He wants to marry me and I desperately want to say yes Mum!” she cried. Morenike was silent. She continued to hold her daughter as slow tears began to fall from her own eyes. “God please help up” she prayed silently. Diana wept in her mother’s arms until her tears were spent. She disengaged from the hug and walked into her own wing of the house. Morenike went into her room and sat in the dark, pondering over the dilemma. “What do we do now? What is the way out?” she thought. She was lost in thought until the lights snapped on and her husband, Femi walked in. “Why the long face my love?” he asked. Morenike told him what had happened and he sat down heavily beside her. They were both quiet for a long time until Femi broke the silence. “Let us call him and tell him about her. We know she is an absolutely normal human being apart from the glow and her affinity for animals. Let’s give this a try, who knows it might work. It’s better than doing nothing” he said. His wife agreed and they proceeded to summon Diana. Their hearts ached at the luminous hope in her shining eyes as she listened to their suggestion. “Let me tell him my way Dad, please. I think it would be best that way if we do have a future together. I owe it to him to hear the truth from me and to decide if he can handle it or if he’ll rather walk away” she begged and her parents agreed. They loved their daughter and trusted her judgment.

9.30am June 14, 2018

Diana walked into Richard’s office and saw him speaking on the phone and scribbling stuff onto a notepad. He ended the call as soon as he saw her and his expression changed from a relaxed one to a tense and watchful one. “To what do I owe this incredible pleasure D?” You never seek me out, so forgive me if this seems to be such a surprise” he said. “I apologize for barging in on you like this but I have considered your proposal and I have an answer already. However, there is something I need to tell you, something you need to know before this can go any further. When can we talk in private?” she asked. “What about today after work? Can we talk over dinner? I don’t finish till 6pm though and I know you have a 6pm curfew so I’m not sure how we’ll play this” he said. Diana was quiet for a while and then she spoke up, “I will wait for you till 6pm but I’ll prefer if we had dinner at your place or mine”. “My place,” said Richard and Diana nodded slowly in agreement. Diana called and told her parents about her plans for the evening and they had no choice but to agree. The day passed in a blur of activities for Diana. Bernard and Ted were discharged and by 4pm she was done for the day. She settled down to read and wait. In no time, it was 6pm and she heard a knock on her door. "Hey D, let's go" said Richard. His place was pretty close to the clinic and they were there in less than 15 minutes. Diana looked around in wonder and admiration. It was a stand-alone duplex in a relatively big compound; definitely not as big as her parent's place but huge for a bachelor. There was an abundance of flowers in the compound testifying to the hard-work of a gardener or gardeners. Inside the house was even more beautiful. It was painted all in white and the beautiful mahogany furniture was a sharp but tasteful contrast to the color. The decor was so classy it had to have been done by a very pricey interior designer.

7pm June 14, 2018

Diana gasped in pure delight as Richard ushered her into the dining room. He had called ahead and given precise instructions for his housekeeper to organize a 3-course meal for two. The cook had done a great job and had set out the dining room in grand style. The silverware was exquisite and the platters of food looked extremely appetizing and smelled heavenly. Richard smiled in pleasure at Diana's childlike delight and he swore silently to do everything to bring her joy at every turn. They sat down to the meal and on Diana's request, Richard dismissed the cook and housekeeper for the day. They would serve themselves and enjoy absolute privacy to talk. Both of them shared similar tastes in food and music and had an amazing time savoring the meal and enjoying the music. Soon, the meal was over and it was time for a heart to heart talk. Diana became quiet and looked a little nervous. Richard was relaxed and absolutely confident that nothing she said could faze him. He waited for her to start but when she remained silent he urged her to speak. "I'm so glad you are here and I wish tonight would never end. However, my ears are itching to hear what you have to tell me D" he said. Without much ceremony, Diana began to speak, "I have the ability to talk to animals and I change color whenever the moonlight touches my skin". Richard burst out laughing and clapped his hands, "Nice one girl! That gave me a good laugh. I'll play it on someone soon too. Now tell me what I've been waiting to hear". Diana looked slightly frustrated. "That's the exact truth that I just shared! It was not a joke!" she said. She looked so serious and so upset that Richard had to stop laughing. "Stop pulling my legs. What under the heavens do you mean by all you just said? No one has the ability to talk to animals although I agree that you seem to have a special way with them. Changing in the moonlight? Come on, that's impossible D" said Richard. Diana repeated all she had said and tried to convince him that she was speaking the truth. When he couldn't seem to believe her, she held out her hand to him and pulled him towards the door. She opened the front door and stood in the doorway. As soon as the moonlight touched her skin, Diana changed. Richard watched as the woman he loved changed from her fair-skinned self into a glimmering, glowing moonlit creature and stumbled backward out of unadulterated shock and fear. He fell hard, hitting the floor with a heavy thump but felt nothing. He jumped to his feet and took several steps back as he continued to stare at the woman in the doorway. "Who are you? What the heck is going on? Diana is that truly you?" he asked, trembling slightly with fear and shock and something else he couldn't explain.

"It's me Richard. I'm harmless. I don't know why this happens, I was born this way" she said. Richard watched her intently, the fear beginning to drain out of his face. The reality of what he was seeing was setting in. He could see and hear her clearly. This was truly Diana! She looked like nothing he had ever seen before. She was glowing and shimmering as though a thousand lights had been lit up inside of her. Her dark eyes looked bigger, darker and more compelling as she stared at him. Her black hair gleamed like black diamonds against her white skin. She was devastatingly beautiful and ethereal, looking more like a goddess than a human being. He felt drawn to her like never before. His shock was ebbing and he was filled with a sense of awe. He felt a little dazed and a little confused. "What is happening here," he thought. She had not moved an inch from her position in the doorway, she just continued to look at him with so much love in her eyes. He felt inexorably drawn to her and began to move closer. He had a burning need to touch her, to know if she still felt the same. He raised his hand and touched her cheek. She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed his name and Richard felt himself fall in love all over again with this strange girl. He pulled her in for a kiss and stopped short as a high pitched scream pierced the air. They jerked apart and turned to see Richard's housekeeper standing there, her eyes wide with fright and her hands covering her mouth as though to stop another scream from escaping.

To be continued.....

Cheers and thanks for reading!!