The OUT-come

STELLA'S  STARLIGHT

 

The full moon goes into hiding just as Stella pulls back her bedroom drapes. Prepared with her new digital long range camera to get a clear focus  on the especially bright moon tonight, her spirits sag. But she stays at her window, hoping against hope, that the blackness with turn to gray and brighten more. Stella drops to her knees, starts to mumble to Diana. It doesn't matter that her throat is dry, parched from crying. Diana is going to hear her. 'Diana, please, please come out. You can be my salvation.' Saliva begins to dribble from the corner of her mouth. With her hand, she wipes it off, clears her throat and moans. 'Diana, Goddess of Fertility and Childbirth, I need you. Help me!' Diana ignores her. 'Listen to me, see me. My Tony is going to leave me. His mama wants a grandson, three or four of them, and I am barren. Doctors can't help me. Tony's money has been wasted. He calls me bad, ugly names, no longer wants me.'

 

The sky remains dark. Not a sliver of a star twinkles. Stella puts her camera in the closet but still does not give up on reaching the Goddess Diana. Many times during the long night she gets out of her half empty bed to look for the moon. At two a.m. an edge, barely an edge of the moon, appears. She hurries for her camera, focuses, clicks, clicks again in case the first picture isn't good.

 

A distant roll of thunder makes Stella shiver in fright. She stares at the sky where Diana the Moon Goddess should be, chastises her.' You are not fair. Tony's grandmother had eight babies, all boys. I can't even have one. I'll take a girl. Once she told me how unlucky she was until she prayed to you, lit candles at Saint Joseph's Church of the Immaculate. What has happened to you? I am a good Italian woman calling on you. Help me, please.'

 

Exhausted from her praying she lies down on her half empty bed. The door begins to open slowly. 'Who's there?' she whispers. Tony answers, 'Who do you think it is, Woman?' Without another word he tosses his clothes, all of them,  on the floor, climbs in bed with Stella. The slight smell of Estee' Lauder makes her nose run and her eyes tear. The night is almost gone. The sun shines in through the curtains Stella forgot to close. The warmth enfolds Tony who is lying nude. He rolls over, feels the emptiness beside him, whispers just loud enough for Stella to hear him, 'Come here, Wife!' He takes her to his body like a wild man, climbs on her, darn near kills her. He is spent. Stella is stunned into silence.

 

She feels like a miracle has happened. Tony stays home every night. She makes wonderful meals for him. Each morning, the sun shows her changes in her body. It is softer, smoother. The faded color of her hair has brightened to ash blonde. Her broken finger nails get longer, stronger. There is a radiance in her eyes.

 

Tony, too, is different. He is kinder, more talkative, sexier. He has gone as far as apologizing for the way he has been. Little important words like 'I love you' tingle Stella's ears, make her heart quiver. When the moon is full again, Stella goes to her window, calls to Diana to ask her forgiveness for nagging her and to thank her for the gift she and Tony have been given. She is pregnant. Tony, his mom and most of all, Stella are all in heaven.

 

Stella goes to church, kneels before the altar and gives thanks to Diana, Goddess of Fertility and Childbirths. She adds a donation to Father Capella for the orphans.