Gen 9 Ch 2

We pulled into Moonlight Falls on a foggy fall morning. As I watched the troupe set up camp in the cold clammy dampness, a daunting revelation was slowly working it's way through my travel-addled brain. Here I was, in a strange town, with no money, and no place to stay, except for the tents dotting the area.

I was relieved to discover that Crystal and I were not destined to shivering in a cold tent for the remainder of our stay. It seemed that most of the troupe rented places in town, with only a few unattached youngsters living in the colorful tents. And Esmerelda was so confident in my potential, she fronted me the money to rent a somewhat rundown old house within a stone's throw of the camp. We moved in that day with little more than the clothes on our backs.

The next day began my real initiation into the fascinating world of fortune telling. Every day, I dressed in my best, and sat with Esmerelda as she read palm and tarot cards for her adoring clients. Eventually she let me have a chance on my own, but I always had a script that I was to follow to the letter. Sometimes I grew impatient, wanting to interpret the readings myself, but Esmerelda would caution patience.
"All in good time, my dear."

At first, I worried about leaving Crystal alone so much, but in fact, she was not really alone. The whole troupe adopted her as their own, and there was never a lack of volunteers to take care of her. Sometimes I remarked about teaching her to walk and talk, but my concerns were always headed off with a shrug and a laugh.
"Let her be a baby. She's learn eventually, you'll see. No need to worry over such things."

One foggy morning, shortly after our arrival, who should appear at my doorstep, but the magician who started this whole adventure.
"Esmerelda sent me with a message. She is feeling under the weather, and the fortune telling wagon will not be open today. I was wondering if you and Crystal wanted to visit the fall festival in town with me, instead."
Did I? Of course I did! So far, I'd seen precious little of the new town except for the inside of the fortune telling wagon, and the rather dingy interior of my rental house.

We had an amazing day. Stephan talked me into bobbing for apples with him. He won going away.
"No fair!" I laughed. "You are too good at this, and I've never done it before!"
Stephan laughed and said,"Tell you what, I'll get you something with my tickets. What would you like?"
I couldn't decide, so he picked out a horse shoe game.

Then it was time for him to go to work. I watched his show all the way through three times. I never get tired of the flying birds, and conjured flowers, and card tricks. Finally as the sun was setting, he called it an afternoon, and packed up his stuffed-full tip jar.

He asked his cousin, or uncle, or someone, to keep an eye on Crystal, as he had something he wanted to show me. I swear, I have never seen such a happy little girl as my Crystal. And she loves everybody. Maybe the gypsies know something, when it comes to raising children. I still get occasional pangs of doubt about not teaching her her toddler skills, but it surely doesn't seem to be doing her any harm.

"You first, I'll be right behind you!" Stephan grinned at me
This is what he wanted to show me - a real haunted house! I said I didn't think it was real, it was probably just tricks, but he just grinned at me.
"It's real - you'll see."
I still didn't quite believe, but it sure did look spooky in there.

At first I didn't notice anything different when we emerged from the haunted house. I laughed and turned back to tease Stephan.
"See? It was scary, but nothing happe.. OH MY SIMS! St..Stephan.. You're a ghost!"
Then I happened to glance down at myself.
"AND  SO AM I!!"
Stephan laughed at me, and explained that it was just an illusion, and would wear off in a few hours.

In the mean time, we had a great time sneaking up on people at the festival, and when that got old, we enjoyed a bit of dancing. It had been such a long time since I had danced with anyone, and I had a blast.

When he found out how much I love dancing, he showed up at my house every few days, wanting to know if I want to go out on the town. Of course I always said yes. Sometimes we danced at the Toadstool, where the fairies hang out.

Other times we spent the evening at Varg's Tavern. Moonlight Falls was the strangest place. Where else could you see a werewolf dancing with a ghost? Our nights out were always strictly in fun though. The last thing I needed was another romance in my life, or so I thought.

We had been looking forward to Spooky Day for ages, and it was finally here. We all had the day off, and to celebrate, I wanted to have a costume party. I invited all the new friends I'd made in Moonlight Falls, plus the members of the troupe that I'd grown close to. Esmerelda declined as usual. She rarely left her little red wagon. Stephan came though, and agreed to provided some magical entertainment.

The coin trick had to be the favorite of the night. Everyone was begging Stephan to pull coins out of their ears.

I attempted some private readings. Some of them went well...

.... but others, not so much. I tried to do one for Stephan, but once I touched him, my mind went totally blank. I made up a bunch of nonsense, but I felt bad. I was getting good enough, I should have been able to see at least a little glimpse of his future.

He countered by conjuring a beautiful bouquet of red roses out of thin air, and presenting them to me with a flourish.

"Beautiful roses for a beautiful Rose," he said with a smile and a wink.
"You know, tomorrow is our last day in Moonlight Falls, and I have one last place to show you. I asked Esmerelda, and she said you could have the day off. See you tomorrow morning?"

I'm not sure what got into me, but suddenly I was overcome with thankfulness that this wonderful, exciting man was in my life, and I leaned over and planted a quick kiss on his face.
"Of course. See you tomorrow, then."
His face lit up in the sweetest grin right then, I almost grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving, but in the nick of time I came to my senses, and just watched him as he turned and walked slowly out the door, and into the fog.

The next morning, he showed up outside my doorstep riding his stallion, Bennie. So I saddled up Ginger, and we set out into the fog. Yep, fog again. I would miss Moonlight Falls, but I definitely wouldn't miss the fog. Rain or fog, fog or rain, those seemed to be the only two weather patterns the town ever saw.

We rode for a couple hours, at least, until Stephan guided us off the road, and down a narrow dirt path, to a secluded pond featuring a pounding waterfall, and of all things, a troll statue!

We enjoyed our picnic, under the watchful gaze of Mr. Troll. The sun peeked out several times, which I think was some kind of record. We made small talk for a while, but then we fell silent, just enjoying each other's company. I tried to tell myself, that I wasn't starting to have feelings for him, but deep inside I knew it was true.

The clouds had rolled in again, and the fog was soon to follow, I was sure. I quickly gathered a few of the remaining late fall wildflowers,to serve as a reminder of this special day, and then it was time to saddle up and head for home.

Crystal had loved her new fairy babysitter, and gave me one of her sad faces when it was time to tell Jenny goodbye.
"You have such a wonderful little girl, Ms. Moonstone. It was a pleasure to watch her for you."

Stephan stuck around while I changed Crystal's diaper, and put her to bed for the last time in our little house. I'd grown kind of attached to it, in a odd sort of way, but it was time to move on.

Stephan was still there, when I turned around. Gently he took my hands in his, smiling a hesitant little smile. I knew what he was going to ask, and I wasn't quite sure I was ready. But much to my surprise, all he said was, "Shall I go?"
Suddenly, I didn't want him to go at all. I threw my arms around his neck and whispered, "No, please don't go. Stay with me tonight.."

There was a time when I thought I never would want a man's arms around me ever again, but that idea was banished forever that night. Stephan was careful, and so considerate, and taught me that night all that truly making love could be.

The next morning we all awakened early. I half expected Stephan to be gone, helping to tear down the camp, but he was still right there beside me. It addition to being moving day, it was also Crystal's birthday, and I had a cake waiting for her. I snuggled her close one last time.
"Now remember, sweetie. You're getting big, so no more diapers, right?"
"Ga ga!"
"And now that you're big, you need to walk and talk like a big girl, right?"
"Ba Ba!"

I carried my baby girl to the cake, and we blew out the candles together, while Stephan serenaded her with a birthday horn.

And then we all sat down at the old dining table and had cake for breakfast, before walking the short distance down the road to the camp.

A light snow was beginning to fall as we all piled into the little red wagon, and bumped on down the road on our way to a new town, and a new adventure.