Just a Misunderstanding
Copy Right 2002
By Mary I. Mongiovi
It wasn't the curse Deanna minded as much as its inconvenience. Not being able to walk under a romantic full moon with the woman you love could bum anyone out, especially when that woman was Maggie. Yes, Maggie was definitely a woman who could appreciate being held under the glow of the majestic night orb. But there was little use in wishing different. It was what it was.
Tall and fit with soft, nurturing brown eyes, Maggie was as mysterious in her ways as she was beautiful. Had it not been for the fated irony at the museum that day, they might not even have met in the first place. Deanna had been drawn to the latest exhibition dealing with ancient myths. Not one for the guided tour scene, she waited for the group to move on before approaching one particular display that held interest for her.
Standing in front of the inanimate half-man, half-animal creature with bared fangs against a full moon backdrop, she smiled to herself as she silently read the plaque regarding the werewolf.
"Always male." she whispered to herself. "Must be a testosterone thing."
"Just what I was thinking!"
The feminine voice came from behind Deanna. She spun around and locked eyes with an attractive, smiling woman standing a considerable distance away. Deanna didn't understand how the woman could have heard her at such a range. In fact, she hadn't even felt anyone approach, and that was something she was gifted with. It took a moment for Deanna to shake off the pleasant surprise.
"I'm sorry," she called over. "Were you talking to me?"
Maggie approached, nodding at the exhibit. "I was just agreeing with you. It seems the werewolf myth is gender contained."
"I guess we can thank Hollywood for that."
Maggie came nearer until the two women were standing side by side at the protective railing. "Well, some of it is changing. Eventually, even Hollywood has to cave into the facts."
"You say that as if you believe werewolves really do exist!"
Maggie smiled again. There was mischievousness in her soft brown eyes. "Don't you?"
Deanna turned her head back to look at the exhibit. "Well, there's truth in every legend."
"Exactly! Like this other one here."
She pointed to another display nearby and started walking over to it. Deanna followed until they both stood in front of a familiar model.
"Ah-h-h-h!" Deanna mocked, "Good ole boy, that Dracula!"
Maggie seemed hypnotized by it. "Once again," she said slowly, "Hollywood strikes."
"Oh, I don't know. I've seen my fair share of female vampires on late night television."
Maggie's stare broke off as she laughed and turned to face her. "Yes, but they're always subservient to the male vampire who created them, and non-monogamy, at least for him, is an allowable given!"
Deanna shrugged. “That's Hollywood for you."
"Just as the very myth itself. While legend has it that the werewolf only manifests under the full moon, most people believe that the vampire is a nightly occurrence."
Deanna raised her eyebrows. "Isn't it?"
"Not at all! In fact, most tribal cultures to this day believe that the werewolf and vampire share a common bond for manifestation . . . the full moon!"
Deanna crossed her arms and turned around, leaning against the railing. "You seem very well versed in this stuff."
Maggie laughed again and extended her hand. "I'm sorry. I just go off when I get started. The name is Magdalene Dunhill, but everyone just calls me Maggie. I'm an Associate Professor in the Anthropology Department at the Junior College in town."
Deanna shook her hand. "Deanna Stevens."
"It's truly a pleasure to meet you, Deanna."
"Well, that explains your interest . . . and your knowledge."
"First time here?"
"I've only been here a few times. Just got into town a few months ago. And you?"
"Well, my work takes me here most times with a class, but I come here alone when there's something unusually interesting to check out." She casually eyed Deanna up and down for a moment before continuing. "Listen! I was just about to take a break and head to the cafeteria for some coffee. They make a decent brew. Care to join me?"
That's how they first met. Before long, the two women were seeing each other several times a week. Of course, Deanna always made an excuse not to see her at night during the full moons of every month. Maggie didn't seem to make that connection. A good thing, too. How could she explain why? At least that's what she believed. Until that evening they were playing Scrabble in the living room of Maggie's home.
Maggie had just called for a break during their game so that she could retrieve some refreshments. "No peeking at my letters!" she warned from the kitchen.
"Wouldn't dream of it! Besides, with your hearing you'd probably know it."
Deanna stood up to stretch, then strolled over to the big bay window. The summer sun was beginning to set. The red sky always made the trees look as though they were on fire. As Maggie's house sat secluded atop a hill overlooking them, the scene was enchanting.
Deanna studied the sky. “Going to be the first full moon of the month." she thought to herself, then glanced at her watch. In another hour, the moon would be visible. She had better start making excuses to leave.
"Got a hot date?"
Deanna spun around. Maggie could still come into a room without being heard. Standing with a tray that held two cups of coffee, a plate of cookies, a dark glass wine bottle and glass, she smiled that same smile every time Deanna was startled by her presence, and that was almost always.
"Sorry, babe." she apologized with a chuckle. Did I do it again?"
Deanna smiled. "Some people are just light on their feet, I guess."
Maggie walked over to the coffee table where she began removing the contents on the tray. "So . . . do you?" she asked without looking up.
"Do I what?"
"Have a hot date?"
"No! I mean . . . what makes you ask me that?"
"You were checking your watch."
Deanna strolled over to her. "Just remembering a few things I really should take care of tonight."
"Uh-huh."
Deanna shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll hang around a little longer, though. I'll give you a call later tonight." Maggie sat on the couch and was joined by Deanna. Although Maggie said nothing, there was a strange expression lining her face. "You okay, Maggie?"
She hesitated before answering. "Deanna, do you think two people can overcome any obstacle in their relationship? I mean, if two people care enough for each other, do you think they can make their relationship work even if something seems to stand in their way?"
Deanna shrugged again. "I guess that depends on what that obstacle is, but love has a way around most things."
"Well, what if someone had a secret she was afraid to share?"
Deanna squinted slightly. "You don't think people should have secrets?"
"Not if the secret is about who . . . or what . . . they really are."
Deanna broke into a sudden sweat. "I don't think I understand what you mean." she replied as she took a sip of coffee.
Maggie sighed. "There's so much mystery in life, Deanna. Bad things happen to good people having nothing to do with what they've done or haven't done. Sometimes, it's just something they bear that's been handed down through family."
"What kind of things?"
Maggie hesitated again. "Curses."
Deanna caught her breath. Lowering her cup, she placed it on her lap to keep her hands from shaking. "Curses." she repeated with forced composure.
Maggie's eyes locked onto Deanna's. "Remember the day we met? Like mythological curses. Like full moon curses."
Deanna felt herself panic. She was sure her face had gone noticeably pale.
Maggie placed a gentle hand on Deanna's knee as she leaned in close and lowered her voice. "Don't you think I've noticed how you always leave early on a full moon night? Don't you think I'm aware of how you avoid me all those nights every month? Take tonight for instance. You're looking to leave before the moon comes up. And I won't see you for the next three nights."
Deanna leaned back with a heavy sigh. How could she have believed that someone so knowledgeable about such things wouldn't eventually figure it out? On one or two occasions, she had barely left in time before the change happened. And the curse always managed to spill over into the rest of life. Like the time she was sleeping over and Maggie woke her up in the middle of the night to tell her she had been awakened by what she thought was growling, like that of a large dog! It could be like that with food, too. While Maggie savored a nice, rare piece of filet mignon, Deanna could hardly wait to finish the meat on her T-bone so that she could pick it up with her hands and start gnawing at the marrow.
Deanna looked back into Maggie's eyes and nodded, letting her breath out slowly. "So the truth be known. I didn't know if I could, should, or even how I would bring this thing up. But I do love you, Maggie! I swear it!"
Maggie smiled and gave Deanna's knee a loving squeeze. "And I love you! I just wanted to get this thing out into the open."
"Then you're okay with it? I mean, it doesn't change the way you feel about me?"
"I'm relieved! I kept feeling that this little secret was standing in the way of our establishing an honest relationship, and that's so important! I don't like pretense, and I kept feeling we were protecting each other needlessly."
"And you're not afraid?"
Maggie laughed. "I have no reason to be because there's nothing to fear . . . for either of us! All that what-to-do about the full moon change reducing a person into a mindless killing machine is just a bunch of Hollywood hype designed to sell tickets! It's nothing so dramatic except in the physical sense. The person is who they are the rest of the time. They just look different with a few more special needs."
Deanna found herself thankful that Maggie was so knowledgeable after all and so understanding! She smiled. "It is a load off my mind! I was beginning to think I'd have to keep this to myself indefinitely."
"Then there's no reason for you to leave tonight. We have to experience this in each other's company sometime. Let's make it tonight."
She stood and walked over to the game board, picking up several tiles and placing them. "That's sixteen points."
Throughout the game, Deanna couldn't help but inconspicuously check her watch from time to time. Other than with family or other werewolves, she had never let anyone witness her change. It was why she had always lived alone. It made her a little nervous.
Near the end of their game, she had almost forgotten about the whole thing until a dull ache suddenly gripped her body. Reflexively, she looked at her watch and shot a glance at the window. The moon was up and bright and full!
Maggie looked toward the window too, then reached over and held Deanna's hand. "It's going to be alright." she soothed. "I have something here that will take care of everything and prove there's nothing to fear."
She reached over and picked up the dark colored bottle and wine glass. As she began pouring the contents, Deanna's eyes went wide. The red liquid wasn't wine after all, but blood!
Before she could comment on it, the dull ache sprang into searing pain and Deanna half stood, staggering over to the couch where she fell onto it and curled up into a ball. Maggie's eyes were filled with concern. "Deanna, what's wrong?"
"It'll pass in a moment!" she reassured through clenched teeth. "Hollywood got it right! This is always the worse part!"
Maggie watched as Deanna's face changed. Her smooth facial skin had sprouted fur as did her hands. Her fingernails lengthened and her cusped teeth became elongated until they protruded from between Deanna's lips. Her eyes had turned golden amber as well. Within several minutes, the transformation was complete and the pain had gone. Deanna sat up and looked over at the stunned expression on Maggie's face. She began rethinking the whole idea of having let her witness this. No matter how much Maggie might have loved her, it was a bit unreasonable to believe that any lover could deal with the fact that their partner was a werewolf.
"Am I too revolting?" she growled shyly.
Maggie shook her head slowly, her eyes still wide. "Oh, Deanna! I love you as much as I ever did before! But I'm so sorry! I'm afraid there's been a little misunderstanding! I had no idea you were a werewolf!"
"That became obvious to me when you poured that blood! So, you had it wrong. Are you upset or disappointed?"
"Not at all. This is a very welcome surprise." she answered as she lowered her head and absent mindedly fingered the rim of the glass.
"And the fact that I'm a werewolf doesn't bother you?"
Maggie shook her head again and smiled. "No . . . not at all."
Deanna hesitated for a moment, thinking about the misunderstanding that had just taken place. She laughed lightly. "It's still a little strange, though. You really thought I was a vampire?"
Maggie raised her head to look at Deanna. Her once soft, brown eyes were now blood red. Deanna stared at her in disbelief. It was a moment before Maggie smiled. When she did, the tips of two long, white and sharp teeth jetted out from between her lips. Now it was Deanna's turn to be pleasantly surprised. "No, my darling." she hissed lovingly. "I thought you knew that Iwas."
