Uncle James screamed “God bless Mr and Mrs John Smith!”. They got married on Saturday afternoon and now, a fresh evening of full moon, Smith family and Brady family were celebrating their union in Smith's farm. They had killed the fat calf and so they can have meat for dinner. They also had red wine and fresh water.
Mary was eventually having fun: she knew that soon she was going to be John again and so was very happy for the marriage. Having spent almost three weeks as a girl, she really have no more curiosities about femininity, and, knowing this soon would be ended she was enjoying her last days as the fair sex with a bit of philosophy, watching also to the silver lining. For example there was a 18 years old guy, probably a cousin of some familt's friend, that since he had seen her, was treating her very gallantly. She rewarded him letting him to seat near to her for dinner. After all he was a boy so cute and gentle... maybe she could give a help to John when he would be a girl again trying to assure her a so handsome admirator that could be also a good husband one day.
“May I pour a drop of water in your water miss?” asked Charles, that guy, lifting the pitcher. Mary nodded smiling. “Did somebody ever say you that your eyes shine more than this full moon?” he asked gently. She blushed and anwered “I think not...” bringing immediately the glass to her lips and drinking the fresh water, as to have an excuse to keep silence. While she was drinking eard her aunt saying John “Mr, this water is so fresh and as so a good taste! Is that from your well?” and John quickly and loud answering “Oh, no lady... this his from the river, I sent my brother to pick it just before dinner...”
The river's water!? It can't be possible! Her lips were wet by that water, there was full moon... did this mean that the change was now permanent and that she had to live her whole life as a woman? It cannot be possible!!
She would scream, but she knew that this wasn't the right moment. She had to keep calm to find the way to solve the problem.
After dinner someone played an accordion and all began to dance. She wouldn't dance, but Charles asked her so gently that she can't say no. However, while dancing, she coudn't taking her gaze from John dancing with Gabrielle. “Something wrong, miss?” asked Charles dancing with her. “No, just a little headache... let's continue” she anwered. “You are even more pretty in moonlight”. She blushed again. Charles was so handsome and kind! But she couldn't really think her growing up as a woman and be married to a man... even if he was so gentle! Suddenly her father began dancing with Gabrielle and she saw John reaching her. This was the moment!
“I would offer my sister in law this ball, young man” he said Charles, that answered “sure, Mr Smith” and kissed Mary's hand.
While dancing with John, Mary asked “how could you do this to me?” “what are you talking about, miss?” “the water!” “Oh, so you drank it... So you've done everything alone. I've only assured that you have the possibility of chooce by yourself to stay forever a girl”. Mary was so furious! “We are going to solve this tomorrow, we'll pay that witch and we'll swap again our bodies. Or I'll tell everything to our relatives” she said. But John laughed and gripping her hand almost to crush it he wishpered “Nobody will believe you... You're going to shut up and to deal with the fact you're forever the weaker sex and remember what is your role. Or I'll beat you, rape you and make you pregnant so you'll can neither marry that guy. Now stop crying and be the good girl everybody knows you are. This conversation never happened” then he kissed her aching hand and went to his mother in law, to dance with her.
Mary, disheartned, come back to her seat, and, sitting down, drank another glass of the river water.