“These two cards show a possible outcome. It looks like there will be defeat of the plans you have made, and the Queen reversed in the near future shows that you will feel cut off from an important source of communication and will not trust in your skills.”
“This is worse than I thought,” Tish said.
“Let’s see what the rest have to tell us. The Moon in the ‘self’ position usually indicates a person who is becoming more psychic and who will allow this new energy into her life. I think the reversed Queen is warning you to continue to trust your instincts.”
“Okay.”
“The reversed King of Pentacles shows there is someone in your life right now who will do anything to get what he wants. Death in the ‘hopes and fears’ position shows that you are afraid of some major change or decision.”
“If it’s in that position that isn’t good, is it?”
“It means that your fears are very strong, you’re afraid of some major change, and you are fighting it. The Tower in the ‘outcome’ position shows a big upheaval will result from all of this.”
I almost choked on the rapid intake of dust when I heard that The Tower was part of the layout. I hated that card. Just looking at it gave me the creeps, and it had caused nightmares as a child. The picture alone was terrifying, a tall tower struck by lightning with people falling from the top. When I learned about fire safety in school, I was haunted by the image of people leaping from a burning building. The sky was black and fire shot out of the windows. Poor Tish. Something big had been going on with her, and the worst was yet to come.
“It’s not good, is it?”
“The cards aren’t good or bad.” This was my mother’s standard spiel to people who have a terrible-looking spread of cards. “They just point you in the right direction and help you make choices. These cards are saying you’ve made some bad choices recently, but maybe you can fix your situation. You have to trust yourself and your talents.”
Mom didn’t like to give bad news and was unwilling to accept that her precious cards would ever put her in a position of having to do so.
“Well, thanks for seeing me. I know things haven’t been great between us for a while. You’ll never know how much I regret the way I treated Sara over her certificate. I’m sorry it came between us.”
I heard my mother sniffle.
“You just let me know if I can do anything to help,” Mom said.
They were wrapping things up. I had to get out of the attic.
I turned and headed for the trapdoor, but swung my head into a lowlying beam first. After my vision cleared, I continued and nearly fell out of the door onto the step stool. I was starting to fold it up when the closet door hit me in the back as it swung closed, shutting out the light.
“What are you doing out here, Vi?” I heard my mother through the door.
“Oh, nothing. Just on my way to the kitchen to get Baxter a dog biscuit.”
“I thought you kept those in your rooms.” My mother’s voice betrayed her skepticism.
“Where’s Baxter?” Tish asked.
“In my apartment. Why don’t you two go get him while I get his treat?” Vi said.
Suddenly the closet door flew open. My mother stood there, hands on hips, glaring.
“I thought so. You were quieter when you were little. Hear any good readings lately, Clytemnestra?” she asked.
“Clyde? What are you doing in the closet?” Tish asked.
“She’s just helping me store some winter coats,” Vi said. She tried to shut the door.
“She’s ‘just’ spying on us.” My mother rounded on Vi, and grabbed my wrist at the same time.
“You two should be ashamed of yourselves. Acting like children!” my mother said.
“Why would you do that, Clyde?” Tish said in the smallest voice I had ever heard.
16
Tish and Baxter had stormed out. Even the dog managed a glare over his shoulder as he left. I tried to downplay the whole episode to Seth, but he was too clever for that. This was due partly to my mother’s reiterating her disappointment in my behavior and partly to Vi’s persistent questions about what I had heard.
Seth and I finally left the house to visit our clients for the day. Tuffy joined us.
“So it never ends, huh?” Seth asked. He clicked his seat belt and settled Tuffy on his lap.
“What?”
“Parents dragging you down.”
“I guess it depends on the parents.” I hit the gas too hard and sprayed gravel as we pulled out of the driveway.
Tuffy sighed loudly and looked from me to Seth and back again. I made a mental note to schedule a grooming appointment for him. He was starting to resemble a mistreated Barbie doll with ratted hair and a lopsided ponytail.
For the next hour, I wrangled the boy and the dogs and argued with myself over what I should do. I felt horrible. I usually avoided Vi’s plots, but I had been so curious myself that I’d gone along with it. Now Tish was mad and hurt and I still didn’t know much more than I knew this morning. She had a secret, she was confused about what to do, and now she had animal psychics and ex-cops spying on her. Great.