Luella waved her hand. “There’s no place for uncertainty at Madame Luella’s. You’ve come seeking answers, but first you must be prepared to address the issues.”

The scratch from a match and a hint of sulfur bit the air.  Black smoke snaked around Luella and quickly evaporated as she carried the candelabra to the table, the flame reflecting in her eyes. Her stealthy movements resembled a cat…graceful yet cautious.

On the table sat a high-glossed box embedded with alabaster stones. Luella lifted the lid and removed a deck of cards and handed them to Leslie. “Allow yourself a few moments to become familiar with each one. Caress them gently between your palms. You must coax the characters on the cards into speaking to you. You have asked for guidance, they hold the answers.”

The deck was bigger than regular playing cards. Vibrant colors and unique designs attributed special meaning to each one. The soothing aroma of citrus and sage penetrated the room as the candle burned. Leslie drew one card after the other from the deck, barely daring to breathe except for a quick glance across the table.

“Pick eleven cards. Take your time. When you are satisfied with your choice, give them to me.”

Sally hunched on the edge of her chair like a gargoyle, unmoving, her eyes transfixed on each card Leslie pulled out.

Madame Luella took the cards and held them loosely in her hands. Her tapered fingernails were painted black and covered with stars. “Good, you are satisfied this is your journey?”  

 Leslie nodded. “Yes. I’m ready.” The cards were laid out in a cross fashion. Of the remaining four, they were spread in a line on the right. “The Celtic Cross.”

Leslie swallowed and held her breath as Luella studied the cards. Finally she began to speak.

“What is most pressing in your life at this time?  So urgent that you’ve come seeking guidance.”

Leslie thought a moment and then said. “I was supposed to be married on Saturday. Before things got complicated.”

“And? You are nursing a broken heart? Grieving this man you lost?”

Leslie shook her head. “Not at all. That’s the whole problem. Instead of being heartbroken, I’m relieved.”

“And that’s a problem?”

“Yes. I was this close,” Leslie said, measuring a fraction of an inch with her fingers, “to marrying a man I didn’t really love. I allowed other people to convince me this was something I wanted. What every normal woman wants, a marriage to Mr. Right.  Who turned out to be a toad. I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever find the man who’ll make me happy.”

Luella shrugged. “For some, happiness does not come so easily, right?” Her mood shifted, became somber. “Nor does it come in a deck of cards. Happiness comes from within. Perhaps you should question what it is within yourself that will make you satisfied.”

‘I believe we make our own selves happy’ Jay had said. Did he realize he mirrored his mother’s belief? And… was he determined to find the elusive state of happiness alone?

Madame’s attention went to a card in the middle, buried beneath two other cards. “The Hanged Man.”

Sally inhaled. “Suicide?”

Luella rubbed her fingers slowly across the card, tracing the image of a man suspended by one foot. The gold etching that bordered the card enhanced the character, lending an appearance of royalty. “No. This card suggests that most bothersome for you at the moment. The hanged man represents suspension. Perhaps you feel surrounded by restrictive forces. You must get in touch with why you feel stuck. Something or someone has made you feel as if you’re hanging in limbo. In order for you to proceed forward, you must step back, look around, and find what blocks your progress.”

 “Surrounded by restricted forces. I should have seen that coming. My family’s motto, do as I say. Your life will be easier.” Leslie sighed.

Luella flipped another. “The Lovers. An important card for you.”

Sally leaned forward and grinned. “Maybe the cards are on to something.”

Leslie contemplated that idea for a moment. Were the cards telling her she’d met the perfect man already? Whenever she thought of him, the imaginary man had Jay’s face. Maybe she just needed to push through the barriers- break those restricted forces- and convince him.

Luella interrupted. “The card does not necessarily mean of the flesh. You are attracted to something. Could be a man, or a house, the excitement of adventure. That which is luring you closer, the draw, if you will. Such a strong attraction can also be known as a lover.”

She pointed to another card. “The Tower of Change. Madame straightened and gazed into Leslie’s eyes like she was trying to climb inside. Another trait Luella and Jay shared. When Jay looked at Leslie, she felt it through every cell of her body.

“You are in crisis. Energy is building within under pressure. This pressure must be released or an explosion can occur. You are fumbling around in a newfound sense of change. But be careful, with the old that has been swept aside, much good has gone with it. You must find balance and restore both, that which is good in your life. And become friends with the old.”