Cartomancy

by Kristin Cook

  Chapter 23

  A few weeks had passed and Waverly finally came over to see Astrid. “Can we talk?” She texted Astrid from out in the front yard. After a few minutes Astrid replied “Took you long enough, but whatevs.” Waverly went up onto the porch and began shuffling her tarot cards at the table. Astrid came outside with two cans of pop and some chips in a bowl. For a moment the girls sat quietly, not knowing what to say, then Astrid’s phone buzzed and vibrated on the table. She looked at the text message: “Well this is awkward.” She let out a loud sigh and rolled her eyes. “Did you seriously just text me?” Waverly took her friends hand in hers. “Please believe me, I did not mean to say the thing that we aren’t talking about. It was an accident. I thought it would be funny. I didn’t know it would be headline news all over the world.” Astrid began to cry. “But, you DID say it! And now everyone thinks that I’m some vampire-freak!” Now both girls were crying. Waverly got up and put her arms around her best friend. “I am so sorry Astrid, I really wanted to come sooner but I’ve been grounded. No electronics or anything. Can you please just forgive me? You’re my best friend. People are talking about me too, it isn’t just you!” Astrid looked up and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? The whole world not only thinks I am a freak, but my best friend too? You know that NO boys are ever going to talk to us when school starts!” Waverly sat at Astrid’s feet and looked up at her. “Probably not, and maybe nobody will. That’s why we have to stick together. We’re all that we’ve got.” Waverly sat back in her chair and Astrid drew her legs up and sat with her head on her knees. “Listen Waverly, I came over here today to talk you and to see where we go from here. A lot of people still want readings. I don’t know what to tell them. Astrid took a drink of her soda and a handful of chips and tried to calm down. “Well, first of all my parents don’t want me doing it anymore. It’s too disruptive or something.” She halfway smiled. “I know, my mom doesn’t want me to either for some odd reason.” Waverly said throwing a chip at Astrid. “What’s wrong with them, I don’t see what the big deal is.” Both girls started laughing so hard that Astrid stared coughing and choking on her chips. “Hey do you wanna come up and see my new room? We’re finally done with it.” Waverly collected all the cards that she had been reading. “Umm, sure go on up, gimme a sec, k?” She reshuffled the cards and dealt again. “Is something wrong Wave?” Astrid sensed something was up with the cards. “Nope, just getting some weird readings, it’s nothing. Let’s go see the room that started all of this mess.” She laughed. “Oh very funny. Get the chips and come on.” Astrid said grabbing the pop cans and opening the door. The girls reached the top of the stairs and Waverly started across the hall to open the door. She walked inside and her breath stopped. The walls were painted shades of pink vertical stripes and there were princess drapes and the ceiling was a beautiful blue cloudy sky. Waverly could not believe what she was seeing. “Duuuude” was all she could manage to say. Astrid grabbed Waverly’s shoulders and turned her around. In the corner was the most elaborate baby crib she had ever seen. “Ummm, do you have something to tell me Astrid?” Waverly was shaking so bad she almost dropped her can of pop on the fairytale pink carpet. “Yeah, guess who’s getting a baby sister?” Waverly’s eyes were huge. “No freaking way! That explains why your mom kept getting the Wheel of Fortune card thrown at her. See? The cards don’t lie.” Waverly hugged Astrid as tightly as she could. “So where is your room now? Or are you sleeping in the pink palace Big Sis? Omg is your mom gonna name the baby Queen Anne Victoria? Because that would be the most EPIC ever!” Waverly was hopping up and down now. “Wow, I really hope not, but you never can tell with my parents. Astrid led Waverly down to the hall to a narrow door. It led up a winding staircase to a huge attic loft. At the far end of the room was a stained glass window. The glass cast brilliant colors all over the polished wooden floor. At the other end of the room was a round pedestal where Astrid’s bed was. There was a wooden archway that framed the entire pedestal. It was like a room within a room. All of the fabrics on the bed were a deep shade of purple, almost black. There was a huge black carpet on the middle of the floor and the edges were eggplant purple tassels. A long, antique couch was against the exposed brick wall. It looked very much at home in the QAV. Directly above it was a skylight. It was the most awesome room Waverly had ever seen. She looked around the room with her mouth hanging open. There was a very small round room off to the side unlike anything Waverly had ever seen before. In the room was a small round table with a crystal ball in the center. Waverly went to the room and sat. “My mom thought the table was a nice touch. I don’t know what the original purpose of this room could have been, but I LOVE it. Oh and look at this!” Astrid ran over to her bed and grabbed something. She held it behind her back. “Close your eyes and hold out your hands.” Waverly closed one eye. “It’s not something gross is it?” Astrid sighed. “Don’t be such a chicken! Close both eyes please and just trust me.” Waverly held out her hand and closed both eyes. She felt something kind of furry and opened her eyes. It was a tiny, crocheted coffin. “My grandma made it for me, isn’t it cool? The lid opens and everything.” Once again, Waverly was astounded. “I literally can’t even! OMG Astrid, you actually got a coffin in your room! That is pretty cool.” Astrid hugged her tiny coffin and ran to put it back in its place. “Well, she crocheted a bunch of baby stuff for QAV2, and she didn’t want me to feel left out I guess.” Waverly held up her hand. “Aaand because she loves you.” Astrid nodded her head in agreement. “Yes, that too.” She smiled. Astrid sat at the table with Waverly and they stared into the crystal ball. Finally Waverly picked the ball up and shook it. “It’s not a magic crystal ball; it’s just a glass orb for the garden I think. Anyway, I already tried that.” Astrid giggled. “Well, what were you trying to ask it?” Waverly wondered aloud. “What we are going to do about all of the people who still want readings? Not to mention all of the people that we already promised readings to. I have a huge list of people who still are interested. Astrid groaned. It was all she could think to do. “Well, what if we set up a social media page and we would just tell the Questioners their cards?” Waverly offered. “Yeah, but how would we get paid?” Astrid said half joking. “Also, the Questioners need to be able to choose their own cards somehow. I mean, it’s a good idea.” Astrid put her face in her hands and moaned loudly. “We’ll think of something my darling, don’t worry.” Waverly said as she patted Astrid on the head. “Let’s see what the cards have to say, shall we?” Waverly laid out an intricate triangle pattern around the glass ball. She turned the cards over and began studying them. There was a faint knock on Astrid’s door at the bottom of the stairs. “Um, the cards say that you are about to have a visitor.” Waverly laughed and kicked Astrid under the table. “Wow, you are truly gifted.” Astrid said in the most monotone voice she could manage. Astrid opened the door to two of the most unlikely people she could have ever imagined being together. Her grandma and Asia. “May we come up Mistress Astrid?” her grandma said with a flourish. “Yes?” Astrid answered truly puzzled. She skipped ahead a few steps so she could enter the room before they got to the top of the stairs. Waverly looked up from the cards as Astrid was approaching and mouthing the word “wowsers.” Waverly got up to peek around Astrid to see who it was. She was no less puzzled by this odd pair of visitors. “Astrid aren’t you going to invite us to sit on your Davenport?” Her grandma asked sitting down. “Grandma why do you always say that word? It’s just a couch, or a sofa.” Astrid has asked her grandma this same question for most of her life. “Because that’s what they were called when I was a girl and I just grew up saying it.” She answered for at least the hundredth time. “However, in this case I’m afraid it really is true. This piece of furniture came with this house, and it has been here since the 1920’s at least.” This seemed pretty cool and also creepy to Astrid. “So, you mean people probably died on it?” Waverly asked dragging a chair from the round room to sit u
pon. “Well, most people did die at home in those days, so I’m sure it’s possible. Plus, this house was originally a funeral parlor, so who knows what went on.” Astrid’s grandma said waving her hand in the air. “I’m sorry, what?” Astrid said staggering backwards. “Which what? About the sofa or the house?” She asked as if she had said nothing shocking. “THE HOUSE GRANDMOTHER!” Astrid was turning red and looked ill. “Darling sit down, you don’t look well. Are you really telling me that your parents never mentioned it to you before?” Astrid shook her head no. “So there have been plenty of coffins in this house before.” Waverly said trying to lighten the mood. “I am so freaked out right now.” Astrid said shaking. “For heaven’s sake Astrid, it isn’t that big of a deal and it was a long time ago.” Her grandma held her hand and tried to sound reassuring. “At least you’re at the top of the house now. All of the funerals would have been downstairs in the parlor.” Astrid clapped her hand over her mouth and inhaled deeply. “Is that why it’s called the parlor? I thought it meant they always had ice-cream in there, like an ice-cream parlor.” Astrid felt like world had just been flipped. “Astrid darling you really are making way too big a deal out of this, no wonder your mom and dad didn’t ever tell you.” Her grandma was starting to sound cross. Waverly and Asia just sat staring at the floor. Astrid stood and took a few deep breaths. “Ok, I will deal with this later. Sorry you had to witness that Asia. Did you come to the funeral parlor with the grim reaper over here, or did you guys just happen to get here at the same time?” Astrid asked trying to remain calm. “Well, I was volunteering at the Senior Center, and I knew your grandma from there. I didn’t know she was your grandma though until I saw her at the press conference fiasco.” Asia said. “Ooh yeah, sorry about your mom fainting and all that.” Waverly said. “Oh don’t be, it’s all part of an act. She does it at church too. My mom can fake faint better than anyone.” Asia said proudly. “Ok, still sorry.” Astrid said sitting on the death couch. “So, I was volunteering tonight and your grandma and I staring talking, and she said she was coming over here to see you and I asked if I could come too. I hope that’s okay. I can go if you want.” She started to get up. “No, no it’s totally cool if you stay. What kind of volunteering were you doing?” Astrid asked. “I help teach some computer classes to the seniors.” Asia said. “Help? She does more than help, this kids a computer whiz. She knows a lot about computer systems and all that mumbo jumbo. That’s why she only goes to school with you half- days. She is already taking high school classes.” Asia blushed. “I guess I am a little bit tech-savvy.” She said modestly. Waverly sat up at this news. “You don’t say? Well this is good turn of events. Maybe you can help us figure out a way to do Tarot Readings online or something.” Waverly was suddenly very excited at knowing another high school student, even if she was only a half way one. “Ha! My mom would NEVER let me do that. However, if you come to the senior center, I can teach you how to create an App.” Asia said this like she routinely did them in her sleep. “Do you really think that is something we can do? It sounds complicated.” Astrid said. “Like I said I can walk you guys through the application building process. But like with anything else, the key is in marketing.” Asia said sounding very professional. “Oh we don’t seem to have a problem with that part. We already have a lot of interested people. We just have no way to get to them since we’ve been banned from actual Tarot Card readings.” Waverly said still peeved at the prospect of not being able to read cards. “This sounds like the perfect plan to me. I’m excited for all of you girls.” Astrid’s grandma said as she walked towards the door. “Let me walk you downstairs grandma, I don’t want you to fall or anything.” Astrid said following her grandma. The two went down the curvy staircase and out into the hall. Astrid walked her grandma out to her car. Her grandma was looking for her keys and Astrid hugged her from behind. “Well, what’s all this about Astrid? You aren’t still scared of the house are you?” Her grandma said not looking for the keys now. “Nope not scared, I just love you. Thank you for bringing Asia over, I don’t think she has many friends at school.” Her grandma seemed puzzled. “What do you mean? She said that you and Waverly are her best friends at school.” She hugged her grandma again. “Grandma, I have a name for the App already.” Her grandma smiled. “What would that be my dear?” She asked her current favorite granddaughter. “The Card Catalog” Astrid said winking at her grandma. Astrid’s grandma got into her car and began to back out of the driveway. She got to the street and stopped, she rolled down the window and yelled to Astrid. “Be careful what you wish for.

  Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer?

  Thanks!

  Kristin Cook

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