“Whatever I’m most concerned with at the time. Mainly situations I’m curious about and would like to explore. Do you have anything like that in mind?”
Bree grinned. “Like, what’s going on between you and me?”
Linda couldn’t keep herself from smoothing a finger down Bree’s arm. “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”
“Good idea. How should I phrase it?”
Linda forced herself to quit buzzing physically and let her mind take over. “How about, what’s happening between the two of us, and how can we make it a positive experience for everyone concerned?”
Bree nodded. “That sounds good. What do we do now?”
Linda handed her the deck. “I don’t usually let anyone handle my cards, but you’re an exception. So think about our question while you shuffle the cards.”
Linda loved the way Bree’s expression changed from flirtatious to serious, as if she were letting their question penetrate not only her mind but every part of her. She shuffled the cards slowly, several times, and handled them carefully, as if she were making love to them. Linda’s mind began to drift from their question to the bedroom…
“Linda!”
“What?” She shook herself back to the living room.
“Have I shuffled them enough?”
“Oh. Sorry. Yes. Now, with your left hand, cut them three times to the left and leave them in three piles.”
Bree did as instructed and watched as Linda put the center pile on top of the one to the left, then placed the combined stacks over the right one. Energy surged up through Linda’s arms. Their question was a powerful and important one.
She gazed at Bree, who seemed as focused on the cards as she was. “Think of our question as I lay out ten cards. We can study them all for a minute and then concentrate on them one at a time. Okay?”
Bree merely nodded, her silence soothing and appropriate.
Linda took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly as she allowed the images on the ten cards lying on the table to come to her. “Wow. Your reading is really spiritual, Bree. And we don’t have much control over its outcome.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you have more Major Arcana, or trump cards, than anything else.”
“Major Arcana?”
“Yes. The twenty-two most powerful cards in the deck, like Death and the Universe. And look. Your final card is actually the Emperor. Because it’s a trump, you can’t do much to change the outcome. You can only try to understand.”
“Wow. I hope my reading’s positive.”
Linda took Bree’s hand and smiled. “Me too. Ready to find out? I’m sure you’re strong enough to do exactly what you want, in spite of what the cards say.”
“Okay. Let’s go.” Bree picked up the first card Linda had laid down. “What do you see?”
Linda paused and let the image swirl around in her. “This card, the six of discs, provides the background of the question and the person who’s asking. You’ve evidently become successful and act rather condescending toward people who were once in your situation.”
Bree laughed. “In other words, I’m a snob, which you said earlier.”
Linda blew out a breath, relieved Bree was being such a good sport. “Maybe. It also tells me you’re in danger of forgetting your roots, of denying your culture or upbringing.”
“Like getting rid of my Texas accent and rarely visiting my hometown, eh?”
“Yes. Also, though you’re used to being successful, now you’re a beggar, like the ones shown kneeling in this card. You need to swallow your pride and accept help.”
“Ha. Reminds me of our clash over Mother’s health care, when I called you an aide.”
Linda’s heart picked up its pace. “Sure you want to go on?”
“Positive.” Bree ran her hand over Linda’s hair, then touched her cheek. “I can take the truth. What’s next?”
Linda sighed. Maybe reading their cards hadn’t been such a great idea, but if the experience could destroy whatever was between her and Bree, she’d rather know now than later. “This next card shows the obstacles facing us.”
“Is it a picture of Tonda or Maureen?” Bree chuckled.
“No, silly. Tonda was never an obstacle, though Maureen could have dealt us some misery. It’s the Death card.”
“Jeez. Now that’s a doozy. And closer than I like to think about. Though it makes me appreciate the years we have left.”
“It’s actually not as bad as it seems.” Linda took Bree’s hand. “Granted, the skull-faced knight on horseback has power over everyone, even the religious figure praying to him, but the card traditionally symbolizes the end of a personal point of view and the beginning of a more universal outlook. The sailboat on the lake and the sun either rising or setting in the background suggest that interpretation.”
“Hmm. Nice way to put it. We can’t avoid death, or any other major changes, but we can broaden our horizons as it approaches.”
“Easier said than done, but it’s probably everyone’s most common obstacle.”
Bree looked back at the spread of cards. “What’s this third one trying to tell us?”
“The best scenario you can expect in this situation, your ideal resolution, your goal.” Linda picked up the ten of swords.
“Remind me what the swords stand for. And the star-shaped figures on the first card in my reading? You called them discs?”
“Discs deal with practical, down-to-earth things, such as money, home, and jobs. Your coming home and thinking about retiring certainly apply there. And swords represent the mind and the voice.”
“So my third card, the ten of swords, pertains to my goal of understanding what’s happening between us?”
Linda gasped as she studied the card showing a corpse lying facedown on the ground with ten swords plunged into its back. She picked up the book next to her and flipped to the interpretation. “This card signifies a ritual killing and a death that hasn’t been dealt with,” she read.
“Brett,” Bree whispered.
“Yes.” Linda stared at Bree’s ashen face.
“Of course you could interpret the card more symbolically, like most people do with the actual Death card. But maybe one of your challenges about coming back home has been to finally accept and mourn Brett’s death.”
Bree stared at Linda. “Yes. That Friday you went to Tyler on a date, I came a long way toward doing just that. Strangely, Ann helped me through it, and I also mourned another death that weekend.”
“Another death?”
“Yes. The death of my infatuation with Ann. I’m sure she felt as relieved as I did to see it end.”
Linda felt as contented as she did while working in her flower bed on a warm spring day. The worst had passed between her and Bree—unless something else unexpected popped up. She looked at the next card, number four in the spread.
“What does the androgynous figure hanging upside down from a tree limb tell us?” Bree asked as she took a sip from the glass of ice water Linda had brought her earlier.
“The Hanged Man supposedly indicates the root of the situation. You’ve had a pause in your life, you’ve symbolically let the male part of your personality die, and you’ve reenergized your female side. Look how the figure’s smiling. The card shows you’ve gained a lot of strength.”
“So coming here turned my life upside down, and I’m a lot happier because of what I’ve been through? Makes sense and feels right. These cards are pretty neat.”
Linda rested her head on Bree’s shoulder. “Want to take a break, or are you good for another six cards?”
“Maybe a short one.” Bree pulled Linda toward her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “This is for your amazing brain.”
“Thank you,” Linda murmured.
“And those eyes that don’t miss a thing.” Linda closed her eyes, and Bree kissed each of them gently.
Linda kept her eyes shut, anticipating Bree’s next move.
&nbs
p; “But especially these lips.” Bree’s breath was sweet, her lips forceful yet yielding as she pressed them against Linda’s mouth and slipped her tongue inside her.
“I didn’t do a relaxation exercise before we began your reading, but you’ve just found the perfect way to take care of my need.” She sagged under Bree’s touch, which energized her at the same time.
But just as quickly as Bree had initiated the welcome distraction, she pulled away. “Okay. Break’s over.”
Disoriented yet strangely alert, Linda opened her eyes to the crackling fire and the warmth of Bree’s grin. She stretched and sank into the sofa cushions. “Can’t we just sit here forever and kiss each other senseless?”
“That suggestion’s hard to turn down, but you don’t really want to get totally carried away…do you?” Bree looked hopeful.
“Now that you mention it…” Linda shook her head. “No, I would like to wait a little longer. If you don’t mind.”
Disappointment flashed across Bree’s face but immediately disappeared. “I do mind. But that’s another perk of growing older. I have more patience than I used to, especially when I know the wait will make what’s coming even sweeter. Kind of like waiting for Christmas, only better.”
“I don’t know if I can hold out that long, but we’ll see. In the meantime, where were we? And what was the question?”
Bree laughed and settled next to her, their thighs touching, which raised the temperature in the room considerably. “Us. What’s going on between us and how we can make the best of it.”
“Okay. The fifth card, the nine of wands, indicates your past relationships.”
“What does a wand stand for?”
“Generally passion and specifically love of travel, ambition, career, athletics, competitiveness, restlessness, and charisma.”
Bree pressed her hip against Linda’s. “Wow, I’ve been busy.”
Linda struggled to maintain her focus. “You have. But this specific card tells me you’ve needed to rest lately. You might have been exhausted before you came home, not really able to trust yourself to the people you were associated with in Chicago. You’ve needed to withdraw and to center yourself.”
“You got all that from seeing a guy with a head bandage leaning on a leafing stick and standing in front of eight more sticks like it?”
“Well, I’ve studied several different sets of interpretations, but I’ve also read these cards for myself a lot of times. The more I read them, the more I see in them.”
Bree nodded. “Impressive. What’s the next one mean?”
Linda wondered what Bree wasn’t telling her about her past life in Chicago, but she didn’t want to pry, so she picked up the sixth card in the spread. “This one deals with the present and how it will impact your future.”
“And?”
“The Queen of Cups is sitting on her throne, which features three Cupid figures. Water’s flowing at her feet, and she’s holding an ornate chalice decorated with angels and a cross.”
“This is my first card in the suit of cups, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It represents the emotions. Cups deal with our love life—romantic as well as familial and friendship. They also indicate our psychic powers.”
“I’ve had one sword, one disc, and one wand, but after this cup, I have two more of them, plus another wand. Seems like I’m becoming more immersed in my feelings than in any other part of myself.” Bree leaned back into the couch and took a deep breath. “Interesting.”
“Yes. The Queen of Cups indicates that the mother usually passes important gifts to her daughter, especially the capacity for growth. The Queen is usually generous in sharing knowledge, insights, and ideas.”
“So does the card point to my mother? She’s certainly given both of us some important insights lately. And if I follow her example, I should live a long and healthy life.”
Linda entwined her fingers in Bree’s. “Without your mother I’d never have come to know and understand a part of my own mother that I never suspected. Learning about my birth father has made me look at myself differently. Your mom’s special, and so is her daughter.”
Bree cupped Linda’s chin and kissed her with a blend of passion and tenderness that made Linda glad she was sitting down. She shook her head, trying to regain some type of rationality. “I’ve never spent so much time doing a reading and certainly never enjoyed one so much. Would you like to end our session early?”
“Love to, but would I have to go home?”
“’Fraid so. You’re oh-so-very tempting, but if we don’t stick with these cards, you know where we’ll end up, don’t you?”
“In bed?” The look in Bree’s eyes could have melted cement.
“And I’m not ready. Or did you forget?”
Bree nuzzled Linda’s neck and sighed. “No. But I hoped you’d change your mind.”
Linda smoothed her hand down Bree’s arm and sat up. “Well, I didn’t. Would you like to see what the next card says about your attitude toward the question we’re exploring?”
Bree’s eyes still looked hazy, almost unfocused. “What’s the question?”
“What’s happening between us.”
“I already know what I’d like to happen between us. I don’t need a card to tell me.”
“Do you want me to fix you a cup of strong, hot coffee to sober you up?” Linda produced her best fake frown.
“Do you really want me to?”
“What?”
“Sober up.”
Linda thought about how dull her life had been before Bree had reappeared. “No.” A sudden surge of uneasiness hit her. “I just want us to slow down a little before I jump in over my head.”
Bree kissed her hand. “Your wish is my command.”
Linda swatted her with her other hand. “Silly. Let’s finish this before I toss you out the door.”
“Okay. Whatever you want.” Bree studied the next card in the spread. “Another cup. The ace. So what do you see in it, my lady?” Bree blew Linda a kiss.
“I see an outstretched hand holding a chalice from which water is overflowing.”
“And what does it mean?”
“Your sensuality, creativity, and good feelings are pouring out of you. You seem very satisfied with what’s happening between us.”
Bree grinned. “You can say that again.”
“This is a perfect place for this card to turn up. You’re giving yourself what you need to make our relationship strong and happy.”
Bree put her arm around Linda’s shoulders. “What’s left to say then?”
Linda flinched. The cards were telling her Bree was truly getting in touch with her feelings and the spiritual realm. But would she get up one morning and say she needed to fly back to Chicago and report to work? “You never know what the rest of the cards might turn up.” Linda tried to hide her lack of total trust in Bree and hoped she’d succeeded. Maybe she was being overly cautious.
But Bree removed her arm and suddenly turned serious, and Linda was afraid she’d sensed her distrust.
“What’s next?” Bree asked, her tone a bit too hearty.
“The final card of the Major Arcana, the World.”
“And what does the World indicate?” Bree moved away slightly so their legs no longer touched.
Linda missed Bree’s playfulness and their physical contact. “The factors that can influence our relationship, such as family and friends.”
“And does the naked woman twirling batons mean what I think she does?” Bree waggled her eyebrows. Linda was relieved to see her discomfort pass. “And what do the figures in each corner of the card mean?”
Linda smiled. “The wreath circling the woman and the powerful figures in each corner symbolize the end of an era. A new phase of life is set to begin, probably something creative, symbolized by the dancing woman.” She lightly touched Bree’s hand. “This powerful card tells me the people we love probably view our new relationship as good for both of us.”
“You think?” Bree sounded hopeful.
“Yes. Or possibly you’ve quit needing to play roles and have harmonized the various parts of your personality into a consistent identity.”
“Now in English, please,” Bree teased.
“You can finally be yourself.”
“Accepted for who I am?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow.” Bree grinned. “I like that. It’s been a long time coming.” She edged back toward Linda, who held up the ninth card.
“A second wand. Though you’re really into your feelings, you’re also trying to deal with your energy level.”
“And?”
“Well, the Knight of Wands indicates you’re an impatient, charismatic adventurer full of dramatic ideas. These qualities can help you attract followers into sometimes unstable, even dangerous situations that everyone may regret.”
“And that’s what I fear?”
“You need to answer that question.”
Bree sat silently for a long moment. “I’d do anything not to hurt you, but I have such a bad track record I’m not sure I trust myself.”
Her honesty touched Linda in a rarely visited part of herself. She gripped Bree’s hand. “You can learn to trust yourself. I know you can.”
Bree’s dark-eyed gaze almost burned Linda. “Promise me you won’t let me do anything we may both regret.”
Linda stared back at her. “You’re sure?”
Bree nodded.
“I’ll do my best.”
As Bree settled down, Linda laid her hand on Bree’s thigh. “We’ll be fine. Ready for the last card?”
“Sure. Introduce me to the Emperor sitting so grimly on his throne.”
“Okay. The bloodred mountains and the animal skulls decorating his throne show he’s gained his power through violence.”
“What’s he telling me about the future? That’s the main concern of this final card in the reading, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” Linda tried to soft-pedal the meaning of this card, but she had to be honest. “The men in your life, the patriarchy, the institutions that have educated you and employed you, even the male parts of your personality, dominate you and have blocked your true emotions.”
“That’s clear, but what can I do about it?”
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