Spirit Talk: (Book One of The Fiona Series)

by Colleen McManus Hein

  Three of Spades- stress, gossip, backstabbing, health scare, heartache, someone is meddling in your business, disloyalty, a “sore spot”

  Four of Hearts- marriage and stable family/home life/love relationship, sexual satisfaction (Grandma actually said this!), a loved one returns home, the comforts of home, home-cooked meal, anything homemade, your relationship is solid as a rock

  Four of Clubs- projects run smoothly, clear thinking, peace of mind, celebrations/harvests, accomplishments, feasts, being appreciated by your friends, anything to do with tables and sharing

  Four of Diamonds- don’t be a miser, a new house or car (four walls, four tires), paperwork and bills, shopping, stable finances, buying something used or on sale

  Four of Spades- business is slow, matters are delayed, a “Yield” sign, nothing to do but wait, exhaustion, something stops abruptly

  Five of Hearts- the “Stop Sign” card, something is wrong, a change of heart, parting from a loved one, worry, regrets, anything to do with the hands/fingers

  Five of Clubs- restless energy, physical activity, physical labor, a challenge, a need for change, time to get moving, change jobs or schools?

  Five of Diamonds- financial priorities change, your energy is scattered, help from an unexpected source, business travel, business deals, check your bank account, something is weighing heavily on one’s mind, unpleasant physical sensations

  Five of Spades- bad energy, fighting, fear of commitment, change of plans for the worse, a missed opportunity, a possible injury or accident

  Six of Hearts- the “Karma Card” – you get what you deserve, trust regained, the past catches up with you, happy memories, make up sex (this is my own definition, not Grandma’s!), beware of jealousy

  Six of Clubs- getting in with the right people, having people attracted to you, giving and receiving advice, compliments, apologies, communication, harmony

  Six of Diamonds- a bonus or a raise, hard work pays off, generosity, charity, introspection, harmony at work, humanitarian acts, discovering one’s destiny

  Six of Spades- not being in control of your fate, hashing things out, airing grievances, outsmarting your opponent but in a cowardly way, distancing yourself

  Seven of Hearts- the “Clean Slate” card, “get out of jail free” card, getting a second chance, connecting with the universe, mysticism and the occult, premonitions, someone truly loves you, miracles

  Seven of Clubs- spirituality, connecting with God, forgetting about the past, seeing beauty everywhere, time to honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses

  Seven of Diamonds- you pursue a dream, permission to take a chance, finding meaning in life, synchronicity and coincidence, luck, any project undertaken now will be successful

  Seven of Spades- vices and addictions, broken relationships, sex without love (this is my definition, not Grandma’s!), a guilty conscience, doing penance, a nasty surprise, bad advice, theft

  Eight of Hearts- the mediator card, a broken relationship is mended, sharing wisdom and stories, emotional maturity, people look up to you and admire you, feeling calm and in control, feeling bold and daring, can signify that you will get a surprise soon

  Eight of Clubs- everything happens at once, you finally feel as if you’re making progress, think before you speak/act, things occur for a reason, a solitary project

  Eight of Diamonds- a new source of income, good health, staying ahead of the competition, your budget is balanced, foreseeing the next big craze, the stock market, time to upgrade/update

  Eight of Spades- passive aggression, codependency, being in a bad/unhealthy relationship, being a victim of slander and gossip

  Nine of Hearts- the Wish card, a wish comes true, don’t stop believing, keep the faith, fruitful end of a cycle, physical satisfaction, beware of over-indulgence

  Nine of Clubs- staying calm during a stressful time, time to take a break, life goes in cycles, an old friend gets in touch, long distance travel

  Nine of Diamonds- psychic abilities, seeing the future, someone is dreaming about you, can indicate fame, self-reliance, confidence, individuality, letting your freak flag fly (my definition, not Grandma’s!)

  Nine of Spades- your fears are distorted, get a grip, insomnia, self-inflicted injuries, nightmares, you are dreading something in the future

  Ten of Hearts- love conquers all, realizing what’s important in life, joy after sorrow, family ties are strong, a happy marriage, big celebrations

  Ten of Clubs- okay to feel proud of your success, pressure from needy people, too much pressure at work, the popularity card

  Ten of Diamonds- business success, financial security, a nice home and garden, transfer of power, providing for your family, family money, inheritances, fundraisers, a luxury vacation

  Ten of Spades- bad news, shady deals, accept defeat, abuse of power, hard work does not pay off, catastrophe, evil

  Jack of Hearts- falls in love quickly, imaginative, poetic, dreamy, artsy, romantic, news about romance, a writer, an actor, a musician, Romeo

  Jack of Clubs- active and sporty, energetic, passionate, a restless thrill-seeker, bores easily, a self-starter, startling news, a warning not to loan money to friends

  Jack of Diamonds- introvert, hermit, bearer of gifts, good student, good with his or her hands, reliable employee, respectful and respectable, brave and calm, strong need for sex (my definition, not Grandma’s!)

  Jack of Spades- emotionally detached, a manipulative jerk with hidden motives, bad news delivered, jealous, possessive, talks his/her way out of anything, a dangerous situation is unfolding, someone is spying

  Queen of Hearts- unconditional love, a healer, a psychic, a loving wife or mother, a moody and artsy woman, good at keeping secrets, dreamy and sometimes impractical, possibly depressed

  Queen of Clubs- a very social woman, charismatic, sexy and flirtatious, good at keeping secrets, creative, feminine, affectionate, a gossip, a drama queen

  Queen of Diamonds- cultured and materialistic but generous, a reliable friend, a good businesswoman, gives valuable advice, over-protective of family, status-conscious

  Queen of Spades- isolated and bitter, smart and disciplined, judgmental, a back-stabber, power-hungry, malicious

  King of Hearts- emotional, a good story-teller, a patron of the arts, affectionate father or husband, wine/women/song, in touch with his emotions

  King of Clubs- a sportsman, a man’s man, the life of the party, a family man, strong and sexy, a good communicator, single-minded, makes things happen, quick to anger, sometimes narrow-minded and old-fashioned

  King of Diamonds- likes expensive things, a classy man of taste, a workaholic, anti-social, likes to be boss, insensitive to people’s feelings

  King of Spades- a dangerous bully, a crafty criminal, cruel, a control freak, a critic, a loudmouth, secretly insecure, intelligent but cold-hearted

  The Joker- anything can happen, expect the unexpected, the Joker is wild, let your hair down, throw away the rule book, do what feels right, be a rebel

  By the way, Grandma told me another good story. She said her father’s occupation was a lamp lighter in New York City. He went around his neighborhood every night at dusk and lit the gas lamps. She said that when New York City switched to electric lighting, her father was so depressed that he went to bed and never got out of bed again. Of course, that has to be an exaggeration, but still…you get the picture. Isn’t that an amazing story? We have such an interesting family history.

  Write soon and have fun with the card-readings! Next, I’ll teach you palm-reading.

  Love-

  Fee Fi Fo Fum

  Chapter 20

  On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, her favorite days, Fiona shopped at the Golden Goose for groceries on her way to babysit. Except for the fact that she didn’t live at Henry’s and never had any physical contact with him, she felt very “wifely” as she carried a bag of groceries down the street.

  She was getting familiar with some of the people in town
who were now clients, and they waved or nodded hello when they saw her. Fiona felt happy to be recognized and acknowledged. It made her feel like Fireside was becoming her home. She didn’t care if people thought she was “spooky” because of her occupation; she was proud of her growing reputation and secretly hoped people thought of her as a witch. She knew everyone thought of Grandma Mary as a witch, thanks to Henry’s drunken babbling during the vodka episode. Fiona had not cut her hair since she’d arrived in Fireside and it now hung well past her shoulders. She liked the way it felt when it streamed behind her in the fierce Minnesota wind, just like a witch’s hair.

  By the time she arrived at Henry’s house, Ryan would be awake and playing in the living room while Henry tried to get ready for work. Sometimes Henry would stand at an ironing board set up next to the dining room table in his boxer shorts, undershirt, and socks, which pretty much made Fiona’s heart beat very rapidly. She would sit near Ryan and begin playing with him or feeding him breakfast, but her eyes would always drift back to the outline of Henry’s very masculine form as he ironed his pants and shirt. Fiona and Henry would make pleasant small talk across the room and she would try to pretend she didn’t notice that Henry was in his underwear.

  She knew she was hyper-aware of him. The “animal” side of her kept track of his location in the room in relation to hers, even when she was trying to focus solely on Ryan. She could be sitting at the kitchen table and helping Ryan eat oatmeal or apple slices or scrambled eggs, but her “Henry radar” would beep when he stopped at the table to say goodbye. He would bend down to kiss Ryan and Henry’s belted waist would be at Fiona’s eye level. At moments like that, it took every bit of self-control she possessed not to reach out her hand and touch the small of his back, where his dress shirt disappeared below his waistband. She wanted to touch him so badly that it felt almost overwhelming when he was near. It was like she was a helpless paper clip and Henry was a big, thick magnet.

  Her feelings for Henry were encouraged by an awareness that he felt attracted to her, too. He never said anything flirtatious, but there was an almost palpable feeling of suspense when they interacted. He might be showing Fiona where he’d put the twelve pack of paper towels, but his words entered her ears like passionate poetry. To her, “The paper towels are in the pantry” might as well have been “I want to roam my fingers all over your body.”

  It was a delicious kind of agony. On the nights before and after she babysat, Fiona would lie in bed with her headphones on and listen to Rickie Lee Jones, Van Morrison, R.E.M., or Bruce Springsteen and dream of Henry. She’d replay scenes in her head of the many times she’d made dinner, then gotten to watch him devour the meal. She’d remember his compliments as he rapturously savored a bite of a pork chop or a forkful of green beans, looking across the table at Fiona as he praised her cooking. It was addictive, and every dinner Fiona prepared for Henry was another chance to feel his admiration touch her like a lover’s caress.

  If Grandma Mary was aware of the sexual tension between Henry and Fiona, she was tactful enough to ignore it. The last thing Fiona wanted was a lecture on how inappropriate it was for her to be lusting after a newly-widowed man. She knew instinctively that Henry’s grief should prevent him from dating for at least a year after his wife’s death. She also knew that Henry’s heart was broken. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was the sexual desire. Fiona was relieved, though, to have a good reason not to act on her feelings. She’d be devastated if Henry rejected her. The shame and humiliation would be unbearable if that were to happen. Fiona might even have to leave town if she made a pass at Henry and he turned her away.

  *****

  So, the weeks went by. Fiona played house with Henry and Ryan on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturday mornings. She cooked, tidied, and read endless books to Ryan. Almost every time she babysat, she would bundle the boy in warm layers and push him over the plowed sidewalks of Fireside to the library, where they’d play with puzzles and pick out new books. Ryan always fell asleep on the way back to the house, and Fiona would gently transport him to his crib, then start her dinner preparations.

  Chapter 21

  Fiona’s nineteenth birthday was on December 3rd, and it fell on a Tuesday, so she celebrated by cooking her own birthday dinner. She had decided to make spinach lasagna and, after Ryan went down for his nap, she went into the kitchen and began to grate the mozzarella. While she was staring down at her hands, careful not to let her knuckles get too close to the cheese grater, the telephone on the kitchen wall rang. Startled, since it rarely rang, Fiona’s hand jerked and one of the sharp slots caught the edge of the knuckle on her index finger. As she answered the phone, she saw a bubble of very bright red blood rising from her finger.

  “Fiona, it’s Henry.” His voice over the phone line sent a wave of excitement through her. She dropped into a kitchen chair.

  “Hi! What’s up? Ryan just went down for his nap and I’m starting dinner.” She took a napkin from the plastic yellow holder on the table and placed it on her finger. She watched, fascinated, as the napkin greedily absorbed the blood.

  “What are we having?” Henry asked. His voice sounded deeper on the phone than it did in person.

  “Spinach lasagna,” Fiona said in a fake “prim” voice. She didn’t mention that it was her birthday because she didn’t want him to think he needed to do anything special for her, like stop on the way home and get a cheesy birthday card at the Golden Goose.

  “Ooh, sounds exotic,” Henry said and she smiled.

  “Of course.” Fiona pressed the napkin to her bloody knuckle. She was reminded for a moment of a fairy tale; something about a baby christening and a drop of blood on a white gown from a spinning wheel, but she couldn’t remember which fairy tale it was from. “Healthy but delicious,” she murmured to Henry.

  “I’m looking forward to it already.” Henry sighed happily into the phone. “And to the leftovers in my lunchbox tomorrow.”

  She slumped down at the kitchen table, simply enjoying the sound of his voice. Then it took on a serious tone. “Listen, Fiona,” he began, “I’ve got a situation here that you might be able to help me with.”

  Fiona sat up straight. “Of course… what is it?”

  His voice dropped like he was trying not to be overheard. “There’s a young woman I work with. Her name is Madden.”

  Fiona was surprised by the surge of jealousy she felt when Henry uttered the sentence “a young woman I work with.”

  “She has a little brother named Eric,” Henry continued, “who plays for the Fireside High School hockey team. He’s a really good player, a left wing, and he’s a senior this year. It’s, like, the most important year for him because scouts from colleges and Juniors teams have been coming to his games. Anyway, the high school hired a new coach, an uncle of someone on the local Board of Education, and Eric hasn’t been getting along with this guy. Last night at practice, the coach told Eric he was moving him down to the second line. I don’t know how much you know about sports, but that’s not good for Eric, especially with scouts coming to games.”

  Fiona knew nothing about sports. She had located a box of Band-Aids in a drawer next to the sink and she wrapped one around her finger.

  “The scouts are going to notice that Eric’s been moved down, which could hurt his chances of playing college hockey or Juniors,” Henry continued. “Plus, it was just humiliating, so Eric got really pissed and slammed his stick against the boards.” Fiona nodded even though Henry couldn’t see her.

  “That’s bad sportsmanship, so the new coach kicked him out of practice and told him he was going to sit Eric for the next game. This would have been a disaster for Eric because, apparently, a scout from a Juniors team in Canada was coming to the next game just to see Eric play.”

  Fiona wondered why Henry was telling her this, but she was enjoying sitting in his cozy kitchen and listening to his voice. She picked up a pen from a basket neat the phone and dreamily began to draw a picture of a horse on
the back of a takeout menu.

  “So anyway,” Henry continued, "Eric stormed out of the rink wearing just his warm-ups.”

  “This happened last night?” Fiona asked, slowly realizing where the story was going. She sat up straighter.

  “Yeah,” Henry said, “and no one has seen or heard from him since.”

  “Jesus,” Fiona whispered. “Was he on foot? No car?”

  “No. He got a ride to practice from another player on the team.”

  “Have they told the police?” Fiona asked.

  “Of course,” Henry said, “everyone’s looking for Eric. If you turn on WFIR, it’s all they’re talking about. They started searching the woods and Fireside Lake today. They’ve got the whole hockey team out looking, and half the high school.”

  “Wow,” Fiona said, “I didn’t hear anything about it. That’s so terrifying.” She realized she was biting her lip and she relaxed her jaw before her front teeth cut into the chapped skin.

  Henry’s voice dropped even lower. Fiona wondered if Madden, Eric’s sister, was nearby. “It doesn’t take long to freeze to death in these temperatures.”

  Her stomach clenched. She glanced out the kitchen window, the panes studded with frost.

  “Anyway,” Henry said, “I was wondering if you’d be able to, like, pick up on anything, like where Eric might be.”

  Fiona nodded. “Of course,” she said. “Of course I’ll try.”

  “Okay, cool,” Henry exhaled, sounding relieved. “What do you need? Like, a piece of Eric’s clothing or something?”

  “That would help,” she said, “but I should probably go to where he was last seen. The ice rink, I suppose?”

  “Okay, let me talk to Madden. I’m going to see if my boss will let me leave work early and I’ll come get you and Ryan.”

  “Madden’s okay with this?” Fiona asked. “She knows what I...do?”

  “Yes,” Henry answered. “She’s been to your grandma a couple of times over the years. Your grandmother was the one who told her she was going to meet Michael.”