Page 48 of Keller

"I try to at least a few times a week. It clears my head and gets me moving, since I spend most of the work day behind a computer."

By now, we've been running close to forty minutes. There is a peace about it once my lungs got over the initial assault.

"We just hit four miles. You good, or want to keep going?"

I stop jogging as my answer and double over as I catch my breath. She stops a few steps ahead of me and stretches her quad.

"You okay?" She asks.

"I'm good. I liked it, but my body needs to get used to the cardio."

"Let's walk it off, maybe grab a coffee or something."

"Yeah, that sounds great."

We pass a tarot reader setting up at a small folding table beneath a tree. Candles, cards, and a worn purple cloth spread across the surface. The woman arranging the cards looks up and smiles at us. She's older, maybe sixty, with silver hair wrapped in a scarf.

"I've got a special deal for you two beautiful people. Two for one. Come on. Join me."

Quinn stops.

"Let's do it," she says.

I glance at the table. "You believe in that?"

"No. But it could be fun."

The tarot reader gestures to two chairs across from her. "Good morning. Sit, please."

We sit. The woman reaches for Quinn's hands first, turning them palm up. The silver bracelet clinks on the small metal table. She studies the lines without speaking, then looks at Quinn's face.

"Opportunity," she says. "Advancement. A choice between loyalty and truth. You'll have to decide which matters more."

Quinn's fingers twitch. It's a small movement, barely there, but I see it.

"Let's come back to that, yeah?"

Quinn smiles faintly and nods her head once. Then the reader releases her hands and reaches for mine. Her touch is warm and soft, like she just put on lotion. She traces one finger along the center of my palm. The clamminess from our run is still present.

"Maternal presence," she says. "Unresolved weight from the past. It will demand answers soon."

My chest tightens. The air is heavier suddenly, and I pull my hand back and lean away from the table.

I stand and drop cash on the table.

"My leg is cramping up. You two finish, I'm going to go over here and stretch."

I'm lightheaded. I tell myself it is the run and the sudden stop, not the fact that a stranger just put her finger on the one thing I do not discuss.

What the absolute fuck?

THIRTEEN

Quinn

Parade Permits:Every Carnival parade organized by a krewe requires a city-issued permit, outlining approved routes, security measures, and timing. These regulations ensure public safety while balancing the logistical demands of large-scale celebrations with the traditions each krewe seeks to uphold.

The tarot readerwatches Keller walk away for only a split second before turning back to me. "Perhaps he's not ready. Shall we continue?"