As Victor reaches for the door, Jon stops him, “Are you sure you want to go in there?”
“Why not?” Victor asks.
Jon looks over at Lucas with a worried expression, and Lucas shrugs in response.
“No reason,” Jon says as he steps back to stand beside Lucas.
The friends walk inside. The smell of incense and tobacco lingers in the air. As they look around, tapestries and a couple of stuffed cats are on the walls. Black metal light fixtures hang from the ceiling and look like they haven’t been dusted in months.Around the corner, they can hear cards being shuffled. Over the shuffling, they hear a woman’s voice.
“Come in,chersandchères.”
When they turn the corner, the woman Victor has been seeing is sitting behind a large round table. Five empty seats are already waiting, plus two more seats behind them. Victor stops in the doorway, the hair on his arms and neck standing on end.She is real.
The woman gestures for everyone to take a seat. “Welcome,” she smiles. “I’ve been expecting you.” As Victor’s friends gatheraround the table, Victor hesitates to approach her. The woman locks eyes with Victor and smiles softly.
A tobacco pipe sits on the table next to her. A plume of smoke hangs over the pipe as it slowly evaporates into the air. She keeps her eyes on Victor as she continues shuffling the tarot cards.
“I hope each of you are enjoying my hometown,” she comments, finally acknowledging the rest of the group.
Victor blinks a few times before he walks over to the table. “We are,” Victor responds as he takes a seat directly across from the woman, as his friends pair off to the other empty seats. Jon and Lucas take the seats in the back, keeping quiet as the woman speaks to the others.
“We’re celebrating his birthday,” Elliott comments, gesturing his thumb over to Victor.
The woman smiles and clasps her hands together while still holding the cards. “Well, happy birthday,chéri. How many times around the sun have you been?”
“I turned 32 yesterday,” Victor responds shyly.
“Well, I hope the locals are making your birthday memorable.” She sets the deck of cards down and holds out her hands. “I am Madame Jeanette, and this is my home. I’ve been living here for over 50 years. But you can’t tell, can you, huh?” She gives a little wink.
“I love your accent,” Lupe says.
Madame Jeanette smirks as she picks up her pipe to take a puff. “Well,chérie, I enjoy my accent too.” She reaches over to grab Lupe’s hand closest to her. She turns Lupe’s hand over and examines the palm while puffing on her pipe. “I see great things for you,chérie. Lots of love is in your life. Maybe marriage?” Madame Jeanette smiles with her pipe as she looks at Amber.
Lupe perks up and gets a little bashful, “I just proposed to Amber a couple of months ago.” Lupe looks over at Amber. The two giggle and lean against each other’s shoulders.
Madame Jeanette smiles at Lupe and Amber, “Congratulations, you two.” She then turns her gaze over to Frank and Elliott sitting next to her. She takes Frank’s hand and studies his palm. “A strong soul, very loving, and cherishes family. But a bit stubborn.”
Elliott giggles, “She read you.” Frank jabs Elliott with his elbow.
Madame Jeanette sits back in her seat and starts shuffling her cards. “Who would like to go first? Ladies maybe? Or what about one of you handsome gentlemen?”
“I’ll go,” Frank answers. “Why not see what my future holds?”
Victor rolls his eyes as Madame Jeanette starts placing a few cards in front of her. “Well, looks like someone is biting off more than he can chew.” She points at a reversed “Lovers” card and the “Six of Pentacles”. “You like the enjoyment of spending money on others, but don’t want a commitment.”
Victor snickers, “He doesn’t spend money on anyone but himself.”
Frank bites back, “Hey, I’ve been spending money on you.”
“Yeah, only because it’s my birthday. But when it comes to dinner with that guy you’ve been seeing, you ask to split the check,” Victor argues.
“Which guy are you talking about?” Frank asks, crossing his arms. “I’ve had many.”
Madame Jeanette takes the cards back and then shuffles again. She looks over at Victor and flips over three cards: “The Devil”, “Death”, and “Judgement”. Three powerful Major Arcana cards of the tarot. Victor looks at the three on the table. “The “Devil” card is upside down, and the other two are upright. Madame Jeanette turns over one more card. The “Wheel of Fortune.” Upright. Victor remains silent.
“Is everything okay,chéri?” Madame Jeanette asks, letting out a puff of smoke.
Victor finally looks up into Madame Jeanette’s eyes. “Yes, everything is fine.” All the while, he thinks,What in the flying fuckery is this? Her cards didn’t read properly to Frank, but my relationship is spread across the table in front of everyone.
