“It’s fine, come on in.”
Stepping into the heavily incensed air, a woman with dyed blue hair is standing at the register.
“Hey, Alessandra, is Merla reading someone right now?”
“She is, but probably done soon.”The woman says, eyeing me.
“This is, um,” the white-haired woman looks at me.
“Straton.Straton Del Toro.”
“Oh, um, I don’t see an appointment here for a Straton and, well, we are closing now.”
“No worries, Al.I can cover the front while Merla reads him.Go ahead and clock out.”
“Thanks, sorry.I just have a date and don’t want to be late.”
“Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Some rando I met online.I’m not holding my breath, given my luck.”
“I’ll light a candle for you tonight, okay, hun?”
“Thanks, Fleur,” the woman says, giving Merla’s wife a small hug before heading out the door.
A minute later, Merla walks out with a young woman, who is nodding her head enthusiastically at the psychic.
“Thank you, Lady Merla.I promise to follow my instincts.”
“You will do amazing, JoJo, good luck.”
The door closes behind the young woman and Merla turns to me, eyeing me up and down before giving her wife a hello kiss.
“Who have you brought to me, Fleur?”She asks, but before waiting for an answer, she looks perplexed at the register.“And where is Alessandra?”
“I let her go get ready for her date.I can watch the front.This is Straton Del Toro.I found him outside staring at the shop.”
“Well, hello there, Straton Del Toro.How can I help you?”
“Hello, ma’am, um, Lady Merla.My cousin, back in California, has just been matched through your sister, Liora.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!Fleur and I were just in Branwen Beach for Thanksgiving.”
“That’s nice, um, anyway, he suggested I visit you.Like him, I would like to find my true love.”
Merla nods at me, her violet-blue eyes studying my face.
“And you are aware that I don’t do touch magic, correct?And I can only guide you.You still have to make important choices along the way.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Alright, well then, follow me to the back.I still have hot water from the last customer.”
I sit at a small, round table covered in a lacy cloth while watching Lady Merla brew my tea.In the dim light of her parlor, she instructs me to drink the fragrant tea until only a shallow pool remains.She instructs me to swirl the delicate porcelain cup three times counterclockwise while focusing on my question.With practiced hands, Lady Merla carefully inverts the cup onto a saucer, allowing the excess liquid to drain away, before lifting it with a flourish to reveal the mysterious patterns left behind by the clinging leaves.
“Do you celebrate Yule, Straton?”The psychic asks as she studies the wet leaf patterns.
“Uh, not officially or anything.I’ve attended events, though.”
