[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
chips in front of her.
Thank you. Betsy glanced down, surprised to see the cup only held an inch of liquid. Where s
the tea?
Madame Rousseau s pale red eyebrows shot up. Did you really want to drink a cup of tea? You
said you were a coffee person, so I put a fresh pot on to brew. You don t need to drink the tea for me
to do the reading.
Betsy smiled ruefully. I was going to make an exception. But no, I didn t really want the tea.
I know. She grinned back. Coffee will be ready soon.
You re taking awfully good care of me. She guessed Madame Rousseau was in her early thirties
and wondered if she had children. She seemed like the motherly type, and it was easy to imagine her
baking cookies for kids getting off the bus, enfolding them in her arms and flowing skirts. Betsy stifled
a sigh. Her school bus had dropped her off in front of Last Call, and she d done her homework with a
Shirley Temple and bar fruit in front of her.
I do have a son, Madame Rousseau said.
Betsy blinked. Was I thinking that loudly?
I can sense thoughts if they re tied to strong emotion and the desire to share.
Betsy shook her head. I m not much of a sharer.
But you re here, which means you re planning to share something. Let s see what it is. She
motioned at the cup. Wrap your hand around it, close your eyes, and ask the question of your heart.
Betsy wanted to know if Last Call would open for dinner. But in the darkness behind her eyelids,
all she could see was Quin.
Now open your eyes and spin the cup three times, full circle.
Clockwise or counterclockwise? she asked, wanting to get it right.
You choose.
After three clockwise spins, Betsy sat back, and Madame Rousseau placed the saucer upside-down
atop the cup. Flip it. Carefully, she admonished, although Betsy would have been cautious anyway,
not wanting to wear the brew.
Three more turns. Mind your question. Now lift the cup.
She did, watching tea gather in the well, stranding loose leaves on the edge of the shallow saucer.
Madame Rousseau laughed softly. I knew this was going to be interesting.
What do you see? Betsy saw nothing but tea and soggy leaves.
We ve entered the new year. See that? She pointed at a break in the leaves. Big changes for
you.
Despite her inherent skepticism, Betsy felt anxiety stir. Good change or bad change? It didn t
matter. She didn t like any kind of change unless it was part of her plan. I hate surprises.
I see a man on a horse. Royalty. A celebration. A teasing smile tilted Linda s full lips. Perhaps a
handsome prince is headed your way?
Betsy choked on the bite of cookie she had just shoved into her mouth, remembering her discussion
with Quin last night. She swallowed hard. More likely it s one of the four horsemen of the
apocalypse. Death, Famine, War& What s the other one? Pestilence?
Conquest, Madame Rousseau said absently, staring at the leaves.
Well, I m planning on turning Last Call into a successful café if it kills me, so pick a horse, any
horse, I ll ride it. She heard the nervousness in her voice but Madame Rousseau didn t appear to be
listening.
Big, big changes& not changes coming down on you. You re making these changes. Great
opportunities. A new job, maybe?
I want to close the bar and open the café for dinner at night. That kind of job? Betsy asked
hopefully.
Linda glanced back into the empty tea cup, as if looking for backup. I see two people dancing in
the bottom of the cup. There s a wedding in your future.
Her heart slammed against her ribs. Only a fortune teller would see a wedding in two leaves
stranded in a teaspoon of weak tea. There is. Both of my best friends just got engaged. I ll be
dancing at a wedding in a bridesmaid s dress before too long.
Linda tapped the saucer. It s your party. Royalty is coming. I see lions standing on their hind legs
and doves flying overhead.
Betsy shook her head. Why had she come here? Lions and birds? Seriously? Are you sure you
don t see gators and ducks? At least I could put them in a gumbo, she joked.
Linda stood, making the bells ring on her skirt. I ll get your coffee. She walked behind the
counter and Betsy considered making up an excuse to leave. There was no wedding in her future, and
the last thing she needed was subliminal fuel for her stupid fairytale fantasies. Quin was leaving, and
she wasn t going to wait around hoping he d come back for a booty call. She scooted her chair away
from the table, but the rich scent of roasted coffee beans wafted across the room. A cup of coffee
would be delicious with the rich, gooey triple-chocolate cookie. She wavered long enough for Linda
to return with two cups of coffee. The one she placed in front of Betsy held a touch of cream, exactly
as she preferred.
A storm is coming. Linda sat and pointed at a swirl of leaves at three o clock. Will you batten
down the hatches, shutter the windows, and stay? Or will you run?
I m not leaving my family. But she already had once, hadn t she? Kate s accusations burned. Her
two years at school had been bliss, but she was paying for them now. She d be paying for them for the
rest of her life. Leaving New Orleans had given her a craving for adventure that could never be
satisfied at Last Call. She shook her head to clear it. Her family needed her. Was she actually buying
into this load of crazy talk about change? She wasn t going anywhere.
Linda pointed at the top of the saucer. Let s review big change. She moved her finger down and
to the right. Storm.
Betsy nodded, trying not to betray her agitation.
Linda gave the tea cup a swirl, making the leaves dance. Love.
Enough with the love. Her voice came out sharper than she d intended. What I ve got going on
right now is the opposite of love.
Linda chuckled and pointed at the empty left half of the saucer.
There s nothing there. What would Madame Rousseau make of that?
Unusual, but not necessarily bad. Separation. Safeguarding. But you aren t alone. Remember that
when the storm hits.
Not alone? Since when? It was up to her to be responsible.
The bell on the door rang and several people entered the shop. Linda squeezed her hand and then
stood to greet them. She directed the crowd into a private room in the back and then turned to Betsy.
Stay as long as you like, and please come back soon. I enjoyed talking with you, and we should do
this again soon. Maybe we ll be able to see a little further out next time.
You ve terrified me enough, thank you, but I ll be back. Betsy gestured at the chocolate crumbs
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]