“Nighty, you. Who needs sleep? Love you.” She gave Ginny a wave and they both hung up.
Seriously, who needed sleep? She hadn’t slept well in a week. A nice soak in a hot tub should help, right? She went to pour herself a glass of wine and think about what to pack.
2
“No, Idina. The death card simply means change. Please don’t stress it. You’ve been looking for a new career. This is a great sign.” Bekka shook her head and smiled, even though her client couldn’t see her over the phone. “Please breathe.”
I love my clients. They pay my rent. They keep me in clothes and Swiss cake rolls.It was a mantra Bekka used…pretty much daily.
“But Bekka, honey. What if I have cancer? What if I die? What then?”
The temptation to point out that she was a tarot reader, not a minister, was huge, but it didn’t help. “Breathing, remember? In and out.”
Her personal cell vibrated in her pocket, and she glanced at the time.
Dammit. She had gone over. Again.
“I have to run, Idina. You have a blessed day, and I’ll talk to you in two weeks. I can’t wait to hear about your new job! Bye!” She hung up before Idina could distract her.
She sighed and leaned back into her overstuffed couch-bed-office situation. Life was expensive, but she was free and happy,
Not in love, but that was okay.
It wasn’t in the cards.
Her phone buzzed again, so she grabbed it. Everyone knew she was working, so it must be serious.
She flipped a card. Huh. Page of Cups. Must be—
“Bry! How’s the ski mountain business treating you?”
“Great! I’m about to give you a two-week all-expenses-paid vacation to Pines Peak, and you’re going to say yes to everything I ask you because you’re my sister, and you love me.” Bryan took a breath. “Please.”
“What? Why? What happened? Are you okay?”
“You know that big honeymoon package contest I ran to try to impress the higher-ups?”
“Yes.” Bry had been talking about it for weeks. She knew every detail. She’d seen every social media post and heard every satellite radio spot. She knew every single activity, perk and amenity that came along with the package, right down to the champagne-filled honeymoon suite featuring a luxury King bed and the hot tub on a private balcony with a view of the snow-capped mountains. “I remember.”
“The one that ran for weeks and weeks, and we got thousands of entries?”
Really? “Mhm.”
“The one that I was hoping would get me a promotion? That one?”
“I know, Bry. I know. Big, big deal.” She smiled, hoping that he would be able to hear it in her voice.
“Are you ready for this? They’re not getting married. The winners. They didn’t get married.”
“Oh, god…what happened? When did you find out? That’s awful!” A little bit funny, maybe, but she’d never let that out. She wasn’t the marrying kind.
There was a short pause, and Bryan’s voice was calmer when he answered. “I don’t know. Shit. That has to suck, right? I was kind of pushy with her on the phone, I hope I didn’t…wow.”
“You didn’t…pushy? I—What?” How could he have been pushy with a deserted bride? Or groom? No, he said she, that was bridey.
“I… I talked her into coming alone.”
Okay, her brother had done some dumb shit before, but this was special. “That…how’s that supposed to make things better? Reminding her that she got broken up with.”