Cartomancy (7 page)

Chapter 23

A few weeks had passed and Waverly finally
came over to see Astrid. “Can we talk?” She texted Astrid from out
in the front yard. After a few minutes Astrid replied “Took you
long enough, but whatevs.” Waverly went up onto the porch and began
shuffling her tarot cards at the table. Astrid came outside with
two cans of pop and some chips in a bowl. For a moment the girls
sat quietly, not knowing what to say, then Astrid’s phone buzzed
and vibrated on the table. She looked at the text message: “Well
this is awkward.” She let out a loud sigh and rolled her eyes. “Did
you seriously just text me?” Waverly took her friends hand in hers.
“Please believe me, I did not mean to say the thing that we aren’t
talking about. It was an accident. I thought it would be funny. I
didn’t know it would be headline news all over the world.” Astrid
began to cry. “But, you DID say it! And now everyone thinks that
I’m some vampire-freak!” Now both girls were crying. Waverly got up
and put her arms around her best friend. “I am so sorry Astrid, I
really wanted to come sooner but I’ve been grounded. No electronics
or anything. Can you please just forgive me? You’re my best friend.
People are talking about me too, it isn’t just you!” Astrid looked
up and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Is that supposed to make me
feel better? The whole world not only thinks I am a freak, but my
best friend too? You know that NO boys are ever going to talk to us
when school starts!” Waverly sat at Astrid’s feet and looked up at
her. “Probably not, and maybe nobody will. That’s why we have to
stick together. We’re all that we’ve got.” Waverly sat back in her
chair and Astrid drew her legs up and sat with her head on her
knees. “Listen Waverly, I came over here today to talk you and to
see where we go from here. A lot of people still want readings. I
don’t know what to tell them. Astrid took a drink of her soda and a
handful of chips and tried to calm down. “Well, first of all my
parents don’t want me doing it anymore. It’s too disruptive or
something.” She halfway smiled. “I know, my mom doesn’t want me to
either for some odd reason.” Waverly said throwing a chip at
Astrid. “What’s wrong with them, I don’t see what the big deal is.”
Both girls started laughing so hard that Astrid stared coughing and
choking on her chips. “Hey do you wanna come up and see my new
room? We’re finally done with it.” Waverly collected all the cards
that she had been reading. “Umm, sure go on up, gimme a sec, k?”
She reshuffled the cards and dealt again. “Is something wrong
Wave?” Astrid sensed something was up with the cards. “Nope, just
getting some weird readings, it’s nothing. Let’s go see the room
that started all of this mess.” She laughed. “Oh very funny. Get
the chips and come on.” Astrid said grabbing the pop cans and
opening the door. The girls reached the top of the stairs and
Waverly started across the hall to open the door. She walked inside
and her breath stopped. The walls were painted shades of pink
vertical stripes and there were princess drapes and the ceiling was
a beautiful blue cloudy sky. Waverly could not believe what she was
seeing. “Duuuude” was all she could manage to say. Astrid grabbed
Waverly’s shoulders and turned her around. In the corner was the
most elaborate baby crib she had ever seen. “Ummm, do you have
something to tell me Astrid?” Waverly was shaking so bad she almost
dropped her can of pop on the fairytale pink carpet. “Yeah, guess
who’s getting a baby sister?” Waverly’s eyes were huge. “No
freaking way! That explains why your mom kept getting the Wheel of
Fortune card thrown at her. See? The cards don’t lie.” Waverly
hugged Astrid as tightly as she could. “So where is your room now?
Or are you sleeping in the pink palace Big Sis? Omg is your mom
gonna name the baby Queen Anne Victoria? Because that would be the
most EPIC ever!” Waverly was hopping up and down now. “Wow, I
really hope not, but you never can tell with my parents. Astrid led
Waverly down to the hall to a narrow door. It led up a winding
staircase to a huge attic loft. At the far end of the room was a
stained glass window. The glass cast brilliant colors all over the
polished wooden floor. At the other end of the room was a round
pedestal where Astrid’s bed was. There was a wooden archway that
framed the entire pedestal. It was like a room within a room. All
of the fabrics on the bed were a deep shade of purple, almost
black. There was a huge black carpet on the middle of the floor and
the edges were eggplant purple tassels. A long, antique couch was
against the exposed brick wall. It looked very much at home in the
QAV. Directly above it was a skylight. It was the most awesome room
Waverly had ever seen. She looked around the room with her mouth
hanging open. There was a very small round room off to the side
unlike anything Waverly had ever seen before. In the room was a
small round table with a crystal ball in the center. Waverly went
to the room and sat. “My mom thought the table was a nice touch. I
don’t know what the original purpose of this room could have been,
but I LOVE it. Oh and look at this!” Astrid ran over to her bed and
grabbed something. She held it behind her back. “Close your eyes
and hold out your hands.” Waverly closed one eye. “It’s not
something gross is it?” Astrid sighed. “Don’t be such a chicken!
Close both eyes please and just trust me.” Waverly held out her
hand and closed both eyes. She felt something kind of furry and
opened her eyes. It was a tiny, crocheted coffin. “My grandma made
it for me, isn’t it cool? The lid opens and everything.” Once
again, Waverly was astounded. “I literally can’t even! OMG Astrid,
you actually got a coffin in your room! That is pretty cool.”
Astrid hugged her tiny coffin and ran to put it back in its place.
“Well, she crocheted a bunch of baby stuff for QAV2, and she didn’t
want me to feel left out I guess.” Waverly held up her hand. “Aaand
because she loves you.” Astrid nodded her head in agreement. “Yes,
that too.” She smiled. Astrid sat at the table with Waverly and
they stared into the crystal ball. Finally Waverly picked the ball
up and shook it. “It’s not a magic crystal ball; it’s just a glass
orb for the garden I think. Anyway, I already tried that.” Astrid
giggled. “Well, what were you trying to ask it?” Waverly wondered
aloud. “What we are going to do about all of the people who still
want readings? Not to mention all of the people that we already
promised readings to. I have a huge list of people who still are
interested. Astrid groaned. It was all she could think to do.
“Well, what if we set up a social media page and we would just tell
the Questioners their cards?” Waverly offered. “Yeah, but how would
we get paid?” Astrid said half joking. “Also, the Questioners need
to be able to choose their own cards somehow. I mean, it’s a good
idea.” Astrid put her face in her hands and moaned loudly. “We’ll
think of something my darling, don’t worry.” Waverly said as she
patted Astrid on the head. “Let’s see what the cards have to say,
shall we?” Waverly laid out an intricate triangle pattern around
the glass ball. She turned the cards over and began studying them.
There was a faint knock on Astrid’s door at the bottom of the
stairs. “Um, the cards say that you are about to have a visitor.”
Waverly laughed and kicked Astrid under the table. “Wow, you are
truly gifted.” Astrid said in the most monotone voice she could
manage. Astrid opened the door to two of the most unlikely people
she could have ever imagined being together. Her grandma and Asia.
“May we come up Mistress Astrid?” her grandma said with a flourish.
“Yes?” Astrid answered truly puzzled. She skipped ahead a few steps
so she could enter the room before they got to the top of the
stairs. Waverly looked up from the cards as Astrid was approaching
and mouthing the word “wowsers.” Waverly got up to peek around
Astrid to see who it was. She was no less puzzled by this odd pair
of visitors. “Astrid aren’t you going to invite us to sit on your
Davenport?” Her grandma asked sitting down. “Grandma why do you
always say that word? It’s just a couch, or a sofa.” Astrid has
asked her grandma this same question for most of her life. “Because
that’s what they were called when I was a girl and I just grew up
saying it.” She answered for at least the hundredth time. “However,
in this case I’m afraid it really is true. This piece of furniture
came with this house, and it has been here since the 1920’s at
least.” This seemed pretty cool and also creepy to Astrid. “So, you
mean people probably died on it?” Waverly asked dragging a chair
from the round room to sit upon. “Well, most people did die at home
in those days, so I’m sure it’s possible. Plus, this house was
originally a funeral parlor, so who knows what went on.” Astrid’s
grandma said waving her hand in the air. “I’m sorry, what?” Astrid
said staggering backwards. “Which what? About the sofa or the
house?” She asked as if she had said nothing shocking. “THE HOUSE
GRANDMOTHER!” Astrid was turning red and looked ill. “Darling sit
down, you don’t look well. Are you really telling me that your
parents never mentioned it to you before?” Astrid shook her head
no. “So there have been plenty of coffins in this house before.”
Waverly said trying to lighten the mood. “I am so freaked out right
now.” Astrid said shaking. “For heaven’s sake Astrid, it isn’t that
big of a deal and it was a long time ago.” Her grandma held her
hand and tried to sound reassuring. “At least you’re at the top of
the house now. All of the funerals would have been downstairs in
the parlor.” Astrid clapped her hand over her mouth and inhaled
deeply. “Is that why it’s called the parlor? I thought it meant
they always had ice-cream in there, like an ice-cream parlor.”
Astrid felt like world had just been flipped. “Astrid darling you
really are making way too big a deal out of this, no wonder your
mom and dad didn’t ever tell you.” Her grandma was starting to
sound cross. Waverly and Asia just sat staring at the floor. Astrid
stood and took a few deep breaths. “Ok, I will deal with this
later. Sorry you had to witness that Asia. Did you come to the
funeral parlor with the grim reaper over here, or did you guys just
happen to get here at the same time?” Astrid asked trying to remain
calm. “Well, I was volunteering at the Senior Center, and I knew
your grandma from there. I didn’t know she was your grandma though
until I saw her at the press conference fiasco.” Asia said. “Ooh
yeah, sorry about your mom fainting and all that.” Waverly said.
“Oh don’t be, it’s all part of an act. She does it at church too.
My mom can fake faint better than anyone.” Asia said proudly. “Ok,
still sorry.” Astrid said sitting on the death couch. “So, I was
volunteering tonight and your grandma and I staring talking, and
she said she was coming over here to see you and I asked if I could
come too. I hope that’s okay. I can go if you want.” She started to
get up. “No, no it’s totally cool if you stay. What kind of
volunteering were you doing?” Astrid asked. “I help teach some
computer classes to the seniors.” Asia said. “Help? She does more
than help, this kids a computer whiz. She knows a lot about
computer systems and all that mumbo jumbo. That’s why she only goes
to school with you half- days. She is already taking high school
classes.” Asia blushed. “I guess I am a little bit tech-savvy.” She
said modestly. Waverly sat up at this news. “You don’t say? Well
this is good turn of events. Maybe you can help us figure out a way
to do Tarot Readings online or something.” Waverly was suddenly
very excited at knowing another high school student, even if she
was only a half way one. “Ha! My mom would NEVER let me do that.
However, if you come to the senior center, I can teach you how to
create an App.” Asia said this like she routinely did them in her
sleep. “Do you really think that is something we can do? It sounds
complicated.” Astrid said. “Like I said I can walk you guys through
the application building process. But like with anything else, the
key is in marketing.” Asia said sounding very professional. “Oh we
don’t seem to have a problem with that part. We already have a lot
of interested people. We just have no way to get to them since
we’ve been banned from actual Tarot Card readings.” Waverly said
still peeved at the prospect of not being able to read cards. “This
sounds like the perfect plan to me. I’m excited for all of you
girls.” Astrid’s grandma said as she walked towards the door. “Let
me walk you downstairs grandma, I don’t want you to fall or
anything.” Astrid said following her grandma. The two went down the
curvy staircase and out into the hall. Astrid walked her grandma
out to her car. Her grandma was looking for her keys and Astrid
hugged her from behind. “Well, what’s all this about Astrid? You
aren’t still scared of the house are you?” Her grandma said not
looking for the keys now. “Nope not scared, I just love you. Thank
you for bringing Asia over, I don’t think she has many friends at
school.” Her grandma seemed puzzled. “What do you mean? She said
that you and Waverly are her best friends at school.” She hugged
her grandma again. “Grandma, I have a name for the App already.”
Her grandma smiled. “What would that be my dear?” She asked her
current favorite granddaughter. “The Card Catalog” Astrid said
winking at her grandma. Astrid’s grandma got into her car and began
to back out of the driveway. She got to the street and stopped, she
rolled down the window and yelled to Astrid. “Be careful what you
wish for.

Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed
it, won’t you please take a moment to leave me a review at your
favorite retailer?

Thanks!

Kristin Cook

Friend me:
https://www.facebook.com/brihanma

Favorite me at Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/brihanma