Page 82 of Between Now & Heartbreak

“They’d be great if you were like fifty-five, worked on Wall Street during the day, played Daenerys Stringboard’s body double at night, and sold Mary Kay as your side hustle.”

I laugh incredulously. Amused and offended at once.

“Wow. Thanks for lying to me every other time you’ve told me I look great.” I say accusingly.

She smiles coaxingly.

“Oh honey. If you want to wear pink power suits and that blonde hair, cool. You’re beautiful, no matter what you wear. I’m just saying…you’re your own woman. You should look like it.”

I run a hand over my uncovered head. My hair has grown and is almost chin length now. “This is more how I looked when I met him. He liked it.”

“Doyoulike it?” she asks.

“Yeah. But, I always did.” I look down at the beautiful but matronly pink silk housedress I’m wearing and grimace.

“I wouldn’t mind some regular clothes. You’re right about these. They’re beautifully made, but they’re not sexy, right?”

Then I remember my financial situation and I groan. “I can’t go shopping right now. It doesn’t matter. Carter likes me the way I am.” I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster.

Dina grins excitedly and rubs her hands together.

“Oh, honey, I came prepared.” She nods back at the door and that’s when I notice her suitcases.

“I’ve got clothes, shoes and make up. Not that you need much.” She brushes a lock of hair behind my ear.

“You’re so damn beautiful, we have plenty of time to kill now that I brought the store and salon to you. So, I want to take you somewhere.”

* * *

I followDina through the unbelievably cliché beaded curtain that separates the rooms in the bungalow style house that, against my better judgement, I followed her into.

“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” I whisper as we sit down at the small card table in the center of the room.

“That’s really sad.” Dina deadpans.

“I don’t believe—”

“Welcome ladies,” a voice behind us booms. I turn to see a woman with short curly brown hair that’s sticking out of a blue baseball cap. She’s dressed in red tights, topped with a bright green bra that just barely fits. That’s it. Oh, besides the pair of shimmery blue butterfly wings tied around her torso and onto her back. She’s sipping a green smoothie out of a huge glass jug that I’m sure we gave out at the Wolfe sponsored booth at the county fair last spring.

“Ummm, what the hell is this?” I ask in a furious whisper.

She smiles innocently and says, “Madame Mindy has been telling our fortunes for years.”

“Who isours?” I ask in surprise and try to avoid looking at the mad fairy who just sat across the table from me.

“Me and my mom.”

“It’s okay, baby, you don’t need to explain .” Madame Mindy says to Dina.

Then she turns her surprisingly sharp, dark eyes on me.

“They’re all doubters at first.”

“I’m sorry— I just haven’t done this before.” I give her a wan smile

She smiles serenely and pulls her baseball cap off. Her hair has an indent from where it’s been sitting and she looks more like a trucker babe than a psychic. I almost laugh, until I see a stoic expression in her eyes.

“You mustn’t apologize. The thank you card you’ll send me will make up for the sting of your doubt.”

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