Page 13 of Witch's Dawn
The whole building was an older Victorian style but kept up well and charming. The wood floors were original and polished to a high shine but what I loved the most were the huge, beautiful windows that let in breathtaking naturallight.
I began my evening after-work ritual of pouring myself a glass of wine and watching the sunset over the herb garden in my front living room window. As far as I was concerned, sunrises and sunsets were the only testaments to the existence of God or anything else unexplainable. Of course, anyone could look up the science-based, atmospheric reasons for all the gorgeous colors in the sky but why take away the beauty and wonder? While I didn't consider myself Christian or even religious anymore, not everything had to be explained scientifically either. The world could still be magical in its ownway.
The sky shifted from orange-pink to a cool, dusty purple before the sun finally slipped below the horizon. I shivered as the temperature dropped even lower and shut my window against thechill.
Wine glass now empty, I hopped off the window seat and returned to my small, humble kitchen to pour another and contemplatedinner.
I didn't even open the fridge before an insistent knock came to mydoor.
Narrowing my eyes into a glare and muttering curses, I stormed over, ready to give my meddling neighbor a piece of my mind.For the third time Janice, I amnotthe one smoking weed out mywindow!
I yanked the door open, ready to hurl some creative words at her but stopped dead in mytracks.
Instead of my uppity hipster neighbor, an elegant, willowy woman with long white hair and bright, amber eyes full of wisdom stood in mydoorway.
She appeared elderly, maybe in her seventies, but not incapacitated in any way. She had clearly aged well and stood with the posture and confidence of someone half herage.
Diana.
The name popped into my head as if someone whispered it, and my pulse quickened. I'd never met this woman in my life and somehow I knew this was the Diana the tarot reader had been alludingto.
"Hello Deja," the woman said with the barest hint of a smile. "Do you know who Iam?"
"Diana," I breathed the name barely above a whisper. Saying it out loud seemed to cement it into reality, which only confused me evenmore.
"Yes, that's my name," the woman chuckled. "But you never used to call methat."
Diana's smile faded at my blank, confused expression. Her brow furrowed as her lips pressed into a thin, tight line. Her eyes even seemed to well up withtears.
"My gods," she whispered, her voice full of emotion. "You really don't remember me, doyou?"
"I'm sorry but no," I said, feeling a stab of pity for her. "What did I used to call you? Maybe it can jog mymemory."
She stepped closer to me and took one of my hands. Immediately a sense of warm, comforting nostalgia filled me. Memories I hadn't recalled in years filled my head and brought a lazy smile to my face. Sunshine and laughter. Cool earth between my fingers and toes. The smell of fresh-cut lavender, thyme, andoregano.
Diana watched my face carefully. She was doing… something to me, something to make me recall these images, scents, and feelings with a simple touch of her hand. I couldn't explain it and wanted to demand,what the fuck is this!But it felt so good and nice, like reuniting with someone I loved that I hadn't seen inyears.
All the feelings and sensations slowly faded away. Her smile returned when my eyes refocused onher.
"You used to call me Grandma," she saidsoftly.
8
DEJA
"Wouldyou mind if I come in, Deja?" Diana asked. "It seems we have a lot to talkabout."
In a daze, I stepped aside to invite her into my apartment. My mind reeled as it sought to make sense of what she just toldme.
"Would you like um, something to drink?" I said as I closed the door behind her, my frayed brain cells somehow still remembering to be hospitable. "Tea?Water?"
A playful gleam twinkled in hereyes.
"Do you intend on sharing that bottle ofwine?"
I grabbed the bottle and two glasses while Diana settled herself down on my couch. I poured in silence, watching the burgundy liquid splash likeblood.
The image of the Tower card flashed through my mind and I wondered if this was that pivotal moment Minerva was referring to. I could ignore some coincidences but this was all proving to be too much toignore.
