Page 41 of The Lady on Esplanade
The fortune teller untethered a small leather bag that was looped around her rope belt.“Before you leave, I have something for you.”She untied the top of the bag and emptied the contents onto the table.
It was an assortment of smooth and rough stones of varying hues and sizes.They seemed to slither together on the cloth, their gentle clink and shine making me want to touch them.
With her finger, Madame Zoe slid a smooth green stone toward Beau.“This is jasper.It will promote courage and quick thinking.And it will support you through times of stress.All of these things will be important to you.”
Beau sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.“Uh-huh.”
Ignoring him, Madame Zoe plucked a purple crystal from the table.“This is amethyst.It’s used for increasing psychic awareness.Your power is strong, yet you turn away from it, hoping your light will diminish.It won’t.If you hone your abilities, you will be able to protect yourself and others.The amethyst can be carried or worn, but I also suggest you place it under your pillow while you sleep for best effect.”
She reached her hand into a tattered Kate Spade tote at her feet and pulled out a small cloth bag.After picking up the green and purple stones, she slid them inside the pouch and handed it to Beau.He stared at it for a long moment without moving.I didn’t want to hurt Madame Zoe’s feelings, so I was reaching for it when Beau finally took it.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling like the mother of a toddler who needed to be reminded of his manners.
“I have some for you, too.”Using her index finger to shuffle through the stones on the table, she selected a smooth black one, the dense color clouding the sun’s reflection.“This is an obsidian.To help process emotions and experiences, and aid in letting go of people andthings that plague us.Including unhealthy habits that wait inside us, looking for a weak moment.”
Our eyes met over the stone, and I wondered how she knew.It wasn’t that I hid the fact that I was a recovering alcoholic, but I didn’t advertise it, either.
She returned to the small pile of stones, flicking through them until she selected another one, then slid a smooth pink stone in my direction.“This is rose quartz.It is used mostly for love and romance.”
I held it up between my thumb and index finger, admiring the way the sun pierced the murky pink stone, which clarified the light as it passed between my fingers.Madame Zoe sent me a meaningful glance.“It enhances connections and restores harmony in relationships.It also provides comfort and calm during times of grief.”She dropped both stones into another small bag and handed it to me.
I took it, feeling confused.“I’m not sure if any of that applies to me, but thank you.”
“You are still grieving for someone you lost long ago.You will continue to grieve until you’ve made your peace with her.”
Blood ran to my head in a hot rush.“How…”
It was Beau’s turn to place a calming hand on me.“It’s time to go.”He stood, taking my elbow so that I stood at the same time.Madame Zoe remained seated, as if too exhausted to stand.To Beau, she said, “I gave stones to Adele.For protection and clear thinking.”
“Not that it did any good,” he said, reaching for his wallet.“How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing.Consider it a gift from your mother.And maybe think about inviting me as a guest on your podcast to see if I’m a fake?Later, of course, after all of this makes sense.Because it will.The universe has a way of settling into its cracks eventually.”
Beau shoved his wallet back into his jeans.“I have no idea what that means, but whatever.This has been very entertaining at least.”
She opened her mouth in a broad smile, as if she’d just been let in on a huge joke.
“Thank you,” I said, remembering the manners Melanie and my two grandmothers had drilled into me since I’d first arrived in Charleston.Whether or not Beau wanted to admit it, Madame Zoe knew things any normal person couldn’t have known.And she had given him answers—or at least a path to answers.I could only hope that the cracks in the universe she’d mentioned weren’t on a fault line and that the ground beneath our feet hadn’t already begun to shift.
CHAPTER 13
I jogged to keep up with Beau as he left the square, not slowing down even when a group on a guided tour crossed his path.I muttered apologies as I followed in his wake and grabbed hold of his jacket when I got close enough.
“Where are you going?”I asked, distracted by the sweet smell of powdered beignets wafting from Café du Monde.
“To the truck.I still have the newspaper Honey gave me.”
“Right,” I said, pretending I hadn’t forgotten.Too much weird stuff was happening, and it was messing with my brain.Still walking fast, he turned to me.“Take this,” he said, handing me the small cloth pouch from Madame Zoe.
While jogging to keep up, I took it from him and shoved it into my backpack with mine.When we reached the truck I tried to hide my heavy breathing, embarrassed at how out of shape I was.I’d stopped my daily runs in Audubon Park, needing more time before seeing Michael again or being reminded of the first time I’d seen him there.I’d find a new route or the courage to return.Eventually.Maybe tomorrow.
Beau jerked open the rear door, then groaned.
“What’s wrong?”
He reached inside and yanked something out to show me.I knew before I saw the round head and sightless eyes that it was the creepy baby doll.
“I thought you were bringing it to Mimi.”
