“I’m getting married,” Skylar said breathlessly. “This fall.”
“Skylar! You’re not supposed to tell her that.” Jillian threw a hand up. “She’s supposed to guess it.”
Madam Psuka chuckled. “I might have guessed it. Is obviously very strong bond between them.”
“Anything else?” Skylar said eagerly.
“Just the feeling of calm. I believe you are entering new phase of your life that will be long-lasting and peaceful and happy.”
Skylar practically floated back to her spot on the rug. “Your turn, Nat.”
I scooted in front of the medium and held out my hand.
“A skeptic.” Madam Psuka sized me up correctly.
“Maybe I am a little skeptical,” I admitted. “But what the heck? I’m here.”
She took my hand and held it between both of hers, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. Within seconds, I felt a sort of humming sensation in my arm, and it was more than a little disconcerting. While both of my sisters had closed their eyes during their readings, I kept mine open.
“You are organizer, planner, manager. You are dedicated and idealistic. Vhat you conceive in your mind you are able to achieve because you are practical, talented, and villing to vork. You know how to get a job done. But you may appear stubborn because once you make a decision, you follow it through to the end, right or wrong.”
“Wow,” Skylar breathed. “That’s so right on.”
I bristled a little. Following through wasn’t being stubborn; that was tenacity.
“You must be careful not to get too caught up in the daily routine, because you might miss opportunities that—oh. Oh my.” Madam Psuka frowned and she gripped my hand tighter.
“What?” My heart thumped a few erratic beats. “What do you see?”
“It is…” She muttered something in another language, maybe Polish. “It is total chaos. As if your entire life is turning upside down.”
“What?” Jillian spoke up behind me. “Why?”
Madam Psuka turned her head to the side, forehead furrowed. “Because of man.”
“Wait, man in general? Like mankind?” I asked.
“No. Vun man.”
“Vun man?” Jillian repeated. “What is that?”
“One man,” I clarified, relief easing between my shoulder blades. I mean, duh. It was the imminent proposal, of course. It was my boyfriend of ten years.
“Is his name Dan?” Skylar blurted.
“I don’t know his name.” She opened her eyes and looked at me. “And neither do you. He is a stranger.”
Jillian clucked her tongue. “Oh, that is so unfair. Natalie gets the handsome stranger?”
“No. Don’t be ridiculous.” I pulled my hand back from Madam Psuka and stood. “Thank you very much for the readings, but we should go now.”
“You are very velcome. I hope you come back again.” She rose to her feet, as did my sisters.
We said goodbye and clomped back down the stairs, Jillian broody, Skylar dreamy, and me determined not to let some fake hocus-pocus ruin my night. A stranger was going to upend my life? What the hell? There was no way! I’d worked way too hard to get where I was, I had everything I’d ever wanted right in front of me, and no stranger, handsome or not, was going to change that.
Still.
I couldn’t help but vonder.