Chapter 45

"Dearie…I get a feeling that this reading is turning out to be a bit of both your work life and your personal one," Clara said.

"I was getting that same feeling," Nigel told her.

"The next card is the outer workings of the situation. The Prince of Swords tells us that words will be exchanged forcefully. Sarcastic or cutting words will provoke a conflict. You will not be involved in this argument…but you may witness it…and its outcome will effect you…so you need to be aware of what is happening."

"Maybe I can prevent it if I see it happening?" Nigel asked hopefully.

"I doubt that Dearie…usually when something falls in the outer workings of the reading it means that it is something that you will have no control over. Now this next card is things that may help you, it is the Magician, and is telling you that if your willpower is consciously and aggressively directed…you can accomplish all that you visualize. You are challenged to go forward into the world and use your skill and intelligence to produce change for the better! Now that is some challenge Dearie…but I have a feeling that you are up to it!"

"Thank you Clara, that is high praise!" he smiled at her.

She smiled back and patted his hand, then she went on, "The next card is something that can hinder you. The Seven of Pentacles says fear of failing…or worry about the future…it will not bring you a favorable outcome. You must remain strong even in the face of defeat. Remember it is neither profitable nor necessary to continually measure the growth of your project. Oh that is a warning if ever I heard one. You need to pay heed to that and watch so you don't fall into that trap, Dearie."

"I'll try not to," he said now completely wrapped up in the reading.

"The next card is your hopes and fears in the situation, it's the Seven of Wands and it says you will be challenged to stand by your beliefs and values. You must trust your judgment and intuition and believe that even if the situation looks difficult…trust that you will know how to handle it. You must remember that the difference between heroic and cowardly behavior is that the hero goes on in spite of fear. Oh that is so true!" she offered earnestly.

"I agree," was all he said eager for the last card to be turned over.

"This last card is the final outcome," she said as she flipped over the King of Hearts. "As you might expect, this ummm usually means a man coming into your life when it appears here…but then again since you are a man…maybe it means you…but the king of hearts says that he….umm you...will be a good husband and father…he…umm…you will be considerate and affectionate…non-judgmental and kind…people will seek his…your council…he…you are a true gentleman. He…you have dealings with the arts and humanities and appreciates beauty…he…you are a great collector and have excellent taste."

Looking up into Nigel's face Clara gently asked, "Dearie, could this be what you have been struggling with? Could it actually be a man coming into your life? I don't mean to pry into your personal affairs…or to imply that you have affairs…or that you don't have affairs…but the cards don't lie and they seem to say a man is coming in to your life…"

"It probably does mean me, I can promise that I will be back and that we will have more readings together."

"That sounds just find, Dearie…you come back just as soon as you can!" she said as they both got up and re-entered the shop.

Nigel leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Thank you again for the wonderful reading Clara, it was most enlightening, and I will be back, soon!"

"I'll look forward to that, Dearie!"

"AJ, I'm telling you, this IS the right place. I wrote down the instructions just like Max gave them to me…go up the freight elevator to the second floor and hers is the big red door that will be right in front of you," Meredith read from the paper in her hand.

AJ just shook his head, thinking that Jordan was as eccentric as her aunt. Even though his arms were full of bags of take out food, he managed to knock on the door. He had asked Max to help him locate a nearby Greek restaurant. Since Meredith had been such a good sport at lunch, he wanted to offer her a special surprise for dinner.

The door was opened by a shirtless, barefoot man buttoning his pants. Because AJ was so startled by the sight, thinking they had the wrong place after all, it took him a moment to recognize who this was, Harmon Rabb!

To be continued….