No Good Reason

by Marg McAlister

  Drew saw that his father’s face had closed up, and he had that tight, worried look again. A tremor of anxiety ran through him. He didn’t really believe in this stuff, but… what had she seen?

  “I know you guys don’t believe in this, but Drew, she’s the real thing.” Allie hesitated, but went on anyway. “She saw actual people in the crystal ball, and we could see them too! And the things that she knew…” Finally, she stopped. “But you’ll see for yourself. Emma’s going to love her!”

  Feeling as though events were spiraling out of control, Drew just nodded. “Okay. Uh, sounds great, Mum.”

  “Come over as soon as you’ve closed up the business, we’ll have a quick meal and a chat before Georgie and Scott get there. This is going to be fun.”

  The door chime sounded, and a customer walked in. Drew had never been so glad to see a client in his life.

  “Alright,” he said. “We’ll see you tonight, then.”

  His mother stepped aside to let the customer come up to the counter, and waved to hand him. “See you later.”

  Drew summoned up a smile for the customer, but spared one last glance at his mother whisking out of the door, with his dad trailing after her.

  An eighth generation Gypsy – with a crystal ball?

  Images of Chad Royston flashed into his mind.

  He really didn’t want anyone to know that he and Chad once used to do business — business other than a fitness program, that is. His father had always been so outspoken about drugs and sportsmen who used steroids. Drew had cut all ties with Chad Royston after that disastrous school expedition; had stopped training and bulking up completely. His CrossFit mates had asked why he’d stopped, but Drew had just shrugged and said he didn’t have time to run a business and work out.

  He had a feeling they knew there was more to it. His father’s name had been part of the neighborhood gossip for months. But they’d accepted it, and now he rarely saw them.

  Mechanically, he saw to his customer’s needs, but his mind was elsewhere.

  A gypsy who saw things in a crystal ball. As if things weren’t bad enough.

  An hour later, Jason walked through the same door. Today, he had made sure that Drew’s ute was in the parking lot before he came in. The office was empty, but out the back he could see movement around the the work area.

  “Drew? Hey man, you got a minute?” Jason moved through to the work area, to find Drew straightening up from something he was doing to an outboard motor. When he looked at Jason, his face didn’t look any friendlier than his wife’s had the day before.

  “I’m pretty busy busy, actually,” he said. He stood facing Jason with his arms loose at his sides, an oily rag dangling from his fingers. Then he wiped his hands and tossed the rag behind him. “What is it, Jason?”

  His attitude irked Jason. Okay, so Drew’s old man’s business had suffered a hit after the drugs thing, but was it Jason’s fault that idiots like Harrison Burns couldn’t be controlled?

  Still, he kept a grin on his face and shoved his hands in his pockets to give off a casual air. “Well, this won’t take long. It’s just, I have a few people at the pub from time to time asking about who they can get to fix their boats, you know? And I’ve been meaning to say to you, leave your business cards with me, and maybe I can send some business your way.”

  “Thanks, but I think Emma has already been around to the pubs and café’s, leaving business cards. And she has put up flyers at the IGA supermarket.”

  “Well, it won’t hurt to give me a few more,” Jason offered, trying a friendly smile again. “I can keep them with me, give them to people.”

  Jason watched Drew’s brows draw together in a frown, and knew he’d gone too far. Drew knew that Jason didn’t care enough about him to come in and volunteer to hand out business cards.

  Before Drew could send him away, Jason gestured around him at the tidy workshop. “Business going well, is it?”

  “Well enough.”

  Drew wasn’t doing anything to help him out here. Tamping down his annoyance, Jason decided to cut to the chase. “Had an interesting couple coming to the pub for lunch yesterday. An American woman, and her Aussie boyfriend.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yeah. She said she had been kayaking around the Basin with your dad – that he took them on one of those day tours. Said they had a great time.” He tried another smile. “That’s what made me think of you, though that maybe I could help out by putting some business your way. Like, no hard feelings, okay?”

  “No hard feelings?” Drew let out a humorless crack of laughter. “You ruin my dad’s life, and now you’re saying no hard feelings? You’ve got to be kidding.”

  Tossing pretense aside, Jason glared back at him. “You’re no clean-skin, though, are you, Drew Moore? You used to be happy enough to get your supplies from Chad.”

  “And I never went near him again, after that. But a few steroids are nothing like what you did.”

  This was getting nowhere. Laying his cards on the table, Jason said, “Chad is worried about that American. He thinks she might not be who she says she is. Not really a tourist.” Jason took a step closer to Drew. “If undercover cops are down here poking around, it will come back on you too. On anyone who’s had dealings with Chad.”

  Drew stared at him, and then laughed again. “Undercover cops? You’re an idiot, Jason. You know who that woman is? She’s a gypsy. She travels around with a crystal ball, telling fortunes. Mum’s already had a reading, and now she’s lined up another one for tonight. Does that sound like an undercover cop to you?” He shook his head. “Just get out, Jason. And don’t come in here again. I’d rather go broke than have any business come my way through you.” He turned his back on him, and started poking around under the engine cowling again.

  Jason imagined picking up the engine and slamming Drew over the head with it, but instead turned and strode out. Despite Jason’s open enmity, he’d got what he had come for.

  Undercover cop? He grinned to himself as he thought of what he’d report back to Chad.

  Try fortune-telling gypsy, Chad. Relief swept through him. It look like they had dodged a bullet this time, and he wouldn’t have to leave town in a hurry.

  12

  The Players Gather

  When Georgie and Scott arrived, they followed the sound of voices, and found Allie and Chris sitting out back with their son and his wife, drinks in hand, sharing a laugh about something. Allie jumped up and gave them both a quick hug before turning to her son and his wife. “Georgie, I’d like to introduce you to our son Drew and his wife Emma.” She gave Georgie’s arm a squeeze. “I’ve been telling them what a treat they have in store.”

  One look at Drew’s face gave her a fair idea of his attitude towards fortune-tellers: before he hid his feelings with a polite smile, he wore the same expression that she’d seen on Chris’s face the first night. That “I don’t want to be here but I’ll go along with it” look.

  Well, she couldn’t say she wasn’t used to that. In all the time she’d been reading people’s futures in the crystal ball – and seeing far too many secrets revealed about people who had something to hide – she had been observing that same look on their faces.

  But, she thought, looking at him again, Drew didn’t just look skeptical. There was a hint of apprehension in his eyes.

  Interesting.

  “Hi.” Georgie smiled at Drew and Emma and then reached for Scott. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you both! This is Scott.”

  “Hi.” Scott smiled his easy grin and shook hands with both of them. “Lovely spot you’ve chosen to live in here.”

  “Yes, we both like the Basin,” Drew said, forcing a smile.

  Georgie didn’t miss Emma’s quick glance at him as he spoke. Although he’d said he liked living there, she could sense something underlying his words. Was Drew in some kind of trouble?

  She gave no outward sign of the thoughts buzzing through her mind. She sensed… changes
. Maybe Drew and Emma were planning to move away, but didn’t want his parents to know yet, given all the heartache they’d had.

  Don’t start analyzing people yet, Georgie, she told herself. What is mean to be, is meant to be.

  “I’ve so been looking forward to this,” Emma told her, clearly bubbling with excitement. “Allie says you’re the real thing.” Instantly, her hand went to her mouth. “Oh, I didn’t mean—”

  “That I might be a fake?” Georgie grinned back at her, liking her instantly. Emma had one of those vibrant faces people just take to: curly red hair gathered up with the giant clip so that little tendrils fell around her face; a wide grin and dancing eyes. “Don’t feel bad. I know what you mean. Unfortunately, there are people around who take advantage of others. Don’t worry. This will be just for fun.” Her words were as much to put Drew at ease as to reassure Emma, but she took care not to look at him.

  “You really have your great-grandma’s crystal ball? And she used to travel in a real gypsy trailer?”

  “I do. You’ll see it up close soon.”

  “Sit down, relax and have a drink first,” Allie suggested, waving them at a couple of comfortable camp chairs. “Wine, beer or soft drinks?”

  “Wine for me.” Georgie settled herself in the chair and watched Allie and Emma fetch more drinks. Clearly, the two of them got on famously. They were even dressed alike: long soft cotton skirts, tank tops and lightweight cardigans against the evening chill.

  Scott accepted a beer and looked at Drew. “Chris tells me you have a boat repair business? That sounds like a good choice in a place like St Georges Basin.”

  Responding to his friendly grin, Drew nodded and started telling him about how it all started. Within a few minutes he was looking much more relaxed.

  Allie’s suggestion to have a few drinks and a chat before the reading was a good idea, Georgie thought. Almost an hour later, when the six of them settled around the same table they had before, everyone seemed relatively relaxed.

  Until she uncovered the crystal ball.

  Georgie smiled around at them, reading their faces. Allie was as keen as mustard, although Georgie could sense the underlying anxiety. Allie, wanting their lives to be back to what they were, was desperate to find out what lay in her future. Georgie felt a twinge at the thought. Sometimes, the responsibility of what she did weighed heavily.

  Her gaze moved to Chris, sitting next to Allie. He caught her eye and gave a small smile. Clearly, he didn’t expect anything to come out of today, but he was resigned to whatever the night should reveal. And then, right next to him, his son Drew.

  Drew, staring at the crystal globe, was radiating nerves. Georgie’s smile didn’t waver, but she found herself wondering again what it was that had him so uptight. Most often, when people didn’t like the idea of a reading, it was because they had something to hide.

  Earlier, as they’d all chatted while watching the moon rise and reflect off the water, Georgie had covertly observed him. Talking about his plans for his father’s Facebook page and Instagram, he seemed like a pleasant man who cared about his parents and his wife. But there was no mistaking his nervousness. There was something there.

  And then there was Emma. She was looking at Georgie expectantly, a grin stretching wide across her face. The faint smattering of freckles on her nose seemed to dance in anticipation, and her eyes sparkled.

  Georgie felt a sudden connection to the girl on the other side of the table as their eyes met. Then, coming to her with complete certainty, Georgie thought: she’s pregnant. The thought gave her pleasure: Emma would make a great mother.

  Georgie glanced down at the crystal ball, her hands automatically moving to cup the shining globe. Did Emma know that she was pregnant? She would have to be careful here: no breaking news before people were ready. Maybe she could hint that there was a child in the future, and see what Emma said.

  The moment her hands touched the crystal ball, her certainty about Emma’s condition grew even stronger. But this time, feelings flowed into her as well: joy, anticipation, and then, amazingly, the image of a bouncy little redheaded toddler, a girl with tanned skin and a riot of deep auburn curls, with blue eyes just like her mother’s. Georgie risked another glance at Emma, unable to stop a smile. This child was going to bring an enormous amount of joy to this family.

  It was nice to start off with such a positive image. And it augured well for the rest of the evening. She had times when she fought to get anything at all – and then other times, like this one, where images and thoughts and impressions just streamed towards her. She moved her hands and stared down into the depths of the crystal ball. There was nothing there yet but the usual white mist starting to swirl and form inside. No image of a child; her knowledge of the babe growing in Emma’s womb simply came from strong impressions flowing towards her.

  She felt Scott’s elbow nudge her from the side and looked up to find four sets of eyes focused on her.

  “I’ve already told Allie and Chris how this goes,” she said. “Sometimes I see images; sometimes not. At times, you may see pictures in the crystal ball too, but not everyone does. Often, I just hear or see words form in my mind. Sometimes it’s auditory, sometimes I see words.” She looked at Emma and Drew. “I know all of this must sound odd, if you haven’t experienced it before.” Georgie made a comic face and cast a wry look around at them all. “I wish I could explain it, understand it more, myself. Half the time I’m trying to work out how this stuff comes to me.”

  She took a deep breath. “Okay. What I can do is just tell you what I pick up, and then maybe one of you can speak up if seems to have any bearing on your life – or if you like, you can ask me questions. We can go around the group one by one, or…” She shrugged. “Really, it can be pretty much whatever you want it to be.”

  Unexpectedly, Drew broke in. “And what if you see anything — uh, bad? Something that you don’t want to tell us? Do you tell us anyway, or do you hold stuff back?”

  That was an odd thing to ask at the beginning of a reading. The impression that Drew was hiding something — or protecting someone —grew. Keeping her face impassive she just nodded at him. “Good question. I have to admit, I haven’t often seen anything too bad. If you’re wondering if I can foretell something like the day you’re going to die, or if something terrible is going to befall you, it’s not likely.” She smiled. “Sometimes I can warn people, if I see something bad coming down the track. On rare occasions, I’ve been able to see what it is, but for me it’s more like a puzzle that I’ve got to put together. I see the shapes, I get impressions, I put them together.”

  “Like a detective,” Allie said with a grin.

  “It sometimes works like that,” Georgie said. “But sometimes, it’s not me, it’s you that has to be the detective. What I see might not have any meaning for me.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Drew stiffen.

  Beside her, Scott broke in. “Probably better if we just get started, hey, Georgie?”

  Good old Scott. He always knew when to step in and make things easier. She glanced around. “Okay. Anyone want to start, or will I just see what comes up first?”

  Emma put her hand in the air, and then pulled it down hastily when everyone broke into laughter. “Can I go first?”

  Georgie grinned at her, knowing what she was probably going to ask. “Sure. What would you like to know?”

  “Um…” Emma through a sideways look at Drew and then across at Allie. “I was just wondering… Drew and I, we’re kind of thinking of having three, maybe four children.” She shrugged. “Yeah I know, everyone tells me that as soon as I have the first one I might change my mind about three or four. But to be kinda fun to know.” She wrinkled her nose at Drew, who was rolling his eyes. “Um, can you tell us anything about that?”

  Amidst general laughter, Georgie nodded. She glanced back at the crystal ball, but there was still no image there: just the familiar white mist, swirling slowly around the middle. That in itself was e
nough to have Allie’s and Chris’s eyes riveted on the crystal ball. They knew that this was what happened before images started to form.

  Allie sat forward with a wriggle of excitement. “Actually, I’d like to know that too. Imagine me a Grandma!” She peered into the depths of the crystal ball, squinting her eyes. “Do you think we would actually be able to see them in the crystal ball? Like we saw Harrison and Jason?”

  Ali didn’t miss Drew shifting in his chair when he heard that, but she also heard Scott’s quiet chuckle beside her at Allie’s words, which made her grin too. “You might, but don’t get your hopes up. There’s nothing there yet.”

  She looked up and her eyes met Emma’s, and instantly the number 3 formed in her mind. Again, she had a mental image of the laughing little redheaded girl. And then two more babies appeared: these were girls too, but they looked more like Drew, with steady eyes and nut-brown hair. Two little girls, like peas in a pod. Georgie smiled.

  “You know,” Emma said, staring at her. “You do, don’t you? You know.”

  Know what? Georgie thought. Know that you’re pregnant already, or know that you’ll have three little girls?

  Both, she thought, but she didn’t say that. “Emma… You do know that I can’t guarantee any of this, don’t you?” Georgie moved one hand off the crystal ball and reached across to lay her hand gently on Emma’s. The moment she did, she could feel that she was right.

  “Yes, Emma. I see three children in your future.”

  Emma beamed at her. “Can you tell me anything about them? You know, if they’re boys or girls? And… and do you know when?”

  Georgie thought of the images she had seen: the bubbly little toddler with red hair, and the two smaller babies.

  “I feel you’re going to have a girl first,” she said. “In fact, she is going to look a lot like her mother. Red curly hair, but a bit darker than yours, Emma.” A gurgle of laughter escaped her. “And she’s going to have more energy than a barrel full of monkeys. That one is going to keep you running around, I can promise you that.”