“Voilà!” I announced. “Am I a fashionable fortune-teller, or what?”
I did a full turn in the mirror and headed out.
Mom and Dad were waiting in the living room when I made my grand entrance.
“Oh my, don’t you look stunning!” said my mom.
“As lovely as Helen of Sparta,” Dad added with a smile.
I blushed, and replied, “Thank you.”
Just so you know, Helen of Sparta was the most beautiful woman in all of ancient Greece. And when she was kidnapped, her husband, King Menelaus, launched a thousand ships to bring her back home!
My dad taught me that. He likes to teach me about history and mythology. Mythology is a lot like the fairy tales I read in storybooks and the cartoons I watch on TV.
Anyway, once my parents and I were all bundled up and ready to go, we left our building. To get to Grandma’s apartment, we needed to take the subway into Manhattan.
As we walked up the stairs to the elevated platform, I began to feel that tingling sensation. It was very similar to the one from the day before.
Seconds later, the train arrived. As it passed us, slowly grinding to a halt, I had a revelation.
The glinting steel of the train cars and the flickering lights reminded me of the rocket ship from my dream. The sliding doors opened, and I hesitated.
“What’s the matter, dear?” my mother asked.
“Uh, nothing, Mom,” I said. “I think we’re about to discover what my dream was all about...so ask again later.”
And with that, we climbed aboard.
Chapter 4
Strange Trip
As the train rattled along the tracks, I sat up in my seat to look out the window. I liked watching the buildings pass by.
“Dad,” I asked. “Why is it called Queens? I don’t see any castles.”
My dad chuckled. “That’s a good question, sweetie,” he said. “I came here looking for the same thing. And when I met your mother, I knew she was going to be my queen forever.”
Mom smiled and rolled her eyes. Dad could be a real joker sometimes.
“The truth is,” Mom explained, “that Queens gets its name from Queen Catherine of Braganza. She was the wife of King Charles the Second of England.”
Dad’s mouth dropped open. He was pleasantly surprised with his wife.
“Yes, my dear, sometimes I pay attention to your history lessons, too,” Mom told him.
Once we arrived and walked out into the city, I was super excited. “Don’t you just love being here?” I asked my parents. “All the people and the lights and the buildings.”
I find skyscrapers to be totally amazing.
The shorter buildings had huge billboards on top of them. They were lit up like movie screens.
My favorites were the billboards that had toys and candy on them. They were so colorful.
On every street corner, vendors had set up carts selling salty pretzels or sweet smelling treats. People hurried up and down the sidewalks. Manhattan is always buzzing with activity.
Daddy said we were only a few blocks away from Grandma’s apartment building. “Right this way,” he pointed. “We’ll cut through 52nd Street and pass the Roseland Ballroom.”
As he led us up the street, the concert hall came into view.
It had a big, lit-up sign that read: ARMY OF ARES—TONIGHT ONLY!
Suddenly, my body began to tingle again, like I was getting goose bumps. I tugged on my father’s sleeve. “This is not the way to go,” I said. “Look!”
I pointed to the long line of people standing outside the entrance. It snaked all the way down the block and around the corner.
Mom noticed the way they were dressed. They had on ripped shirts, tight pants, and leather jackets with lots of zippers.
Their hair was dyed bright neon colors. Some only had a strip of hair down the center, spiked up into something Dad called a Mohawk.
Everyone was covered in tattoos.
“I’m assuming Army of Ares is a punk band,” Mom stated.
I looked at them more closely, and yelled, “The Martians from my dream!”
As a group of punks walked by, I hid behind Dad. They looked pretty scary up close.
One of them looked over and smiled.
“Nice outfit, kid,” she said to me. Hmm, maybe they aren’t so bad after all, I thought.
Daddy was rubbing his chin. He usually did that when he was thinking.
“Interesting,” he said. “Ares was the ancient Greek god of war. The Romans called him Mars. Did you know our planets are all named after Roman gods?”
“Mars is where I went in my dream,” I said. “I saw Martians that looked like these people, and then it got scary.”
“Well, that’s that,” said my mother. “If Krystal says this is not the way to go, we’ll go around the block.”
And so, we immediately changed course right when a large bus pulled up to the side door of the Roseland. It had the band’s name spray painted on the side and filled the tiny street.
The punks standing in line cheered. They snapped pictures with their phones and cameras. The flashes lit up the alley like a strobe light. The fans ran up to the vehicle, scrambling over each other to meet the members of Army of Ares.
“Wow, cool!” Dad said, looking over his shoulder. “I remember those days.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I listened to punk music when I was a teenager,” Dad said. “But I did not dress like that.”
“That was a hundred years ago,” Mom said.
“Har, har!” Dad replied. “For you, it was only ninety-eight.”
“Okay, you guys, be nice,” I said jokingly. Sometimes I think I’m the grown-up in the family. And, after my birthday this weekend, I was going to be one year closer.
Then I saw it. “Hey, there’s Grandma’s apartment building!”
Grandma’s apartment building was brand new with glass doors and a large lobby. Joe, the nice doorman, greeted us. He was wearing a black uniform with gold buttons on the jacket.
There was a large bouquet of flowers in a fancy pot near the front desk. I walked over to smell them. They were gardenias.
“Gardenias are my favorite flowers,” I told the young lady at the front desk.
“They’re your grandmother’s favorite, too,” she replied. Her name tag read Mary-Kate. She knew that we came to visit Grandma. “I’ll call up and tell her you’re here.”
Walking around the desk, Mary-Kate picked a gardenia from the vase and slipped the stem into my hair.
“You look just like your grandma,” she said.
“Thank you,” I replied.
It made me feel good to hear someone else say it. Maybe I was pretty after all. I looked at my reflection in one of the lobby’s many mirrors. I was beaming, smiling from ear to ear.
Then Mom, Dad, and I took the elevator up to the eleventh floor.
We smelled the delicious and spicy aromas of a Grandma’s meal. The smell grew stronger as we approached the apartment.
Before Dad could knock, the door swung open. Grandma stood in the doorway with her arms outstretched. She looked gorgeous. Strands of curly white hair were pulled up into a scarf tied around her head. A sash hung from her waist, covering her skirt. A fresh gardenia rested atop her ear. She did look just like me!
“Welcome, my darlings,” Grandma said. “Lovely to see you!”
I ran over to hug her, and she kissed me on both cheeks.
“Hello, Mother,” Dad said. “Sorry we’re late.”
“We would have been here sooner,” Mom added. “But—”
“That rock-and-roll riffraff put you out of your way,” Grandma replied, tapping her temple with her finger. “I know all about it. Not to worry.”
Then she looked
at me with a twinkle in her eye and winked.
Chapter 5
Grandma’s House
Grandma guided us through her home. We put our coats in the closet and went straight to the kitchen. The table was set for four, with two candles burning brightly.
“Oh, this looks wonderful,” said Mom, admiring the place settings.
“It smells wonderful, too,” added Dad.
Grandma smiled wide with pride. “Sit down,” she said. “I hope you brought your appetites.”
“We sure did,” I told her.
Nothing is better than Grandma’s cooking, I can tell you that for sure.
Grandma put on her oven mitts and opened the oven. A smell of lemon and oregano filled the kitchen. She pulled out a large, deep pan.
“I’ve prepared lemon chicken in mushroom sauce with baked potatoes,” she said. “There is also steamed broccoli lightly seasoned with garlic and olive oil.”
“Mmm,” we all said together.
“Bon appetit, everybody,” Grandma said.
After dinner, my parents offered to clear the table and wash the dishes. “What an excellent idea,” Grandma said. “Krystal, why don’t you join me in the study.”
“Yay!” I cheered.
Of all the rooms in Grandma’s home, the study is my favorite. It’s where she keeps all her most prized possessions. There are souvenirs and keepsakes from around the world.
Grandpa was a sailor who met Grandma when he was visiting a port many years ago. She was a fortune-teller in a traveling circus. They fell in love and sailed away together. Can you imagine?
As the years passed, Grandma and Grandpa worked at carnivals, wandered with gypsy camps, and even hunted for lost ancient treasures. The rest is history.
Instead of a door, the study had a beaded curtain. I loved passing my fingers over the smooth, colorful beads. I also liked that they make a clacking sound as they fell back into place.
I looked around the room and said, “Grandma, you’ve redecorated!”
“Well, of course I did, my child,” Grandma replied. “I don’t like keeping things the same old way. Variety is the spice of life.”
Her framed circus posters were no longer above the desk. A large illustrated map replaced them. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing to it.
“That’s a map of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World,” Grandma answered. “One of them is the great pyramid at Giza in Egypt.”
“Cool,” I replied. “Sounds wonderful.”
I walked over to an end table near the window with a very pretty wooden box.
“Ooh, Grandma! I’ve never seen this before,” I said, tracing my finger delicately over the designs on the top. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is. Hand-carved, too. We got it in Egypt,” Grandma said and smiled.
She stared off into the distance. “Another gift from Grandpa. He sure knew how to spoil a girl.”
Grandma picked up the box and walked over to the love seat under the window. She invited me to sit next to her.
“Your grandfather and I were visiting Egypt in hopes of discovering the secrets of the pharaohs. Do you know what pharaohs are?” she asked.
“Yes,” I answered. “Daddy has been teaching me about ancient Egypt. Pharaohs were kings.”
“Correct, my dear,” said Grandma. Then she continued, “Pharaohs also believed that they had divine power. They believed they were direct relatives of their gods.”
“My favorite Egyptian goddess is Bastet,” I said excitedly. “She has the body of a woman and the head of a cat. How cool is that?”
Grandma laughed and clasped my hands in hers. “Hmm. Your heart is clouded by sadness,” she said. “What’s troubling you?”
“It’s my birthday party,” I said. “I’m afraid it’ll be a disaster and no one will come to it because everyone thinks I’m weird.”
“Preposterous!” Grandma said. “Your friends and family love you. Why would they not come to your party? And why would they say you’re weird? What makes you think otherwise?”
“It’s my gift, Grandma,” I replied. “It gives me scary dreams and feelings. I try to keep it a secret, but sometimes I can’t. How do you handle it?”
“My darling!” Grandma said and hugged me. “It takes time and practice. We need guidance as much as the people without the gift of sight.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes, and that’s why we help our own,” she explained. “My grandmother helped me the same way I’m helping you.”
I started to feel a little better. It was nice to be reminded that I’m not alone.
“Cheer up, child,” Grandma said, touching my cheek. “It will turn out all right in the end.”
I looked up at Grandma. “How do you know?” I asked.
She smiled and opened the box. There was a stack of cards inside. They were frayed at the corners and turned yellow from being so old. Each one had an interesting illustration on it.
“Do you know what these are?” Grandma asked, fanning them out.
I shook my head no.
“These are called tarot cards,” said Grandma.
“Many believe these cards date back to Thoth,” she added, “the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom.”
“What do they do?” I asked.
“Well, they help you think, and they help you learn. They do not tell you the future, but they will put you on your path. It’s up to you to make the right choices when the time comes.”
Whoa, I thought to myself. Can a deck of cards really do that?
“Would you like me to do a reading?” Grandma asked.
“All signs point to yes!” I answered.
Grandma shuffled the cards and took a deep breath. “Now close your eyes, dear,” she said, “and tell me what you see…”
Chapter 6
In the Cards
I was about to get my first tarot card reading, and I wondered what the cards were going to show. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the rattle of door beads. Grandma and I both gasped.
My father popped his head into the study. “Would either of you like a cup of tea?” he asked.
“Daaad!” I cried. “You scared us.”
“Wait, you mean, you didn’t see me coming, Mother?” he teased.
“I was focusing on the cards, dear,” Grandma said sternly. “And yes, we’ll have two cups of green tea. Decaf, please.”
She turned to me as soon as Dad left. That same twinkle was in her eye as before. “Your father thinks he’s a comedian like Grandpa, but I don’t have the heart to tell him it’s not true.”
I giggled a little bit.
“Now, where were we?” Grandma said as she reshuffled the cards. “Ah, yes, close your eyes, darling, and tell me what you see.”
I shut my eyes and relaxed my mind. I tilted my head as a vision started to appear. It was a little murky, but it soon cleared.
“Water,” I said.
“Excellent,” Grandma replied. She had already turned over a card. Its image was facing up.
I looked at it. There was a picture of an angel with yellow hair and red wings wearing a long white robe. In its hands were two golden goblets. The angel was pouring water from one goblet into the other. It was standing near a lake. Underneath the image was a word: TEMPERANCE.
“Tem…per…ance,” I said, sounding out the word. “What does that mean, Grandma?”
“The word means moderation, Krystal, but in the case of the card it stands for balance and harmony in life.”
“Like, both good and bad?” I asked.
“Yes. In order to appreciate and enjoy the positive things in life, we must also experience the negative,” Grandma explained.
She flipped over a second card and placed it next to the first. The card showed a circle in the cente
r. It was marked with symbols or letters.
Beneath it were the words WHEEL OF FORTUNE.
“Hmm,” Grandma said. “This card usually means sudden change or new developments.” Then she smiled when she saw my face. “Don’t worry, my child. It also means surprises.”
Grandma pulled one last card. “Ah, of course,” she said. “The Sun.”
The card she placed on the table had a big yellow sun with a face on it. The sun’s rays pointed in many different directions.
“This card symbolizes renewed energy, brilliance, and joy,” Grandma explained.
“Ooh,” I said. “I like the sound of that.”
“My darling,” said Grandma, kissing me on the forehead, “your radiance and power will always bring happiness. Do not ever forget that.”
***
After we drank our tea, my parents and I prepared to leave. “Goodnight, Grandma,” I said, hugging her goodbye.
Outside, we walked in the cold night air back to the metro stop. We passed the Roseland Ballroom where the concert was in full swing. The muffled music pounded through the outer wall. It sounded like cannons firing.
Dad smiled, and said, “Sounds like the Army of Ares is off to war!”
After the subway arrived, we were on our way back to Queens. During the ride, I had gotten so sleepy that I dozed off in Mom’s arms.
When we got home, she carried me to my bedroom. “Honey, you have to put on your pajamas,” Mom whispered.
While I was getting in bed, I mumbled, “Water. Water everywhere.”
“What was that, sweetheart?” Mom asked. “You want some water?”
I pulled the bedsheets over my head.
“Hmm. Guess not,” my mother said, shrugging her shoulders. She turned off the lamp, leaving only the Saturn-shaped night-light aglow.
Then I was fast asleep.
That night, I found myself on the deck of a large pirate ship. The sails were at full mast, and the crew bustled around me. It was sunny and warm, and the sea was a crystal clear blue.
Dream Birthday Page 2
