A Girl Between

by Marjorie Weismantel

  Mercy clapped excitedly. “I would LOVE to have someone do a card reading for me. That would be amazing!”

  “Humm, I guess that’s OK,” I reluctantly agreed. Considering what’s been happening, do I really want to know what the future had in store for me?

  Mrs. Petrov declared, “Then it is settled. Nadya, please get your cards and set up around the table here.”

  Nadya obediently left, returned with a pack of large cards and sat down across from us. She could see that I was staring at the tarot cards so she very quickly fanned them open and gave us a peek. They were beautiful but old and worn. Nadya explained, “The first time I saw these cards my majka, my grandma as you would say, was using them. They have been in our family for a long time. She knew I had the gift of insight and interpretation so she spent many years training me to ensure faithful readings.”

  Nadya laid the cards face down on the table, placed her hands on them, closed her eyes and took several deep breaths She finally opened her eyes, picked up the cards and shuffled them a few times. She looked nervously between me and Mercy, and made a choice. “Mercy, you seem a little more enthusiastic. I’ll do your reading first.” She then gestured across the table and added, “Sit over here and place your hands on the cards. Close your eyes as I did, take several deep breaths and clear your mind. Concentrate on your own thoughts and your own feelings. If you have a question you would like to have answered, reflect on that.”

  As I was watching Nadya go through this ritual, it struck me that she had very old eyes; I would say the oldest eyes I’ve ever observed on a young person. I’m not saying that the skin around her eyes had wrinkles, like they were physically old. I’m referring to her inner eyes. It was as if her eyes weren’t reborn with each new life. Instead, her beautiful, mysterious eyes came back time and again, through each incarnation, witnessing and memorizing every past pleasure and horror that she had experienced throughout the centuries. Usually Nadya’s eyes were very guarded, as if she was hiding her inner sight. I caught sight of her old wisdom when she relaxed a bit. It was unnerving to see those eyes revealed in someone so young.

  Mercy finally looked up and lifted her hands from the cards. Nadya then laid three cards on the table and pointed to each one. “This card on the left represents your past, the middle card your present and the right card your future.”

  Her hand hovered over the cards for a few seconds and then she flipped over the middle card. “It is always a good idea to read the present card first. Oh my! It is The Fool and you can see that he is on a journey. It is telling me that you have recently made a change in the journey of your life and, as you proceed along, more changes will be coming. But you must be very careful for as you can see, the fool is walking over the bridge that has a hole in it. The hole represents dangers you may face, if you are not very careful.” Nadya made a point to look directly at Mercy before appealing to her, “You are one that tends to throw your fears to the wind when up against a foe. You are loyal to a fault. There are times when you must think of yourself. Please do not be too hasty when contemplating a risky action. Think it through before choosing the proper course. You could suffer permanent damage to your body or your mind.”

  Nadya then flipped over the card that represented the past. It showed a woman in a long blue dress called ‘The High Priestess’. Nadya looked at Mercy, paused for a bit and then explained, “You have exhibited unusual gifts since you were a young child. They come from both of your parents. For most of your life, you have managed to control those gifts because you have not lived around magic. New powers are forthcoming for you. They will appear when needed. It is important that you are patient and use your talents correctly. It will help you to determine your ultimate destiny.”

  Nadya turned to Mercy and asked, “Would you please turn over the card of the future?”

  Mercy flipped it over and we all studied the card for a minute. It showed two people, one a disturbing hooded figure, the other a normal person, standing around a spinning wheel. Nadya finally cleared her throat and gave her interpretation. “This card is The Wheel of Fortune. It is a mixed bag, especially since the card was presented to you upside down. Unfortunately, an upside down presentation has a negative connotation. This card represents how your future fortunes inevitably rise or fall due to future triumphs or defeats. You must learn to accept either outcome as a part of life. If you cannot accept a defeat, you may not survive. After all, what rises will fall and then rise again. The wheel continues to turn.”

  “Did the cards answer your question?” Nadya asked Mercy.

  Mercy laughed, “Yes and no. I wish I knew more.”

  “That is understandable. The cards cannot tell you everything. One purpose of the cards is to show you the direction you are headed in. They cannot dictate your future. Only your actions, which you are capable of changing, can affect your future. The tarot cards open your mind to guide you and give you some perspective of the circumstances you are in.”

  Dika piped up, “Nadya, you should tell her. She would want to know.”

  “Tell me what?” Mercy asked, sounding uncertain.

  “There is one more thing. I saw something about an elderly woman in your family that you are close to,” Nadya responded quietly.

  Mercy looked startled. “It must my Nonna. She is the only one. I lived with her for a number of years. Please tell me.”

  Nadya leaned in and touched her hand. “I am so sorry to tell you. She is not doing well. She may have a serious illness. You should go to see her.”

  Mercy was stunned. “Nonna always seems indestructible to me. I can’t believe it.”

  “I’m so sorry, Mercy. I’ve heard you and your mom talk about your Nonna,” I said quietly.

  Nadya then turned to me and inquired soberly, “Are you ready, Tess?”

  “Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to sound totally relaxed.

  We went through the same routine until the three cards were laid out on the table before us. Nadya reminded me that the middle card represented the present as she flipped it over. She immediately put her hand up to her lips trying to hide a smile as the card was revealed. It was called The Lovers. Just what I wanted to hear about!

  “Tess, I am getting a very strong impression about you from this card. I believe it is related to a question you asked as you reflected on the cards. As you can see, this is a relationship card involving your present circumstances. I can see that there are two young men vying for your attention. Is that not so?” Nadya looked at me expectantly.

  I said defensively, “I don’t think that’s the case at all.”

  Mercy hooted, “Get off it Tess! You KNOW that Ian and Will are both after you. Don’t tell me you can’t see that.”

  “Is that true, Tess?” Nadya asked, her eyebrows raised.

  “Well, I know Ian likes me, but Will only views me as a friend,” I answered with a half shrug.

  Nadya looked between me and Mercy. “Let’s just continue. One boy seems to be a sensitive and caring young man. He has you mesmerized by his quiet charm and his striking looks. That is not a bad thing,” she continued, looking puzzled, “although I cannot get much of a reading on his core, his inner being. He is surrounded by a haze. That has me quite concerned. Why would he be so unreadable? He is either conflicted in some way or he is hiding something. I do sense something different about him, a special power of some kind. He does not like to use it though. It frightens him,” Nadya remarked while shaking her head. She then closed her eyes and paused for a moment before adding, “I believe that his fears are related to past life events. Hmmmm . . . . oh, dear.” She looked over at me with troubled eyes. “Unfortunately, his soul has been compromised.”

  “Compromised? What does that mean?” I inquired, staring at her.

  “He does not know in which direction to go and as a result, he has taken some wrong turns. He has been unduly influenced,” Nadya asserted darkly.

  “I’m not sure if I understand.
” I said, feeling a sense of unease.

  She shook her head. “That is all I can say about this.” I slowly nodded but I was not reassured.

  “Let’s go onto the other young man. He is not very much of a charmer I take it, although he can be quite funny at times. I will say that he is your intellectual match, but he can be rather grating.” She glanced at me with a thoughtful look before adding, “There is a bright light about this person. He is quite exceptional, courageous really, with a good heart and mind. He has a great deal of control over his special powers. He is a good person to have on your side when there is trouble.” Nadya regarded me sympathetically before saying, “There will come a time when you will have to choose between the two. When that time comes, the choice will not be easy. Sometimes you miss what is right in front of you.”

  “Can’t you tell me anymore than that? That isn’t particularly helpful,” I implored, frowning.

  Nadya glared at me before answering, “Tess, these cards can only give you some perspective. They cannot tell you what to do. Besides, that would be the easy way out. Unfortunately, the easy way is almost never the best way. You know that.”

  Nadya put her hand on the left card. “Time for the card of the past.” She turned it over to reveal a queen. Sounding a little surprised she said, “It is The Queen of Swords. I believe that is an appropriate card for you, Tess. The Queen is a strong person who keeps part of herself hidden from others. It is because she has endured a great deal of hurt as a child.” Nadya studied me before continuing, “I can see that you had a sad beginning. You were abandoned by your father and you endured the death of your mother. You moved in with a kindly aunt and your uncle died recently.” She shuddered before continuing, “I cannot tell what happened to him. He is surrounded by darkness, a very unpleasant place.”

  Nadya took a deep breath and added, “I see in the card that you are a caring and thoughtful person, but also highly independent. Sometimes you stand aloof, but that is more for self-protection. There is an invisible barrier between your witch powers and your ability to use them. Your ‘sight’ has always been there but it is quite undisciplined. That indicates to me that you have not always been aware of your gifts.” With a sigh she added, “In time you will be forced into using more of your powers out of necessity.”

  Nadya indicated the last card with a wave of her hand. “Tess, would you like to turn over the last card, the one about your future?”

  With a wry smile, I answered, “No, not really, but I will.” I flipped the last card over. What?? It read DEATH! Does that mean I’m gonna die? On the card was pictured that horrible hooded man with a sickle. Isn’t he the one who leads people away after their own death? “Does this mean I’m going to die?” I asked, my voice rising in pitch.

  “No, oh no, Tess. It does not necessarily mean that you are going to die. This card does signify the death of something though. Can you think of some aspect of your life that is over? Are you having trouble facing a big change in your life? Are you experiencing a fear of something new?” Nadya looked expectantly at me.

  I stared back at her, and then I let loose, “A fear of something new? I would answer an emphatic YES to that! My life has changed completely and I want my old life back. I used to be a plain, ordinary girl going along with my plain, ordinary life. No one was after me, trying to maim or kill me. I had my friends, my family and my cat. Of course, stuff happened, but I was managing OK, then, SUDDENLY out of nowhere, I’m a WITCH! And I’m not just an ordinary witch, OH, NOOOooo, I’m a powerful, well-known witch that’s been fighting it out for centuries with the most evil, unforgiving, witches ever. In fact, those witches are so diabolical, so terrible, that they’re called diaboles and they’ve been waiting forever for payback. They’re coming here to get me and I don’t know what I’m going to do!!!!” I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

  Nadya stood up and came over to me. She lifted my chin and beheld me with the full force of her ancient, knowing eyes. “Tess, this card is telling you that you must face your new reality. When you face it head on, you will still be scared, but you will actually feel better. You must forget about how it used to be. That time is gone. When you turn the full force of your energies toward your new future, things will not look so bleak. And, Tess, you are not alone. We will help you. There are many others who are coming who will help you. I can feel it all around us. And there is one more thing you should know. I can see it. It will happen sometime in the very near future.”

  “What is that?” I asked in a shaky voice.

  Nadya glanced over at Dika before answering me, “There is a time when your father will come. He knows about you and he is coming here to help.”

  40. The Thing About Cats

  I had to sit there for a minute to digest that information. My father? I haven’t thought about my father for years. The last time I saw him, I was 3 years old. I don’t know him. Why would he be coming now? Dika could see that I was distressed. She sat next to me and squeezed my hand. I felt a pleasant zing up my arm and through my shoulders. That felt amazing! I studied Dika closely and noticed a shimmery silver haze twirling around her head and her hands. It’s apparent that she is a very old soul.

  “Do you know what’s going on with my dad?” I whispered to her.

  “It is good, Tess. I believe he is coming here to help you. That is all I know,” she said softly.

  Mrs. Petrov stood up and hustled over to Mercy and Tess. “Girls, I hope that reading was alright for you. Mercy, I’m so sorry for the sad news about your grandmother. Perhaps you can go and visit her.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Petrov. I plan on visiting her. It was so kind of you to have us over. Thank you for the tea and cake.” Mercy gave her a hug.

  As we started walking toward the door, a whirl of activity suddenly appeared at my feet. Empress Stephania and Her Royal Highness had come running over to me, howling loudly, circling frantically. Princess Hannah jumped from the back of the couch to my shoulders, as if trying to grab onto me. Her claw caught on my jacket for a second then she landed on the floor. It was as if she was trying to keep me from leaving! She then joined in with the other two cats, loudly meowing and howling. It was freaky. While Siamese cats can get ‘talky’, if you know what I mean, I’ve never heard such commotion. They almost sounded like crying babies. Were they trying to tell me something? Yeah, sure they are! I better get a grip.

  “What are they doing?” I turned and asked Dika.

  “They are worried about you, Tessie. They don’t want you to leave here,” Dika answered gravely.

  “They’re WORRIED about me? Come on, they’re cats, yes, Siamese cats, but they’re still cats!” I shook my head.

  I glanced down and saw Her Royal Highness trying to crawl up my jeans. “Why is she doing that?”

  Mrs. Petrov remarked, “They sense that you are in danger. Felines are very perceptive. Perhaps they want to warn you.”

  “Warn me? That’s insane. What do they know?” I declared. At that moment, Empress Stephania swiped at my jeans. Her claw went right through to my skin. “Ouch! That hurt!” I yelled at her. She yowled back at me! That cat must be crazy!

  “Tess, don’t you know about felines?” Nadya looked at me inquiringly.

  “No, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I retorted.

  Mrs. Petrov placed a hand on my shoulder. “Tess, why don’t you sit for a minute and give the cats your attention. We can explain who they are.”

  I sat down in a chair by the front door. Her Royal Highness and Princess Hannah squeezed themselves onto my lap and Empress Stephania sat next to me, licking my arm with her sandpaper tongue. They were meowing and staring at me with their intense blue eyes.

  Dika bent over and scratched Princess Hannah on her head who responded by purring loudly. “These beautiful felines are reincarnated witches, Tess. I’m sure that your cat, Beauty Queen is also a witch. Many Siamese are reincarnated witches.”

  “Witches? These cats are witche
s?” I was dumbfounded. I never imagined such a thing.

  Dika continued scratching the Princess while talking. “They are all good witches, luminars. The bad witches would never come back as a cat. Good witches are known for incarnating as felines when they’re afraid to come back as a person. It frequently occurs after a horrendous life of witch persecution. After all, being a cat is usually a more restful existence.”

  “So, you’re saying that luminars can choose to be born as a cat after a terrible life of witch persecution. Is that the only reason?” I asked.

  Dika sighed before answering, “Sometimes it is the only way to get a witch to come back to life on earth. You might say that it is a way to ease back in.”

  “Nadya added, “Witches do come back as cats for another reason. Sometimes, a diabole will set a course to follow a luminar from one life to the next, especially if the luminar managed to escape persecution. Diaboles are not capable of detecting when a witch incarnates as a cat. So, you can see that it is a way for a luminar to avoid being followed into the next life by a diabole.”

  “Why don’t bad ones come back as cats?” I inquired.

  Dika sniffed, “Why would they? It’s not like they need a rest from discrimination and mistreatment. They usually live their lives in the lap of luxury. Besides, they’ve always hated cats. If anything, they might come back as some other nasty creature.”

  Mrs. Petrov commented, “I believe they usually come back as rats. It is a way to pass on disease, and they like to scurry around in the dark, scaring people.”

  “Hey, I just realized something,” Mercy said, looking thoughtful. “Cats were pretty much exterminated during the Middle Ages because they were thought to be in league with witches. Was that done on purpose by the evil ones? Did they know that cats could be incarnates of good witches?”

  Mrs. Petrov nodded her head in agreement. “Yes, the evil ones were completely aware of what they were doing at the time. They knew they were punishing good witches. Of course, they eventually paid for their reckless murder of the felines. The plague germs spread like wild fire, since the cats were not there to kill the rats. Many of the bad witches ended up dying of plague, along with the nasty rats, and all others who also died of that awful disease!”