It was supposed to be something fun. A lark, one of those things you do with a friend that you would never do otherwise, just to share something with them. Tea Delgado never intended, that day, to change her life forever. But in reality, and in her life especially, things rarely proceed according to plan.

There they were, in Madame Le Marque's back room, getting a 'reading'. Tea had always giggled inwardly whenever she passed the candle shop, passed that sign in the window which read, simply: "Seer. Ask inside." She'd heard all about this schtick from her friends in the city, how you could ask at the counter for your 'Psychic Friend' to take you into some curtained room to feed you lines about your love life and life line. What a crock. But Rachel was always into all that corny stuff, and since she had finally returned to Llanview Tea had been determined to reconnect with her, so she agreed to give it a try.

"Can I put our *psychic reading* on my credit card?" She loudly asked the cashier, while Rachel attempted to shush her, glancing around at the other patrons. Tea giggled wickedly. Mortifying Rachel was fun. Ms. Le Marque was busy at the moment, lying to some other poor sucker, so they started poking around the store. "Next week let's get our nails done instead, okay? It's cheaper."

"Loosen up, girl. This'll be fun, you'll see. Who knows, maybe you'll have an epiphany!"

Tea started laughing. "Oh! Now, suddenly, it's all so clear! I need to.. simplify! I need to.. multiply! I need to.. quit listening to my kooky friend and actually get things done in my lunch hour!"

"Ladies?" The cashier interrupted them. "It's your turn."

"Terrific, so, where do we go? Do we need to have some kind of *cleansing ritual*, or some chanting or something?" Tea called to him, holding up her 'spooky' black candle.

"Just go back there," the cashier said dryly. He directed the two ladies through a curtained doorway in the back.

It was a small, darkened room, lit only by a covered lamp on the table in the center. Candles flickered along the outskirts of the room. No one was waiting for them.

"She probably likes to make an entrance," Tea whispered to her friend.

"Shhh. I guess we should sit down.." They settled themselves in the two high-backed chairs surrounding the little round table. "Pretty lo-rent, isn't it?"

"Guess you get what you pay for." Tea glanced around the little room, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. "Fire department would have a fit," she gestured to the candle army that surrounded them.

Rachel was grinning--she was enjoying herself. It was nice to do things with Tea again. She made everything fun. She could use some fun about now--they both could.

Tea's smile, on the other hand, was faltering. She didn't know why, but she was starting to feel apprehensive about the whole thing. Something inside was telling her to get away from this place. But that was silly. She dismissed her nerves -- none of this stuff was real anyway. The only thing to worry about was losing all of her money!

Suddenly, in a graceful and sweeping entrance came a woman that could only be Madame Le Marque. The woman stopped in the doorway, possibly for dramatic effect, possibly out of.. hesitation? Her gaze fell immediately upon Tea, and for just an instant it appeared that she would turn around and leave! But no, it must have been Tea's imagination, because just as quickly her face relaxed into a calm smile, as she strode into the room. She was dressed to the hilt, in a long and flowing multicolored dress, beaded jewelry, and a ring for every finger. A fittingly expressive appearance, but not what Rachel and Tea had been expecting. Actually, she looked more like a hippy throwback than a gypsy fortune-teller, with long blonde hair and no makeup. And, they saw as she came close, she was not much older than the two of them. "Hello," she told them, settling herself at the table. "Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies, I needed to make a phone call."

Rachel and Tea exchanged glances.

"Now," she settled herself into position, "I'm *Madame Le Marque* [exaggeratedly spoken]. Just call me Clara. You're only getting a basic reading, so that gives you about ten minutes. We can discuss anything you'd like, but nothing too strenuous please. I've got a lot of appointments to do."

Rachel looked a little let-down by her matter-of-fact attitude, but Tea liked her immediately. "What can we do? Do you have a crystal ball to pull out or something?"

Madame Le Marque (Clara) smiled. "Ah, no. Left that at home with my eye of newt and toe of frog. Some people do still do crystal readings, but I like the more straightforward approach. Hands, please." Casual as she may seem, she had a commanding air about her. She was very young indeed, but those eyes of hers, shockingly dark in her light face, were ancient eyes. They looked as though they had *seen* things.

Rachel offered hers first, palm-up. "If you see anything too awful, at least make is sound nice, get me?"

"We'll see. Which hand is your writing hand?" She studied Rachel's hands all over, front and back, and began talking almost immediately. Barely glancing at her palm, she told her, "You've had a lot of conflict, your lifeline is very convoluted. But it is untroubled ahead. I could go into more detail, but I'd rather concentrate on a question if you have one?"

Rachel looked at Tea and stifled a laugh. "I'd like to know about my.. um, relationships, if you see any of that. As in, will I be having any?"

"Oh, sure. You've got a very long-term relationship coming up, it's fairly clear from this area here," gesturing to a seemingly random line across the center.

Rachel brightened. This was fun. "Hey, great! Do I know him?"

"Don't think so. No. Your heart lines don't meet." She showed Rachel how, on her two hands, the line across the top did not fall in the same place on both hands. "It means you haven't met your great love yet, or something to that effect," she winked at Rachel.

Tea checked her own hands, in her lap. They met perfectly. Hmph. She's definitely making this stuff up.

"Sorry to interrupt you," Rachel said excitedly, "but I did want to ask you something. I heard a psychic, I mean, spiritual guide or something, on the radio, and she was talking about spirit guides? And how she could see them around people? I was just wondering if I had any, like, hanging out with me."

"Sure. Everyone has them."

"Well, I mean, do I have any spirits hanging around me or anything? That you can see? My ancestors, for instance?"

Madame Le Marque leaned back and examined the space around Rachel, her dark eyes shimmering in the candlelight, and shook her head. "No, I don't see anyone with you at the moment, Rachel, but you have a number of spirits watching over you from time to time. You are well protected, you have a very healthy aura of calm and peace around you."

Rachel looked disappointed. "Darn. I wanted a haunting."

"You, on the other hand," she turned to Tea, "have someone watching over you constantly. A very strong presence, in fact."

Tea laughed nervously, to finally have that gaze turned upon her. "Really? Right. Can he tell me where I left my navy pumps? I can't find them anywhere.."

"Very funny.. dearie, we are all watched over, by spirits of the other side, or by the people in our lives who have moved on. You have just such a person with you, always with you, just over your right shoulder in fact." She was serious, and her eyes seemed to focus on something just beyond Tea's vision. It was starting to make her nervous. "An earthbound spirit, unwilling or unable to leave this plane.. It may indeed be someone that you know.."

"That's a little strange.. Most of my relatives are still living, except.." She suddenly grew very serious. "My mother? Do you see my mother?" she questioned her earnestly.

"No, no." Clara waved her hand vaguely in the air. "Her thoughts are very much with you, but she is in another place. No, there is someone else with you. A man, a tall man."

What?

Suddenly, a chill ran through her. "Describe him to me," she whispered.

"He.. he doesn't seem to want to talk to me.." the woman muttered, slightly perplexed. Her eyes went back to Tea. "A dark man, a dark haze around him. Tall, brown hair, facial hair.. scruffy looking, but in a handsome way. He's very intent upon you, I don't believe he has left your side since.. He is very recently departed, have you lost someone near to you, dearie?"

Tea was suddenly having a difficult time breathing. Her eyes were closed, and her lower lip trembled. Rachel leaned over to her, concerned. One minute her friend had been kidding around, having fun, and the next she was hanging on the woman's every word. Now she looked ready to pass out. "Tea? Hon, are you alright?"

"Is.. Is it.." she sputtered, and put her hands over her face. She couldn't say the words, afraid to hear what the woman would say, afraid to know, and afraid not to know. Finally she forced it out, almost crying aloud. "Is it my husband? My ex-husband?"

Madame Le Marque suddenly focused on a point somewhere beyond Tea. When their eyes met once more, her deep dark eyes were filled with sorrow and pity.

"Yes."

Tea gasped quietly, and gave out a strange mangled cry, as though she felt the chill of unseen hands upon her shoulders. She crumpled in her chair as Rachel slipped from hers and took her friend into her arms.

[And I've traveled over
Dry earth and floods
Hell and high water to bring you my love
Climbed over mountains
Traveled the sea
Cast down on heaven
Cast down on my knee
I've lain with the devil
Cursed God above
Forsaken heaven to bring you my love
I know he's gonna be here
You know he's gonna be here
Yeah alright
Forsaken heaven
Cursed God above
Laid with the devil
Bring you my love]

"Lady, that's not possible. He isn't dead," Rachel said sharply to the woman. This wasn't funny anymore.

"I'm afraid so. I am so sorry, I would never have said it if I had known that she hadn't been informed.." The woman's eyes darted back and forth, between Rachel and her prostrate friend, and the point somewhere above her head, that was both near and very, very far from where they were sitting. "It was not long ago. I really cannot say any more, I'm afraid I've done enough. There will be no charge, just take care of your friend." Clara rose to her feet, the distress plain upon her face.

"Wait, wait." Tea raised her head, shaking off Rachel's comforting arm. "Wait, please.."

She stopped, hovering uncomfortably above the two of them.

"Sweetie," Rachel counseled her friend, "it's just a gag. Okay? This isn't real. She's just saying this stuff, this could apply to anybody. Tall dark handsome man following you around, that could apply to anybody. It's not true."

"It *is* true." Tea sat up straight, brushing her hair back, composing herself with determined annoyance, and took a deep breath. "I know it's true. Isn't it? You see him, don't you? You looked afraid when I walked in here." Clara smiled at her sadly, and nodded. "He has that effect on people." She laughed bitterly. "Had. No, I'm fine Rachel, it's been over for a long time. It's just a shock. But she's right, I know she is. What happened, Madame Le Marque?"

"I can tell you nothing more," she said, not moving any closer. "He won't talk to me, you see. There's nothing more that I can do, I've done enough. I'm very sorry."

Tea nodded quietly, as the Madame left the room in a sweep of color and finery. Rachel stayed by her side. "Are you all right, friend?"

"I'm fine. Let's get out of here."

TO BE CONTINUED