Page 8 of Sweet Madness

Frowning, I look up to find her looking down at me with concern. Okay, I think I pushed it by asking about my uncles. Uncle Benji once said that they were good men who did bad things, and Daddy agreed. I don’t think they’re bad. They make my aunties smile and are kind to me.

Davina holds up her left hand to silence me. “Hush, little girl. Quiet your mind so I can see what life has in store for you.” Understanding, I take a deep breath and nod, then take my seat across from her. Davina takes my left hand in hers and studies it with a curious look. “You’re not using the cards?” I ask, glancing at her deck of cards on top of the table.

She smiles kindly. “No. I don’t need them. I can read your future by feeling your energy—your vibes. Now hush and close your eyes.” I do as she asks, and she takes both my hands in hers. The store is so quiet that I can hear my own heart beating.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

I think even Mom can hear my heart racing in the silence. I wait for Davina to tell me what she sees for my future, but she doesn’t say anything. I hear her heavy breathing. Losing patience, I crack one eye open to find Davina staring straight at me, though she seems distant—somewhere far, far away.

I start to worry, but then her body begins to shake while she squeezes my hands so tightly it starts to hurt. I don’t dare pull away, despite feeling Mom’s annoyance.

When Davina finally speaks, her voice is different—like something out of a horror movie. “I see a man. A man with sad eyes.” I gasp. A man. Sad eyes. “Your paths will cross more than once.”

A man with sad eyes?

But…why?

I want to ask what the man with sad eyes looks like and when I will meet him. Is he kind? Does he like the color pink? I want to ask a million questions, but I stay quiet, not wanting to interrupt her. “You’ve both crossed paths in past lives and in this one, little one, but…” My eyes fly open as Mom makes a noise, catching my attention. Her face looks troubled. “He is a strong man. A man who will have more phases than the moon. He will be surrounded by darkness, yet he has saved you more than once. And then it will be your turn to save him.”

Darkness?

That doesn’t sound right.

Save him from what?

Davina speaks again, this time more seriously and concerned. “Your life won’t be perfect, sweetheart. Many roads will appear before you, and the one you choose will be a rocky one, but it will take you to the place your heart has always desired. Home. So be brave, and most importantly, be smart. Sometimes our brains get in the way of our happiness. That’s why you’ll need to listen to your heart. A piece of advice: the heart and the mind don’t always get along, and sometimes they might fool you. So be wise.” Her tone holds a warning, and a chill runs up my spine. I wait for more, but Davina’s eyes clear as she slumps in her seat, looking tired.

Her words leave me feeling confused and a bit afraid.

After a few long moments of silence, her warm brown eyes lock onto mine. “Sweet child, what is the one thing your heart desires most?”

Brown eyes and a bright smile that makes butterflies dance in my belly come to mind.

What my heart desires most is…

Looking Miss Davina right in the eye, I speak. “I just want—” I don’t get to finish my sentence because Mom interrupts, looking annoyed with Davina.

“I think that’s enough. Your father and siblings must miss us, baby. Let’s go.”

“But Mom—” She gently grabs my hand and lifts me from the seat.

“You can’t stop fate. Be it today or tomorrow, paths will cross, and hearts will be stolen,” Davina warns me as Mom guides me through the tiny store toward the exit.

I never believe in that kind of thing. I believe in myself more than in fate, yet something Davina says sticks with me.

“The man who holds the key to your heart will save you more than once. And then it will be your turn to save him.”

A man did save me more than once, but then he disappeared, never to be seen again. I never lost hope that I would see him again. My dad always tells us that good things take time. And he is the wisest man I know. I know the man of my dreams is out there; he just has to find his way to me.

“We’re here.” Uncle Benji stops the truck.

“Oh, wow…” I breathe out as soon as he opens the door to the truck.

What…

“Welcome to my hometown, little lady,” Uncle Benji says in a funny accent.

Wide open spaces. Rugged mountains. Prairies. Untamed wilderness. Empty roads. Heat. Unspoiled natural beauty.