Free Terminal Lust by Kali Willows Page B

family, no friends. I don’t dream at all anymore, much less travel in my sleep.”
    “That’s not entirely true.”
    “I chose to be alone. The last bout of cancer hurt the people I was close to. I couldn’t put anyone through it again, especially not this time—so I shut them all out.”
    “There is someone.” The psychic stroked her hand and she shuddered, tugged at it, but the woman held firm. Any human contact threatened to awaken a connection to life she tried hard to sever.
    “Oh?”
    “You have found your match, but in your waking time you don’t remember. You have had some very exciting rendezvous, my dear.” Madame stared right through Ambrosia.
    A slow fog rolled into the tent, chilling the air as it passed. It traveled across the ground and brushed over her sandaled feet. The coolness overtook Ambrosia’s skin and she rubbed her bare arms, fighting off shivers. A cricket jumped onto the table and started chirping. Ambrosia motioned to shoo it away, but Madame Zovka waved her hands emphatically.
    “No, no, leave it; this is a sign.”
    “A cricket is a sign?”
    “Oh my dear, this is a very special message for you.” She slurped her tea back and nodded at Ambrosia’s cup. “Mind the leaves at the bottom; drink as much of the tea as you can.”
    Ambrosia’s eyes widened in disbelief, but she gulped down the warm, spicy tea and held the chipped china cup out, waiting for more direction. The cricket’s chirping grew loud and distracting; her eyes darted between the cup and the insect with annoyance.
    “Now, make a wish and place your tea cup upside-down on the saucer. Let’s see what your fortune is.” Madame’s voice was filled with excitement, a far cry from the doom and gloom she’d displayed a minute before.
    “A wish?” Huh ! That’s easy enough. I wish I wasn’t about to die ! Ambrosia swirled the last of the tea over the loose leaves then carefully upended the cup.
    When a second cricket appeared and jumped on Ambrosia’s shoulder, the chirping grew even louder, this time, right in her ear. Then, it leapt next to the other one on the table, and the chirping stopped with a deafening silence.
    “What just happened?” Ambrosia found it odd, but wasn’t well versed in the habits of crickets.
    “He was calling to her.” Madame pointed to the new arrival. “Then she came to him.”
    “O—kay.” What else does she put in her tea ? This woman is off her rocker .
    “Once they find each other, they become mates.”
    The happy pair hopped off the table and disappeared.
    “Give me your cup.” Madame motioned with her fingers.
    Ambrosia pushed the saucer over. The old lady had most likely lost her marbles.
    She lifted the cup and bent close to the leaves, studying the pattern. “He brings with him the promise of healing and true, eternal love.”
    “What? Who?”
    “The one you see in your dreams every night. He calls and you go to him, freely. You are destined to be together forever.” Her melting smile returned.
    “Look, Madame Zovka, the tea was great and this was—interesting, but I think you missed the whole point.” Heat filled her cheeks, as she chose her words with care. The poor old dear means well, no reason to hurt her feelings . “I have leukemia. I’ve been given six weeks to live.” Admitting it aloud made it more real, immediate. “This whole destiny, together forever business is way off the mark and I can’t—no—I won’t get my hopes up. I have to be realistic.”
    “Child, you will meet, you will love, and you will live. A very different existence, but all the same, you will go on. There is one caution, however.”
    “Caution?”
    “You have yet to learn everything about him.”
    “The man I don’t know and don’t remember—I have to learn more about him? Sure, that sounds about right.” Her sarcasm choked her.
    “Eternal love comes at a high price, dear.” She reached for Ambrosia’s hand and squeezed her fingers.
    Ambrosia’s eyes