Free Cartomancy by Kristin Cook Page B

and
they stared into the crystal ball. Finally Waverly picked the ball
up and shook it. “It’s not a magic crystal ball; it’s just a glass
orb for the garden I think. Anyway, I already tried that.” Astrid
giggled. “Well, what were you trying to ask it?” Waverly wondered
aloud. “What we are going to do about all of the people who still
want readings? Not to mention all of the people that we already
promised readings to. I have a huge list of people who still are
interested. Astrid groaned. It was all she could think to do.
“Well, what if we set up a social media page and we would just tell
the Questioners their cards?” Waverly offered. “Yeah, but how would
we get paid?” Astrid said half joking. “Also, the Questioners need
to be able to choose their own cards somehow. I mean, it’s a good
idea.” Astrid put her face in her hands and moaned loudly. “We’ll
think of something my darling, don’t worry.” Waverly said as she
patted Astrid on the head. “Let’s see what the cards have to say,
shall we?” Waverly laid out an intricate triangle pattern around
the glass ball. She turned the cards over and began studying them.
There was a faint knock on Astrid’s door at the bottom of the
stairs. “Um, the cards say that you are about to have a visitor.”
Waverly laughed and kicked Astrid under the table. “Wow, you are
truly gifted.” Astrid said in the most monotone voice she could
manage. Astrid opened the door to two of the most unlikely people
she could have ever imagined being together. Her grandma and Asia.
“May we come up Mistress Astrid?” her grandma said with a flourish.
“Yes?” Astrid answered truly puzzled. She skipped ahead a few steps
so she could enter the room before they got to the top of the
stairs. Waverly looked up from the cards as Astrid was approaching
and mouthing the word “wowsers.” Waverly got up to peek around
Astrid to see who it was. She was no less puzzled by this odd pair
of visitors. “Astrid aren’t you going to invite us to sit on your
Davenport?” Her grandma asked sitting down. “Grandma why do you
always say that word? It’s just a couch, or a sofa.” Astrid has
asked her grandma this same question for most of her life. “Because
that’s what they were called when I was a girl and I just grew up
saying it.” She answered for at least the hundredth time. “However,
in this case I’m afraid it really is true. This piece of furniture
came with this house, and it has been here since the 1920’s at
least.” This seemed pretty cool and also creepy to Astrid. “So, you
mean people probably died on it?” Waverly asked dragging a chair
from the round room to sit upon. “Well, most people did die at home
in those days, so I’m sure it’s possible. Plus, this house was
originally a funeral parlor, so who knows what went on.” Astrid’s
grandma said waving her hand in the air. “I’m sorry, what?” Astrid
said staggering backwards. “Which what? About the sofa or the
house?” She asked as if she had said nothing shocking. “THE HOUSE
GRANDMOTHER!” Astrid was turning red and looked ill. “Darling sit
down, you don’t look well. Are you really telling me that your
parents never mentioned it to you before?” Astrid shook her head
no. “So there have been plenty of coffins in this house before.”
Waverly said trying to lighten the mood. “I am so freaked out right
now.” Astrid said shaking. “For heaven’s sake Astrid, it isn’t that
big of a deal and it was a long time ago.” Her grandma held her
hand and tried to sound reassuring. “At least you’re at the top of
the house now. All of the funerals would have been downstairs in
the parlor.” Astrid clapped her hand over her mouth and inhaled
deeply. “Is that why it’s called the parlor? I thought it meant
they always had ice-cream in there, like an ice-cream parlor.”
Astrid felt like world had just been flipped. “Astrid darling you
really are making way too big a deal