Free Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos

wouldn’t be a pretty sight.
    The parking lot at Pleasure was full, but we luckily snagged an empty spot right in front. I hobbled to the patio and found us a table at once and Sam headed for the doors.
    “Wait—” I said, as I turned and shoved a $20 into her hand. “My treat.”
    She tilted her head and gave me the mom look.
    “Take it, or I’ll make a scene,” I whispered.
    She opened her mouth as if to say something but my insistent glare stopped her. She knew I would do it too and I felt her resolve waiver.
    “Okay; you win. Greek?” she asked.
    “You know it,” I said with a smug smile.
    I tried to wait patiently as Sam disappeared to order, perusing the movies again, reading each preview making sure I’d made a good choice.
    When I couldn’t wait another second, Sam magically appeared and plopped the hugest piece of pizza on the planet in front of me. The smell alone launched me into the stratosphere.
    “This is heaven,” I said with a mouthful.
    Sam just nodded.
    We felt no shame as we stuffed our faces in silence.
    “I hope this movie is good,” I said while I sucked on my soda, patting my full tummy.
    “It sounds funny.”
    That was the whole idea. I needed an hour or so when I could escape and experience simultaneous joy from the other movie goers around me.
    The Point was right down the street from the pizza place and we parked with Sam’s windshield positioned at the horizon. It would be our personal IMAX Theater when the sunset fire show began.
    “This is so ro-tic,” Sam said with a surly grin.
    “Ro-tic?”
    “Yup, romantic without the man.”
    I chuckled and faked a smile as Nicholas came to mind.
    Argh.
    Frustrated with myself, I pushed his face away again and tried to find a distraction. The glassy surf was peppered with surfers and I zoned out staring at one of them getting ready to catch an incoming wave. I cheered in my head as he paddled and popped up, riding it in gracefully. He made it look effortless.
    The sun started to touch the horizon behind him and instantly turned everything a vibrant orange. The waves danced and reflected the fiery hues creating a warm glow across the water. And slowly the sun fell behind the low-lying clouds, and golden purplish rays of light pierced like knives into the sky. We both watched in silence, the light getting dimmer and dimmer until in one tiny flash, everything turned to dusk. The beauty was breathtaking and sharing it with Sam’s awe and wonder made it even better.
    “Wow,” I said, feeling like I should break out in applause.
    “Pretty amazing.”
    “No wonder the real estate around here is so expensive.”
    “No kidding.”
    We sat for another minute, before Sam started up her car.
    “Ready, Madam?”
    She gave me a mischievous look and revved her engine. I knew what she wanted to do. I smiled and I nodded my head to give her the signal. She tromped on the gas, pushing me back into my seat and I squealed lifting my arms out of the convertible’s top as she jetted down the road.
    We raced through town and parked on a side road nearby the theater. Sam had offered to drop me off at the front, but I didn’t want the extra attention. I could hobble down the street if it wasn’t far.
    “Hey, I have an idea,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
    Before I could object, she ushered me towards a tiny house with “Fortune Teller” glowing in the window.
    “No.” I dug my heels in.
    “Why? How come? It’ll be fun. Don’t you wanna know if Nicholas is ever going to come back?”
    Oh nice. Bring Nicholas into it, why don’t you.
    “No, actually I don’t. Besides, they just lie anyway.”
    I would know. They couldn’t deceive me. Not with my gift.
    “I really want to, please?” she begged, flashing me puppy dog eyes.
    It was against my better judgment to go, but since she really wanted to, I conceded. We walked to the porch and spotted a sign in the window that said “come in”. Sam, now completely afraid, looked to me for