I did as I was told.
Where the room we’d just left had been what I expected from a medium’s home, her kitchen-diner was anything but. This room was all sleek marble worktops, shiny chrome appliances and her fridge had a TV in the door. Light streamed in through the bifold doors, and a deck stretched out to the lawn I’d seen from upstairs.
She saw me looking and smiled. “I don’t normally bring clients in here, but you’re not just any client. Katy loves this room, so we do all our sessions in here.” She pointed at her art-deco cabinet handles. “She even copied my handles for her kitchen.”
Now I looked closer, I could see that was true.
“Somehow, people think mediums drink kombucha, or that mushroom stuff that pretends to be coffee. But I like the strong stuff just like the next person.” With that, she filled her machine and set a pot to brew, before putting a hand on her hip and staring at me. “I take it you’re back at Voss since I last saw you?”
I nodded. I didn’t want to tell her too much, because I didn’t trust she wasn’t pumping me for information. However, it wasn’t Sage who’d arranged this meeting.
“I am. Aunt Margot gave me six months to prove myself. And Eliza Carpenter is along for the ride.”
Recognition flooded Sage’s face. “Last I heard, she was busy doing her dad’s dirty work.”
Something tightened in my chest. However, all Eliza had done so far was encourage my instincts. She was on my side.
“She’s good.” Especially when she’s kissing me. “She’s being really helpful, which is great.”
Sage nodded. “I always liked Eliza. She had good energy.”
What did she think about my energy?
Sage hadn’t been lying about her coffee preferences. The cup she poured me made my eyeballs ache, but in a good way. We walked back to the first room, and settled onto the sofas.
“I take it this isn’t a social call. What can I do for you?”
I blew out a long breath. “I know I can’t ask specific questions, but I want to know if I’m going about things the right way.”
Like, is kissing my business partner a smart move?
However, I didn’t ask that, because I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.
“Is my current promotional idea going to work out? Should I trust Margot?” After what Sage had just said, I also wanted to ask if I should trust Eliza. But I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth.
“You know I can’t tell you that.” Sage took a sip of her coffee, then put it back on her wooden coffee table. “Also, you’re a bundle of frenetic nerves, so you’re probably blocking any activity. You need to relax.”
Easier said than done. I rolled my shoulders, a familiar mixture of scepticism and hope coursing through me. I had to have faith, that’s what she was telling me. Just like Amina had told me in the pub last week. I had more belief in myself since I started therapy, but believing and trusting other people was still a flaw I needed to fix. That included Sage, my family, my friends, and even my dead family.
Also, Eliza. But for now, I put her to the back of my mind.
“Have you heard from my family recently? Has anyone told you anything?”
Sage gave me a slow smile. “When people speak to me, they don’t exactly turn up with bullet-pointed advice lists.”
She got up and pulled something from the shelves. A pack of tarot cards. She held them up. “How about we do a reading to help you focus?” Sage set the cards down, her gaze never leaving my face.
When she studied a spot behind me, I turned and jumped, half-expecting to see my mother materialising between the crystals, probably with her arms crossed and about to give me a lecture about the importance of inbox zero.
“Try to calm down. Take some deep breaths for me.”
Sage demonstrated, and I followed. I was tightly wound, but who could blame me? I was just about to share a tent with Eliza, and I didn’t know if, when it came to it, Roka would actually sign on the dotted line. Everything was balanced on a knife’s edge, and I had no idea which way it would all go.
Sage shuffled the deck, then handed the cards over. “Pick three for me, and lay them face down.”
As I did so, nostalgia swept through me. We’d done this exact thing at uni parties, tarot being Sage’s party trick. Then, I thought it was just a fun thing to do. I don’t think even she thought she could work it up into a business.
“Remember doing this at Faye Hartley’s party?” I asked.
