Justice

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"So...I've had a pretty woman in my past."

I leaned forward. "Are you doing the reading or am I?"

"I've watched you go for eleven years." The querent raised an eyebrow. "I've got it covered."

I leaned back in my chair. "Go ahead. But you're still paying."

"For a New Age hippie, you are mercenary!"

I giggled. "There's a reason we need extra money. But that past card should say it all..."

He held up his hand. "No helping!" the querent admonished me. "So Queen of Pentacles...is holding a pentacle because she is queen of the pentacles..."

I clapped my hands. "Bravo!"

A cheeky smile lit up his face. "The gold pentacle is a sign that she is doing pretty good for herself. Like the cups cards."

I nodded. "And..."

He frowned. "She likes flowers a lot?"

"The flowers are a sign of nature. Do you see the rabbit..."

"What rabbit?"

I pointed. "The rabbit..."

"Holy shit! That's a rabbit?" The querent squinted at the card. "I've seen this card for years and I thought it was part of the ground."

"That is clearly a rabbit."

I grabbed another deck, shuffled through it and produced a different version. "See? Rabbit?"

"Why isn't it clear on the other deck? Why are we using that one?"

"Because it's our deck!" I said crossly. "Do you want to know the meaning or not?"

"I know the meaning." The querent gave me a smug look. "Flowers and an invisible bunny? It's fertility. Past means it's about Rihanna."

"Rhiannon," I emphasized the name as he began to hum the song Umbrella. "You really should get your daughter's name right."

"Man! I should be glad that didn't name her Monday Lilac."

"I still don't see what was wrong with that name..."

"I'm trusting your insight and you don't see what's wrong with the name Monday Lilac?"

"No refunds." I smiled at him. "So the Queen of Pentacles shows that you had a baby in the past...and the flowers mean that you should have named her Monday Lilac."

"Sure it does, baby."

"It also shows that you have had a strong female presence in your life. One that cares about you and supports you. So you need to appreciate her more."

"Didn't I just take Meadow to that Hannah Montana concert movie? There's only so many ways that I can show our daughter that I appreciate her!"

I don't know when he began referring to Meadow as his daughter. It just seemed to happen. The two of them only seemed to grow closer when Rhiannon was born.

He looked at me. "All right. So I have a new daughter and I showed appreciation to Rhiannon. You are just telling me things that I know. Let's look at the present card."

I flipped it over.

"Justice!" the querent said with relish. "My girl."

"Your girl?"

"Hell yeah, she's my girl!" He nodded emphatically. "I'm going to inflict justice on that one shitty case."

I could let it go―let him see what he wanted.

But that wouldn't be fair.

"Do you see the pillars? They're the balance of heaven and hell. She is holding the scales of justice. That shows there must be a fair balance."

"I know. That's all obvious."

"This card can also mean if someone has wronged you―or anyone in the past―they are going to take responsibility for it. So it's up to you to be fair and reasonable. Justice in the present means that you have to be fair."

The querent gave me an uneasy look. "Baby? You are babbling. Are you trying to say that you cheated on me?"

"Of course not!" I scowled. "You stupid jerk!"

"Then..."

I tapped the scales on the card. "Tony wants to see Meadow."

"Over my dead body."

I sighed. "He's changed a lot. He's really turned his life around―he's writing a book about his struggles."

"One hundred ways to be the worst person on earth?"

I leaned against the chair. "She's his daughter..."

"No―she's my daughter. I help her with schoolwork, I take her to the park, she tells me the jokes that she's heard and she wants to grow up to be a detective like me. I never heard anything about her wanting to grow up to be a Tony."

"You don't believe in second chances?"

"Never," he said―rigid as the personification of justice.

I went over and sat on his lap before kissed his stubbled face. "You are Meadow's dad―in every way that counts," I emphasized. "I just think it's fair to give him a second chance. That's why the card showed up."

"Are you really willing to risk Meadow getting hurt?"

"Pain is part of life. We're all the Three of Swords at some point. But I'm not willing to mislead our daughter. The truth is always what matters. I wouldn't even consider it if I didn't know that Tony had cleaned up his life."

The querent nodded. "I know the truth is important...my own dad walked out when I was five and never bothered showing up again."

"So―if you agree―we'll give him a chance."

"You're too forgiving."

"I don't forget," I said quietly. "But everyone deserves a second chance."

"Second―not a third."

We were used to not looking at the future. But for once I wanted to look―I wanted to know if it was the right decision.

I didn't look.

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