Tarot

The Shop

The strip was still lit up, but the few places that had customers were obviously trying to shuffle them out the door, as the empty places turned off most of the lights. Some of the neons were turning off as we walked. Spooky. Stragglers walked the opposite way as us- towards the taxi line. Every step I took made the shots of tequila sloshed in my stomach and residual burn started to make its way up my throat.

"Um, guys. I don't think I'm gonna make it. " I try- Marie will have none of it.

"Yes you will. So help me you made it this far. Keep moving. Let it motabolize - Matbolize - Mataobleize. " The hiccough stopped her butchering of the word. 

The quarter mile walk to the end of the board walk was rather quiet. I think everyone was debating on trying to talk Marie out of sitting on the beach till sunrise. All of us are 3 sheets to the wind- I suppress a snort. That expression is so dumb.

"Hey. When did this open?" Amanda stood in front of the tiniest shop on the boardwalk. It used to be a smoke shop, but had been busted and shut down over two years ago for multiple reasons that the cops found - a few of which we might've partook in back in college.

The building looked to be made out of drift wood, but that was just a clever paint job. The blue shutters on the window were still open showcasing a few books and a cute little sign lit up in neon pink and purple saying Freya's tarot shop. A sandwich board stating prices for different readings held the door open and the scent of cookies wafted out. 

"Well, if this isn't a sign I do not know what is." Jess said giggling heading to the door dragging Marie behind by the hand. 

"Think if we buy a reading she will let us eat whatever that smell is?" Kathy,  marched behind and Amanda and I shrugged and followed. Being the devote Christians in the group we would normally reason to not go into such a place, but Mr Jose was not being friendly and cookies sounded amazing right now. Hell, any carb to soak any of this booze up sounded perfect. No arguments from Amanda, the devote Catholic,  and none from me. 

The shop is just as tiny as I remember it. Narrow and long. Instead of glass cases of bowls and sex toys, there are cheap looking black book cases with books, crystals, and oils. The lighting is soft and welcoming and the smell of cookies has morphed into cinnamon and chamomile. Tapestries of upside down palms and eyes in all different colors line the walls, and instead of looking tacky it releases a boho feel. It's homey. 

"Good evening ladies. How can I help you?"  If I were to think of a palm reader I would imagine flowy and colorful skirts, ruffled tops, long hair, and lots of dangle jewelry. Seeing a woman about the same age as me in jeans and an Incubus tee shirt with a top knot was not what I had in mind as far as someone who would work in this shop.

"Freya?" Marie asked with a raised eyebrow, doing an awful job to suppress the snarky giggle. 

The woman smirked. "Actually Susan. Freya was my Grandmother, she used to have a shop a few towns over. She passed and her shop closed. She taught me all I know, but no one would come if I had my sign say Susan's Tarot shop, plus her was free and started a business isn't cheap- People want the stereo type, I get it.  I usually play the part. . . I wasn't planning on opening, but I had a feeling I needed to." 

"OOh! For us I bet!" Jessica bounced on her heels, always one to be excited over the occult. If I had a dollar for every time she made us try a Quiji Board or tried to read our fortunes with the cards she got at Borders. . .well, my student loans would be paid off. I rolled my eyes and went to look at a book shelf near the smell of whatever it was I was wanting to devour. Everyone else seemed to have forgotten about whatever edibles brought us in here, I however really wanted to eat that smell.