See You

See You is a short story in the drama and mystery genres. 

Virginia and Paul’s marriage had become stale.  Both knew it and had come up with their own solution to put some life back into their marriage.  The problem was each solution was decided in secret and they were polar opposites.  What they did have in common, however, was that their solutions were both drastic in nature.  And each decided not tell the other their plan. 

Prologue

Virginia sat up in bed breathing hard.  Her sinuses were wide open from fear.  Her nose and mouth were taking so much air in she thought she was hyperventilating.  She then realized she had been dreaming again.  She just needed to give herself a few minutes to calm down.  She looked around the room to make sure no one was hiding in the corners.  Darting her eyes back and forth she was reasonably sure there was no one there.  Then she looked at the clock.  It was three a.m.  Then she looked down at her husband.  He had not moved.  She pulled the covers back and slid her legs around to the floor.  Damn anxiety, she thought and stood up.  “Get some guts,” she whispered to herself.  She put on her robe and walked out of the bedroom and closed the door.  It was another early morning downstairs to read her book.   

Chapter 1

Virginia held her hand still even though it tickled.  Everything that touched her tickled her.  A light touch especially tickled her.  But she calmed herself by breathing evenly.  She allowed Madame Barb to follow the lines in her palm with her finger.  Every few seconds Madame Barb would stop her finger and describe what this line meant and what that line meant.  Virginia forgot about feeling ticklish and focused on the reading. 

One line represented living a good life and being prosperous.  Virginia welcomed that reading.  Not just prosperous monetarily.  Madame Barb said she would prosper with an abundant amount of happiness too.  Of all the readings this one would be the single most important to Virginia.  It would help her make up her mind on a troubling situation. 

Her indecision had plagued her far too long.  It was affecting her health—mentally and physically.  It was affecting her sleep.  Three hours of uninterrupted sleep were all she could expect from her nights.  The rest of the night was spent tossing and turning until she got out of bed.  That normally came around three-thirty in the morning.  And that was after she had fallen asleep around midnight.

Madame Barb suddenly stopped her finger again.  But this time she did not look up at Virginia.  She kept looking down at Virginia’s palm.  Virginia wanted to ask her what was wrong.  But she did not want to break Madame Barb’s concentration and rhythm.  Madame Barb had told her when she sat down to try not to talk until the reading was finished.  If she did she may break her concentration.  Then the readings would be fuzzy or incomplete. 

Virginia quietly waited and wondered.  What was she seeing?  Why not tell her what it was?  She had said everything else.  Besides, everyone with common sense knows that psychic readings are merely someone saying what the person getting the reading is thinking.  Many psychics are just people who are better able to tune into other people’s feelings.  Madame Barb was just one of those people.  “You can tell me,” Virginia said.

Madame Barb closed her eyes and shook her head.  Then she looked up at Virginia and smiled.  Virginia waited for her to speak.  “You are a special person,” Madame Barb said.  “You’ll know love that many others will only dream about.  You’ll experience happiness that most can’t imagine.  You are special.  Someone will always be watching out for you.”

Virginia needed what she had heard.  She wanted to prosper and be happy.  The question was could she be happy in her present state?  She was tempted to ask Madame Barb for more answers.  But, if Paul saw her in Madame Barb’s shop he would ridicule her for being silly and putting her trust in a stranger’s advice.  And he would be irritated because they had come to the small shops in the strip mall to walk around and window shop.  Not for her to sneak away for a psychic reading.  But she was glad she had.  She loved what Madame Barb had said.                  

Chapter 2

Virginia was giddy.  But chose not to show it.  Paul was somewhere nearby.  If she was too outwardly giddy he would want to know why.  And she was a poor liar.  He would see through her.  He would see what she did not want him to see.  And now was not the time to show that side of herself.  She waited for Madame Barb to slowly let go of her hand.  “Thank you,” she said and handed Madame Barb a fifty dollar bill.  Madame Barb reached into her jar to make change.  The reading was twenty dollars.  “No.  You keep it.  You were wonderful.  You don’t know what you’ve done for me.”  Madame Barb protested a few times for Virginia to take her change.  “No.  You’re worth that and more.  I just don’t have anymore on me.”  Madame Barb slowly glanced out the window.  A man was just stepping into view.  Her eyes followed him.  “Is something wrong?” 

Madame Barb did not answer immediately.  There was something wrong.  What was wrong, though, was not apparent to her.  Not now.  Not at that moment.  Not unlike other times she had that feeling—that dark feeling that entered her body and hung inside her like dark clouds hang in the sky before a storm.  And no matter what she did, she could not shake the feeling or rid herself of the sadness that had taken over her until it was too late.

“Are you alright?” Virginia asked.  Madame Barb continued to look out the window at the man.  Virginia felt uncomfortable with Madame Barb’s trance like stare.  She turned to see what had captured Madame Barb’s attention. 

Virginia saw the same man that Madame Barb was watching.  He was just passing by the window.  “That’s my husband,” Virginia said.  “That’s Paul.  How’d you know that?”  Madame Barb gave her a half smile.  “You really are a psychic.  Not to question if you were one before.  You’re just a great one.  Thank you.”  Virginia stood and shook her hand.  “I better go.  He’s probably looking for me.  Can I have one of your cards?  I want to get a more extensive reading in the next two weeks.” 

Madame Barb handed her a card and told her to call her soon.  She took Virginia’s hand and squeezed it between her hands.  “You are full of spirit,” she said.  “Some try to suppress a spirit like yours.  But your spirit can’t be suppressed.  It is like a bird with wings.  It rises above and lives.  You call me soon.  And we will talk more.”

When Virginia left Madame Barb’s shop the dark feeling left her.  For once the feeling did not stay until it was too late to know why it was there.  Virginia was special, Madame Barb thought and smiled.  Paul looked through the window at Madame Barb.  Madame Barb held her gaze on him until Virginia came into view.  Paul reached for her hand as they walked away.

Thank you,

John Martin               

Thank you for joining us for the Prologue and Chapters 1 & 2.  Chapter 3 will be available later this week.