Cartomancy (6 page)

Chapter 21

The next morning when Astrid’s dad went
outside to leave for work the whole street was lined with
television cameras and news crews. There were actual tents on the
sidewalk in front of the QAV. He immediately rushed back inside to
wake the girls. When they looked outside they thought it must be
some kind of joke. There were at least 30 different news stations
camped out in front of their house. “The neighbors keep calling;
they can’t get out of their driveways to go to work.” Astrid’s
mother said pouring a cup of coffee. “I guess I will go outside and
try to manage some of this chaos, at least to keep the peace with
our neighbors.” He said walking towards the door. Astrid felt bad,
she knew that this was all her fault and she followed her dad
outside to try and help. But, as soon as the reporters saw her they
swarmed around her like bees to their queen. Her father attempted
to protect her by backing her up onto the porch, but it was no use.
There were too many of them. The bright lights and camera flashes
were like lightening, and she had barely been awake for ten
minutes. She was pushed backwards onto the porch, and she fell down
hard. Hard enough to make tears well up in her eyes, she began to
tremble. At that moment, Waverly opened the door and pulled her
inside and slammed the door shut. The two girls sat on the floor
staring at each other. After a few minutes, Waverly spoke. “They
aren’t just going to leave ya know. We have to go out and say
something to them.” Astrid wiped her nose on her palm and brushed
her hair out of her eyes. “I have never been so scared in my life;
they just came at me from every direction.” Astrid began to tear up
again. Waverly wrapped her hands around her friend’s neck and
kissed her on top of the head. “I am so sorry that happened to you,
I can go out and talk to them if you want.” Astrid looked up at
Waverly and for a moment she almost said “okay” but she didn’t.
“No” she said sniffing up all her tears. “I dragged you into this,
and we’re partners, we will think of something to say, and we will
go out there together, a united front.” She stood up and held her
hand out to Waverly and pulled her up from the floor. Waverly
looked own at her feet and said “Maybe we should change out of our
pajamas first. There will be hot boys all over the world seeing
us.” She poked Astrid in the ribs. “The WORLD, Wave? Don’t you
think that’s a tad ambitious?” Astrid said bounding up the stairs.
“Well, duh? Why else would they call it The World Wide Web? I mean
it’s pretty obvious to me.” Astrid agreed that Waverly did have a
point. The girls got dressed and had prepared what they were going
to say. They were starting to go back downstairs when Astrid
stopped suddenly. “What’s the matter?” Waverly asked. “Pick up your
phone and look at it.” Astrid said. She was just standing and
staring at her phone and Waverly was confused. “Why? What’s wrong
with it?” She said looking around the room for her phone. She had
left it charging on the floor next to the bed. She bent over and
picked it up. At first she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “I
have over three hundred text messages.” Waverly said staring at
Astrid with her mouth hanging open. No other words would come out.
It was like her brain couldn’t process the information fast enough.
“Me too, I don’t even know who most of these people are. How do
they know our phone numbers?” Astrid spoke like someone who had
just witnessed an accident. “Are you reading them? They all want
answers to …something.” Waverly threw her phone down on the floor;
she didn’t even want to touch it. What are we supposed to do? This
is seriously freaking me out right now.” Waverly said looking at
her friend. She walked over to Astrid and took the phone out of her
friends hand and put it on the dresser. “Step away from the phone
Astrid” She said in a fake-serious voice. “It can’t hurt you.” She
tried to be funny for both of their sakes, but it wasn’t really
working. “Let’s just compose ourselves and go back outside, we can
deal with the text messages later. One thing at a time okay? Baby
steps.” Astrid agreed. Hand in hand they went outside to face the
media together. Astrid was relieved the see that her father had the
reporters backed up onto the sidewalk. It wasn’t hard to convince
them after they learned that he was in fact a lawyer. The girls
walked slowly down the brick pathway to the sidewalk. All the
reporters were shouting questions at them. Astrid’s father held up
a hand and said “One at a time please or the girls have no
comment.” The first reporter was from a global news network. Astrid
knew that everything they would say was about to become viral.
Quickly. Across the street she could see Asia trying to stay in the
shade as much as possible behind her mother. They were standing
with two other picketers who were praying. “Can you tell us what
started this whole phenomenon? The first person asked. Astrid tried
to get closer to the microphone. “Well, I was bored one day and my
mother suggested I get a summer job.” The crowd laughed. “It
appears to be working. We have reports that you have a three month
waiting list. Is that true?” Waverly looked at Astrid and shrugged.
It was her turn at the microphone and Astrid was more than happy to
let her take over. “We do in fact have a waiting list, I’m not
really sure how long it is, but we do have to go back to school at
some point.” She then added: “Next question.” As usual, Astrid was
in awe of her friend. “Can you tell us how two middle school girls
have been so accurate in their readings? From what we’ve learned,
you’re never wrong about anything.” This was news to Waverly and
she was trying to think of something witty to say when Asia’s
mother began to speak from across the street. “It’s not them! It’s
the devil’s work. He’s just using these poor children! He’s
speaking through them! Lord have mercy on their young souls.” Asia
hid behind her sign. The crowd turned back to Waverly. “Everyone
has the right to their own opinions, but this isn’t the work of
anyone besides Astrid and me. We just tell people what we see in
the cards that they themselves draw. It’s pretty simple really.”
Astrid tried to take a cue from Waverly. “We can really only take
one more question. We’re only allowed two hours a day to work on
our summer job, and I’m afraid my dad is going to consider this as
working. Upon hearing this, the reporters all started shouting
questions at once. It was so hard to make out what anyone was
saying, that Waverly just pointed randomly to one of them. “What
plans do you have for all of the money that you’re making?” Someone
shouted. Waverly tried to steady herself amid all of the ongoing
flashes of light. “Well, I’m not sure yet about mine, but Astrid is
using hers to buy a coffin for her room.” At once, all of the
reporters were swirling around and furiously snapping pictures.
Asia’s mother fainted, but none of the reporters noticed. Astrid
could not believe what her best friend had just said. She crossed
her arms over her chest and walked back across the lawn. By the
time they reached the porch, the coffin news had already gone
viral.

Chapter 22

“Hey grammykins, what’s up?” Astrid said as
she walked into the kitchen of her grandmother’s house. It had been
a week since the press incident, and she hadn’t left the QAV since
then. She was getting all kinds of creepy messages on social media
and she was afraid to go anywhere. “Mom said you called and wanted
me to come over, she just dropped me off.” Her grandmother looked
up from the cake she was frosting and smiled. “How’s Waverly?” She
asked. “Can we please talk about something else grandma?” Her
grandma could see that she was still pretty upset, so she changed
the subject. “Whatever you wish my dear. Jordan is here mowing the
grass and I thought you kids might like some cake.” She said still
smiling like a grandma who was up to something. “Grandma! Stop
trying to hook me up with Jordan please…I mean he’s cool and all,
but I don’t like, like him.” Astrid said licking frosting off of a
spoon. “My dearest, I am not hooking anyone up with anyone, I just
thought it’d be nice if you had some cake with us, the boy never
lets me give him any money for mowing my lawn and I feel like I
should do something nice to repay him, besides….you can never have
too many friends, I always say.” Astrid thought about this for a
minute, and she would practically do anything for cake. Not to
mention for a friend at this point. “Okay, but just so we’re
straight I’m doing this for you ONLY, not Jordan.” She said sitting
down at the table and looking out the window. Jordan was all done
mowing and he was walking up to the backdoor. “I suppose the cake
has nothing at all to do with your decision.” Her grandma laughed.
Jordan knocked and walked inside. “Oh hey Astrid, I didn’t know
you’d be here, nice surprise though.” He seemed awkward to Astrid,
she thought it was cute. “Jordan, sit down and have some cake and
lemonade, both made fresh.” Her grandma smiled. “You didn’t have to
go to all this trouble Miss Lilly, not on my account anyway.”
Astrid’s grandma patted Jordan on the head and handed him a piece
of cake. “Now my dear, you know all we grandma’s like to do is make
people eat, so don’t be silly and have some cake, trouble is the
last thing you could ever be.” There was a loud buzzing from the
hallway; it was the dryer in the laundry room. “Well, there’s my
laundry….you kids eat as much as you want, while I go and fold some
clothes.” Astrid rolled her eyes at her grandma while Jordan wasn’t
looking. Her grandma smiled at her and made a talking mouth motion
with her hand and pointed at Jordan. “So, Jordan you really should
be charging my grandma a LOT to mow her grass, she always WINS BIG
at bingo.” Astrid said in a loud enough voice so she was sure her
grandma could hear. “Oh, I could never do that.” Jordan said in an
almost sad sounding voice. “Astrid, after we eat, will you go
somewhere with me? I want to show you something.” Jordan said, his
face was either red from embarrassment, or he was still hot from
mowing, Astrid couldn’t decide which. “Yeah, sure, of course. Where
are we going?” Astrid wondered. “Just for a walk, not too far I
promise. I just want to show you something. I promise you’ll like
it.” They ate their cake in silence, until Astrid’s grandma came
back into the room. “You kids all done? Who wants a second piece?”
Astrid looked at her grandma and smiled, she really did have the
best grandma ever. “Actually, is it okay if we go for a walk?
Jordan wants to show me something.” Her grandmother had started to
clean off the table and nearly dropped a plate. “Is that a fact?”
she said winking at Astrid. “Of course you can go for a walk my
darlings.” This time she was winking at Jordan. Astrid and Jordan
had only walked a few blocks when they came to a lovely brick house
with a beautiful lawn. “This is it” Jordan declared. “I suppose you
cut this lawn for free too” Astrid said just noticing the rose
bushes. There were tons of them. Lining both sides of the front
yard, and from what she could tell the back as well. Beautiful
roses, in every color and variety imaginable. “This looks like a
park, instead of someone’s home.” Astrid had said to Jordan who was
heading up the steps to the front door. “Yep, they’re my grandma’s.
And yes, I do mow this lawn for free also.” Jordan smiled. Astrid
was walking up the steps behind him, when Jordan suddenly turned
around. “Astrid, there’s a reason that I like being around your
grandma and helping her out. My grandma died last year,
and...well...I just miss her so much, we always used to work on her
roses together, and I feel so lost without her. So, someone had
mentioned to me that I should get out in the community and
volunteer to help me feel better, and I found your grandma, and
that’s why I couldn’t possibly ever charge her. It would be like
charging my own grandma. I hope that makes sense and isn’t too
lame.” Tears were welling up in Astrid’s eyes as she thought of how
much she missed her grandpa. “Jordan, it isn’t lame and I would be
happy to share my grandma with you.” She said choking back the
tears. “Is this what you wanted to show me? They are very lovely,
and I am sure your grandmother is very proud of you.” Jordan
cracked his knuckles and Astrid could see that he was nervous.
“Well, not exactly all of it, there’s more. Follow me.” They went
up on the porch and Jordan knocked on the door. No one answered, so
he took a key from a flower pot near the door and unlocked it.
Inside the house was very dark, and it was taking Astrid’s eyes a
minute to adjust. There was no one in the living room, so they
walked through the house and into the back yard. “Hi grandpa”
Jordan yelled. The old man turned around and saw the two and waved.
“Hang on a sec, let me turn down the radio, I’m just listening to
the ballgame.” Jordan’s grandpa was sitting at a table in the back
yard with an old metal radio. “I didn’t expect you today Mr.
Jordan, and to what do I owe this pleasure?” he said in a cranky
voice. “Sorry, if we interrupted you grandpa, we were just out for
a walk.” Jordan explained to his grandpa who had gotten up and was
walking into the house. Astrid and Jordan followed behind. “Do you
want something to drink?” the old man asked. “That’d be great”
Jordan replied. “Well you know where the fridge is.” His grandpa
had said. Astrid was beginning to feel rather uncomfortable. “Are
we bothering him?” Astrid whispered to Jordan in the kitchen as her
grandpa went into the living room and turned on the lights. “Oh,
don’t mind him, that’s just how he is sometimes. We’re fine.”
Jordan sighed. They got their drinks and headed into the living
room and sat down. “That’s an interesting desk” Astrid said trying
to be a good guest. “I’ve never seen a desk with so many drawers
before.” She shuffled her shoes on the carpet. “That desk, my dear,
as you call it, is a card catalog. I suppose you kids don’t even
know what that is anymore these days what with all of your fancy
wee-fee’s and hotspots and nonsense.” Jordan whispered to Astrid
“He means Wi-Fi.” His grandpa cleared his throat. “You all look up
everything online these days; no one would ever think to even look
inside of a book now would they?” Astrid was stunned. Beyond
stunned. Something way past stunned. “Umm…I know that’s how people
looked for books in the library back in the olden days.” She
managed to sneak a word in edgewise. His grandfather scoffed.
“Well, it wasn’t that long ago, but yes you are correct.” He
smiled. “What’s your name again Miss? I don’t believe Jordan told
me.” Astrid looked at Jordan and kicked him under the coffee table.
“Oh, sorry grandpa, her name is Astrid. She is Lilly’s
granddaughter.” All at once, the mood in the room changed. “Well,
you don’t say, are you really Lilly’s granddaughter?” His
grandfather said beaming. Astrid noticed that he seemed to sit up
straighter all of the sudden. “Yes, Sir…as a matter of fact we…..”
suddenly Jordan’s grandpa jumped up. “You kids, wait here, I’ll be
right back.” He walked quickly, almost running, out of the room.
Astrid looked at Jordan and he just shrugged his shoulders. His
grandpa returned a few minutes later with a huge vase full of
roses. Beautiful red roses with some pink and yellow smaller ones
mixed in. He handed the vase to Astrid. “These are for your grandma
Lilly, please give them to her for me, won’t you?” He winked at
Astrid. Astrid had no idea what had just happened. “Yes?” was all
she could muster. Jordan nudged her in the ribs and smiled. “Well,
grandpa, I guess we better get going before Miss Lilly thinks we
were kidnapped or something.” Like that could ever happen is this
town Astrid thought to herself. Jordan got up and hugged his
grandpa.“Ok, you kids be careful and make sure you tell your
grandma that I picked those especially for her.” He said waving
from the porch as they walked down the stairs to the sidewalk. “We
certainly will!” Jordan yelled back. As Astrid walked up the street
she chuckled to herself and wiped a tear from her eye. She finally
knew something that her grandma didn’t. And she couldn’t wait to
tell her.