The blinding light enveloped me in a radiant blue hue as recognizable images of my friends in the peculiar cave flashed in my mind's eye.
I emerged from the blinding blue light, stepping into the familiar. Suddenly, I am back in the dimly lit tarot shop. Rows of shelves containing books on the metaphysical and supernatural surrounded me. And taking my attention was the glass display case of assorted crystals near the large window that read, Crystals and Things, in bold painted letters.
Confusion and the earthy essence of burning incense clouded my thoughts, leaving me in a mental haze. The thin tarot card between my fingers stole my attention and I gasped, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu.
"Lady Justice again?" Cecil didn't look up from the cash register and her sweet voice carried through the vacant room.
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. Didn't we have this exchange before? "How did you guess? Psychic?" I tested her reaction, comparing the similarities between her response and my memory.
"Nah. But with your help I could develop that gift." Her short frame grew about two inches as she rose up on her toes with enthusiasm.
"Oh, no." The card slipped from my trembling fingers as I clamped my hands over my mouth in horror.
Cecil finally looked to me. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"We had this conversation before." My eyes went wide as panic seized me. "And later we went to Manaan Caverns and we got trapped inside and people died. We encountered our doubles, people that looked and acted just like us, and we were nearly stuck there forever." The words rushed out so quickly, I had to pause to take a breath.
"Oh, my god." Cecil rushed to my side and rubbed my shoulder comfortingly. "Did you see all that in a vision?"
"No, no." I shook my head vehemently. "This was no vision, Cecil. We've experienced it. I've lived it. It was real. Don't you remember?"
She sighed, seemingly frustrated at her inability to say no. "You said people died?" The way she looked at me ... of course I looked crazy. She squeezed my arm to coerce the words from me. "Who died?"
"Jace and Brent. You really don't remember?" My eyes scanned the room to locate my cellphone. "I need to call them. I need to know they're okay."
"Whoa. Hold on, Max." Cecil tilted her head, giving me a look that only appeared when she questioned my sanity. "You're gonna call Jace? After what he's done to you?"
"I have to." I gripped her shoulders to show my urgency and sincerity. "I know you don't understand and I know you wouldn't agree, but this is something I have to do." I removed my phone from the piles of tarot decks on my altar. And since Jace's contact information had been deleted from my phone months ago, relief hit me as I quickly dialed his number from memory.
The line seemed to ring forever as the evening sky outside the shop window provided a bit of respite with its serene backdrop. But as the ringing continued, my throat sank to the pit of my stomach at the thought of not hearing his voice again. Apprehension and unease quickly built and bubbled in my gut.
Finally, the ringing stopped.
"Max? Maxine Shepard?" Although his cocky demeanor was apparent in his voice, it elicited a sense of relief in me. "I knew you were gonna call. I knew it. What's up? Lonely? Bored? Need a friend? Begging for a redo?"
A redo? He had no idea.
"Listen, Jace." I sighed, gathering my courage and allowing my resentment to fall away. "I've held on to this secret for a while, but—" I swallowed, well aware that like Cecil, he had no recollection of visiting the cave. This knowledge made it difficult for me to gauge his reaction. "But—" I hesitated.
"But . . . you've come to realize you're still in love with me?"
The corner of my lip threatened to curl. I never would've thought that I'd miss his cocky personality.
"No, but I forgive you." An awkward silence commenced. "I knew what Fate had in store for us and our relationship long before we became exclusive, and things might have been different between us if I were honest with you about what I sensed. I thought by dismissing those dark visions I could erase the outcome. We should've been more honest with each other."
I waited for a response, but the sound of his slow breaths and a brief, "Hm," were all that came through the other line. Still, he hadn't hung up the phone, so he was willing to listen.
"I absolutely forgive you and will no longer hold your past actions against you." I gulped, not only swallowing the lump in my throat but my pride. "Hopefully this is as healing for you as it is for me, and we can move on from here as friends."
The silence was deafening.
"I—" he stuttered, and I knew he was looking for the right words to say as I had caught him off guard. "This is . . . unexpected." He chuckled nervously. "It feels like you were digging around in my head or something."
"You have no idea what it took to get to this conclusion."
"I bet it was hard to do." He cleared his throat. "I have been feeling a bit guilty about what I did to you, to us. And, well, I am sorry, Max."
"I know." I smiled even though he couldn't see it, immediately feeling the weight lift from me. As soon as I hung up, memories of what we've encountered in that cave hit me like no other. We both were lucky to be given a second chance.
Cecil pressed her ear to her phone. "Hey, kissy-face. Max needs me tonight so I will see you later on. Okay?" She glanced at me with sadness in her eyes. "Yes, she's fine. Everything's ok. Yes, I know you want to meet her, and you will soon. Me and her just need to figure some things out."
I took her cue and found Samuel's number in my phone.
He answered. "Hey, Max. It's been awhile."
My smile made it hard for me to speak. "It's so good to hear your voice. I've had a crazy experience and I just needed to know that you and Brent are okay."
"Yeah, we're great." Curiosity lingered in his tone. "But what kind of crazy experience are you talking about? Did you have a vision?"
I huffed. "I know you won't understand, but you should know that you and Brent are important additions to my life. I wouldn't be myself without you guys. I'm so sorry for abandoning you."
"Abandoning—?" The concern increased in his voice. "Max, what's going on?"
"I just need you to know that I'm still your friend, no more running away." I sniffed, overwhelmed by the series of emotions.
"Of course, we're friends!" His voice went up an octave, almost as if he were surprised that I question it. "We were always friends. Nothing will change that. Just because we don't see eye-to-eye with some things doesn't mean I'll never have your back. If you asked me to join you on a trek to the middle of the woods to find a bunch of fairies, I would be right by your side. Doesn't that mean something?"
I chuckled at the thought. "That means everything. Thank you."
I hung up and stared at Cecil. Her eccentric purple locks reminded me why I adored her so much. "I've been through a lot. Actually, we all have. That cave was no nightmare, it was no vision. It was real."
Her eyes widened with intrigue. "Tell me."
I took a deep breathed. "We all were trapped and Jace got crushed, Brent drowned, and you, Samuel, and Arturo abandoned me and Blamore—"
"First of all, I would never leave you," she interrupted. "And second of all, who is Blamore?"
"You won't believe me." I dropped my gaze, wishing there was some way to prove it to her.
"I want to believe, Max." She bit her lip. "I really want to."
"We had to face our doubles, people that looked just like us. And I hurt my back trying to get here again." I turned and lifted my shirt, attempting to peek over my shoulder at what remained.
Cecil gasped. "My god." Her fingertips glided over the skin on my shoulder blades. "There are discolored scars here! You've never had these scars."
"See?" I repositioned my shirt to its original place. "Believe me now?"
"What does this mean?" Her hands covered her lips and her eyes remained wide.
"I don't know." I shook my head. "But it feels like a second chance."
Just then the door to the shop opened. I turned to see a handsome, well-groomed man. His tall and muscular frame immediately made my jaw drop. His thick, dark, and wavy hair was neatly styled, except for a lock that draped down near his bright sea-blue colored eyes.
My mouth remained open at the stunning appearance of the gentle giant. "Blamore?"
"Uh, the name's Theodore." He nodded, adjusting the collar of his tailored blazer. "I, uh, saw the sign about tarot readings and felt compelled to come."
My heart skipped a beat at seeing the man before me. He seemed healthier than I've ever imagined Blamore being. I slowly raised my hand, mesmerized by his presence. "Do you remember me?"
He narrowed his eyes and chuckled nervously. "Uh . . ."
I was sure he was the same man who had undergone a life-changing experience with me in the cave. "You had a wife, right?"
"Uh—" He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "She passed a year ago. Took her own life."
Cecil elbowed me discreetly. "So sorry to hear that, sir."
"Yes, sorry." I gulped.
"It's okay." He nodded. "It took me a while and a lot of work, but I've finally come to terms with it."
After a bit of awkward silence, Cecil perked up, changing the mood to a cheerier one. "Well, if you're looking for a tarot reading, she's your girl. Would you like a bottle of water to make you more comfortable, Theodore?"
"Yes, please." He nodded and forced a smile. "Thank you."
As she exited the room, the man removed his jacket and draped it over his forearm. My eyes quickly darted to the skin near his collarbone, hoping to find a trace of the Standing Stone tattoo that had marked Blamore. However, there was nothing but smoothed, even-toned pale skin.
"I'm sorry, Blamore—I mean, Theodore." I sighed, trying not to embarrass him or myself. "I don't think I'm in the right frame of mind to perform a reading tonight."
He nodded understandably, replacing his jacket back over his broad shoulders. "You may not be able to help me tonight, but I'm sure there will be another time." He pivoted, opened the door and shot me a bashful smile over his shoulder, a smile that sent warmth to my heart. "Thank you for everything, Maxine." He stepped out and the door closed behind him.
Through the glass, I watched as he continued down the lonely sidewalk and out of sight.
His self-conscious smile replayed in my mind and gave off the impression that he knew more than what he acknowledged. We had shared an amazing experience in that mysterious cave. I was more than sure of it.
If this was our very first encounter, how could he have known my name?
Relief hit me tenfold.
We were home.
THE END
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