Page 4 of Corrupted By You

I entered through a row of beaded curtains and paused in the middle of the tent, hearing low rhythmic music that sounded like chiming bells and crashing waves. A small-statured woman, rubbing scented oil on her wrists, paused when she spotted me. “Ah, welcome, my friend.” She smiled almost cunningly. “Please, take a seat and join me.”

Sinking into the spare chair at her table, I gave her a polite smile that probably came off as timid and wrapped my stole around me tighter, shielding myself.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed the interior of the tent was minimal, but the woman before me was not. Her hands were stacked with beaded rose quartz and amethyst bracelets, and she wore a flurry of rings on her knuckles, all different sizes and elements. The necklaces looped around her neck were vibrant, but otherwise, she was dressed in all black with her auburn hair left loose. The thick-rimmed glasses perched on her nose gave her the appearance of a young Professor Trelawney from Harry Potter.

“What brings you here today?” She reached for a deck of tarot cards and shuffled.

I reached into my clutch for a crisp, twenty-dollar bill, inhaling the strong scent of ylang-ylang wafting in the air. “I’m feeling… daring.”

“My favourite feeling.” A knowing glint entered her blue eyes. “You seem like a woman who isn’t afraid to expand her horizons.”

She dragged her gaze over my dark-haired chignon, my diamond studs, my red-painted lips, and my expensive gown as though I was a fascinating study.

If my horizons weren’t shadowed by my mother’s overbearing presence, then perhaps I wouldn’t be wary of taking the best seat at the table and the bigger slice of pie. I had the means to back it up, but I was lacking the courage after years of having my self-esteem trampled upon.

“Neither do you,” I said good-naturedly, dropping the twenty in her glass jar. “Daring women make history, and most of us want to be remembered for more than just our looks. Isn’t that right?”

“Very true,” she returned in an amused voice. “Let’s see what the future has in store for you, my friend.”

“Darla,” I said. My eyes observed her pink acrylic claws as she shuffled the deck with agile fingers. “What’s your name?”

“Prudence.”

Cards dropped from the pile, making her halt before she continued shuffling.

Prudence then laid out a few more on the table.

I leaned forward to get a better look.

I’d never been to a fortune teller, but I was always intrigued. With the kind of bad luck following my bloodline, I often wondered where things went wrong.

“All right, Darla.” Prudence gave me a friendly smile. “It looks like we have the Tower, the Nine of Cups, the Devil, the Empress, and the Lovers.”

“Okay.” I shifted in my seat, a muscle in my leg jumping. “What does that mean?”

She hummed softly. “The Tower card…You are on the cusp of a big change. Upheaval. Chaos. There’s a certain type of awakening entering your life and it’s about to change everything for you. The Nine of Cups…I sense some sadness lingering inside of you. An unspoken pain. But coupled with the Tower card, it can emphasize a sort of conclusion. You’re making peace with a part of you and moving on. A new beginning awaits, so be open-minded and embrace change. Everything will fall into place once you surrender to the cards you are dealt.”

I remained quiet and Prudence continued talking, “This is the Devil’s card. It is one of my favourites. It can signify emptiness, entrapment, and lack of fulfillment in one’s life.” She hit the mark and I flinched. “On the other hand, it can also highlight bondage. Seduction. Temptation. Maybe a man is about to break into your life if you aren’t already taken.”

She grinned and I almost snorted.

The chances of a man coming into my life—other than platonic—were quite low, given the chokehold my mother had on my life. No man was good enough and she usually shooed away most of my dates. As for the one serious boyfriend I had two years ago, whom she begrudgingly accepted, he ended up cheating on me.

So men? Not really my cup of tea at the moment.

“Finally, the Empress and the Lovers. Maybe you and your current partner are looking to take your relationship to the next step. Maybe you are looking to conceive. The Empress signifies marriage and fertility—It seems as though this is a period of high fertility for you. Do not be surprised if you find yourself bearing a bundle of joy in the near future.”

“That’s a negative,” I mused. “I’m not seeing anyone or looking to have a baby.”

“That’s fair.” Prudence continued with her prediction, “The Lovers card is another personal favourite.” She closed her eyes and breathed slowly through her nose. In and out. In and out.

I watched her with a half blank, halfwhat-is-going-onexpression.

“I’m sensing an overflow of love entering your life,” she stated with a flourish of her hand. “Someone tall, dark, and handsome. He’s…rough around the edges. A man of many trades. He possesses lots of power.” She looked at me pointedly as if she were trying to see beyond my exterior. “He’ll cherish and love you very much, but he has a hard time opening up. You’ll have to be patient with him.” Prudence nodded to herself. “Oh, this man. He’s dreamy. He’s not for everyone to stomach, but you will love every side of him—light and dark. He would burn down the world for you if it means getting justice for the woman he loves. And I feel he’s near, Darla.”

Despite my heart’s rapid pounding, I convinced myself this was a load of bullshit and pasted on my people-pleasing smile. “That’s very insightful.”

I never allowed the carefully composed mask to drop from my face as I listened with false rapt attention to more of Prudence’s spewing. Once finished, I thanked her. “This was wonderful. I appreciate you taking the time to relay all of this.”