Daybreak
Madame Ella's was a small hole in the wall on the corner of the city bus route. As a joke, Blaine had asked her for a prediction about his Chemistry class. She warned him about an upcoming pop quiz, and the extra time he had been given to study allowed him to set the curve. Blaine had been a repeat customer ever since.
"Ahh, welcome, child," said Madame Ella, quickly throwing an open magazine off of the table. "I've been expecting you. Another set of academic future questions?" she asked, picking up her crystal ball up off of the floor.
"Well, actually, Ma'am, I was hoping for some romantic advice."
"Ah, of course!" she said, putting down the ball and picking up a ratty set of tarot cards. "A simple horseshoe, to see the present and future. That'll be twenty-five bucks. Who's the lucky girl? The spirits need to hear you say it, though of course I know."
"Ohh... girl?" said Blaine, a bit crestfallen. "I was hoping to ask about two of them. Y'know, to see which one I have a better chance with."
"I'd have to charge you double," replied Madame Ella, not looking up from her shuffling. "And even then, it's hard to compare between two readings on the same subject, let alone two readings on two different subjects. This is not one of your sciences. The mystic veil does not take kindly to people trying to cheat the system."
"Of course," said Blaine, with a sigh. "Well, then I guess I'd better pick, huh? Do a tarot reading on..."
"Ahh, welcome, child," said Madame Ella, quickly throwing an open magazine off of the table. "I've been expecting you. Another set of academic future questions?" she asked, picking up her crystal ball up off of the floor.
"Well, actually, Ma'am, I was hoping for some romantic advice."
"Ah, of course!" she said, putting down the ball and picking up a ratty set of tarot cards. "A simple horseshoe, to see the present and future. That'll be twenty-five bucks. Who's the lucky girl? The spirits need to hear you say it, though of course I know."
"Ohh... girl?" said Blaine, a bit crestfallen. "I was hoping to ask about two of them. Y'know, to see which one I have a better chance with."
"I'd have to charge you double," replied Madame Ella, not looking up from her shuffling. "And even then, it's hard to compare between two readings on the same subject, let alone two readings on two different subjects. This is not one of your sciences. The mystic veil does not take kindly to people trying to cheat the system."
"Of course," said Blaine, with a sigh. "Well, then I guess I'd better pick, huh? Do a tarot reading on..."