A Girl Between (19 page)

I leaned against Belinda’s old Toyota, waiting for Mercy.  I
was off in another world, daydreaming about Ian, when suddenly a soft voice
with a strange accent broke into my reverie, “Are you the one, Tessie
Littleton?”

I turned my head to see two exotic young women staring at
me.  Both of them were strikingly beautiful, with almond shaped eyes and long
wavy black hair.  One had a bright red scarf draped loosely over her hair and a
silver nose ring.  The other one had huge gold dangly earrings with tons of
jangly bracelets.

“Hey, I see you guys have met,” Mercy yelled breathlessly as
she reached us.

“We were just in the process,” I responded.

“Tess, this is Dika Petrov,” Mercy gestured toward the
scarfed one, “and this is Nadya Petrov,” while gesturing toward the other one. 
They both looked at me solemnly and nodded.

“So nice to meet you,” I said, smiling broadly.  They seemed
either very reserved or unsure of themselves.  I didn’t see any sign of an
aura.  That is unusual.  They must be very practiced at keeping to themselves.

We all got into the car and made small talk on the way to
the Petrov’s house.  I was trying to place their accent and finally decided
that it sounded Russian or Eastern European.  Mercy just met them a few days
ago but seems to have made an immediate connection.  Eventually we pulled into
the driveway of a rundown farmhouse a few miles out of town.  Before we got out
of the car, Nadya turned to me and said, “We appreciate you coming to our
house.  Our mama has expressed great interest in meeting you.”

What?  Their mother has expressed great interest in meeting
ME?  Mercy seemed to know what I was thinking about because she was shooting a
warning look to me.  I answered politely, “Yes, I am looking forward to meeting
her also.”

When I got out of the car I saw a barn near the house so I
asked Nadya, “Do you keep any animals in there?”

“Yes, we have four horses.  We also board horses for
people.  Dika and I both ride and my father is a horse trainer,” Nadya
responded.

As soon as we walked into the house, a large woman came
bustling toward us.  She was wearing a long billowy skirt, a puffy blouse, big
earrings, bracelets and several long necklaces.  For some reason, my Aunt Amy
hardly wore any jewelry so it was startling so see so much on someone.  I
started putting my hand out to shake hers but she ignored it.  She came right
over to me, gave me a big hug, and loudly declared, “Hello, hello, so nice of
you to come to our house.

Their living room was rather elaborate but a bit shabby. 
Two lamps and a curvy velvet chair were decorated with a border of purple
fringe.  A faded oriental rug was centered on the floor and odd little knick
knacks were placed everywhere.  There was a slight haze in the air that smelled
of scented candles and cigarette smoke.  Overall, the interior was a little
gaudy, but homey and comfortable.  It was like I was sitting in a Victorian
drawing room.

“Welcome to our house.  I have been looking forward to
meeting you, Tessie.”  Then, she turned to Mercy, hugged her and added, “It is
wonderful to see you also, Mercy.  I hope your mother is well.”  Mrs. Petrov
had the same accent as her daughters, only heavier.

Mrs. Petrov then gestured toward a large, ornate rose
colored sofa and exclaimed, “Please Tessie and Mercy, make yourselves at home
here.  Nadya, why don’t you bring in some of the coffee cake you made yesterday
and a pot of tea.”

Three beautiful Siamese cats came slinking into the room. 
One strolled right up to me and rubbed against my leg, loudly purring.  I
scratched her head and she stared at me with her bright blue, slightly crossed
eyes.  She appeared more intelligent than some people I know.  She gracefully
jumped up and settled herself in my lap.  The other two cats prowled around the
room and finally sat on Dika’s lap and a velvet pillow by the front window. 
“My Siamese cat is named Beauty Queen.  They are the most intelligent animals.”

Dika nodded, “Cats are very special to us.  The one in
Tess’s lap is Princess Hannah, the one on my lap is Her Royal Highness and the
one on the pillow is Empress Stephania.”  All three cats stared at us while we
were talking about them.  It’s funny how cats can make you feel like a dope
when they stare at you like they’re bored out of their minds.  

Nadya brought in a tall ornate copper vessel and placed it
on the coffee table.  She went back to the kitchen and returned with a silver
tray of exquisite China tea cups, matching plates, a jar of honey and the
coffee cake.

“That thing is so beautiful.  What is it?” asked Mercy

“It is a samovar.  That particular one belonged to my
husband’s family for many years.  It is the best way to prepare the Russian
Caravan tea.  I think you will enjoy it.  It is best with honey.”  Mrs. Petrov
proceeded to show us how to pour tea from the samovar.  We all helped ourselves
to tea and cake and sat around the coffee table.  I took a sip.  It was
wonderful.  It smelled and tasted like smoke and pine, very delicious.

Mrs. Petrov was seated on the other end of the sofa.  She
looked at me, apprehension showing on her face before asking, “My dear, how are
you doing?”

“I’m doing all right, Mrs. Petrov.”  I smiled reassuringly.

She touched me lightly on my hand, leaning toward me.  “Tessie,
we know about you.  We know why you are here at this time.” 

“Why would you guys know all about me?”  I asked, although I
had a pretty good feeling why they knew about me.  I’m quite sure the girls
were luminars.

Mrs. Petrov looked over at Mercy and her daughters before
answering.  “Tess, I’m not sure if you know of our background?”

“I think you may be from Russia or Eastern Europe.  It’s
just a guess though.”

“We are Roma.  There is another term for the Roma people but
we don’t like using it often because it is viewed negatively.  It is ‘gypsy’. 
I presume you have heard of gypsies, Tess?”

“Yes, I have, but I don’t know much about them,” I
acknowledged.

“The Roma people can be from many parts of the world, but
our family came to America from Serbia in the mid-1990s.  We came here because
of the terrible war that was tearing our country apart.   Many people were
being tortured and exterminated, and of course, the Roma were among them.  We
were very lucky to get out when we did.  My husband had an uncle from America
who helped us get here and we settled with a Roma community in upper state New
York.”

I asked, “That is very interesting Mrs. Petrov, but what
does that have to do with what is happening here in Connecticut today?

“Please be patient with me, Tess.  I must explain to you the
history of our people for you to understand.  The Roma are an ancient people. 
Over a thousand years ago we emigrated from Northern India to different regions
of Europe.  We found that we were not welcome in many places because of our
distinctive culture and our darker skin.  As a result, we became great
wanderers, and developed rather unique talents in order to get by.  Our men
became excellent animal trainers and coppersmiths.”

“What is important for you to understand is that our women
became very gifted in the art of telling fortunes through the reading of palms,
the mystical orbs and the cards.  In past times, some gypsies also read the tea
leaves.  Do you know why certain Roma women were able to develop these gifts?” 
Mrs. Petrov directed her question at me.

It was unclear so I shrugged and answered, “No, not really.”

Mrs. Petrov leaned toward me, her eyes gleaming.  “It was
because of their witch blood.  It is my personal belief that there are more
talented witches within the Roma population than any other peoples on earth. 
You may be aware that since the beginning of human existence, the special
abilities of witches have evolved over thousands of years, depending on their
origin.  Unfortunately, there are some regions of the earth where witches have
virtually become extinct.  Their special gifts have withered due to disuse or
fear of discovery.  In the case of the Roma witches, the opposite has
happened.  They have retained many of their original magical abilities and
their psychic skill has evolved into their greatest gift,” Mrs. Petrov
asserted.

Mercy asked, “Why did Roma witches evolve that way?”

“I will explain it to you.  Gypsies had been kept out of the
normal way of supporting themselves for many centuries because they were always
from the outside.  For that reason, they had to find other ways to support
their families.  They learned that no matter where they lived, people would
come to them and pay a great deal of money to know what their future held. 
Over the years, the Roma witches became well known for their ability to read
the future.  That skill enabled them to put food on the table. ” Mrs. Petrov
paused for dramatic effect and then added, “of course, some gypsy women were
phonies.  They were reading futures and they weren’t witches.  They just wanted
the money.   They gave the Roma a bad reputation.” 

I finally asked her the question, “Mrs. Petrov, are you
saying that you and your daughters are witches?”

Mrs. Petrov smiled before answering, “Actually, Tess, I am
more of what you would call a conjurer; however, both of my daughters are
powerful witches.  But, there is much more to it than that.  They have lived
many past lives as witches and they have suffered greatly for it.  For some
strange reason that we do not understand, Roma witches usually return to earth
time and again as Roma witches.  As far as past oppression, gypsy witches
always suffer doubly, once for being a gypsy and once for being a witch.”

This was amazing to me.  I turned to Dika and Nadya and
asked, “Do you know much about your past lives?”

Nadya answered, “Yes, we have fairly good memories of recent
past lives.  Our people have very strong beliefs about reincarnation and karmic
absolution.  Our mothers and grandmothers purposely spend time encouraging us
as little children to recall what we could about recent past lives.  Once those
recollections start, it is like pulling a thread.  Gradually, those pieces of
information fit together to form a picture of a past life.”

Mercy stared in amazement at Nadya.  “You mean you don’t
have to get hypnotized to learn about past lives?”

“No, however, I can only recall two past lives that way,”
Nadya admitted.

I asked, “Can you go back any further than that?”

Dika chimed in enthusiastically, “Roma witches do have a way
of learning about our lives further in the past.  It is through the reading of
the orb.”

Nadya quietly added, “And we were there, Tess.  Both Dika
and I spent some time with you in the 14
^th
century.  Normally, the
Roma witches wouldn’t mix with others, but we did during that time.  We chose
to align ourselves with the good ones, the luminars.”

“You were with me at that time?” I asked, incredulous.

Nadya smiled sadly and answered, “Yes, we chose to fight
with you because of how we were treated.  The bad ones, the diaboles, became
dominant members of the church hierarchy.  It was the perfect place for them to
hide at that time because no one would believe who they really were.  The
church feared our powerful magic because it threatened their control, and of
course the bad witches just stirred things up.”

Mercy questioned, “What do you mean? I’m not sure I
understand why the church was afraid of you.”

“During the 1300s, life for everyone was very harsh.  A
third of all babies died before they were five years old.  People were so
fearful they often turned to our magic for help.  Peasants and lords alike
sought us out for our ability to see visions of their future.  Unfortunately,
the church viewed our magic as ‘consorting with the devil’, and that is exactly
what they told everyone.  Eventually, the local people would turn against us so
that we would have to flee our homes.  We could never settle in one place for
long.  There were periods of time when persecutions of the Roma became really
terrible.  They stole our children to use as their slaves.  The evil ones even
got away with mass execution of our people.”

“How did you know to come here at this time?” I queried.

Dika replied, “We first talked about retribution during the
14
^th
century Apocalypse.  Since then, it has been contemplated by
witches during other skirmishes, and during the time of
The Between
.  Of
course, there have been many conflicts over the centuries, but the time for a
major reckoning has never been quite right.  Human and otherworldly events have
always gotten in the way.  This has become the designated time.  We were told
by the other witches to get here quickly.  They are coming here now.  We sense
that the time is almost upon us.

“Thank you so much for having us over today, Mrs. Petrov,” I
said courteously as I finished my tea. 

“You’re so welcome, dear.”  Mrs. Petrov smiled broadly,
glanced over at Nadya and suddenly blurted out, “I just had a great idea!  Why
don’t you young ladies have Nadya read the tarot cards for you?  I think you
would find it very enlightening.  She’s the best.  Dika is better at the
reading of palms but I think the cards are more interesting!”

Mercy clapped excitedly.  “I would LOVE to have someone do a
card reading for me. That would be amazing!”

“Humm, I guess that’s OK,” I reluctantly agreed. 
Considering what’s been happening, do I really want to know what the future had
in store for me?

Mrs. Petrov declared, “Then it is settled.  Nadya, please
get your cards and set up around the table here.”

Nadya obediently left, returned with a pack of large cards
and sat down across from us.  She could see that I was staring at the tarot
cards so she very quickly fanned them open and gave us a peek.  They were
beautiful but old and worn.  Nadya explained, “The first time I saw these cards
my majka, my grandma as you would say, was using them.  They have been in our
family for a long time.  She knew I had the gift of insight and interpretation
so she spent many years training me to ensure faithful readings.”          

Nadya laid the cards face down on the table, placed her
hands on them, closed her eyes and took several deep breaths  She finally
opened her eyes, picked up the cards and shuffled them a few times.  She looked
nervously between me and Mercy, and made a choice.  “Mercy, you seem a little
more enthusiastic.  I’ll do your reading first.”  She then gestured across the
table and added, “Sit over here and place your hands on the cards.  Close your
eyes as I did, take several deep breaths and clear your mind.  Concentrate on
your own thoughts and your own feelings.  If you have a question you would like
to have answered, reflect on that.”

As I was watching Nadya go through this ritual, it struck me
that she had very old eyes; I would say the oldest eyes I’ve ever observed on a
young person.  I’m not saying that the skin around her eyes had wrinkles, like
they were physically old.  I’m referring to her inner eyes.  It was as if her
eyes weren’t reborn with each new life.  Instead, her beautiful, mysterious
eyes came back time and again, through each incarnation, witnessing and
memorizing every past pleasure and horror that she had experienced throughout
the centuries.  Usually Nadya’s eyes were very guarded, as if she was hiding
her inner sight.  I caught sight of her old wisdom when she relaxed a bit.  It
was unnerving to see those eyes revealed in someone so young.

Mercy finally looked up and lifted her hands from the
cards.  Nadya then laid three cards on the table and pointed to each one.  “This
card on the left represents your past, the middle card your present and the
right card your future.” 

Her hand hovered over the cards for a few seconds and then
she flipped over the middle card.  “It is always a good idea to read the
present card first.  Oh my!  It is
The Fool
and you can see that he is
on a journey.  It is telling me that you have recently made a change in the
journey of your life and, as you proceed along, more changes will be coming. 
But you must be very careful for as you can see, the fool is walking over the
bridge that has a hole in it.  The hole represents dangers you may face, if you
are not very careful.”  Nadya made a point to look directly at Mercy before
appealing to her, “You are one that tends to throw your fears to the wind when
up against a foe.  You are loyal to a fault.  There are times when you must
think of yourself.  Please do not be too hasty when contemplating a risky
action.  Think it through before choosing the proper course.  You could suffer
permanent damage to your body or your mind.”

Nadya then flipped over the card that represented the past. 
It showed a woman in a long blue dress called ‘The High Priestess’.  Nadya
looked at Mercy, paused for a bit and then explained, “You have exhibited
unusual gifts since you were a young child.  They come from both of your
parents.  For most of your life, you have managed to control those gifts
because you have not lived around magic.  New powers are forthcoming for you. 
They will appear when needed.  It is important that you are patient and use
your talents correctly.  It will help you to determine your ultimate destiny.”

Nadya turned to Mercy and asked, “Would you please turn over
the card of the future?”

Mercy flipped it over and we all studied the card for a
minute.  It showed two people, one a disturbing hooded figure, the other a
normal person, standing around a spinning wheel.  Nadya finally cleared her
throat and gave her interpretation.  “This card is
The Wheel of Fortune
. 
It is a mixed bag, especially since the card was presented to you upside down. 
Unfortunately, an upside down presentation has a negative connotation.  This
card represents how your future fortunes inevitably rise or fall due to future
triumphs or defeats.  You must learn to accept either outcome as a part of
life.  If you cannot accept a defeat, you may not survive.  After all, what
rises will fall and then rise again.  The wheel continues to turn.”

“Did the cards answer your question?” Nadya asked Mercy. 

Mercy laughed, “Yes and no.  I wish I knew more.”

“That is understandable.  The cards cannot tell you
everything.  One purpose of the cards is to show you the direction you are
headed in.  They cannot dictate your future.  Only your actions, which you are
capable of changing, can affect your future.  The tarot cards open your mind to
guide you and give you some perspective of the circumstances you are in.”

Dika piped up, “Nadya, you should tell her.  She would want
to know.”

“Tell me what?” Mercy asked, sounding uncertain.

“There is one more thing.  I saw something about an elderly
woman in your family that you are close to,” Nadya responded quietly.

Mercy looked startled.  “It must my Nonna.  She is the only
one.  I lived with her for a number of years.  Please tell me.”

Nadya leaned in and touched her hand.  “I am so sorry to
tell you.  She is not doing well.  She may have a serious illness.  You should
go to see her.”

Mercy was stunned. “Nonna always seems indestructible to
me.  I can’t believe it.”

“I’m so sorry, Mercy.  I’ve heard you and your mom talk
about your Nonna,” I said quietly.

Nadya then turned to me and inquired soberly, “Are you ready,
Tess?”

“Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to sound
totally relaxed.

We went through the same routine until the three cards were
laid out on the table before us.  Nadya reminded me that the middle card
represented the present as she flipped it over.  She immediately put her hand
up to her lips trying to hide a smile as the card was revealed.  It was called
The
Lovers
.  Just what I wanted to hear about!

“Tess, I am getting a very strong impression about you from
this card.  I believe it is related to a question you asked as you reflected on
the cards.  As you can see, this is a relationship card involving your present
circumstances.  I can see that there are two young men vying for your
attention.  Is that not so?”  Nadya looked at me expectantly.

I said defensively, “I don’t think that’s the case at all.”

Mercy hooted, “Get off it Tess!  You KNOW that Ian and Will
are both after you.  Don’t tell me you can’t see that.”

“Is that true, Tess?”  Nadya asked, her eyebrows raised.

“Well, I know Ian likes me, but Will only views me as a
friend,” I answered with a half shrug.

Nadya looked between me and Mercy. “Let’s just continue. One
boy seems to be a sensitive and caring young man.  He has you mesmerized by his
quiet charm and his striking looks.  That is not a bad thing,” she continued,
looking puzzled, “although I cannot get much of a reading on his core, his
inner being.  He is surrounded by a haze.  That has me quite concerned.  Why
would he be so unreadable?  He is either conflicted in some way or he is hiding
something.  I do sense something different about him, a special power of some
kind.  He does not like to use it though.  It frightens him,” Nadya remarked
while shaking her head.  She then closed her eyes and paused for a moment
before adding, “I believe that his fears are related to past life events. 
Hmmmm . . . . oh, dear.”  She looked over at me with troubled eyes. 
“Unfortunately, his soul has been compromised.”

“Compromised?  What does that mean?”  I inquired, staring at
her.

“He does not know in which direction to go and as a result,
he has taken some wrong turns.  He has been unduly influenced,” Nadya asserted
darkly.

“I’m not sure if I understand.”  I said, feeling a sense of
unease.

She shook her head.  “That is all I can say about this.”  I
slowly nodded but I was not reassured.

“Let’s go onto the other young man.  He is not very much of
a charmer I take it, although he can be quite funny at times.  I will say that
he is your intellectual match, but he can be rather grating.”  She glanced at
me with a thoughtful look before adding, “There is a bright light about this
person.  He is quite exceptional, courageous really, with a good heart and
mind.  He has a great deal of control over his special powers.  He is a good
person to have on your side when there is trouble.” Nadya regarded me
sympathetically before saying, “There will come a time when you will have to
choose between the two.  When that time comes, the choice will not be easy. 
Sometimes you miss what is right in front of you.”

“Can’t you tell me anymore than that?  That isn’t
particularly helpful,” I implored, frowning.

Nadya glared at me before answering, “Tess, these cards can
only give you some perspective.  They cannot tell you what to do.  Besides,
that would be the easy way out. Unfortunately, the easy way is almost never the
best way.  You know that.”

Nadya put her hand on the left card.  “Time for the card of
the past.”  She turned it over to reveal a queen.  Sounding a little surprised
she said, “It is
The Queen of Swords.
I believe that is an appropriate
card for you, Tess.  The Queen is a strong person who keeps part of herself
hidden from others.  It is because she has endured a great deal of hurt as a
child.”  Nadya studied me before continuing, “I can see that you had a sad
beginning.  You were abandoned by your father and you endured the death of your
mother.  You moved in with a kindly aunt and your uncle died recently.”  She
shuddered before continuing, “I cannot tell what happened to him.  He is
surrounded by darkness, a very unpleasant place.”

Nadya took a deep breath and added, “I see in the card that
you are a caring and thoughtful person, but also highly independent.  Sometimes
you stand aloof, but that is more for self-protection.  There is an invisible
barrier between your witch powers and your ability to use them.  Your ‘sight’
has always been there but it is quite undisciplined.  That indicates to me that
you have not always been aware of your gifts.”  With a sigh she added, “In time
you will be forced into using more of your powers out of necessity.”

Nadya indicated the last card with a wave of her hand. 
“Tess, would you like to turn over the last card, the one about your future?”

With a wry smile, I answered, “No, not really, but I will.” 
I flipped the last card over. What??  It read
DEATH
!  Does that mean I’m
gonna die?  On the card was pictured that horrible hooded man with a sickle. 
Isn’t he the one who leads people away after their own death?  “Does this mean
I’m going to die?” I asked, my voice rising in pitch.

“No, oh no, Tess.  It does not necessarily mean that you are
going to die.  This card does signify the death of something though.  Can you
think of some aspect of your life that is over?  Are you having trouble facing
a big change in your life?  Are you experiencing a fear of something new?” 
Nadya looked expectantly at me.

I stared back at her, and then I let loose, “A fear of
something new?  I would answer an emphatic YES to that!  My life has changed
completely and I want my old life back.  I used to be a plain, ordinary girl
going along with my plain, ordinary life.  No one was after me, trying to maim
or kill me.  I had my friends, my family and my cat.  Of course, stuff
happened, but I was managing OK, then, SUDDENLY out of nowhere, I’m a WITCH! 
And I’m not just an ordinary witch, OH, NOOOooo, I’m a powerful, well-known
witch that’s been fighting it out for centuries with the most evil,
unforgiving, witches ever.  In fact, those witches are so diabolical, so
terrible, that they’re called diaboles and they’ve been waiting forever for
payback.  They’re coming here to get me and I don’t know what I’m going to
do!!!!”  I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

Nadya stood up and came over to me.  She lifted my chin and
beheld me with the full force of her ancient, knowing eyes. “Tess, this card is
telling you that you must face your new reality.  When you face it head on, you
will still be scared, but you will actually feel better.  You must forget about
how it used to be.  That time is gone.  When you turn the full force of your
energies toward your new future, things will not look so bleak.  And, Tess, you
are not alone.  We will help you.  There are many others who are coming who
will help you.  I can feel it all around us.  And there is one more thing you
should know.  I can see it. It will happen sometime in the very near future.”