A Fated Path

She lay in bed staring at the ceiling, watching the green light on her smoke alarm blink in her dark room. One, two, three… Like counting sheep, she counted every blink. She needed a change. Her life seemed so boring and predictable, like that blinking green light. She would have cried if it didn’t make her seem more pathetic than she already felt.

She didn’t remember when or what number she was on when she finally fell asleep, but she woke up to the sunlight shining through her window. It seemed these days that no matter how much sleep she got, she was never quite rested. It was Sunday, she didn’t go to church, she didn’t go to family dinners or brunch with friends. Instead, she turned her electric kettle on, made a tea like every morning and ate a toast.

It was a beautiful day in August, the temperature just right for an outdoor activity. She decided to just go outside and start walking, wherever she ended up, she ended up. How’s that for spontaneity, she thought to herself.

As she walked down the street, she took in everything she was seeing. From the mother and her little child who were giggling at something silly the child said, to the old couple who sat on a park bench, sharing a snack and enjoying the fresh air. What she would give to have something like that one day. She didn’t know how long she walked for, but when she finally noticed where she was, she stood in front of a small house where a large tabby cat sat by the door.

The cat looked at her, its head cocked to the right, as if it was studying her. Then it stood up and scratched at the door three times. She began to walk away when she heard it meow, like it was calling to her. She glanced over her shoulder to see it was looking at her. She hesitated and turned back. She walked up to the front door and knocked three times like the cat. It weaved between her legs as if thanking her.

When the door opened, she saw an older woman wearing a black sundress and a kind smile. “Hi, your cat wanted to get in and I wasn’t sure if you could hear it scratching at the door.”

She looked down at the tabby cat and it walked inside, stretching lazily before jumping on its cat tree to nap. “You’re right on time.”

“I’m sorry? I think you have me mistaken for someone else.”

“No, not mistaken. I knew someone was visiting today.” She stared at the lady who lifted up her finger and a fuzzy little bumblebee landed.

“Right, well I have to go now so… I just wanted to let you know about your cat.”

“Where are you going Lena?” Lena froze. She hadn’t been called that name since she had last seen her family who had casted her aside after a fight. “Come in.”

“I don’t know…”

“You don’t have to be frightened. Artemis waited for you, she wanted to greet you.”

“But how…”

“You were destined to come here today. Think about it, of all trails you could have walked, of all houses you could have passed, the doors knocked, the cats to help, you chose this path, this house, this door, this cat. Come in. Don’t be afraid. I have the answers to which you seek.” She invited Lena to follow. And she did.

The inside of the house was full of plants and flowers. Crystals were everywhere and little skeletons and skulls were used as décor. The lady led her to a table where a vintage scarf was draped across the top, serving as the tablecloth. She motioned for Lena to sit. Candles and incense burned, a sweet smell filling the room. The lady sat down across the table and pulled out a deck of cards and started shuffling.

“Oh, I don’t believe in-,” But before she could finish her sentence, the lady had placed the deck in front of her.

“Split the deck please.” She did as she was told.

She flipped cards over. “These represent your past, your present, and your future.” She pointed at each card as she spoke. “The Ten of Swords, the Tower, and the Ace of Cups.”

As nervous as she had been at first, Lena was now curious as to what it all meant. The Ten of Swords showed a person crying into their hands, the second showed a large tower with people falling out and the tower crumbling. And the last card was a single cup with water spilling over.

“Your past seems to have made you incredibly sad. Almost hopeless at times.” Without looking up at Lena, she moved on to the next card. “In the present, you went through some sort of big change. Whether you wanted it or not, it happened. It was necessary. Ace of cups, the future. A beautiful card. Its of new beginnings, new love, hope.”

Though it was accurate, Lena couldn’t help but wonder if this wasn’t some generic reading she gave to everyone. The lady smiled and laughed quietly. “You doubt. We can pull some clarifying cards.”

She flipped over two more and lay them under the first three. “The Devil and the Star. You left whatever toxic situation you were previously in. The energy I’m sensing is heavy and destructive. Could be abuse, mental and emotional. Alcohol and other substances played a role in the situation as well.”

Lena’s knee started bouncing. It was true. Her sister was slowly killing herself to death with alcohol and whatever else she found, and no one would do anything to help. So, she had tried to get her sister court ordered to a treatment facility when she had been pulled over and arrested for a D.U.I. The only problem was she needed one other person to sign the form but her entire family fought her over this.

They enabled her sister. They drank right along with her, only saying something when it affected their own lives. Lena wanted to help her sister, but she would later come to find, you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. And that it is almost impossible to try to help, when everyone else in your family is working against you. She had reached the point to where she couldn’t stand it anymore. After the last big argument where things that couldn’t be taken back were said, Lena had packed her bags and left.

She was starting completely over in a whole different city. It broke her heart to leave her sister, but she had to save herself. She felt like she was going insane. Every day, every weekend, the same situations just kept repeating themselves. She couldn’t take it anymore. She had decided, I can’t change them or what they are going to do, but I can change myself and I can remove myself from a situation that is hurting me. So that was that. That was how she ended up, in this little house at the end of a road where a lady and her tabby cat lived.

“The Star indicates hope, happiness. I feel compelled to tell you that it is not a bad thing to leave a situation or people that were hurting you. And that sometimes the healthiest thing we can do for ourselves is to leave. Even if it hurts. You find yourself healing and becoming lighter. As long as you allow the positive to come in.”

“I… Don’t know what to say.”

She flipped one more card over. It read the Lovers. “Ah. Right now, the direction you are headed, will be a loving one. The Lovers doesn’t always indicate a romantic love with another. It can be a love for oneself. Such as allowing yourself to be happy.” She smiled and Lena wondered if she could tell, just how much she needed to hear those words. “But should someone come along, who wants to love you and be there for you, don’t shut them out without giving them a chance.”

“How will I know if this person has good intentions?”

“You’ll know my dear, Lena. Your heart and your soul will know. Trust yourself. You are not a bad person despite what you’ve been told. Your heart is pure, and you are so kind and so worthy of happiness.” The lady gently touched Lena’s hand that was resting on the table. “Now, go out and live your life. Some days might be hard, but that is life itself. You are going to be okay, Lena. But you have to believe it yourself.”

She led Lena to the door. “I’m sorry, do you need a payment or something?”

“No, no. You were divinely guided to me. You did not seek me. All I wish is for you to be happy. That is all the payment I need.”

Lena left. She walked back towards her apartment and along the way decided to stop for a coffee. She stood in line, her mind thinking of everything she had just heard. She was stunned. And even she had to admit, she almost felt hopeful. When she left the store, she found a pair of keys on the ground. She picked them up and felt a strange tingling in her fingertips. She didn’t know why, but she started walking in a direction opposite of her apartment. The farther she got, the stronger the sensation in her fingertips.

Outside of a small bookstore, there was a man digging around in his jacket pockets. Lena felt her heart thump against her chest. “Excuse me, are you looking for these?”

The man turned around. “Yes! Aw man, you are a lifesaver! I was honestly panicking there.”

He reached out to grab the keys and when their hands met, it felt like time had stopped. And when their eyes met, it felt like a thousand butterflies had erupted inside her. When they began to speak, it almost felt like they had known each other their whole lives. Like it was fated. He asked her out on a date. And then another. And another. It wouldn’t be long until they were married, and she was so unbelievably happy.

A few years later as they were walking around the park, she wanted to take him to the lady whose words had given her hope. When they arrived at the area though, there wasn’t a house there. In fact, there wasn’t evidence that a house had ever been there. Trees that stood as tall as a building were in its place.

Strange, she thought. Maybe I am confused to where I thought the home was. She would come to find though, that after years of living in that town, she never saw the house again