When Lightning Strikes

159

"God can make anyt'ing happen."

"But it doesn't make sense."

Viloula gave her a sad nod. "I doan t'ink it is supposed to."

Lainie started to sink more deeply into her chair. Again she wanted to give up, to disappear. The realization angered her, reminded her that she couldn't afford the luxury of depression. She pushed back in the chair and pitched to her feet. "That's enough. I just want to know one thing: Can you get me out of this time, Viloula? Can you tell me where to go or what to try?"

Viloula's face creased with worry. "Killian is de answer."

"What do you mean?"

"If Killian is de reason you're here, den you have some problem to solve with him or some lesson to learn."

"Uh-huh."

"De lesson is de doorway. You cannot escape from dis time; you can only leave." She nodded and whispered, "Destiny."

"Then I'm leaving tomorrow. I've got a child to think about. Enough sermonizing about lost loves and misaligned karma. Tomorrow?unless you come up with a better idea?I'm heading for Fortune Flats alone."

"Killian won't let you go."

Lainie didn't flinch. "Then I'll kill him."

Viloula started to say something else, but Lainie wasn't listening. She turned and reached for the door.

"Wait."

She glanced behind her. Viloula stood against the wall, her hands clasped at her waist. "I did not say I could not help. I jus said dat Killian is de answer. Dere is much I can do to help you. Dere's de cards, de palms ... of'er t'ings to help me understand your destiny."

160

Lainie's breath caught. She hadn't really expected to be helped in this journey; she'd expected to do it as she did everything. Alone.

She moved quickly back to the table and sat down, more than half afraid that Viloula would suddenly change her mind, laugh, and say it was all a joke. That there really was no way home.

Viloula reached for a small wooden box from beside her bed and drew it to her chest. Pale light spilled through the window and wreathed her. The dark folds of her skin looked velvet-soft in the glow, her eyes glittered with secrets.

Lainie paused. "Should I be afraid of what we're going to do here?"

"Afraid?" Viloula frowned, apparently thinking. Then, finally, she nodded. "Yes," she said quietly. "I t'ink dere is much to fear."

Viloula shuffled the cards slowly, her gnarled fingers working in a jerky, disjointed fashion. The sandpapery whirring of the falling cards was the only noise in the quiet cabin.

Lainie sat stiffly at the table, knees and ankles pressed firmly together. She stared at the multicolored fan of the cards and felt another stirring of fear.

She tried to make light of her uncertainty, but her voice cracked and gave her away. "Y-You're sure those tarot cards aren't the devil's work, now? I've got enough problems without facing an exorcism."

Unsmiling, Viloula laid out seven cards in the fanlike shape of a human hand. "Dis card . . ." She pointed to the card at the heel of the hand. "Dis is what knowledge you have from de past. Touch it wit' de heel of your hand and turn it over."

Lainie did as she was told.

161

"Lovers," Viloula said softly, and smiled. "Now, turn over de ring finger. It is de karmic lesson you must learn."

Lainie touched the card with her ring finger and turned it over.