She pulls away and shuffles her cards while the woman nods, crying softly. She throws several out, face up, across the table after she’s had the woman blow on the deck. “See there?” she tells her. “The Empress followed by the Two of Wands. This is a new beginning for you, Nan. And see here? The King of Cups. This baby is happy news for him. Have you told him yet?”

I dare a glance over my shoulder. The woman shakes her head. “I can’t. I’m too scared. If—if it doesn’t last, like before…I don’t think he can take the disappointment.”

My mother now holds up the Page of Cups. “You need to tell him, Nan. You can’t do this alone. This is a new start for the relationship too.”

“Are you sure? Because I’d rather just know if it’s going to be like last time. I’d rather you just tell me now.”

“It’s not,” my mother assures her. “Let’s pull one more to be certain.”

She has the woman pick a card from the deck once it’s all fanned out. Nan hands it to her, and she turns it over. Her mouth twitches into a smile. “The World. See? What did I tell you?”

For the first time, I see the woman—Nan—crack a smile, her body puddling in relief.

“Tell him. Okay? And come back in six weeks, on the house. We’ll pull cards every month if we have to so you can get through this,” my mom offers.

I turn back to my imaginary drawing, thinking the reading is over, but the woman begins to sob into her Kleenex.

“Shhhh, Nan. It’s going to be okay.”

“I know, you keep saying that. It’s just, I don’t think I can take another one. You know? It’s so hard.”

“I know. I do. I’ve been there.”

I turn ever so slightly and see my mom leaning toward her client, one hand on her shoulder.

Nan meets her gaze. “You have?”

My mother nods. “It was a long time ago, but you never forget.”

“No,” she responds. “Not a single one.” She tucks a few bills into my mom’s hand.

After a couple of minutes, Nan gets up to leave and my mom follows her to the door. She gives her a final hug before closing the door behind her. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, her eyes squeezed closed, before heading back to the table to gather up her cards. I watch her bend over the cards with squinting eyes, watch her pinch the bridge of her nose and then shuffle the cards together quickly.

“You okay?” I ask her.

She tosses her hair over a shoulder and straightens her spine, letting out a breath. “Fine. Better than.”