When it was Eva’s turn the medium took a minute to study her flower and then looking straight at her, said, “When I look at you it’s like looking into a mirror.”

Eva wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. Did she mean that she reflected back whatever she saw? Was she shallow and shiny, or a pool of repeated images? Or did the medium mean she, Eva, was a mirror of the medium herself. There was no opportunity to ask questions before the medium had finished her readings and was gone. It gave Eva something more to ponder.

Fiona bounced in around 11, a big exhuberant girl full of attractive energy. She drank hard, swore hard and loved men, almost all men, sleeping with whoever happened to be around when she was drunk, with little thought about whether they were suitable. As a consequence she’d had her heart broken numerous times by men who turned out to be married or attached. Eva and Fiona admired each other for qualities they didn’t have themselves. Fi firmly believed Eva was psychic and simply hadn’t developed her powers. The times Eva had read her tarot Fi was impressed by some accurate readings like the year Eva told her she saw 3 illnesses in her family, the last one the worst, and that year Fi’s dad suffered 3 heart attacks, twice being hospitalised and the third time dying. Eva herself thought it more likely coincidence but Fi was convinced she had a gift. Eva admired Fi’s ability to say whatever she thought no matter who’s feelings she bruised. Not that she wanted to insult people, just be brave enough to speak her mind instead of keeping the thoughts to herself.

Rod didn’t approve of Eva’s friendship with Fiona. He thought she would be influenced to behave the same way, to be exposed to things that would make her lose some of the naivety she had. He knew Fiona didn’t like him and thought he didn’t treat Eva well enough. If she had her way, Eva would be single and fancy free like her.

“Evie … I’ve met this really weird man. He was at the café I go to for lunch last week and we started talking and he’s been buying me lunch every day! He really fancies me and yesterday he offered me $500 to go to bed with him, no sex, just lie in a bed. What do you think!”

“Oh Fi, be careful. What do you know about him? It sounds sort of sleezy to me. That does sound weird. What else is there about him, what’s his name?”

“Well he’s pretty ugly and he has a real gravelly sort of voice. Looks a bit like a TV gangster but a skinny one. He sure seems to have money to splash around. He won’t tell me his name.” Fi looked a bit unsure of herself while describing him. “Anyway I said I won’t do it by myself and he said if I want to bring a friend that’s okay.”

“You’re kidding!” exclaimed Eva.

……. To be continued one of these days or years when the author gets another flash of inspiration. You could take it on as an exercise in imagination to continue this saga!