Page 27 of Love Grows

Pip’s face was neutral. “It means don’t close doors just because you think you know it all.”

“Blunt.” I pursed my lips. “Can we go to card two? It’s Temperance,” I chortled.

Pip grunted. “Yes. Well, this is good for you. Caring for yourself, remember? Patience is essential for the control of volatile influences and opposing demands, like the council complaint, maybe. This card says to use your experience and diplomacy to harmonise conflict and keep projects moving forward.”

I huffed a laugh. “Diplomacy isn’t a strong suit.”

“Rubbish. You are diplomatic when you need to be. But,” she tapped the card, “you have to watch for moments of reconciliation so that relationships can be repaired.”

“Who am I going to piss off this time?”

Pip studied me. “Protect yourself, Angel. Maybe it’s you that gets hurt rather than someone else.”

I contemplated the idea. Who was going to hurt me? I couldn’t see any possible candidates.

“What’s this one say? The Hermit?”

“Third card, so a guide for centring yourself in the midst of this change. The Hermit is for circumstances that dictate you spend time alone. You seek wisdom, but to find it you need to distance yourself from friends and lovers. Time alone will create perspective, and encourage healing. The Hermit shows a recuperation period.”

We stared at the card in silence for a few seconds. Then I looked up. “I’m going to be doing a fair bit of reflection soon, hey?”

“Looks like it. Doesn’t hurt to sometimes.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“So, that’s it. Interesting check up, Angel. Thank you. I’ll see you next month.” She sounded so much like a medical professional that I laughed, then pushed back my chair and gave her a brief hug.

“Thanks, Pip. I’ll write all that in my journal.”

That was something else Pip insisted upon: a journal for our Tarot sessions. I filled mine in just for curiosity sake. It was interesting to flip back a few pages and reflect on how accurate or not each session had been. Surprisingly, many were dead right.

ChapterEight

River Wattle

(Acacia cognata Fettucini)

A compact form ofAcacia cognataand makes an attractive foliage plant all year round with its variegated weeping foliage which gives a wavy appearance. Small ball-shaped flowers appear in spring. Fairly self-sufficient.

“…asmall native bush to put on my balcony. Something not too outlandish.”

“Got the very plant right over here.” Lucas gestured for the woman to follow him and I blended into the fernery to eavesdrop on his interaction. They stopped at a collection of mini natives potted into blue ceramic pots. “This is theAcacia cognata Fettucini. Pretty hard to kill if that’s what you’re after as well.”

The woman laughed. “I’m not too bad at keeping plants alive, but an anti-death plant sounds self-sufficient and hardy. Thanks.”

“No worries. Which one do you want? That one,” he pointed to a pot at the back, “looks the healthiest, although no plant would be game to be sick on Angel’s watch.”

I rolled my lips in.

“Angel?” The woman reached over and picked up the plant.

“The owner.” Lucas began walking towards the counter. “Did you want anything else?”

I knew I had a unicorn working for me because Lucas was incredibly chatty, and based on what I knew, teenage boys generally only spoke in a melodic sequence of grunts.

The woman waved her debit card over the card reader, waited for the beep of joy from the machine, and picked up the potted plant.

I drifted forward as she left.

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