Page 51 of Spotlight on Poppy

“Are ye ready?” she asked.

Poppy nodded and looked over to Josh, who smiled warmly back at her.

“Okay, let’s see what the cards say,” Josh said in his easy going way.

Bridget laid the card before them. “The first card I turn will be representative of yer past.” She flipped the card. It was the three of swords. It had a large heart against a blue background and plunged deep into the heart were three swords.

“Ahhh yes, the three of swords. I see ye’ve had a fair share of heartbreak in yer life. This card represents grief and sorrow. This card reminds us that pain and sorrow are a part of life, but it also reminds us that we must be allowed to feel those feelings and leave them in the past.”

Well, that card wasn’t wrong, both she and Josh had their fair share of pain and sorrow growing up. She was just now starting to realize just how deep Josh’s pain and sorrow went. Yes, Poppy had hard things happen to her, things no child should ever have to deal with, but she was becoming more and more aware of just how lucky she was to have the family and friends she did have. She looked over at Josh who was looking at the card with an unreadable expression.

“The next card I pull represents the present.” She flipped over the next card, and it showed a naked man and woman joining hands underneath an angel. “Ahhh, the lover’s card. I might have known. I could see that clearly betwixt you two when ye first walked in. I think the meaning of this one is fairly self-explanatory,” she said with a wink. “But ye see, this card also has a deeper meaning. It is a card of honesty and vulnerability. It is about allowing yer whole self to be seen and understood and through that finding unity and harmony.”

If Poppy didn’t know any better, she would swear she was blushing. She looked over at Josh who was again hard to read. She wished she knew what was going on in that handsome head of his.

“All right, dears, let’s see what the future holds for ye.” She flipped over the next card. There was a couple standing side by side with their arms around each other. Their arms were outstretched to a blue sky with a beautiful rainbow and ten chalices beneath the rainbow.

Poppy felt a sense of peace settle over her, she instinctively reached for Josh’s hand. He took it and gave it a little squeeze.

“The ten of cups is a remarkable card to have for your future. It symbolizes love and deep contentment; it is familial love. That love that warms the heart and fills ye all yer days, and in the future position it means ye are on the right track to finding this deep contentment.”

Poppy and Josh looked at one another. The moment their eyes connected the rest of the world seemed to fall away. Poppy felt in her heart what Bridget had told them. She looked at Josh and felt a deep peace and bone level contentment. It was a new feeling for Poppy. She spent her life looking for the next thing, reaching for something that always seemed out of her reach, but this feeling felt different. This felt like she had everything she needed right here. It wasn’t something she was used to, but it felt incredible.

Bridget gently cleared her throat and smiled; her mischievous magic danced behind her eyes.

"What do you think my dears? Do the cards ring true?"

Poppy and Josh both sat there, mouth gaping open, trying to come to terms with what she had said. She had gotten their past right, their present right and when she spoke of the future, it was like she was painting a picture for Poppy. A picture she could see and almost feel. It was this picture of her and Josh working together in a kitchen. She didn't want to recognize the kitchen, but she did. It was the kitchen at the orchard. Poppy was busy baking and Josh was cooking right next to her. This is not something she thought she wanted, but the happiness she felt in the vision was something she desperately wanted. She looked over at Josh to find his gaze zeroed in on her, a content smile stretched across his face. The look clicked things into place for her. This was their future, she wasn't sure how or why, but that was it for them.

She waited for the dread to come. She waited for that trapped feeling that small town life always gave her. The thought of living in Mystic Falls and working at her family orchard was the life she spent her whole life thinking was a trap, but right now it felt good. She didn't quite know what to make of it.

Poppy's gaze snapped back to Bridget, she realized they had been sitting there in silence for who knows how long. "Oh yeah, that all sounds great. Are you sure we can’t pay you for the reading?"

"No, my dear, I take my payment in the sturdiness of my mended table." She looked over to Josh and tipped her head in thanks. He had yet to say anything since the reading. "I ran into yer sister at the market the other day, ye should send her in," she said to Josh.

"I’ll be sure to do that, thank you for the reading," he said in his warm gentle nature.

He was the first to stand from his chair. He reached a hand down to Poppy and helped her up. "We have some other errands to run, thanks again Bridget."

"Come back and see me anytime," she said with a wave as they both headed back to Josh's SUV.

Poppy would be thinking about that vision all day. They had already visited the theater and loaded up all the props to return. In returning the props they visited the town. First, they stopped in at the market to return a leather jacket to Mr. Fipps.

"I didn't know Mr. Fipps was a leather jacket kind of guy," Poppy said to Josh as they were leaving the store.

"Oh yeah, he tells stories about riding to Woodstock on his motorcycle. Get him started talking about the Grateful Dead and he won't shut up," Josh replied very matter of factly.

"Really? Mr. Fipps at Woodstock?" She was amazed. Was it possible she knew as little about the people in her town as she knew about Josh?

"Yep. Next stop the hardware store to return all the flowerpots, then how about the diner?"

They both carried some red clay flowerpots to the hardware store. As soon as Theo saw them, he went over and took the pots out of Poppy’s hands.

“Thanks for lending these to us again,” said Josh.

“Of course,” he said, setting them on the counter behind the register.

“And thank you for all your work on the sets. They looked amazing,” added Poppy.

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