Page 52 of Room Six

Rune, Oliver and Danika operate their empire from the Garden District. New Orleans is a magical place to live and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t believe, now that my eyes have been owned to possibilities, that magic is real. It is alive inside me as much as the love I have for my new family.

I don’t know what unseen force is looking out for me, but the first time my men tried to get me pregnant all those months ago, it didn’t work out. Looking back, it was for the better.

But the second time they got me inside Club Sin they knocked me up. I settle a hand over my abdomen. I can’t wait to watch it grow with the tiny life inside me. Rune and Oliver have already taken to recording daily vlogs. They promise to make me a beautiful video documenting every single day of my pregnancy from the day we found out I am expecting until the day we bring home our beautiful baby.

Rune reaches for me and I slide my fingers through his as he follows me into Madam Celeste’s shop. I did what Raja said and read the name on the back of the pendant he gave me. To this day he refuses to tell me how he got it or why he wants me to find a woman in the back of a tarot shop, so here I am getting answers another way.

“There you are, child. I knew you wouldn’t take long before you found me.” A beautiful black woman with an array of colorful dreadlocks settled over her shoulder steps from a curtain of beads. Love radiates from her and gives authenticity to her friendly smile.

“I think we are in the right place,” Rune says.

“For sure.

The energy around her lures me deeper into her tarot shop. Shelves of crystals, incense and books are carefully placed on shelves around the room. Silk cloths hang above those shelves. Some feature colorful displays of the third eye. Others have the Universe.

Kind eyes find my hand settled over my tiny baby.

“Madam Celeste?”

“Hmhm. Come in, child, I’ve been waiting on you to come. Give me a hug. I just need to make sure you are real. It’s been forever since I’ve had a Lafleur in my shop and I’ve missed your energy, baby girl. I see everything worked out with you and your men.”

“I’m not sure how, but yes. A friend says we have you to thank for that.”

Madam Celeste picks up the pendant from around my neck and nods her head as if the emerald is speaking to her.

“We’ve come to give this back to you. I don’t know what spell you used, but I think it worked. Thank you.”

“Child, I know it did. Or you wouldn't be standing here today. That is for you to keep. That belongs to you. I was only the keeper for a short time until you came back to N’awlins.”

Madam Celeste looks at Rune and takes in his braid and the protective hand he has around my middle.

“I saw three shadows around you. Protective energy. This man is one of them. Where are the other two?”

“That is a good question. They scooted out early this morning and no one will tell me where they got off to.”

Madam Celeste drops her chin to her chest and closes her eyes. And I swear I see the magic around her swirl and glitter a moment before she raises her head and looks Rune in the eye.

“She’s going to love the surprise. You best get her home.”

His smile beams with pride. “Thank you, Madam Celeste.”

The tiny bell rings over the door and I turn to see a woman walk in with similar colored hair to mine.

“Detective Lafleur?” Madam Celeste walks to the front of the shop and I look at Rune.

“Lafleur,” I repeat. “What is our case detective doing here?” I never really thought of the detective investigating Einar Weston’s death as odd. There are millions of people with the same last name as mine. Just a curious detail I shrugged off.

“Right on time.” Madam Celeste greets the detective with a quick hug like she gave me.

“You know the detective, too?” I get a soft smile from the detective.

Madam Celeste holds a hand out to me and I take it. “Detective Lafleur? Yes, and you do too, baby girl.”

“Yes, we’ve met. Hi Detective.”

“Magnolia. Everything okay with you?”

“Yes, thanks to you. Madam Celeste, the detective is overseeing the case where my former guardian tried to kill me. How odd we are all here at the same time.”

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