Shuffled: When the Cards Talk You Must Listen

Chapter 5 Ta'Om the Poet

Upright: Clear Sight, Poetry, Erotic Energy, Laughter, Not Serious

Reversed: Confusion, Need to speak up, Lies being found out.

*** allusions to self harm in this chapter***

We took separate cars to the diner. And no it's not called Pop's diner. Sigh the illusion is shattered. I followed Kelli because she was the only other one that had the license. MeiLei road with me calling "new bestie rights"' This girl really was too much. We pulled up to Teenie's Tiny Diner and it actually was really tiny. The counter sat probably 10 people tops and there were 5 booths of 4 and 1 rounded corner both that could sit 6 or 8. When we walked in I stopped dead in my tracks and I felt the girls collide with my back. I did a double-take blinking rapidly. Mom?

Quickly I walked upto her and I could feel the girls follow me "Mom what are you doing here?" I tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned around and smiled brightly. "Oh, you must be Lyssa! You look just like Grammy!" The blank look on my face must have given my confusion away. "I'm your Aunt Teenie didn't your mom tell you I lived here?"

I don't think I had stopped blinking yet. This woman looked just like my mom. I mean justlike my mom. And she knew my name. And that I look like Grammy. That's what mom called her when I found her old sepia-toned picture ages ago. But she never told me anything else. She never told me she was a twin! But from the look of her there was no other possibility

"Ahhhhhh" my voice falters as Daisha comes forward.

"Hey, Teenie how ya doing?" called Daisha.

'AUNT' Teenie smiles broadly "Hey ya girlies! So y'all meet my niece already huh? I'm glad. Make sure to show her around the safe way."

She threw a saucy wink our way before running off and hollering good naturally at some member of her staff. Once again I'm thrown into a daze as Kelli gently pulls me over to the back booth.

"So I am guessing by the look on your face that you didn't know she worked here." Came Kelli's calm voice.

"More like I didn't know she existed"

I sat down in the booth facing the door. It's some kind of a nervous necessity. I need to know where the exits are. The hunter green and steel grey vinyl cushion let out a whoosh of air and creaked as I moved over for MeiLei to sit down too.

"What do you mean you didn't know she existed?" MeiLei asked me plopping down next. "I mean you guys look so much alike it's like she could be your mom."

Yeah tell me about it! I thought she was my mom at first.

"I guess this town's gonnabe just full of surprises for me." I mumbled the last line.

"How is it you didn't know about your Aunt?" Daisha asked as Teenie dropped off some milk shakes and two baskets of French fries. I automatically said thank you before realizing we never ordered. How she knew thatpistachio was one of my favorite flavors was beyond me. Everythingabout this town was confusing me it felt like I didn't know anything about my mom or myself. Maybe we have been hiding out from something or someone.

"Who knows,"I said shrugging my shoulders. "Mom has never talked about any family. I never met my dad. She never really told me about him. Actually refused to tell me about him is more correct." I dropped off wonderfully salty hot French fry into my slightly sweet milkshake.

"We've always just moved around a lot. I used to think we were on the run from something. Now I wonder if maybe that's true."

I chuckled while chewing thoughtfully. It felt odd to be able to talk this freely,but it felt good too.