Lilah's List by Robyn Amos

give you an overall view of your state of mind.”
    Lilah felt her palms growing clammy. Thank goodness they weren’t going that route. “How does this work?”
    The woman reached out and placed the deck in Lilah’s hands. “Each card has its own meaning. You will shuffle these cards, thinking about your question. As you do this, your energies will direct the cards.”
    Lilah resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she shuffled. Even though the most rational part of her mind didn’t believe in psychics, there was another part of her that desperately wanted it to work.
    â€œOkay,” she said, handing the cards back to Sushma. The woman then began spreading the cards on the table in a complex pattern.
    Lilah gasped when Sushma pulled out a card depicting the grim reaper. “Oh no!”
    â€œDo not worry. That card does not mean death in the literal sense. It’s change. Laying the old to rest so that new can begin. You’ll understand as I go through the reading.”
    Sushma began interpreting each card and its place in the spread she laid out for Lilah. “This first card represents you, and it is The Empress. She indicates that you must follow your instincts, your intuition, to find your success.”
    Lilah watched with rapt attention as Sushma continued through the reading, drawing on each card to interpret the others. “And here are The Lovers. The most literal interpretation is a choice between two potential lovers. For you, it could be two men or just a choice between two paths. The choice is yours, but you’ll only grow if you choose wisely.”
    A choice between two potential lovers? Lilah had an instant flash of Tyler’s warm lips. A choice between two brothers?
    Somehow she knew that wasn’t quite what the woman had said, but her mind locked in on the idea, even as Lilah tried to push it away.
    When Sushma finally finished the reading, Lilah’s head was spinning. She couldn’t remember all the nuances of what she’d just been told.
    The other woman must have sensed her confusion, because she said, “This is what you need to remember from all of that. You’ll come to a crossroads and a choice must be made. It could be a choice between two men or just two ways of living. Either way, there will be conflict and change. Even the right choice won’t be easy, so you must stay committed. Let your heart guide you through the fear. New growth and new opportunity await, if you choose wisely.”
    Lilah nodded and thanked the woman, unsure of what to make of what she’d just been told.
    â€œWhat a crock,” Angie said later when they were back in the taxi.
    Surprised, Lilah looked up at her. “Really?”
    â€œYou ask her if your life is going in the right direction, and she tells you all this BS about crossroads and choices. They just rearrange and regurgitate the same drivel to everyone…new growth and new opportunity. Whatever. I guess she suckers people in with that accent. Oh well, I guess it was kind of fun, anyway, right?”
    â€œYeah.” Lilah felt her cheeks stinging with embarrassment because she’d completely bought the woman’s speech. It might not have made sense to Angie, but the reading really resonated with Lilah.
    In fact, it tied in with what her best friend had told her on the way over. She could either dive into this opportunity with both feet or play it safe and head back home. But, she certainly couldn’t keep on wandering along halfheartedly.
    She had a chance most people weren’t afforded. Two weeks to grab all the life experiences she could. In the recent past when she’d been presented with a choice to either play it safe or take a chance, she’d chosen safe.
    Well, her first choice had just been made. Lilah was going to take a risk.

Chapter 7
    Lilah’s List Blog Entry
October 28, 2007
    I’m not sure if it’s wise to indulge the whims of your