The Perils of Pauline Read Free Page A

Australia?”
    “Yeah. Look. They need a snake wrangler in Canberra. Wait a minute, there’s an opening at the Bikini Car Wash.”
    I click around. There are a zillion postings for jobs all around the world, from San Francisco to Shanghai. Even Kalamazoo has a raft of listings. Here, in the greater suburbs of the Boston Commonwealth, not so much. Unless I want to commute all the way into the city, like Donald does when he isn’t at the branch office here in town. Since Doubles got so busy, he has to go into the city more often than not these days.
    Forget job searching for now. Bibi has a collection of fun apps on her desktop. I click on a Tarot icon. “Is this site any good?”
    “Yes, it’s one of the best,” she says. “If you want a quick reading, try the Celtic Cross spread.”
    Bibienne knows a lot about tarot. She’s so sharp and perceptive, her massage therapy clients are always asking her to read their cards for them.
    I type in my question: What does the future hold for me?
    The results show the Queen of Cups, seated in the auspicious Position One, which represents the “Questioner in Her Present Situation.”
    “The Queen of Cups is the good woman card,” says Bibienne. “She’s loving and kind. A bit of a dreamer, distracted. But see? She sits on a throne, which means she wields power and makes the rules. The suit of cups represents emotions. Overflowing emotions, hidden emotions, secrets maybe. Who knows what’s in her cup?”
    “Bra cups, cups of laundry detergent, cups of wine.”
    Bibienne points to my glass. “Your cup of wine is empty.”
    Position Two shows the Three of Swords: a lowly card suggestive of trickery and betrayal. “That would be Daria and WiFi-Robes,” I say as Bibienne refills my glass and sits beside me.
    “Could be.” She examines the spread. “The Three of Swords usually represents sudden heartbreak or betrayal. But look over here. Your Three is countered by the Two of Swords, which means difficult decisions may need to be made. That’s a double whammy.See the blindfold on the woman in the picture? She can’t see her way. She may not want to see, in fact, she may be in denial.”
    It all makes sense. I’ve been betrayed, lost my job, and now I have to make choices about what to do next, right? More curious though is the appearance of the powerful and authoritative Emperor standing in opposition to my Queen. Donald perhaps? But, if the Emperor is my husband, who is the Knight of Cups occupying the near future position? The Knight of Cups is a man of high romance, poetry, and passion. Here, Donald doesn’t spring to mind. How intriguing: the card drawn for the position representing Final Outcomes turns out to be The Lovers. As I wander back home I can’t help but note that two cups makes a couple.
    In the kitchen, the answering machine is blinking. I press play: Donald is going out with some work buddies for drinks.
    What? He’s still in the city? Again? If this is anything like last time, he might as well have added, don’t wait up . He better not miss his train this time.
     
    My shoulders are sore this morning from falling asleep on the couch in front of the television. I woke up in the middle of the night and went up to bed to find Donald, naked and snoring on top of the covers with the lights on. Throwing a blanket over him, I snapped off the lights and climbed under the covers. Donald rolled away in the blanket, to his side of the bed.
     
    “Why didn’t you wake me when you came in last night?” I ask when he comes down for breakfast, still in his robe, rubbing his eyes. He’s unshaven and his eyes are lined.
    “It was late. You were sound asleep. I didn’t want to bother you.”
    “It must’ve been pretty late. I stayed up past midnight.” I pour water into the coffee maker. “I tried to call you a bunch of times. You forgot to turn on your cell.”
    “Did I?”
    I turn to face him. The lump pops up in my throat again and I shove it down. “I