Reservations

[Rowan Finnegan]

Maman Marie Mayfaire
Front Counter Attendant

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“Then a reading you shall have, cutie!” Marie said most seriously. She had read for some of the patrons before, and they had seemed to enjoy the results. Never did say if she was right or not, but that didn’t matter. This was fun and she liked fun. Marie began fishing around in the multiple pockets sewn into her cotton dress. Where had she put them again?

Zee spoke up and she gave him another up and down. Yeah, he did look familiar. Something was off, though. She readjusted her coke bottle glasses, but still couldn’t remember where she had seen him. She had seen him before, though, that much was plain. Must’ve been the café. She didn’t get out much. Russia wasn’t as welcoming and warm as New Orleans had been. The café was the only piece of home she had here. Still. This was an adventure for her. There was nothing left for her back in New Orleans, nothing but gravestones and old houses. She shook her head and the thought vanished.

“Oh, you got a devilish bone in ya’ too, I see!” Marie cackled as she smacked Zee on the shoulder in jest, “Just like watchin’ eh?” She waggled her sparse eyebrows at him. Really, if she’d have known she’d had the opportunity to flirt with such handsome men tonight, why she’d have made sure to draw those eyebrows on. Lord, one never knew what might happen around here. Marie made a little note to herself, ‘start dressin’ proper, you might bag a man yet.’

Galina came wandering up with a tray of drinks for the two young men. Now, how had she known what they had ordered? Marie hadn’t even had the chance to put it in.

(Much to Marie’s oversight, a waiter, by the name of Leonid, sat behind her shoulder taking the orders and delivering them while she prattled on.)

The drinks were dispersed and a plate of beignets to top it off. She nodded to Galina and thanked her before her hand struck a lump in her back pocket. The cards. She gleefully extracted them and held them up to Seven, in a reverent gesture.

“Now, Rowan always told me that you gotta have the patron shuffle the cards for you. Something about energy and the like… So, here. Shuffle them and think of a question you wanna ask. Can’t be yes or no, mind. Gotta be open!”