Written: squished on my couch by a sleepy dog
Powered by: La Croix (lemon flavor = only flavor, IMO)
Inspired by: the real-life Fortune Telling Birthday Book, featured image above
“September 9,” Meg begins, reading from the Fortune Telling Birthday Book they found in the box while cleaning out the attic, “Magnetic, intuitive, and with some latent psychic powers, you have many different interests and have a leading part whenever possible.”
“So you’re a psychic now?” her sister Alston asks while continuing to sort the boxes contents. The carpet beneath this is almost invisible, covered in piles of photographs and files, books and baby clothes.
“You never know,” Meg replies, thumbing through the book for her sister’s birthday, “April 29: you are cautious yet shrewd, positive and intuitive, but sometimes people take advantage of you in spite of these qualities.”
“You’re being taken advantage of by this writer,” Alston mutters, “Also cautious and shrewd are basically the same thing.”
“Yeah, and they’ve used the wrong ‘your’ in like, a bunch of these,” Meg says, but she continues to read. After a few pages she reads aloud, “December 16: you are spiritualistic, idealistic, and somewhat religious, you are fond of music and art, and you are a great entertainer and enjoy society. You are sincere, honest, and frank, although you have discretion and much tact. You are a loyal friend and a bitter enemy. Your home life will always be happy and harmonious.”
Alston puts down the box she’s been digging through. “That sounds just like mom,” she says finally.
“The part about being a loyal friend and bitter enemy? Remember when Chester knocked you off the swings at school and mom refused to let him have one of your birthday cupcakes at school, even when the teacher started threatening her?”
“Remember what dad used to say about how she scared the shit out of everyone? No one messed with her.”
“How she always cried when songs came on that she liked. She couldn’t make it through most car rides without crying over how beautiful something sounded.”
The sisters look around at the neat piles of what was left of their mother’s life. Meg closes the book, places it on top of the rest.
“Your home life will always be happy and harmonious.” Alston says.
“Well maybe I really do have latent psychic powers then.” Meg says.