Not In The Cards

Chapter 3

A week after her resignation, Tory was ready to begin job hunting. She had considered branching out to a new field or volunteering her time. Before she pursued further, her best friend Makayla had pushed her into an interview with Davis Towers. Tory could have refused but was easily persuaded by her friend.

She would be applying for an executive assistant position with Elijah Davis, CEO of Davis Towers. She knew of Davis Towers but had only been familiar with Alexander Davis, the previous CEO. Though she had not been aware of his retirement. Regardless of who sat in the CEO's chair, she was reluctant to accept the interview. She felt silly but wanted to land her own adventure.

With no destination in mind, she was easily persuaded. She recalled her conversation with Makayla, “Tory, I only provided you with a recommendation. You still have to land the position yourself.” Before she spoke again, she let out a vicious laugh.

“It’s not like I own the company,” tears of laughter rolled down Makayla’s cheeks. Makayla was the definition of a free spirit. Taking every life experience as a blessing, no matter what it was. Yes, she still held a typical 9 to 5 office job. It's a surprise she retained the same position for several years. What she could never hold onto was a relationship, always feeling limited in pursuing further growth.00

Makayla had been with her through the most strenuous times in her life. They were close; they had known each other since they were in grade school. Makayla was a few years younger, but they became inseparable. Since Tory’s mom’s passing, Makayla was the first person she called when a significant event occurred in her life. Makayla was the first and only person Tory called when leaving her high-profile career behind. Although she had been occupied at the time, she was still thankful to have her in her life.

A gentle push from a friend now had her staring at the sidewalk on her way to Davis Towers. The sun glimmered towards the park as if it were trying to lure her in. With several minutes to spare, she decided to take a stroll into the park. It was past midday, and the park was crowded with people of all ages. She took a moment to pause and admire the scenery as it was overflowing with life. Her eyes had been caught by children running up to their parents with faces full of laughter. Longing for what they had, but knowing it was out of her reach was devastating for her. What-if thoughts crowded Tory’s mind as she continued to watch the activity around her. Her admiration for the scenery was abruptly interrupted by a huge thump.

She was wearing her favorite open-toe red stilettos that matched perfectly with her two-piece pencil skirt coupled with a white top. She had felt divine in the suit and ready to conquer the world, or at least land a job. But her job conquering suit was on a one-way trip to a one-on-one conversation with the pavement.

As her world spun, thoughts of finding her happiness lurked around each rotation she made. Euphoria was within her grasp before it faded into the distance as she regained her balance. She patted herself in relief, making sure she was in one piece.

That was close.

She turned and lifted her gaze. Her eyes were caught by a pair of radiant green eyes coupled with a well-trimmed facial hair and an Ivy League haircut. His gaze was piercing and alluring; unable to look away. Her attraction to this stranger was instant. She watched as he stroked his hair, with no hint of a tan line crossing his ring finger.

“Are you okay?” Worry had been gently placed over his words.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she exhaled. “You need to watch where you are going, buddy! You could hurt someone.” Her voice was slightly elevated and irritated.

Tory might have been slightly smitten by this man who almost trampled her. She was determined to make a stand as it was clear he was not paying attention to his surroundings.

“Heels, maybe you should watch where you stand. Do you not see people are walking here?” He clapped back, offended by her attack.

“You have to be kidding me!” Tory lifted her arm in the air as it was clear this man only cared about himself. Tory had considered speaking once more, but she knew it was pointless. They both shrugged their shoulders before parting ways.

“The nerve,” they both muttered under their breath as they continued down the path.

It was not long before Tory made her way to Davis Towers. She stood before an elongated staircase appearing to lead to heaven. As she reached the top, she was faced with a long façade with towering Roman pillars. There was an elegance to the high arched windows that wrapped around the building. As she marveled at the beauty of this structure, she took a deep breath before stepping forward.

She walked into Davis Towers extruding confidence. As she entered, she was met with robust activity. Everyone appeared to be running late for something. Tory soon came across the concierge and noticed her eyes free of worry. A gentle hint of jealousy rose to the surface; Tory would give anything to be her at that moment.

While Tory waited in the foyer, she continued to watch the activity surrounding her. She had never noticed how entranced everyone was by their daily tasks. She was not surprised when a messenger almost trampled another, as he had been too busy checking an envelope to see where he was going. She recalled a time she would have been too caught up in her work to notice others around her.

Soon Tory was met in the lobby by a beautiful young woman, appearing to be no more than twenty-five. Her outfit was simple over fashionable, but she was radiant nonetheless.

“Good Afternoon Victoria, I am Katiana. It is a pleasure to meet you.” She spoke as she extended her hand. “Please follow me to my office.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” Tory extended her hand to greet hers before she proceeded to follow. A feeling of nervousness surfaced from within, covering her with its mantle of stress. She was unable to manage her unease before Kat stopped in front of a plain white door.

As Tory walked into the room, she could not help but feel welcomed. Painted across the walls, the vibrant color of warmth and love was displayed. The atmosphere alone gave Tory ease for her interview. As she took a seat, her eyes wandered around the office and were caught by picture frames sitting along the back of a bookshelf. It had not been more than 5 minutes since Tory had met Kat, but she already knew the most important thing about her. Tory once again could not help but feel a hint of jealousy for what she did not have. There was no mistaking Kat's happiness.

Her wandering eyes stopped as Kat spoke. Her voice was soft but resonated well within the room.

“Victoria, I’m intrigued,” Kat paused. “You appear to be overqualified for this position, but you have a glowing recommendation from one of my top employees. Please tell me about yourself.”

The interview was shorter than Tory had expected. Kat was more interested in Tory’s personality than anything else. She had been given a glowing review by Makayla, who was head of Marketing. Having been with the company for eight years, Makayla had some pull with human resources. Her recommendation alone was all Tory needed to get in. Unknown to Tory, the interview held was only a formality.

Makayla had reached out to Kat, providing her with the perfect hire to fill the position. She had explained how talented Tory was and promised she would exceed any expectations. She guaranteed she was a brilliant individual and provided her experience within the industry. Unknown to Tory, Makayla had even promised the possibility of containing a demon’s wrath.

As Tory gave her farewells to Kat, she suspected she had made a good impression. Little did Tory know; Kat had already decided if she wanted Tory on the team. The truth was Kat had hired her before she had even met her, solely on Makayla’s recommendation for the position.

To Tory’s surprise, she found herself in front of Makayla in the lobby.

“I'm taking you out,” Makayla blurted.

“Aren’t you working,” Tory spoke, but was not surprised.

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s taken care of,” she giggled.

Tory had expected to go out for lunch, but to her surprise, she found herself before a dark, weather-beaten building in the middle of the city. Although it appeared to be abandoned, it did have an aurora of life seeping from inside. She was startled when the flickering of a small sign. It read Tarot reading. It continued to flicker as Tory stared at it.

“This place is creepy. Why am I here?” Tory turned to confront Makayla, who was only smiling as she opened the door to the building.

The door creaked as Makayla opened it, allowing a gust of wind to escape. It was not like Tory to believe in the supernatural, but there was no doubt in her mind this place was haunted. If anyone was going to get them in trouble, it would be Makayla. Although she hesitated to enter, eventually, she gave in.

Darkness engulfed Tory’s eyes as they entered; it took a moment before her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Once they did, she noticed a massive palm covering the back wall with one fiery eye centered in the middle. It appeared to be watching us as we moved closer. What she saw next made her stop in her tracks. The hand started to change, indigo lines with words emerged; will, Logic, Love, and Wall. The words vanished before she could continue reading when a voice from behind startled them.

A young girl with a bob cut stood behind them. Her pale skin stood out as darkness surrounded her. It was difficult to make out anything else in the dark. But what Tory found odd was that there was no other entrance from behind. Where could she have come from?

“It’s all part of the experience, I was here last week,” Makayla whispered as she sensed my confusion.

“Of course, you were,” Tory hissed.

“It will be 25 dollars for a reading,” she reached out as Makayla handed over the money. “Go on then,” she pointed towards the black curtains on their left, which Tory had not detected before.

The curtains were heavy as she maneuvered through them, but eventually, she crossed through. The hidden room was significantly more luminous than the one before. At first glance, nothing about this room appeared enchanted. It was humble in size, a dull space with only a single round table in the center.

With a closer look, Tory found that no lights were keeping the room lit. Again, Tory heard Makayla hum from behind that it was all part of the experience.

Believing in the supernatural was more in Makayla's court than Tory’s. Since she was already there, she decided to indulge Makayla in her delusion. As Tory took a seat, she continued to scope the area for some sort of hidden lighting. Defeated by the lack of observation skills, she made herself at home in the chair.

“Let’s get this rolling; Madame Tussa will guide you through your future.” Madame Tussa spoke as the light dimmed on their own. Nothing about her said divine; unless she was a divine vampire. Madame Tussa just did not fit with her image.

Tory was shocked to find tarot cards fanned across the table. Without having caught her name, the reading had already begun.

Tory listening while plausible statistics rolled off Madame Tussa's tongue. It would be more impressive if Madame Tussa foretold her current age, until,

“Umm, you executed an alteration in your life.” She said as she caught Tory’s attention. “You’re still not convinced it was the correct decision.”

“ OK,” Tory spoke, trying to conceal her curiosity.

“Ah, this is an exceptional card. Your development for the following year will shine.” Before speaking again, a gust of wind swept through the room. “But be careful, the jackal will reappear in an attempt to sway you. The king will expel the jackal when the time comes. Only then will he understand your struggle."

A trance had taken over Tory as she stared into the reading, attempting to understand what it was proposing. Two men in her life fit the jackal like a glove. What Tory didn't understand was, who was the king? What came next shocked Tory.

“The jackal and the king have been in your life for a remarkable amount of time. You will reject the king at first until you allow him back in your life.” It had been as if she had read Tory’s inner thoughts. She found herself staring into oblivion, wondering if her father could be the king. It was impossible; the king loved the jackal.

That night she sat in the window nook gazing into the darkness. She didn’t believe in the power of divinity, but she was left wondering about her reading. Soon a feeling of warmth overtook Tory as she remembered the encounter in the park. Maybe she had been too hard on him; she once also lived glued to her phone. She pushed thoughts of that man away as she would never see him again, even with the lack of faith in fortune-telling, romance had not been foretold. Little did she know the stars had indeed aligned in their favor.