Chapter 4 Divination

It wasn't until Wednesday that Livia came back to Henry's house. Again Melissa was upstairs in bed. This time, she was carrying a small plastic bag, along with her usual mini-tote.

"Did you get much success?" asked Henry at the doorway.

"Partial," she said. "Some answers, but still a lot of questions."

Once they got into the kitchen, they sat down. The high priestess pulled out a pack of cards out the plastic bag. "I went with Melissa to that bookstore you told me about. I told the clerk about the back design I wanted. She lead me right to them."

"Are you sure they are the right ones?"

"Positive. I also asked her for a good book for a beginner learning how to read tarot cards. What I found was very helpful.

"I also invited her to next Sunday's service, and posted a flyer in their window."

Henry scratched his head. "I've done some research. Tarot cards were developed in the fifteenth century, probably in France. They have nothing to do with Greece or Ancient Rome. Why did the goddess use that imagery in your vision?"

"I have no idea. Evidently she has been expanding herself beyond her place of origin."

Livia pulled out a green box. "When I got home. I sat down and opened the pack. Right on top was card number zero."

She pulled out a card with a young man with long blond hair on it. He is playing a recorder, and walking confidently towards the edge of a cliff. Beside him is a little white dog. On the bottom, it says "The Fool". Next to the title is the number "0".

"What does it mean?" asked Henry.

"When I first saw the card, I saw Melissa's face on the card. That lasted for a few seconds. I blinked, and then I saw that it was not her."

"So you're saying this card represents Melissa?"

She nodded and pulled out a book, entitled "The Tarot Explained." "Listen to this: 'The Fool represents the idealism and innocence of youth. It also can mean blind optimism, recklessness, and overconfidence."

Henry flinched. "That sounds like Melissa, especially if what you told me before is true."

"The first twenty two cards, numbers zero through twenty-one, are called the Major Arcana. The cards after are called the Minor Arcana. They look a lot like modern playing cards. As a matter of fact, the minor cards evolved into our modern deck. The only major card to survive was The Fool. It evolved into the joker."

"I seem to remember Brian telling me some of that."

"According to this book, the Major Arcana is sometimes called 'The Fool's Journey.' It tells the story of the young and naïve lad who sets out into the world; and all the things, both good and bad, that shape him into the mature man he becomes."

"So the next five cards are going to tell us what Melissa is going to encounter?"

"That's my assumption, yes; especially with that initial vision."

Henry leaned forward. "So what is the next card?"

Livia reached in the box and pulled out the next card. "Meet number one: 'The Magician.'"

On its face was a mature man, smiling, with a brown beard. His head was covered by the top part of a buck's head, with a full rack of antlers. In front of him, on a table, is a set of four objects.

"What does he represent?" asked Henry, with some trepidation.

"He is a teacher. He knows many things, and helps teach the Fool how the world works."

"No visions, with this card?" asked Henry.

"No. Hopefully this symbolizes the teacher we need so badly to teach Melissa."

"At least it is a helpful card."

"The next one is where it gets really spooky."

Livia pulled out card number two: The High Priestess. On it was an ageless woman with long black hair, holding a crystal ball in one hand and a book in the other. The full moon shines over her head. Her face on the card looked just like Livia's.

"You've got to be kidding. This has to be some kind of joke," said Henry.

She shook her head. "This deck has been around since 1991. At that time, we were just starting this church."

Henry looked at the card a little closer. "It's not a perfect likeness. You have dark brown hair, not black. And from what I can see, she is kind of willowy, while you have the curves of a Playboy playmate."

The high priestess kissed him. "You're so sweet. But before I became a priestess my figure looked just like that woman on the card. It wasn't until I became one of the goddess's servants did I get these curves.

"The likeness is startling, isn't it? When I first looked at this card, I saw a mirrored surface, reflecting my face. When I looked again, I saw the artwork, and again saw myself."

"What does this card mean?"

Livia looked in the book. "While the Magician is the disseminator of knowledge, the High Priestess teaches wisdom, intuition, and spiritual enlightenment."

Henry scratched his head. "So the Magician, whoever that will be, will be her teacher in book-learning, and you will be spiritual advisor and councilor?"

"That's one way to look at it. All these cards have multiple meanings. But while the Magician is a powerful male force, the High Priestess is his balance in the feminine direction. That much is certain."

Melissa's father pondered for a minute. "What's next?"

Card number three was marked "The Empress." It had a mature, happy woman, wearing a crown. She is sitting at a spinning wheel under a shade tree.

Livia handed it to Henry. "This is a mother-figure, comforting and nurturing."

He looked closely at the picture. "I think she's pregnant."

"Pregnancy is one of the many meanings that can come from this card. All these cards have many meanings. I am giving you the ones I think are most common and applicable."

"I bow to your intuition, high priestess."

Livia did not quite know how to react to that. "Still, I don't have any insight as to who this card could be referring to."

"Could it be my deceased wife, Lisa?"

That caused her to pause. "It could be. I had been assuming that these cards were talking about Melissa's future, not her past."

Henry looked at Livia. "Let me guess. Since that one was the Empress, the next one will be the Emperor."

She held up the next card, "Very good." It showed a mature man with graying blond hair and a full beard, sitting on a throne. He has a laurel wreath on his head and is wearing a purple robe.

"When I saw this card first I saw you on the throne."

Henry blinked. "Me, an emperor? I don't look anything like him. I have brown hair, and I'm only thirty-five."

"It's not about looks. Okay with my card is was partially about looks. But mainly, it is about the role you play in the Fool's journey. The Emperor is the father-figure. He is a provider and disciplinarian. He provides practical wisdom. He is secure, successful, and stable."

He considered that. "That described me pretty well, except for the successful part. Since Lisa died, I've had to be both mother and father."

"I'm sure we priestesses can help you with the more nurturing part of raising her.

"This brings us to the card number five, and last one in my vision."

Livia turns over the Hierophant card. It looks like a dour catholic priest, wearing a golden miter. In front of him are two kneeling boys with the tops of their heads shaved. They are praying. One is frowning, the other grinning.

Henry frowned. "What's a hierophant?"

"It's a Greek word, for a sacred explainer of mysteries."

"And what does this card mean?"

"It means conformity, captivity, mindlessly following of ritual, clinging to old ways, that kind of thing.

"That doesn't sound good."

"Not necessarily. As a priestess, I have to conform to the teachings of our church. Sometimes you have to conform to the rules if you want to stay out of jail. Personally, I would have no trouble having sex with believers on street corners, to advertise our faith, but I would be in jail almost instantly."

"So, you are saying that Melissa will be a wild child, who will need to learn to conform to societal norms?"

"That is one of dozens of interpretations. There may be opposition by the old guard churches, who want to shut us down, and Melissa is the key to stopping our persecution.

"With the first five cards, I got the distinct impression that each card corresponded to a person. With this one though, I got nothing. It could be a person, but most likely, it is a situation or an ethical dilemma."

Henry pondered. "So, of the six cards you saw in your vision. You have three of them nailed down. One may be referring to my late wife, and two, the Magician and the Hierophant, are complete blanks."

Livia nodded. "That's about right."

Henry stood up. "Well, you've given me a lot to ponder."

The high priestess stood as well. She grabbed the bottom hem of her short toga, as if to pull it over her head. "If you like, we can spend some time worshiping the goddess. She may give us more insights."

He shook his head. "I am overwhelmed, and not really in the mood tonight."

She didn't seem offended. "I understand. Maybe next time."

Later that night, as Henry was trying to go to sleep, he started thinking about what he had refused that night. He got an erection, and started to masturbate.

About halfway into it, he suddenly stopped. He remembered what Livia said about all kinds of love being sacred to Venus. Should he be masturbating, without an idol or incense?"

Suddenly all desire to jerk off went away. He rolled over and went to sleep.

"I need to talk to my clergy tomorrow," he muttered.

The next day he called the Church of Love during his lunch break. Ember answered. "Hello?"

"Ah, Ember. Good, just the girl I wanted to talk to. Could I come over and speak to you for a few minutes after I get off work?"

"Sure. We'll just hold on to Melissa when you come over, so we can talk."

"Sounds great."

He arrived at the church around five thirty. The front door was locked. Bernard was the one who opened the door.

"Hey, Henry. Melissa and Ember went to the grocery store. They should be back soon."

"And Livia and Altena?"

"They are out talking to businesses, finding places to hang our flyers."

"I see. In a way, it is fortunate that you're here alone. I have a question, and it is probably best if I ask it to a man." He proceeded to ask his question about masturbating at home.

Bernard thought for a few seconds, stroking his beard, and replied. "If you were a priest or priestess, it would be a definite no-no. We could masturbate on the altar, and that would be okay. But to be honest, I rarely, if ever masturbate. There is almost always a worshiper or a priestess who will tap my sexual energies."

"So I don't need an idol at my bed?" he asked.

"I'm sure the goddess would appreciate it, and might shine a blessing on you. And seeing the whole Melissa situation, you probably need all the blessings you can get. I'll see if I can find a spare around here. They are all made by a company in New England, and are pretty expensive."

"I understand. Thank you."

At that moment, Ember and Melissa came back from the Wal-Mart across the street. The acolyte's arms were full of groceries. Even Melissa held a small bag. "Sorry we're late," said Ember. "We got a little carried away shopping."

"Oh, that reminds me," said Henry. "I hope you didn't buy bread."

Ember shook her head. "We have almost a loaf left. Why?"

"I have three loaves for you in my car."