Seasons of the Fool by Lynne Cantwell Read Free Book Online

“What I mean is, your experience in the labyrinth shows that you’ve already begun the journey. If you don’t want to do the monthly card meditations, that’s up to you. But just be aware that the next two years will be life-changing for you.”
    “You can say that again,” Julia said, staring out the windows at the back of the house. It was nearly full dark; she could just barely make out the outlines of the trees behind the house. She stood and turned on a lamp, blotting out the view of the backyard.
    As she resumed her seat, Ms. Thea asked, “What happened when you stepped off the cliff?”
    “I fell,” she said simply. “But two things slowed my fall: my writing, and the editing job I had in college. I think that was a sign that I should look into picking up some editing work. God knows I’ll need money to live on, and I won’t be able to rely on Lance’s support payments for much longer.” Her face twisted.
    “When you fell,” Ms. Thea asked, and paused. “When you fell,” she repeated, “did you…land?”
    Julia looked up at her. “Yeah. That’s what threw me out of labyrinth.”
    “Where were you when you landed?” asked Ms. Elsie.
    Julia raised her hands, palms up. “Right here.”
    Ms. Thea let out a breath. “Good,” she said. “That’s very good news. You’re right where you’re meant to be.”
    “Was there anyone on the ground with you?” Ms. Elsie asked. Again, the two women wore an air of hopeful expectation.
    “Maybe,” she said. “I saw some people as I was falling, like they were waiting for me. But I was falling pretty fast and their faces were blurred.” She looked from one to the other of her interlocutors. “You two might have been there.”
    “Any men?” Ms. Elsie asked.
    A laugh burst out of Julia. “God, I hope not,” she said.
    “But there were other figures on the ground,” Ms. Thea said. “How many? Do you remember?”
    Julia thought back to that harrowing free-fall. “Two, maybe?”
    “And they could have been men?”
    She shrugged. “I suppose. I really don’t know. Look, why are you asking me this?”
    “Oh, no reason,” Ms. Elsie said, almost too innocently. “We’re just trying to help you understand what you experienced.”
    Julia narrowed her eyes. But her stomach chose that moment to growl, startling them all into laughter. “What I understand right now is that it’s suppertime,” she said. “Would you like to stay? I can knock something together pretty fast.”
    “Oh, no,” said Ms. Elsie, as the women rose. “Thank you for asking, but another time.” They each patted her hand as they made their way out.
    Julia followed them to the door, and closed it behind them. Then she leaned her back against it. Dear God. I think they fancy themselves matchmakers or something. The last thing I need right now is a man in my life. She banged her head back against the door and let out a breath. Then she headed for the kitchen to see about supper.
    ~
    As soon as the women got home, Elsie went straight to her loom. She studied the weaving there and sighed.
    “She’s not ready yet, is she?” Thea said.
    “No,” Elsie replied. “But I don’t think it will be long.”
    ~
    The following Saturday dawned clear, but chilly. Julia donned a Northwestern University sweatshirt and headed out the back door to get a rake from the shed. The door made its usual squeal of protest, and she made another mental note to find someone to take care of it.
    She had seen Mr. Starek cast a baleful glare on her unkempt yard more than once that week, so she decided to start in the front. Not that she valued the cranky old man’s opinion of her. But she did care about the face she showed the world, at least a little bit. She supposed it was a holdover from the days when she fancied herself an actress, and reinforced subsequently by Lance’s need to live the life of a jetsetter – or at least to look like he was living that life.
    She had cleared the leaves from the