Just in time

The young couple decided to pretend, in turn, to tell each other what they would tell themselves fifty years later if they could reach back in time.

They decided to pass a pack of Tarot cards back and forth between them and to speak only when in possession of the pack. Kedin got the pack first, but he didn’t open it. He was shy about speaking; he didn’t know how to say what was on his mind. He had known Sharz for three years, and they had been married for 7 months. He thought she was wonderful and he wondered how he had gotten so lucky.

Sharz was more practical than Kedin. She was the one who planned the wedding, selected their apartment, and planned their meals.

Kedin said, “Well. I would say, ‘Don’t worry about all the unknowns, even when everything is changing.’ So many things to decide, and you can’t know everything. But it will all work out. It will.”

Kedin passed the Tarot pack to Sharz.

Sharz said, “Changes of the past will not prepare you for changes ahead. I don’t know how love in the time of cholera persists, but they say it does. You will need to suffer for my art, Kedin.”

Kedin thought he wouldn’t mind suffering along with her, but realized that one-sided suffering could wear poorly over time.

It was Kedin’s turn again. He closed his eyes. He visualized the Death card. He said, “Grandparents die. Parents die. Friends die. Death is inevitable, but let no one tell you your time is certain. Certainty is not always a blessing.”

Sharz said in a deep voice, “Heavy.” Kedin passed the pack to her. She took the deck out of the pack and drew the Empress.

She stared at the card. After this pause, she said, “Power reflects fear. She who owns the world owns miseries and insecurities as well as armies and fortresses.”

Kedin said, “Let’s stop this now.”

“No, not yet,” said Sharz. She passed the deck to Kedin.

Kedin drew Temperance. He closed his eyes. “You will find that you cannot have what you most desire, but you must never panic. Eventually, things will seem to return to normal.” As he was saying this, Kedin realized that things would never seem normal again.