The Scrolls of Velia by John McWilliams

Author:John McWilliams [McWilliams, John]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: John McWilliams
Published: 2016-04-12T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

We discovered that the fastest way to Athens on such short notice was for us to fly to Brindisi, Italy, board a ferry to Patras, Greece, then drive the rest of the way. But this meant we would be arriving a day later than expected. We called Dr. Mellios to let him know.

The following afternoon, after our flight to Brindisi—and after a time-consuming trip to a bookstore in town so Adella could pick up a book on Parmenides—we boarded the Brindisi-Patras ferry. At a table on the sunny upper deck, as we steamed out of port, Adella read her book while Mary demonstrated to me the wisdom of her tarot cards.

“We’re just not compatible,” Mary said as an aside.

“Why?”

“Because you’re an Aries and I’m a Sagittarius. Two fire signs don’t mix.”

“Fire doesn’t mix with fire?” I furrowed my brow.

“Nope. Sorry.”

“Mary, stop being such a tease.” Adella looked up, bookmarking her page. “You know perfectly well Aries and Sagittarius are a good match.” She set her book down and picked up her tea. “And in answer to your shocked expression, Henry: I have, on occasion—just for entertainment purposes— consulted the stars.”

I rocked forward and placed my head on the table. “I hope this boat sinks,” I said.

“Just for entertainment purposes,” Adella repeated.

“You see?” Mary patted my shoulder. “Even Adella believes.”

“She also said we are compatible.”

“Well, my interpretations and readings aren’t always… orthodox,” Mary said.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed how they seem to bolster whatever argument you’re trying to make at the time.”

Adella went back to her book, and Mary her cards.

I watched a fishing boat chug along our port side. By the time I looked back, Mary had a new deck of cards out—one she had purchased at the Brindisi bookstore. These new cards had nymphs and fairies on them.

“I see these have your attention,” Mary said.

“Yeah, well, naked women will tend to do that.”

“They’re not naked—they’re just scantily clad.”

Adella gave the cards a once-over and returned to her book.

“They’re people, not objects to be gawked at,” Mary said.

“They’re not people,” I argued. “They’re mythological creatures.”

“And yet, they still have you all hot and bothered. Guys are so single-minded, aren’t they, Adella?”

“Like she isn’t going to agree with you.”

Adella closed her book and placed it on her lap. “Okay, you two. Here’s all you need to remember when it comes to men and women. For every imperfection you can dream up about the opposite sex, you can rest assured there’s an equal and opposite imperfection about your own sex to mirror it. Women created men, and men created women, through sexual selection—so each is just the reflected quirks of the other. And since they’re really just mutations of each other, so that humans can reproduce, mocking either one is really just mocking human beings.”

Neither of us said anything for a long moment.

“Well, that kind of takes the fun out of it,” Mary said.

“I think I have to agree.” I sat back and let the sun warm my face.

“Yes, well,” Adella said, “what a shock.

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