The taxi pulled up to Thrifty Thrifts, home to a billion creepy, old timey cat clocks with darting, Pic Man shaped eyes. Mina shuddered. She liked cute cats but these ones always creeped her out. D. Vito looked equally unsettled, but for a different reason.

"Are you gonna come in with me?" Mina asked.

"I'm doin' this free of charge, kiddo," Vito remarked, hiding his bulk behind the front seat, "But you can't pay me to see ma ex. Hell hath no fury like a third ex wife scorned!"

"I wouldn't know" Mina said with regret in her eyes.

D. Vito placed a greasy, but kind hand on her shoulder. "But judging by dat butterfly bauble around your neck, you're in good graces. Go now. Speak to yer prince charming."

Mina offered an uneasy smile. "Thank you. I'm just so happy I have such good friends in this time."

Vito nodded and flashed her a hairy thumbs up. "You got a friend in me, bub. I love yeh like the daughter I never had."

"My lawd," Mina exclaimed. "Three ex wives and no daughter?"

Vito chuckled gruffly. "Dats a story for another time. Now go. Speak to your beloved boyfriend.

Mina promptly thanked the man, and power-walked into the shop. Denny Vito was a completely random taxi driver she had befriended, but he had given her life-advice and help on the level of a third parent. It begged belief to know that there were still good people in the world and they could be found in the most unusual places.

Speaking of unusual, Mina shifted the beads inside the entrance of the incense filled store and beheld Frida–the great Madame Butterfly– decked out in a long purple gown and pearl-bedecked Butterfly mask, many bangles dangling from her display.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Mina Hawkins," the medium rare medium exclaimed holding her hands to her head. "I foresaw this meeting!"

"Wowie…zowie?" Mina said, one of her many catchphrases in confusion. "You have?"

The slightly-portly fortune teller gave a confident (and deep) chuckle. "I believe you have lost something of importance!"

"Lawdy…" Mina said, her hands dropping and her mouth following. "You knew my boyfriend was murdered and you wanted to help me reach him on the celestial plane."

"No…" Frida answered. "I was just assuming you lost your car keys…but this works too!"

Mina's heart fluttered as her breath charged the air. "You can really do that?! I mean, I used my Extra Accessory Perception to contact my first boyfriend, Chad. And have a heart to heart talk with him."

Madame Butterfly's eyes widened behind the mask. "So you have been able to contact your loved ones from behind the veil of death? This speaks well for our communication today, young one."

Even on a dire, dreadful day, Mina did a giddy happy dance.

The medium raised her arm and pointed to behind her dusty counter. "To my astral chamber!"

***

Mina wrinkled her button nose as they sat in two folding chairs at a small table. It was draped in a purple cloth with a large crystal ball perched on top of the stand. The whole room reeked of mold, dust and Italian food.

"Why does it smell like ricotta cheese in here?" Mina asked.

"Sorry dear," Frida answered, not looking slightly embarrassed. "This isn't just my astral chambers but my snacking chambers. I like to eat my calzones in here."

"At least call it the calzone zone!" Mina answered with a smirk

Frida apparently had the same diet as her ex-husband and that made Mina smile. That and well, she was finally going to connected with her lost love after a two months absence. It was enough to shake off those mourning blues.

"Okay.. " Frida said, casting her long purple fingernails over the crystal ball. An aura of blue light emanated from it, causing Mina to "ooooh…" at it. Especially when her beautiful butterfly necklace began to glow.

"I'm going to summon all of my cosmic powers," the medium announced as the darkened room glowed magnificent colors. "And when I do we will have connection with the metaphysical world. I just have to say the magic words!"

Mina's heart pounded as the Madame Butterfly loudly exclaimed the words. "Flibbity Flabbity Floo! Lost spirits come back to you!!!!"

Mina shielded her eyes as the light blinded her.

Frida's words echoed around the room. And everything went dark.