Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

I’d look for the good in John even if it was probably going to kill me. After all, he did make her so happy.
    She squeezed me tight and I soaked in her aura’s sensation that I’d missed so much.
    “My suggestion is to move on—find someone new to think about. I’m sure there’s got to be another boy at school who you might be interested in perhaps?”
    She lifted her eyebrow at me and waited for my reaction. No one came to mind at the moment, so I made a face and shrugged. I’d never felt like that with anyone before, so imagining myself finding another guy like him so quickly seemed preposterous.
    I shook my head.
    “Well then you’ve got it bad my dear. So give yourself some time to heal. But, if for some reason he does come back around, find out first why he took so long, before you get upset. He may have a very good reason for making you wait. John did.”
    “Okay,” I said after a short pause, letting it all sink in.
    John’s big excuse was that he was a chicken. I refused to think Nicholas was like him, but hopeful it wasn’t completely over just yet. Maybe he did have a good reason and it was something like he thought he was too old for me, or that I had a boyfriend already. But would I have to wait a year to find out?
    Oh please dear God. That would be dreadful.
    “So, let’s move on, shall we? Get your purse,” she said in delight. “I’m kidnapping you.”
    “Kidnapping me? But . . .” I pointed at my bandaged ankle.
    “This won’t require walking and actually might help your ankle.”
    I gave her a suspicious look and before I knew it, she ushered me to the car in the garage and made me get in the front seat. Her contagious excitement made me wonder what she was up to.
    The entire ride I tried guessing our destination, but she remained tight-lipped, not revealing any hints about where we were going until she pulled up into the parking lot in front of a nail salon.
    “We are getting pedicures,” I announced in glee.
    “Not just any type of pedicure,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “This one will be . . . different for sure.”
    I furrowed my brow. “Okay, now you’re scaring me.”
    “You’ll see, come on.”
    We walked into the salon and Jo went up to the counter and whispered to the receptionist. I looked around and everything seemed like a normal salon. A variety of nail polishes sat in little racks on the counter and pictures of manicured hands and feet hung on the walls. A sign with the pricing of the services was on a wall behind the receptionist. The only thing that struck me odd was the sign saying they offered Dr. Fish Treatments. I sat and waited patiently for Jo to rejoin me.
    “Are you ready?” a girl with long blonde hair said as she motioned us to follow her down the corridor. “Please come this way.”
    Jo kept watching for my reaction as we followed the receptionist into a room with some oversized chairs. I sat down in one and Jo sat in the other, a Cheshire grin across her face. I was still trying to figure out what the big deal was.
    “Okay, what are we going to be doing that’s weird?” I finally asked.
    “Just wait. You’ll see.”
    Two ladies came into the room and introduced themselves, then washed our feet.
    “Is this your first fish treatment?” the brunette asked me.
    “I . . . guess so?” I looked to Jo for reassurance, afraid I was supposed to know something.
    “Yes, this is Julia’s first treatment. I’ve had several,” Jo said.
    “Fish treatment? As in real fish?” I gasped. Images of soaking my feet in fish guts filled my head and I panicked. “I’m not putting my feet in fish guts!”
    Everyone giggled and I blushed.
    “No, it’s nothing like that,” the other woman said and she smiled kindly at me. I felt my cheeks return to normal. “You’ll be visiting our famous Doctor Fish tank, where our little friends are going to clean your feet for you.”
    Clean my feet? Ewww.
    I was not crazy about fish in general, which is why swimming in lakes and streams always freaked me out. I didn’t want any fish within 100 yards of me, so actually letting them bite me was absolutely insane, not to mention much worse than putting one’s feet in fish guts. The only fish I knew of that ate flesh were piranhas.
    “You’re kidding me, right?”
    “I’m not kidding. They are special fish that only eat dead skin. I promise they won’t hurt you.”
    Ewww gross!
    “Okay?” I said with trepidation. The idea of letting the fish