I wished my father was there to say that this was all silly superstitious nonsense.

Finally Soroya spoke. Both of your cups are showing change." She pointed at a clump of glistening leaves on the rim of my mother's cup. "The leaves nearest the rim tell us about the future," she said. "They form the shape of a dagger."

It did look like a dagger. It looked like a dagger I'd seen once in a museum, a dagger with a curved blade that was used by an Egyptian prince.

"What does that mean?" my mother asked.

"It means danger," said Soraya, and then she stopped.
"Danger?" my mother persisted.

"You must be careful," Soraya said. "Watch for the unexpected. Be cautious."

"What does mine say?" I asked.

"These leaves are in the shape of an iceberg," she said. "There is danger here also. It could be related to your mother's reading. But," she said, lowering her voice and pointing at another clump of leaves, "here we see an elephant. An elephant is a sign of wisdom and strength. It means you will know how to handle what lies ahead."