The Fortune of the Palms: a long short story

But the truth is, they can't.

Three years ago, Madame Polonaise's Palm Reading Salon went by a different name: the Scientific Palm Studies Institute.

Decorated more like a dentist's office than a fortunetelling shop, the Institute suffered from misbranding. Only when Madame Polonaise gave up much of her self-respect (and abandoned words like "objective," "logical," and "scientific") did she manage to revive the business. The keywords she uses nowadays include "mystical," "esoteric," and "cryptic"--perfectly in line with her clients' truly false (or falsely true?) expectations.

But one evening, a man with a palm that is most alien to her wants a reading. And when Madame Polonaise sees him for what he is, she cannot look away from the truth anymore...

*A metaphysical tale of palm lines and wry revelations, with a dash of cosmic dread for those who dare to look beyond their own palms.