I have been reading tarot (and people) for the last 27 years and I am slightly confused as to what you are really asking with this current undefined spread. First (and I emphasize this as any layout is EQUALLY as important as being able to interpret the cards), what chronological order and spread are you using to interpret your present concern? Laying out and reading cards in a story form is fine but without basic structure before card interpretation you are going to bring on more confusion simply because logic is taking over the reading based on book knowledge while your intuition tries to make sense of what you are trying to absorb.

There are several good tarot example books out there to give you some layout ideas but I strongly encourage you to experiment with simple layouts –I recommend no more than 6 cards tops to start (you can always draw more cards later if clarification is needed – there is NO hard rule against this other than what your mind creates based on your desire to comprehend) and then look at where the cards land and match this to the meanings given to the cards as you understand them.

Above all else be open to listening to that inner voice. (As for the meaning of the death card reversed – in the simplest form –this usually indicates some type of stagnation, resistance to change and/or necessary growth in some form – and fear is usually the underlying motivator when the reversal of this card shows up.)

God bless and good luck. I hope this helps clarify some.