Page 100 of Date with Destiny

He’s also an introvert like me and I can’t emphasize enough how much easier that is. After those group outings, we both need recovery days. But I feel increasingly that I can recover with him by my side; he doesn’t drain me in the same way other people usually do. In fact, he recharges me in a way no partner ever has before.

Lanyard guy shouts across the audience’s murmurs. ‘OK, we’re going to start filming any second now, so get ready to applaud again – as loudly as you can please, folks! – when Crystal arrives on stage.’

I nod unnecessarily in the low light and he scuttles off backstage.

And there she is. The audience collectively gasps and then breaks out into spontaneous, thunderous clapping at the sight of her. She beams out at us, waving, though she likely can’t see much beyond the first row thanks to those stage lights.

Crystal quickly launches into her opening monologue, speaking to the camera like it’s the only person in the universe, before turning her sights – first and second sights – on the audience.

‘Here we go…’ Myfanwy breathes out beside me.

Half an hour in, multiple takes later, and the lanyard guy is back.

‘WE’RE JUST HAVING A SHORT BREAK,’ he shouts at all of us in his distinctively nasal voice. ‘THERE’S TEA AND COFFEE BEING HANDED OUT, JUST SIT TIGHT. PLEASE DO NOT GO ANYWHERE. I MEAN IT, PLEASE STAY SEATED.’

The entire audience ignores him, standing up en masse to shuffle off and out of their seats, heading for the loo or outside for a cigarette break. For a moment, it looks like lanyard guy will yell at everyone again to return to their seats but I watch defeat enter his eyes as he lets out an exaggerated sigh and slumps back off the stage.

Only our group remains seated.

‘She’s really very good,’ Celeste announces. ‘Maybe I will get her on my show after all. There must be some psychic angle we haven’t explored in the jewellery-making process.’ She looks thoughtful and pulls out her phone to note something down.

‘How did you avoid giving up your mobile?’ Emily leans over, intrigued. The rest of us had to hand over our devices to put into a plastic bag with a cloakroom tag.

Celeste gives her a withering stare. ‘I’m a celebrity,’ she says as if no other explanation is required. Emily nods, accepting this and sitting back, engaging Sonali on the other side of her in conversation instead.

‘Crystal’sbrilliant,’ Myfanwy breathes, happily.

‘It’s great fun!’ Zach says generously.

‘I love her,’ I declare, looking around. ‘This is the best birthday present ever, thank you so much everyone.’

Sonali eyeballs me. ‘Maybe if she zeroes in on us, you’ll get a new set of predictions for your thirty-third year,’ she suggests excitedly and I grimace.

‘Sorry, but I really hope not. This has been the most dramatic, bizarre, telenovel-y year of my life. I want my next year to be quiet and peaceful, thank you.’

‘But youdobelieve now, right?’ Myfanwy quizzes me, frowning. ‘You do believe in the predictions she gave you?’

‘Hmm,’ I begin, unsure how to explain how I feel about the whole thing.

‘Oh my god,’ she cries, ‘Youhaveto, surely!

‘She doesn’t have to!’ Emily interjects as Sonali adds in a murmur, ‘And don’t call her Shirley.’

Emily leans in. ‘Much of what happened can be attributed to coincidence,’ she points out. ‘Or, indeed, seeing what suited you. It’s called confirmation bias. You see what you want to see and then everything else appears to be proof of what you already believe.’

‘You are newly back in the fold,’ Myfanwy tells her archly, but with a smile. ‘You weren’t here for any of the shit that went down.’ She shakes her head determinedly. ‘It was all too much. Too real. You can’t deny it. You had the three losses: a break-up, a death and your flat.’ She counts them off on her fingers.

‘Aren’t you a science teacher?’ Zach raises a single eyebrow quizzically, and she snorts.

‘Are you saying that just because I believe in evolution and know the periodic table, I can’t also believe in the mystical universe?’ She adds playfully, ‘What a joyless life you must endure, Zach.’

‘It ishorriblyjoyless,’ he says, grinning at me.

Myfanwy continues, ignoring her detractors. ‘Then you had your three gains. You had your life-changing trip with the mushrooms, when you realized you were never getting back with Daniel,’ she throws Zach an apologetic glance at the mention of my ex before moving smoothly on, ‘and then you had the return of someone you thought you’d lost forever.’ She nods at Emily, who rolls her eyes. ‘And then you also found your soulmate! Duh!’

I duck my head, mortified at the mention of this one.

Zach and I have said we love each other and are having the most amazing time together, butsoulmatesis still a terrifying concept. Plus, how, like humiliating if he thinks I’ve been telling Myfanwy he’s The One or whatever.

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