Page 32 of Date with Destiny

‘Don’t overcomplicate this,’ she waves her hand dismissively. ‘Forget about the predictions for a minute, life-changing trip or not, you clearly need a break. You lost Daniel, you lost Diane, you moved back in withyour mum,and we can’t find the bloody psychic who started this whole thing – you need to get away. Let’s just drop everything andgo. I checked the dates – it’s during half term! This is meant to be. Please let me come! Otherwise that’s me locked in with those awful dickhead children until fucking Christmas.’

‘I thought you liked the kids at your school?’

She nods earnestly. ‘I do! It doesn’t mean they’re not awful dickheads though. They’rechildren, Ginny.’

‘Girlieeeees!’ Celeste arrives with her usual fanfare at the buffet table, gathering us both up in a too-tight cuddle. Upon release, she regards the food with distaste. ‘What on earth were you and Toni thinking?’ she sighs, appalled. ‘You know I have a caterer on retainer.’

I meet Myfanwy’s eyes, choosing not to point out that Celeste has been in a useless walking coma for the last few weeks. ‘Sorry, Mum,’ I say, swallowing down so many other answers – like,No, I had no idea you had a caterer on retainer because that is not a thing.

‘Anyway, I’m having a lovely time, people are being so sweet!’ She surveys the room, where she is the centre of attention, before returning her gaze to us. ‘What’s going on?’ she suddenly looks suspicious. ‘Were you talking about me?’

This is always her default assumption.

‘No, Celeste!’ Myfanwy eyerolls. ‘We were talking about Ginny going on her honeymoon.’ She pauses, then hastily adds, ‘Without Daniel, obvs.’

Celeste gasps, then claps her hands delightedly. ‘Oh of course! That’s perfect. The whole thing’s paid for anyway, youmustgo, and youmusttake your little sister.’

‘Oh but, um…’ I glance frantically at Myfe. I love Toni, but she’s so young! The last thing I want is a Gen Z-er with me on this trip, wanting to go to nightclubs and, I don’t know, environmental rallies??

Myfanwy jumps in smoothly. ‘Actually, Celeste, we were thinking I’d go with Gin. Y’know, as her best friend, seeing her through this difficult time?’

‘I’mher best friend,’ my mother hisses before whipping around to face me. ‘No, darling, you simply must take Toni. She’s mourning Diane, too, and you can look after each other. I’d feel much safer knowing you were together.’ Celeste and Myfanwy glare at one another.

I suddenly feel like a teenager again, with my mother insisting I take my baby sister along everywhere. But Celestedidpay for the honeymoon…

I’m about to give in – like I always do – when Myfanwy swoops in. ‘Sadly, Celeste, it’s too late,’ she lies. ‘We’ve actually just changed the booking into my name. They only let you change it once, so we’re stuck, I’m afraid.’

Celeste’s face is thunder, but she has no clue if this is true. All her – first-class – air travel is arranged via her agent or manager and their many PAs.

‘Fine,’ she flicks thick, blow-dried hair off her shoulder. ‘I’ll pay for Toni to come, too.’ She turns on her heel. ‘I’m texting the PAs right now. We can call in the summer workers to cover you at the store for a week.’

Myfanwy and I exchange a look.

OK… It could be fun? Myfanwy, me and Toni, ona life-changing adventure together! We really do love Toni, and Celeste is right, she needs a holiday, too. If only from Shawn.

Zach arrives back with the drinks and Celeste is immediatelyonhim, too close to his face, asking questions about the store and giggling at everything he says.

‘I’m just going to get some air,’ I say, making eye contact with Zach, who nods desperately.

‘I’ll come with you,’ he says, extracting himself from Celeste’s clutches.

Outside, the early autumn wind is biting and I wonder if he will offer me his jacket. That’s a thing people do, isn’t it? Maybe only in rom-coms.

The Naughty Schoolboys are nearby, finishing cigarettes, roaring over something about Diane. We watch them for a second before they head back inside.

‘Do you think your aunt had more than just those four?’ Zach asks. ‘Like, maybe a few more of the attendees in the church were also conquests, but didn’t want to get involved in the fight?’

‘I’m sure you’re right!’ I snort. ‘And maybe some didn’t know when or where the funeral was. I bet Diane had at least fifty boyfriends.’

‘It sounds exhausting!’ he says, breathing out heavily.

‘That’s what I thought!’ I exclaim, thinking how much we seem to have in common.

‘Are you an introvert?’ he smiles.

I nod, beaming back. ‘I don’t like to admit it to mostpeople though. I think there’s this idea that introverts hate everyone and never want to go out—’

He dips his head eagerly, ‘But that’s not the case, is it? It’s just that it drains us and we need a lot of time to recover afterwards.’

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