Page 47 of Date with Destiny

‘Hmm,’ I narrow my eyes.

‘We’re officially too old to be invited to Toni’s proper,funcelebration,’ Myfanwy adds. ‘We’ve been lumped in with all the sixty-plusses!’

Sonali leans in. ‘It’s outrageous. We’re far too young for adinner. I’m appalled.’

‘Do you really think?’ I glance over at my sister. She’s goo-goo-eyeing with Shawn, while on the other side of him sits my mother. Who is also goo-goo-eyeing him. ‘Well that’s embarrassing,’ I comment and Myfanwy gives me a sideways look.

‘The fact that we’re too old to party with twenty-somethings, or the way Celeste is all over Shawn?’

‘Both,’ I grimace. ‘To be fair, Celeste does do this. I’m having flashbacks to how she used to flirt with Daniel. She literally sat in his lap at my birthday last year.’

‘Oh my god, I remember that!’ Sonali snorts as Myfanwy adds, ‘No wonder he left you at the altar.’ She gives me another side eye. ‘Too soon?’

‘That will always be too soon,’ I tell her.

I watch Shawn across the table and sigh. ‘Do you really think Toni’s happy with him?’ I ask this in a low voice as he laughs in a sort of put-on way and throws an arm around Toni’s shoulders, squashing her into him. There’s always such an arrogance about him, as he reaches across people for the butter, still holding onto Toni who is forced to move with him. He spreads his roll now and chews on it lazily, smiling a little smugly as Celeste plagues him with questions. Then he – sin of all sins – reaches over Toni andtakes her bread roll. Once he’s got it, I see him ask her if it’s OK, but that – to me – is even worse than not asking. He’s already got it in his weirdly small, sweaty hands. He’s already touching the bread roll. She’s not going to say no now, is she? No one would.

‘I’m going to ask her if there’s a young people party we’re not invited to,’ Myfanwy leaps up.

‘Don’t ask her!’ I pull her back down to the table, thinking of the vulnerable and slightly sad Toni I just confiscated scissors from. ‘Leave her alone on her birthday. If she wantsto have fun without us, she’s allowed to! At least wait until the day after her birthday to make her feel guilty?’

‘I think you should make her feel guilty now,’ Sonali encourages, grinning.

‘HEY!’ Myfanwy shouts across the table. ‘Toni, are you having a secret young people party for your birthday that we’re not invited to?’

Toni looks surprised, still weighed down by Shawn’s heavy arm across her. ‘No, I promise! I swear, you’d be invited.’ She shakes her head. ‘No, I’m just having a low-key thing this year. I’mtwenty-fournow, you guys! I’m really too grown up and mature for silly nightclubs or bars!’ She laughs in a way that is not like Toni at all, glancing up at her much older boyfriend like he might find this impressive. He smiles down at her benignly, signalling his approval. I suppress a shudder.

‘Well, that’s depressing,’ Myfanwy sighs. ‘I was hoping Toni had a fun-ner life than us.’ The waiter arrives with our drinks, placing them down in the wrong order in front of us. Myfanwy reaches across me for hers before continuing. ‘Anyway, don’t worry, I have just the thing to get through this boring night.’ She pulls out her phone, glancing over at Sonali and smiling broadly. ‘We’re going to find different ways to expand Ginny’s spiritual thinking.’

I reluctantly shuffle closer as she pulls up Google.

‘Shall we get you a moon reading?’ she suggests, scanning the results. ‘Or we could visit another psychic? Or a palm reader? Past life regression? Or, ooh!’ she jabs at the screen.‘This woman is a soulmate sketch artist. We could see who we’re meant to be looking out for. Or do you want to look at your nakshatra?’

She’s mentioned that word before. I frown. ‘My naked what?’

Sonali looks sombre as she explains. ‘It’s the idea that you can draw a line from where you were born – at the exact time of your birth – to the moon. The group of stars that line passes through is known as the nakshatra. It’s like a star map for your life and it’s very important for your astrological calculations.’

I blink at her. ‘I don’t think I need a star map, do I?’ I hesitate. ‘Would the moon reading help me with my period? I’m a week out and the hormonal anxiety rush is giving me heart palpitations.’

Myfanwy shakes her head. ‘Nah.’ She squints at the screen. ‘Let’s just keep things simple and find your birth chart.’ She’s already found the page she wants and Sonali and I lean closer to take in the website’s introduction.

A birth chart tells you the position of the sun, moon and planets on the day you were born. The exact second you came into existence can determine your personalized chart.

‘But what about twins?’ I ask. ‘Jessica and Elizabeth would have the same birth chart, those four minutes aside, but they’re so different!’

‘Don’t bringSweet Valley Highinto this.’ Sonali pulls out her Vaseline for a fresh application on already shiny lips. ‘That is sacred.’

Myfanwy sighs impatiently. ‘When were you born, Gin?’

‘I actually don’t know the exact second I came into existence,’ I admit, as Sonali waves her hand.

‘It doesn’t matter. Do you know the time without seconds?’

I nod, continuing to read.

Your astrology chart – or natal chart – contains powerful information about the energies you were exposed to at birth, allowing you a window into your soul’s journey and revealing your strengths and weaknesses. We focus on scientific astrology—

I raise an eyebrow.

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