wasn’t for you. There is someone else, someone who will turn your world upside down. If he hasn’t come into your life already then he will do soon. Look for him, he has a special smile and eyes that will make your heart sing.”
Her grip on my fingertips tightened and the intent glint in her own eyes scared me. Her slightly motherly posture had changed into someone steelier. The hub-bub in the room seemed to fade and iciness crept through my bones as she spoke.
“I see changes occurring all around you, in your work as well as your personal life. There is personal danger coming to you, great danger but you will overcome it. This will eventually be for the better.”
I wanted to tug my hand free. I didn’t want my world turning upside down. I couldn’t say I was thrilled at the idea of danger either especially when I had to abseil down the side of a castle.
“This new man will be the harbinger of change for you.” She released my fingers as suddenly as she had grasped them. My heart pounded in my chest and I wanted to bolt from the table.
“Is there anything else you want to know?” She smiled at me, looking for the entire world like a harmless middle-aged housewife again.
“No, nothing, thank you.” I stumbled up from my chair as the lady organising the appointments signalled to me that my time was up.
Shelly was waiting for me next to the scented candle stall.
“Well, what did she say? Oh my God, my woman was so awesome! She knew all sorts of things about me, it was so cool.” She looked at me expectantly, her eyes bright with excitement.
“Oh, you know stuff about me having broken up with someone and that I’d meet someone new.” Thinking about it rationally she hadn’t actually said anything very definite. Apart from the danger warning and I could have done without that. It was more how she’d said it, that strange intense sensation when she’d grasped my hand. I needed a drink.
“Oh, is that all?” Shelly pouted with disappointment.
“Well, you know, she said something about everything in my life changing, general things. Come on, let’s go and get a drink. You can tell me what they said to you.”
Her face brightened at the prospect of alcohol and the opportunity to relay word for word all the things the medium had told her.
As soon as we’d escaped into the relative peace of the lounge bar I started to feel better.
“Are you okay, Chloe? You look pale. Maybe I shouldn’t have made you come.” Shelly peered critically at me as she ordered our drinks.
“Yeah, its okay, I’m fine. It’s not been a great day, that’s all.” I kept thinking about what Diane had said. Could she have been talking about Ben, my new neighbour?
“Oh babe, I’m such a thoughtless cow, dragging you here and going on about finding a new bloke when you and Neil have only just split up.” Shelly bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Clo.”
“Don’t be daft; you were right. It’s better to be out instead of being stuck in the flat on my own feeling sorry for myself.” I took a sip of my vodka and coke savouring the icy cool of the liquid as it slid down my throat.
It was stupid to be so rattled by some fake fortune teller especially when she hadn’t actually told me anything specific. And, okay, so Ben had got amazing eyes but since he probably thought I was a self-obsessed fame-seeking nutter with delusions of grandeur he didn’t seem to be a likely candidate for turning my life upside down.
Shelly took a little more convincing that I wasn’t dying of a broken heart before giving me a verbatim account of everything her fortune teller had said. Mainly it had consisted of her telling Shelly all about her personality before promising her a meeting with the man who would be her soul mate. Something which involved the colour blue and a cat apparently.
“It makes you wonder if there’s anything in this medium fortune telling stuff.” She mused as she sipped her drink and flashed a flirtatious glance