It's Now Or Never. Jill Steeples

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      We ended up in a wine bar down by the river and despite my earlier protestations that I couldn’t eat or drink another thing, as soon as I sat down and Alex suggested sharing a bottle of Prosecco, it was as if there was nothing more in the world I desired at that moment.

      For a moment I felt a twinge of self-consciousness wondering what was I doing there and what we would possibly find to talk about, but I needn’t have worried, Alex’s confidence and easy charm put me completely at ease. I plastered on a big smile as he handed me a filled glass and I took a sip, the bubbles having an instant restorative effect.

      ‘To Tom and Angie,’ said Alex raising his glass to mine. ‘Wishing them all the best for a long and happy marriage.’

      ‘To Tom and Angie!’

      Alex’s earlier comment came back to taunt me. I’d always had doubts about Tom as marriage material, or even boyfriend material come to that, but then I didn’t know him nearly as well as Angie or Alex did. Was it really possible Alex knew something I didn’t? Had he been trying to tell me that earlier? I couldn’t bear the thought that there was something amiss, something I didn’t know about. Or more worryingly, something Angie didn’t know about.

      ‘So, you never said,’ I asked, trying for absolutely dead-casual, really not bothered one way or the other, ‘what chances do you give the happy couple for a long and happy marriage then?’

      He gave me a rueful smile.

      ‘I didn’t think we were allowed to think along those lines. Look I’m sorry if I upset you earlier, it was just an off the cuff comment. I didn’t mean anything by it.’

      ‘You do think it will work out for them though, don’t you? I’ve never seen Angie looking so happy.’

      ‘Yeah, well I hope so,’ said Alex, carefully avoiding my question and my gaze. ‘Tom is a great guy. I guess they have as much chance as any other couple out there.’

      ‘Hmmm.’ I wasn’t sure if Alex’s lukewarm response was due to his reservations about Angie and Tom as a couple or if he was anti-marriage in general. I suspected the latter. ‘Can you see yourself getting married one day?’ I asked.

      He tilted his head to one side, pondering on my question before pursing his lips.

      ‘Possibly.’ He tilted his head the other way, narrowing his eyes.

      ‘Maybe.’ He looked me directly in the eye.

      ‘Definitely,’ he said, laughing.

      ‘Well that’s conclusive,’ I said, laughing too.

      ‘I don’t know if I ever will,’ I said, uncertain why I felt the need to tell Alex this riveting piece of information, and not realising I even felt that way until the words were out there.

      ‘That’s rubbish. I barely know you, but you strike me as the marrying kind. Here, let me have a look at your hand.’ He took hold of my hand and turned it over, stroking his thumb across my palm. He pushed my fingers back and then gently traced the lines on my hand in a movement that was so light it was almost imperceptible, but still managed to send shivers down my spine at the same time. I looked up into his eyes and our gaze locked for the briefest moment, before I had to look away.

      ‘Aha, just as I thought, I can see it all here, there’s a very exciting future ahead for you.’

      ‘Is that right?’ I knew he was teasing me, but I was more than willing to play along with the game. ‘So tell me then, what can you see?’

      ‘Definitely a marriage. Within two years, I’d say. A big white wedding, I think.’

      ‘Really, well I suppose I ought to get a move on and meet this mystery man then. Two years isn’t that long to meet someone and then decide I’m going to marry him.’

      ‘And your marriage will be blessed with children.’

      ‘It will? Really? This is getting more interesting by the minute. How many?’

      ‘Let me see.’ He lifted my hand higher, peering closer at a random spot on my palm. ‘Four, I’d say. Possibly more.’

      ‘WHAT?!’ I nearly snorted my wine out at that revelation. ‘Four? Good grief. Absolutely no way. Two possibly, at the most, but there’s no way I can imagine having four children. I’m not even sure I’m that maternal.’ I snatched my hand away, laughing.

      ‘Ah well, I find a lot of people don’t want to hear the truth. It is a cross I have to bear with this special gift I have.’

      ‘Is that so? Okay tell me about my job then. Sounds like I don’t need to worry about my personal life, that’s all sorted, but I could do with some guidance on my career.’

      ‘Let me see?’ He picked up my hand again and ran his finger around the outline of my hand and then up and down and around the length of my fingers. By this stage I wasn’t really bothered by anything he might have to say, I was more concerned about the magic his touch was tracing on my hand. That a touch so light could have such a startling effect on my whole being I found astonishing.

      ‘A change is on the cards,’ he said, adopting the croaky voice of an elderly woman soothsayer. ‘You mark my words, young lady.’ I laughed, shaking my head at him indulgently but he kept hold tight of my hand. ‘Really,’ he said, his voice back to normal now; warm, caressive, enticing. At that moment he could have told me anything and I would have believed him. ‘I can see a lot in your future, but I’m afraid I can’t really divulge any more. Not now. It will all become apparent with time.’

      He dropped my hand like a hot potato.

      ‘Oh.’ I wanted to grab his hand straight back again and tell him not to stop. I’d been enjoying the sensations much more than I should have done.

      ‘Sorry, but I don’t want to put ideas into your head, you have to follow your own path without being influenced by anything I might tell you, but your fate is here, all laid out in your hand.’

      ‘Right, well that’s good to know,’ I said, feeling flustered. ‘Nothing I need to worry about then.’ Heat flushed my neck and face. His attentions were far too distracting. I looked at my hand wondering if I’d missed something obvious there, all these years. I smiled and shook my head. ‘Just one word of advice, Alex, don’t give up the day job. I really can’t see you ever making a career out of being a palmist.’

      ‘Er, I hope you’re not casting doubt upon my inherent abilities. People come for miles to have one of my special readings. Well I’m sure they would if they knew what a special talent I have. I’ll tell you what… do you have a pen… some paper?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Excuse me!’ Alex beckoned the young waiter over. ‘Do you have a piece of paper and pen I could have please? And an envelope too, if possible?’

      When the waiter had delivered the requested items, Alex started writing something down, craning his arm around the paper so that I couldn’t see.

      ‘What are you doing?’

      ‘Oh ye of little faith. I’m just writing down one or two predictions for you. СКАЧАТЬ