myself.
‘I love what your hypnotherapist said about souls being born into the same families and circles of friends time after time,’ said Effy.
‘Unless you have a family you hate,’ I said. ‘Then you’d want to get well away from them.’
‘I guess,’ said Tash. ‘But maybe that’s why you come back with them, to work stuff out, the good and the bad.’
I nodded. ‘That’s what Fiona said. Unfinished business.’
‘I like the idea that we might have known each other before, Jo,’ said Effy. ‘I had the same feeling that you did when I met you, like, oh there you are. You seemed so
familiar.’
I smiled at her, we obviously both felt the same way.
‘Hey, what about me?’ asked Tash.
Effy regarded her. ‘First time on the planet, mate. Jo and I are old souls.’
Tash moved forward to pinch her arm but Effy pulled away. ‘Just joking, Tash. You were probably Guinevere or some romantic heroine.’
‘Nah, you were a cleaner, I reckon,’ I said. ‘Or a pig farmer’s wife.’
Tash stuck her tongue out. ‘Oink to you,’ she said.
‘Any word from Finn?’ Effy asked.
I shook my head. ‘He said “Later” when I left him on Sunday, but “later” in boy speak can mean anything from next week to next month.’
Effy and Tash both nodded in agreement.
Our bus arrived at our stop and we got off and headed for the school gates. The effects of the session last night were still with me and I felt well chilled and in such a good mood that even
Effy threatening to thrust her near-death book on me couldn’t faze me.
After school, I went up to Highgate village with Effy and whilst she dashed home to get her dad’s book, I waited for her at her mum’s estate agents.
I like Effy’s mum and get on with her. Sometimes I wonder if Effy and I were swapped at birth because personality-wise Effy’s so much more like my mum and I’m more like hers.
Looks-wise there’s no confusion though. I’m just like Mum physically, dark with brown eyes, and Effy takes after her mother. Mrs Davis is small and blonde but her dress sense is more
classic than Effy’s Topshop latest style.
‘How’s the hunt for Henrietta going?’ she asked me. I could tell by the way she arched her right eyebrow that she thought it was all nonsense.
‘You know Effy,’ I replied.
Her mum sighed. ‘I do. She does talk some nonsense sometimes. I don’t know where she gets it from. Not from me, I can tell you. I mean it’s a sweet story, the governess and her
lost soulmate, but anyone with half a brain would know that the clairvoyant made it up.’
‘That’s what I said.’
‘At least Effy has one sensible friend. It sounds like Tash is as taken by the idea as Effy is.’
‘Owen advised me to go along with it and that it’ll bUm out like so many other phases.’
Mrs Davies nodded. ‘Sound advice. So he’s been in touch with you then?’
I nodded. ‘Texts, emails, but we talked about it when he was last back from uni.’
‘He keeps a photo of you in his wallet, you know,’ she confided. Effy’s mum was another one who wanted to see me back with Owen.
I felt myself squirming. I felt bad that I’d broken up with Owen. ‘That’s nice. It’s just, I... we ... we both felt that with him being at uni that we should ... you
know, no ties. He must be meeting loads of new girls there. I didn’t want to hold him back.’
‘He hasn’t met anyone special, I don’t think,’ said Mrs Davies and she gave me a meaningful look.
Luckily our chat was interrupted by prospective house-hunters. I sighed with relief as the door opened and a couple came in. I never know what to say when Mrs Davis brings Owen up. I can’t
tell her the truth, like, oh yeah, I like Owen, your son, but he doesn’t make my toes curl. Not really what any mother wants to hear!
Effy’s mum got up to greet them. ‘Hello, can I help you?’
As Mrs Davis attended to the clients, I glanced out of the window. I spotted Ben outside with
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