Saranya Ji looked directly at me. ‘You are cynical, Bea. Don’t be, it doesn’t suit you. It is a wall to protect yourself and is not your true nature. You have an open and loving spirit. You must learn to let go of your distrust if you are to progress. Yes, you may scoff at what you hear – many do when they hear a truth, and doubt me, but I simply tell what I see. It is always your choice to make of it what you will, but this man from your past who was …’ She listened to her right again, ‘He was known as Billy Jackson, he is your destiny. You can believe me and try and find him and who he is now in this life, or dismiss what I say and drift from one meaningless love affair to another, never finding the true contentment and companionship that your soul could know. Or you can immerse yourself in your work as you have done, so busy that no one knows that you are hiding. People see success but you are alone and …’ She stopped and looked at me with tenderness, ‘I don’t think so happy with this, yes?’

You’re beginning to freak me out, I thought as I looked away.

‘Have you any questions?’ Saranya Ji asked.

‘There are millions of men on the planet, in different countries, how would I know him?’

‘Recognition, there will be familiarity. A sense of, ah there you are. Have you ever met anyone and thought, where do I know you from? Yet you have never met them in this life.’

‘I suppose I have felt it with some friends.’

‘Yes, but it will be much more so with this man. A sense of, oh I know you. That is what you must look out for, but with your soulmate it will be stronger than with friends; it will feel exciting to find each other and maybe a little scary for you because it will confront your fear of loss and being hurt, so be careful not to push him away. Trust what you feel, as deep down there will be an awakening of that knowledge that yes, we belong together.’

I still didn’t believe what she was saying. It was too unlikely, romantic fodder for the easy-to-fool, and I wasn’t going to be taken in. ‘OK, Saranya Ji, but what if we miss each other? He’s on one continent, I’m on another.’

‘Trust. Don’t doubt that he will come into your life or has already come into it, that part is taken care of; but, as I said, it is your free will as to whether you accept him or reject him for fear of pain. You choose.’

‘If you say he was Billy Jackson last time, can’t you tell me his name this time? It would save a lot of time.’