Lucy in the Sky

as it’s your birthday and all.’
    She chinks my glass and I take a large gulp of wine before looking around for Reena.
    Towards the end of the evening I spot Nathan coming back from the bar and I break away from the group.
    ‘Having a good time?’ He smiles down at me.
    ‘Really nice,’ I reply happily.
    He seems different, more chilled out to last weekend at the Walkabout pub. We haven’t had a chance to talk, just the two of us, but at least he hasn’t been avoiding my eyes all evening.
    Karen was right, of course. I have been away with the fairies this week, pretending I’d turned a corner and had started thinking of Nathan as a mere friend. I hated how detached he was with me last time. Hated it!
    ‘Your friends are great,’ he says.
    ‘They are, aren’t they? I still wish Sam and Molly could be here, though.’
    ‘I know you do.’ He smiles. ‘Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t get you a present. You didn’t give me enough notice about your birthday.’
    ‘That’s okay, I wasn’t expecting anything.’ I laugh.
    ‘What are you up to tomorrow?’ he asks.
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘I was wondering if you’d like to go to Windsor Castle? James too, obviously,’ he adds quickly.
    ‘That’d be lovely!’ Another place I’ve never visited.
    ‘Cool. What time shall I pick you up in the morning?’
     
    When he said ‘pick you up’, I assumed Nathan meant he’d meet us on foot at the flat so I’m surprised to see him standing out in front of a Saab 900i. Richard is waiting in the front seat, so James and I pile in the back.
    The upholstery is ripped and the creamy-brown paintwork has faded, but the car suits Nathan. He bought it for £500 to use while he’s here. As we pull out onto Marylebone Road in the direction of Windsor, he turns the sound up on the radio. I notice he’s got a cassette player and wonder if he misses his tapes.
    Walking up to the castle, Richard and Nathan ahead of us, James takes my hand. I scold myself and grip James’s hand more tightly as I study Nathan’s back profile, hoping he doesn’t turn around.
    Inside the stone walls we head first to the State Rooms. James and Richard are blown away by all the guns, but my interest peaks when we get to Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. James fidgets impatiently and he and Richard go to wait outside. But I refuse to rush. I had to endure the weapons, for pity’s sake.
    Nathan stays by my side as I peer closely through the glass at the tiny replicas.
    ‘Incredible, isn’t it?’ I whisper. I feel like we’re in a library, it’s so quiet in here.
    ‘Yeah,’ he whispers back, and I drag my eyes away from the dolls’ house to look up at him. The room is so dimly lit that I can barely see his expression, but my heart flutters as he meets my eyes in the darkness. I want to kiss him.
    Lucy! Your boyfriend is metres away! Cut it out! I bring myself to my senses, just as a small girl turns the corner and starts to tell her mother petulantly that she really needs a dolls’ house like this because hers isn’t anywhere near big enough.
    Nathan and I grin at each other and head towards the door.
    ‘That reminds me of shopping for Andie’s shoes.’
    ‘I don’t know how you’re still sane,’ he says.
    ‘Sane? Well, I don’t know about that…’
    In St George’s Chapel, Nathan stands quietly and looks up at the ceiling, while I follow James and Richard to the altar. I know I have to be careful not to seem too attached to Nathan, so I link my arm through James’s as we wander past the impressive choir stalls. After a few minutes he and Richard again lose interest, so I offer to retrieve Nathan and meet them outside.
    I find him still gazing upwards in amazement.
    ‘That is mental,’ he says. I look up and take in the beautiful intricate stonework. When I turn back to him he’s still shaking his head in wonder.
    Afterwards, Nathan drives us to Eton for afternoon tea.
    ‘It would be nice to have a car, wouldn’t it?’ I turn to James. He nods. ‘Maybe we could buy this off Nathan when he leaves?’ I suggest.
    James shakes his head, reaching out to flick at the ripped upholstery in the back of Nathan’s seat. The music is playing loudly so Nathan can’t hear, thankfully. I turn away and look out of the window. I like this car.
    As we wander along the streets of Eton, I stop for a moment outside a quaint antique shop to look at the tiny silver charms in the window.
    ‘That Concorde one is cool,’ Nathan says from beside