Lucy in the Sky

me, relieved. ‘I won’t be long, I’ll just go and check she’s okay.’
    He bends down to give me a kiss on the lips but I turn my face so he catches my cheek instead. I watch as he ambles off down the hill towards Zoe’s place, only a five-minute walk away. My spirits lift as I turn back to my friends. ‘When are these bloody fireworks going to kick off, then?’
    Nathan opens one of the flasks to offer me coffee.
    ‘I’ll share that flask with you, then?’ I get up and go to sit beside him. Gemma and Martin close the gap next to Chloe.
    ‘Sure.’ He smiles at me as he hands it over.
    Something unpleasant is niggling away at me. I shouldn’t have encouraged James to go and see Zoe just so I can spend more time with Nathan. That was manipulative.
    But James made the decision to leave, didn’t he? In fact, he chose Zoe over me! His girlfriend! How dare he? Right, no more niggling thoughts, thank you…
    It’s a clear, dark night, and we can see the lights of London ahead of us. I lie back on the rug and Nathan does the same. The stars are bright overhead.
    ‘There’s the saucepan,’ I point, and he grins.
    ‘Not as bright as Down Under, though, are they?’
    ‘No. Hey, I’ve been practising this one for ages.’ I edge closer to him on the rug, trying to get warm. ‘I’ll probably still forget how it goes. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go on a camping trip. After a good dinner and a bottle of wine, they retire for the night, and go to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes wakes up and nudges his faithful friend. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.” “I see millions and millions of stars, Holmes,” replies Watson. “And what do you deduce from that?” Watson ponders for a minute. “Well, astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter to four. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful, and that we are a small and insignificant part of the universe. What does it tell you, Holmes?” “Watson, you idiot!” he exclaims. “Someone has stolen our tent!’”
    I squeal with laughter at my own joke and startle Chloe and Richard. I can’t believe I remembered it right.
    ‘Sorry,’ Nathan apologises to them. ‘Lucy’s cracking herself up.’
    I smile across at him in the darkness and feel jittery.
    We’re silent for a moment, then he speaks. ‘James alright?’
    ‘Yeah…’ I brush him off. ‘How are you ? I feel like I haven’t had a proper conversation with you for ages! How’s your job going? Is your boss being nicer to you now?’
    ‘He’s alright,’ he says.
    ‘Still busting your balls?’
    ‘Not really.’ He laughs. ‘But, well…’
    ‘What?’
    ‘I guess I’m still feeling out of it.’ I nod, encouraging him to open up. ‘It’s just that the other guys there are all older than me. Even Rich is three years older, and I don’t think my boss takes me very seriously, you know? I don’t exactly look like your typical burly builder.’
    ‘Thank goodness. Sorry, I mean, no offence to burly builders, but I just…like you the way you are.’
    ‘Aw, Luce.’ He smiles. ‘It’s fine. I kind of miss my renovation work but I’ll be getting back to it in a couple of months.’
    My face falls and I picture my heart thudding more dully in my chest. ‘Do you have another house lined up?’
    ‘Not yet. A couple of estate agents are on the case, though.’
    An almighty bang scares the living daylights out of me and I jump. Nathan laughs as we both sit up to watch the fireworks, me desperately trying to forget his forthcoming departure so I can enjoy having him here while I can.
    The display is spectacular.
    ‘They’re not as good as the ones in Sydney Harbour, though, are they, boys?’ I look across at Nathan and Richard.
    ‘It’s a close call,’ Richard says.
    But they still provoke plenty of oohs and aahs. Off in the distance, dozens of smaller shop-bought sparks are going off. Richard points them out. ‘Why do people bother with the crappy small ones when they can see crazy big displays like this?’
    ‘I know!’ Chloe agrees. ‘And little shits will still be setting them off for weeks to come at all hours of the bloody night.’
    I think of my stepbrothers back in Somerset.
    ‘What are you smiling