Lucy in the Sky

on the first floor and goes back into her bedroom across the landing.
    ‘Will you be okay?’ I ask Nathan from the doorway.
    ‘Yeah, of course. I’ll see you in the morning, yeah?’
    ‘Bright and early.’
    ‘How early? Will you knock on my door? I don’t want to sleepin and make a bad impression.’ He nods towards Mum and Terry’s bedroom.
    Ah, bless him. I assure him I will, before closing the door gently behind me and going upstairs to my room.
    I wake up at 7.30 the next morning and my excitement about Nathan sleeping on the floor below cancels out for the moment the bad feeling I have about James. I have a shower, then attempt to cover up the bags under my eyes with make-up. I opt for dark blue Diesel jeans and a fitted black jumper and pull my hair back up into a high ponytail. Then I change my mind and take my hair down again. When I’m ready, I go down one flight of stairs and knock on Nathan’s door.
    ‘I’m awake,’ he calls from inside. ‘I’ll be out in a minute.’
    ‘I’ll see you in the kitchen!’ I whisper loudly.
    Mum, Terry, Tom and Meg are already sitting around the table. Meg’s parents are abroad and she was going to be in the UK alone for Christmas. Tom’s overjoyed that she’s joining us.
    ‘Hey,’ Tom says affectionately and gets up to give me a hug, as does Terry. Meg smiles sympathetically from the table. I’m guessing Mum filled everyone in last night, which is fine by me. I don’t want to go through it all again.
    ‘Where’s Nick?’ I ask.
    ‘Still in bed. Big night down the local,’ Tom explains.
    I pull up a chair. Moments later Nathan comes down the stairs and I jump back up again. Oh, my God, he’s here with my family!
    ‘Hello, Nathan.’ My mum smiles. ‘Did you sleep well?’
    ‘Yeah, good thanks,’ he replies, a touch nervously.
    I introduce everyone and they’re all welcoming and friendly. No one mentions the bruise on Nathan’s temple.
    ‘Would you like a tea or coffee, dear?’ my mum asks, and we sitdown and help ourselves to local farm-shop bacon, and eggs courtesy of our hens in the back garden.
    After a while, Nick stumbles down the stairs. Nathan stands up to shake his hand as I introduce them.
    ‘Fucking hell, mate,’ Nick says when he clocks Nathan’s bruise.
    ‘Nick, don’t use that sort of language in this house, please!’ Terry admonishes.
    ‘Chill out, Dad,’ Nick replies and turns back to Nathan’s bruise. ‘That looks bad. Aren’t you going to say, “You should see the other guy”?’
    ‘The “other guy” is my boyfriend,’ I say mock-prudely, before adding, ‘well, ex boyfriend. And I think Nathan broke his nose.’
    ‘Shit!’ Nick exclaims. ‘Way to go, mate.’ He grabs Nathan’s hand again and starts shaking it. Nathan looks uncomfortable.
    ‘Nick!’ Mum exclaims. ‘Don’t be so tasteless.’
    ‘Sorry, Diane, but if I’d been there I would have done a fuck-load more than break his nose.’
    ‘ NICK! ’ Terry shouts, but Nick just grins as his dad raises his eyes to the heavens in despair.
    Later that morning, after Mum and Terry have left for work and Nathan is showered and ready, I take him outside to see the goats.
    ‘You haven’t had a cigarette since you’ve been here, have you?’ I comment.
    ‘Nah. I really will give up this time. This place is awesome,’ he says as he gazes around at the green hills and over at the castle amid the trees.
    ‘We’ll have to go for a drive to Exmoor National Park sometime,’ I suggest. ‘Maybe tomorrow? You haven’t been out to the country much since you arrived, have you?’
    ‘No, not really. I haven’t done anywhere near as much as I meant to. Had all these plans to go for weekend trips to Europe but it just never panned out that way.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Wanted to see you, Luce,’ he says, eyes meeting mine.
    ‘Is that your car?’ Nick interrupts, walking down the path towards us.
    ‘The Saab? Yeah,’ Nathan answers.
    ‘Cool car, man.’
    ‘It’s for sale; I’m going back to Australia in a couple of weeks.’
    ‘I want it!’ I interject, before Nick can say anything.
    ‘Hey?’ Nathan laughs.
    ‘I want it,’ I repeat. ‘I’ll buy it from you.’
    ‘I’m not going to sell it to you, am I?’ He grins, touching his hand to my cheek. I swear my heart skips a beat.
    ‘Why not?’ I ask.
    ‘You can have it, Luce. If you want it.’
    ‘No, I’ll buy it!’ I insist.
    ‘No way.’ He laughs. ‘It’s