Lucy in the Sky

you like spaceships. I didn’t even know they grew that big.
    There was one dodgy moment when Nathan found a Wheel Of Fortune -style wheel and span it to see what the chances of a shark attack were compared to other nasty deaths. It landed on boating accident, narrowly missing out the largest wedge, which was aircraft accident. Luckily a nearby tank of crayfish reminded me of a joke so I told him that to take his mind off it.
    ‘Listen, I’ve got a joke for you!’
    ‘About bloody time. Bet it won’t compete with the quality of my elephant jokes, though.’
    ‘Shut up and listen, smartarse. Kevin the crab and Lottie the Lobster Princess were madly in love. And then, one day, Lottie scuttled over to Kevin in tears. “We can’t see each other anymore,” she sobbed. “Why not?” gasped Kevin. “Daddy says that crabs are too common,” she wailed. “He says you’re the lowest class of crustacean and that no daughter of his will marry someone who can only walk sideways.” Kevin was mortified, and edged away into the darkness to drink himself into a state of aquatic oblivion. That night the great Lobster Ball was taking place. Lobsters came from far and wide, but the Lobster Princess refused to join in with the fun, choosing instead to sit by her father’s side, inconsolable. Suddenly the doors burst open, and Kevin the crab strode in. The lobsters all stopped their dancing, the Princess gasped and the King Lobster rose from his throne. Slowly, painstakingly, Kevin the crab made his way across the floor … and all could see that he was walking FORWARDS, one claw after another! Step by step he made his approach towards the throne, until eventually he looked the King Lobster in the eye. There was a deadly hush. Finally the crab spoke. “Fuck, I’m pissed.’”
    Nathan laughed so much that he slapped the aquarium glass and got told off by a staff member. We left in fits of giggles soon afterwards.
    ‘Only three more days to go,’ I turn my attention back to Sam and Molly. ‘How are you both feeling?’
    ‘Nervous,’ Molly admits.
    ‘There’s nothing to be nervous about.’ Sam rubs her shoulder.
    ‘You don’t have to spend the day looking after my sister.’
    ‘Nah, I’ll only have Nathan to worry about.’
    ‘Ah, he’ll be alright,’ Molly says.
    ‘He’s a bit anxious about his speech,’ Sam continues. Nathan is Sam’s best man. ‘Speaking of Nathan,’ he adds, ‘we’ve got to get him over here to do something about that guttering.’
    I follow Sam’s gaze upwards to the roof.
    ‘What does Nathan have to do with the guttering?’
    ‘He’s a bit of a handyman,’ Sam explains to me. ‘He did all the renovations on this place.’
    ‘ Really? ’ That boy is full of surprises.
    ‘Yeah. Oh, I know we tease him about building his own place and all that, but he could do it. If he ever gets his arse into gear.’
    ‘And who can tell when that’ll be?’ Molly says drily. ‘Knowing Nathan, he’ll pack up and head off up the coast again. I can’t see him settling down.’
    ‘Not even with Amy?’ I pry.
    ‘Who knows? He’s silly not to. With her parents’ help they could build the house of their dreams.’
    I’ve no idea why I ask these questions because I rarely like the answers.
    ‘So are her parents well off, then?’ I just can’t help myself. I remember her going off at the hen night to her parents’ house near Circular Quay.
    ‘Very. You know who her dad is?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Bill Benton.’
    I look at Molly blankly.
    ‘Well-known businessman.’
    ‘He owns the Sleeptown hotel chain,’ Sam elaborates.
    ‘Oh, right…Huh. She doesn’t seem as if she comes from a wealthy family…’
    ‘I know!’ Molly exclaims. ‘That’s one of the things that we like about her. She’s just a regular surf chick.’
    ‘I’m telling you, Nathan is nuts.’ Sam shakes his head and plonks his beer down on the table in front of him. I feel like picking up the bottle and smashing it over his head. Instead I change the subject.
     
    It’s Friday and we’re in the garden at Molly’s parents’ house in Mosman, which is a ten-minute drive from Manly across the Spit Bridge. We’re drinking wine and enjoying the peace while Andie is up in her bedroom tearing the limbs off her Barbie dolls (probably). Molly’s mum, Sheila, is in the kitchen cooking a lamb roast for dinner. It’s been a warm day so neither of us really feels like eating a heavy meal, but Sheila was