Lucy in the Sky

me–I’ve PR-ed bar launches before, but nothing this big–and she’s promised me a nice bonus if I pull it off. Plus I get to meet the Luigis and all the girls in the office fancy Gianluca.
    Chloe and Gemma are very envious. Chloe keeps asking me to try to wangle another place for her to join me in Milan. It would certainly be a lot more fun if she did. The thought of it is daunting at the moment.
    Almost every night this week, James has put pressure on me to have sex with him. I feel like he’s testing me after my recent outburst. I’ve been using the old jet-lag excuse, but I know it’swearing thin. It does at least seem he’s now forgiven me for telling him I didn’t want to leave Sydney.
    The only other run-in we’ve had was the other morning when I came into the bedroom to find him changing the dial back to UK time on my watch. I shouted in dismay, startling him with my reaction. He offered to put the time back to how it was but I despondently told him it was too late; the damage was done and now it just wouldn’t be the same. The poor love couldn’t understand my disappointment at all. He was only trying to help, I guess.
    As for Nathan, I’m still trying hard not to think about him.
    On Saturday morning I remember that Sam and Molly return from their honeymoon the next day so I call up Interflora and order a big bunch of flowers to be delivered to their home. James comes into the kitchen just as I’m telling the girl on the other end of the phone what the card should say.
    ‘I think something along the lines of…Okay, how about…Um. “Welcome home, guys! Hope you had a great honeymoon”–no, make that “an amazing honeymoon. All my love, Lucy”.’
    ‘AND James,’ James interrupts as he gets a glass down from the cupboard and fills it up with orange juice.
    ‘Oh, yes, can you make that, “Lots of love, Lucy and James”. And can you do a couple of kisses too, please.’
    ‘Charming,’ he says, when I get off the phone.
    ‘Sorry.’ I smile. ‘It’s only because you weren’t there for the wedding.’
    He takes his juice through to the living room and plonks himself down in front of the telly.
    ‘Let’s go for a walk,’ I suggest. We’ve just had ten days of wind and rain. Today’s the first sunny day for ages.
    ‘Oh, I was going to watch the rugby.’
    ‘James…It’s such a lovely day. Come on, it’d be nice to do something together.’
    ‘It’s just that I’ve been really looking forward to this.’
    ‘Don’t you want to spend time with your girlfriend?’
    ‘Oh, Lucy, please don’t start.’ He moodily takes a sip from his glass and puts his feet up on the coffee table.
    ‘Fine.’ I get my coat. There’s no point in arguing with him once his mind is made up. So much for the flatscreen television being a present for me. Bloody thing.
    Outside on the pavement I realise just how warm it is. It’s almost April and the weather has well and truly picked up. I wind my way through the back streets until I hit the south side of Regent’s Park. Bright yellow daffodils spring up from grassy banks and the trees are bursting with blossom. It makes me forget my mood with James and feel cheerful.
    ‘Lucy!’
    I turn around to see James jogging towards me down the path.
    ‘Hello!’ I’m delighted. He stops in front of me and bends over, trying to catch his breath.
    ‘Decided to come and join you, after all.’ He grins up at me.
    ‘Ah, that’s nice.’
    ‘Christ, it really is warm, isn’t it?’ he says, taking off his grey Gap jacket.
    We wander down the path, alongside the pond and stop to watch as children feed the ducks.
    ‘Can you believe those monkeys escaped from the zoo last year and were roaming around the park?’ James says, smiling.
    ‘What monkeys?’ I ask.
    ‘You know–the squirrel monkeys. A whole gang of themescaped by climbing up the trees in their enclosure. Where were you when that happened?’
    ‘I don’t know.’ I’m confused. ‘I can’t believe I haven’t heard about it.’
    ‘Well, it’s true, Lucy,’ he says wryly.
    ‘Are you sure it’s not just another of your tall tales?’ I smile up at him.
    ‘No, it’s not!’ he replies, annoyed.
    Whatever.
    ‘So I haven’t really told you about my work this week, have I?’ I change the subject.
    ‘No.’ He turns to look at me expectantly. I fill him in on the Luigi account and my forthcoming trip to Milan.
    ‘That’s a shame,’ he says, before qualifying it. ‘I mean,