Page 9 of See the Stars

But as she rested her hands on the equipment in front of her, feeling the texture of the moulded plastic, then the cold metal against her skin, she remembered how her grandfather had built this himself, from parts he’d selected himself over the years.

She owed it to him to fix it.

Could she do it? She started to feel excitement building.

Scouring the internet for vintage telescope equipment.

Cleaning the components, replacing the lens, adjusting the settings.

She couldn’t think of a better way to use the time during the day while the light of the sun obscured the light of every other star.

She couldn’t get it done in a weekend; the parts would take at least a few days to arrive. But if she were to stay longer, perhaps a week, she could do it. She felt sure she could. It would mean more nights in the uncomfortable bed, more days putting up with her mother fussing around her.

But it wasn’t like she could go back to work yet anyway. And she’d much rather repair a telescope than try to assemble a smoothie in her Nutribullet.

She started to think of what she’d need, and reached for her phone to get online and start ordering.

Her grandfather would be proud.

‘Alice?’

Alice looked up. Her mother was standing in the doorway to the shed, her robe pulled tightly around her. She must have heard the back door opening. ‘What is it, Mum?’ she asked, hoping that the smell of smoke had long since been carried away by the cold night air.

‘You’ll catch your death.’ Sheila peered at the phone in her hand. ‘Are you working out here?’

Alice quickly put the phone down. ‘No,’ she said.

‘Because you may be past thirty, but I’m still your mother and I’ll confiscate that if I need to.’

‘I’m not working,’ said Alice. ‘I’m just . . . ordering something.’

‘In a shed in the middle of the night?’ Her mother looked at her, eyes narrowed.

‘I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d just see if Grandpa’s old telescope still worked.’

‘You need your rest!’ said Sheila with a tut. ‘Come on, let’s go back inside, I’ll make you a hot cocoa. Wandering round the garden at night. You’ve just had a stroke.’

‘A transient ischaemic attack,’ corrected Alice. But she followed her mother inside, thoughts of her grandfather’s telescope swirling around her mind like a nebula.

Alice blew onto the top of her drink. The surface of the sun reached temperatures of six thousand degrees Celsius, but her mother’s cocoa always seemed to give it a run for its money.

She watched as Sheila poured some milk into Basalt’s bowl and then sat down opposite her, taking a sip from her own cup into her seemingly Teflon-coated mouth.

‘So, I like Hugo,’ she said, interrupting Alice’s thoughts.

‘I can tell,’ replied Alice. She picked up the mug, but even the handle emitted too much heat and she put it back down on the table.

‘He might be exactly who I’d pick for you,’ said Sheila. ‘If I’d had the choice.’ Alice didn’t comment, quietly reassessing her relationship in her head. ‘You should see your face,’ said her mother with a laugh. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

‘Maybe not,’ said Alice, smiling. ‘But it’s OK, it will take more than that to put me off him.’

‘How’s the wedding planning coming along?’

‘We’ve both been busy,’ said Alice. ‘But we’ll get it sorted for next year.’

‘Hugo said you’re looking for a date later this year.’

Alice blinked. Was that right? ‘Later this, early next,’ she said, covering herself. ‘It takes time to plan.’

Sheila nodded and Alice was grateful that she hadn’t pointed out that Alice wasn’t getting any younger, or put in an immediate request for grandchildren. She could tell both thoughts were in her mother’s mind. She blew on her drink again.

‘Work’s OK?’ asked her mother.

‘Yes,’ said Alice. ‘Bit stressful, at times.’

‘Good money, though. Security,’ Sheila added.

‘That’s what I wanted for you, you know.

A decent job, money, a steady husband. Not having to work night shifts and struggle your whole life.

’ She took another sip of her drink. ‘I’m pleased you’re doing so well.

I felt like I didn’t have to worry about you, not any more.

’ She stopped and took a breath. ‘But now you’re .

. . I didn’t push you too hard?’ she asked.

‘No,’ said Alice. ‘I made my own choices.’

‘And the job’s not too much for you? Your health is the most important thing. If you don’t think it’s right for you, you can always . . . ’ She didn’t really have an alternative, and her voice trailed off.

‘I’ll be fine,’ said Alice.

Basalt jumped onto Sheila’s lap, almost upsetting her drink. Sheila gently stroked the cat’s ear. ‘So, the right decision then, going into finance. Good advice from your mum.’

Alice didn’t bite at the invitation for a compliment.

‘You could come home a bit more,’ ventured Sheila. ‘Now Hugo and I have met. I’d love to see you more often. Both of you.’

‘We’re busy, Mum,’ said Alice.

‘But it might do you good. A bit of Yorkshire air, home-cooked food. It’s not so terrible up here, is it?’

Alice knew her mum missed her, and felt a flash of guilt for not coming more often. She was busy, it was true, but it was more than that. She didn’t like the reminders that home gave her. The reminders of who she used to be.

But now? Something had changed. She’d gone into the shed; she’d faced her fears. She had a purpose.

‘Actually, I thought I might stay a few more days,’ she said. ‘See if I can get that telescope of Grandpa’s working again.’

‘Here?’ questioned Sheila. ‘With me?’

‘No. In one of the many five-star hotels round the corner,’ teased Alice with a laugh. ‘Of course with you. Would that be OK?’

‘More than OK,’ said Sheila. She beamed with delight. ‘I’d love it.’

Alice picked up her drink. It was a more reasonable temperature now and she took a tentative sip. ‘I’ve ordered the parts for the telescope,’ she said. ‘I’ll just need to—’

‘I kept your old clothes; you can wear those while I wash what you brought with you.’

‘Sure,’ said Alice.

‘I’ll look after you,’ said Sheila. ‘You rest and get better.’

‘I can rest and make repairs. I think it would do my brain good, having something to focus on.’

‘Well, mind you take it easy,’ said her mum. ‘You know what you can be like.’

‘Fixing a telescope is hardly as stressful as analysing the bond market.’

‘Not as lucrative, either.’ She smiled at Alice. ‘I’m so proud of you,’ she said. ‘I really am.’

‘Thanks, Mum.’ Alice put down her cocoa, realising that she was too exhausted to drink any more. ‘I’m off to bed.’