13 - Frogs And Princes
Nathan pulled into the sanctuary's layby. The drive out had been in silence. He switched off the ignition and the world went black.
"Wow", breathed Helen, "that's dark!"
"There's a light", Nathan said, "The switch is on the pole outside your window, you should be able to reach it. Give it a hard prod."
There was a click and the layby was bathed in a yellowish glow.
"We've got a couple of minutes", Nathan said, "it's on a timer. Then it'll go out again, so as not to disturb the frogs too much."
Nathan vaulted the tail-gate into the back, something clattered into the dark recesses.
"That better not have been my 'scope", Helen said angrily.
"Careful! I'll carry it", she added, as Nathan handed it down.
She checked it over lovingly. Almost soothingly, as if to a baby, she said, "you're fine aren't you". Without waiting for Nathan, she headed onto the board-walks.
"Great", said Nathan to himself. The timer clicked off. "Great, just bloody marvellous!"
In the darkness, he felt for the box and slid it to the tail-gate. He jumped down and, carrying the box in both hands, headed after Helen.
At the third turn he remembered he'd dropped something, "Damn!", he cursed. If it was important, he thought, he'd just have to go back for it when it was needed. Distracted, he turned the wrong way.
Several minutes later he retraced his steps to the junction. "Damn!", he swore again, turning the correct way.
By the time he arrived at the viewing platform in the middle of the reserve, Helen had set up her 'scope and was gazing at the stars.
"They'll come from over there ... going that way", she said. Unfortunately, Nathan was bent over, putting the box down, so didn't see where she was pointing.
"What kept you?", she added.
"Took a wrong turn", he mumbled.
She held up her tablet, "Should have brought a map then", she gleefully said, "and there was I thinking you were King Web Nerd!"
Half-a-dozen retorts sprung to mind, but, as none of them would have set the mood he was hoping for, he kept his lips firmly sealed.
Helen looked up from the 'scope at him - it looked like he was pouting at her. She scowled at him, daring him to rise to the bait so that she could use it to force him to drive her straight home.
He turned his back and opened the box. Carefully placing the thermos to one side, he removed the cushions and placed them, slightly apart, on a near-by bench. He sat on one and gazed into the heavens.
Helen came over, pushed the other cushion slightly further apart, and sat down.
"That's the Pole Star", she said pointing, "and those five bright ones making a W are Cassiopeia ."
Silence descended.
"There's one!", Nathan cried excitedly, jumping up and pointing in completely the wrong direction.
"That's a plane", responded Helen, slightly condescendingly.
"Oh", he said, somewhat embarrassed, "... how can you tell?"
"Welllll, you see those flashing red and green lights on either side?" The level of condescension had risen noticeably.
Nathan decided not to reply - the evening was going badly enough already.
"Ummm ...", started Nathan.
"There's one", interrupted Helen.
"Where?"
"It's gone now. You have to be quick to see the first ones."
"Oh, I see."
"Or not as it happens", she smirked, "You were starting to say something"
"Ummm ... it's not important."
But Nathan knew it was important. He just didn't know how to start.
"Na...",
"He...", he started simultaneously, "Sorry, after you."
"What's in the thermos?"
"Hot chocolate. There's a couple of cakes in the tin."
"Oooooo!", cooed Helen, prising the lid off the tin while Nathan poured the cocoa, "Hot choccie and cup-cakes, you certainly know how to woo a woman", but there was no malice in her voice.
