Stargirl of the Edge

Ch 34 - Follow Your Star

“No, Liz, that’s not the reason why I’m going. I’ve explained why I have to do it.”

“I just don’t know how you got yourself into that situation in the first place.”

“I have to see it through to the end.”

“OK, just tell her, Dennis, tell her. Tell her!!! This evening, now. I can’t take the stress of having to keep it a secret from her.”

“Okay, okay,” he said.

Liz left and went into the living room to use Facebook on the laptop.  Dennis made a call on his mobile to arrange for the taxi to pick him up the next morning.

He finished the call, stood up, climbed the spiral staircase, and put his head round Olivia’s door. She was sitting on the bed, shaking her head in time to the music. She looked up and took off the headphones. “Livvy, come out on the balcony, the sky’s really clear, and the full moon is up, it looks wonderful.” Olivia immediately got up and they walked through the dark study and out onto the balcony. 

The moon hung in the sky like a globe-shaped lantern lit from inside by a dim light bulb. It was just above tree top level over to the east and appeared much larger than usual. It was the super-moon. It was almost possible to see its movement behind the tree branches. The brighter stars were visible, including Jupiter and Mars. Orion hung over the Edge to the south east.

“Here,” said Dennis, peering through the telescope, “I’ve lined it up for Jupiter, take a look.”

Olivia squinted up through the viewfinder. “Wow the rings are really clear.”

They sat down on two chairs. There was also a deck chair in the corner, which Dennis used to stare directly up into the Milky Way.

 “So,” said her Dad, “what about your revision and and how do you think you’re going to do in your exams?”

Olivia’s pale skin was lit up by the moonlight.

“Oh, I’m doing fine, I feel very confident.”

“You’ve really improved the past few months. It’s been a remarkable transformation.”

“Yes, it has, ” said Olivia, nodding.

“I think that Alan is an excellent tutor.”

“Oh yes he is, definitely,”

“But you’re the one who has made the improvement. I’m really proud of you.”

“Thanks, Dad,” said Olivia, smiling.

“And what about university? Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

“That depends on my grades. Or maybe I’ll take a year off,” she sighed,  “I still can’t make my mind up,” 

“Well you know that I would be very happy if you were to study Science.”

“Yes, I love science and I love the stars. But I love art as well. Do you know what Van Gogh said about the stars? He said they’re the souls of dead poets.” 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him shaking his head. She knew he thought most artists were a little bit mad. Then she pointed up into the sky to the west. “Look, Dad, It’s the International Space Station.”

A bright speck of light moved steadily across the sky. They watched it together for a while until it was over the right hand slope of Alderley Edge, which now appeared as a black silhouette against a deep purply-blue sky.

“Yes, It’s very bright tonight,” he said. “Isn’t it remarkable that there are people inside it right now. Maybe they’re looking down at us.”