Page 98 of Be More Capybara

The moon’s shadow raced towards them, and then it was dark. And silent. No birdsong. No insects. Nothing. Even the water on the lake seemed still.

Helen felt a weird, unsettling sensation that all wasn’t well with the world. She remembered having the same feeling during the 1999 eclipse, but she wasn’t sure whether it was due to the eeriness of being suddenly plunged into darkness in the middle of the day or the memory of that first kiss with Nigel.

Nigel slipped his arm around her waist. ‘Are you ok?’

‘It feels quite overwhelming in a primal way.’

He held her close. ‘It does. Do you want to see the corona? It’s safe now.’

‘I suppose I should.’ She looked up at the halo of white light surrounding the moon.

‘Magical, isn’t it?’ he said.

‘I’m glad I came here in the end.’

‘I’m glad you did, too. Ready for that kiss?’

She turned and smiled up at him.

Nigel kissed her slowly and gently. ‘As good as the first one?’ he whispered a few seconds later.

‘Better.’

‘Good. Selfie? So we’ve got something to remind us of this moment.’

‘No, let’s just enjoy it. I didn’t need a photo to remind me of the first one. I never forgot it.’

‘Neither did I. I’m sure we’ll remember this just as well.’ The warmth of his body was reassuring as she snuggled against him.

There was a cough behind them. Klaus. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but your mother wants a quick photo of all of us. I’ve already got the camera set up on a tripod. It won’t take long.’

‘Come on.’ Helen led Nigel over to the family group that Nancy had lined up.

Klaus squeezed onto the end of the group, a remote in his hand. ‘Say Käsekuchen, everyone.’

‘What do you mean, Käsekuchen?’ Julia asked as the camera’s flash went off.

‘It’s what we say in Germany when we take a photograph. We’ll try again with an English instruction instead. Smile!’

The flash went off a second time.

‘All done,’ Klaus said.

Helen looked out into the darkness over the lake. There were tiny flashes of light going off all along the shoreline. She guessed other families and friends were doing the same thing.

Helen snuggled into Nigel as they watched the final moments of totality. The darkness made it feel like they were the only two people in the world again. Now would be the perfect time to ask him, Helen.

‘Nige?’

‘Yeah?’

‘I loved having you living with me. I know it was only a few days, but it felt right somehow.’

‘I felt the same.’

‘Can we try that again?’

PART IV