Edinburgh Magic

 Lucy stepped off the train onto the crowded platform.  The last five hours from London had been fairly uneventful. She had occupied her time sleeping, listening to a podcast and watching the rain run down the window as they crossed the border.  She took a deep breath and made her way towards the stairs, dragging her little suitcase along behind her. As she emerged from the station and stepped onto Princes Street, she looked up at the grey Edinburgh sky, she was home, but was it the right decision?

Probably not the best time of the year to be here she thought. Edinburgh in August was full of tourists. The fringe festival was in full swing and most of the locals had already left for quieter places. But she hadn’t really been thinking straight. Her mind drifted back to her argument with Martin a few days ago. Stupid unfaithful Martin, with his stupid hair and his stupid Brummie accent. His latest indescretion was the last straw as far as she was concerned. A blonde by the name of Samantha. Lucy had walked in on them when she returned to the flat unexpectedly. Of course Martin said it didn’t mean anything, and he was sorry, and he would change. But Lucy had heard it all before. She threw a few things in a bag and stormed off. She ended up at Emma’s flat in Ealing after riding the underground for what had seemed like hours. Emma had wanted her to stay for a few days but after a restless night on the sofa she had booked a train to Edinburgh. So here she was.

She turned left onto the North Bridge and made her way through the crowds to Rosie’s Café. A favourite haunt from back in her university days. Cheap food and good coffee, that’s just what she needed right now. She had just got herself seated at a table when a squeal from behind her nearly gave her a heart attack.

‘LUCY! Is that you?’ Jason Harding, her best friend from university launched himself across the café and scouped her up in a big hug. ‘I haven’t seen you for so long, girl.  Where you been hiding?’

‘Hi Jason, good to see you’ she managed from inside his hug. ‘Just passing through really, thought I’d go visit mum in Leith. What you doing here?’

‘Up for the fringe aren’t we.  Me and Joel have an apartment for the week, brought Joel’s brother with us. You remember David from the wedding?’ He asked as he sat down opposite her.

Lucy thought back to Jason and Joel’s wedding a couple of years ago.  She vaguely remembered David. ‘Wasn’t he with that girl from Liverpool? Melissa, was it?’

‘Yep, they broke up a couple of months ago, that’s why we brought him really. A few beers and some Edinburgh magic is just what he needed. What about you and whatshisname? Mark?’

‘Martin, well…’ Lucy poured out her story of the lying cheating scumbag she had left behind.

‘Oymygod, Lucy you should so stay with us for a few days.’ Jason said after she had finished. ‘We have a spare bed, I know Joel would love to see you. It would be like old times.’

‘I don’t want to intrude. I might not be great company at the moment.’ She said.

‘You’re not intruding, come on, Joel and David will be back from their run by now, we’ll grab some food and head back to the flat for lunch. Besides, a little Edinburgh magic would do you good too.’

With that he slipped his arm through hers and marched her out of the café.  It looked like she was staying for a while.

Joel was overjoyed to see her when they arrived at the apartment laden with French bread, cheese and ham. He drew her up in that great bear hug of his and nearly squeezed the life out her. Back at university Joel had always been more like a big brother to her, despite only being a few months older. It was good to see him again.

‘Did someone mention lunch?’ a voice said from the bathroom.  Lucy looked over as David stepped through the door, towel drying his dark hair, wearing only a pair of tight jeans. He stopped when he saw her, his eyes gazing into hers, for a moment Lucy found herself staring. ‘Oh hello, I didn’t realise we had company’ he said with a smile that melted her.

The rest of the day was spent, laughing, joking, catching up and relaxing.  Exactly what Lucy had needed, and the sight of David wasn’t bad either. As evening began, Joel announced they were all going out for cocktails and drinks. Lucy tried to protest that she had nothing to wear but considering they were in Edinburgh during the fringe festival and it was currently raining she was soon persuaded that no one cared what she wore, and she wouldn’t either after a few vodkas. Tonight was going to be messy.

Lucy stumbled out of bed the next morning as the sun streaked through the curtains. Yesterdays rain had subsided and today looked to be one of those rare things, a sunny day in Edinburgh. As she wandered into the kitchen in search of coffee David was already there bright and breezy. 

‘Morning, Lucy.’ He said ‘The boys are fast asleep and likely to be for a few hours yet, I thought I’d walk into town and get some breakfast. Want to join me?’

For some reason Lucy’s heart skipped a beat. She felt herself blush and quickly looked away. ‘Oh, sure,’ She managed.

After a hurried shower she threw on some clothes, a bit of lippy and ran a brush through her hair. She looked in the mirror, it would have to do.

They walked to Rosie’s Café together, chatting away, David seemed so easy to talk to.

‘You’re a writer, aren’t you?’ he said as they sat in the café waiting for breakfast. ‘I think James said you were working on a novel.  How’s that going?’ 

‘Early days yet.’ She said, impressed that he had remembered what she did. ‘Its with my agent, but it could be months before we get anywhere.’

‘Remember me when you’re rich and famous.’ He said, grinning. Lucy wasn’t sure she would forget him anyway.

As breakfast arrived her phone rang, the caller id said it was Ryan Stapleton, her agent. 

‘Lucy? Hey, how are you doing hen?’ he asked in his broad Scottish accent.

‘Hi Ryan, I’m ok thanks.’ She said, not wanting to get into her relationship issues right now.

‘Well, I hope I have some news to make you even better. I’ve been talking to Broughtons, the publishers? How quick can you be in Edinburgh?’

Lucy grinned, ‘Funny story there.’ She said. ‘I could be at your office for eleven’

‘Oh, you up here for the fringe? You should have said you were coming. You remember Mandelini’s? I’ll meet you there about twelve for lunch, my treat.’ 

‘Good news?’ David said as she hung up.

‘Maybe. That was my agent, I’m getting a free lunch anyway.’ 

They spent the rest of the morning walking around Edinburgh with Lucy pointing out landmarks, and various pubs she had frequented during her university years. It turned out David had never been to the city.  He had studied computing at Birmingham and now ran his own business in Oxford. They chatted about University, about movies they had seen, about places they had both visited. Lucy discovered she had a lot in common with David, maybe her trip to Scotland had been a good idea after all.  Before long it was 11.30 and Lucy needed to head off to meet Ryan for lunch, hopefully that would turn out to be good too.

‘Lucy! Sweetie, lovely to see you again.’ Ryan gushed as they met outside Mandalini’s wine bar. ‘Are you up for the fringe?’

‘Well, not really. I came up as a last minute thing, thought I’d visit my mum but I bumped into some friends and decided to stay a few days.’ Lucy said, still not willing to get into her disastrous relationship problems.

They were shown to a table in the corner of the busy restaurant, and ordered lunch.  Lucy went for the tuna and Ryan ordered his usual chicken ceasar salad, and then a bottle of champagne.

‘Are we celebrating something?’ she asked.

‘Funny you should say that.’ He said, sliding a piece of paper across the table for her to read. It was a letter from Broughtons the publishers offering her a book deal based on her manuscript and mentioning an advance for more money than Lucy had seen in a long time.  She was speechless.

‘Now, its subject to a few revisions to your original but nothing drastic, I’ll email you a copy of the full report but if you are happy, then, Miss Crosby, you have yourself a book deal.’ 

After lunch, she kissed Ryan goodbye, promising to get back to him soon with a signed contract and ran through the streets of Edinburgh, hardly even noticing the rain that had started up again.  She was on cloud nine. She arrived at the apartment at the same time as David coming from the other direction.  His hair wet from the downpour, his t shirt tight across his chest.  Maybe it was the champagne, maybe it was the fact she was about to sign a lucrative contract, maybe it was just David’s infectious smile, she didn’t know, and didn’t care, she threw her arms around him and kissed him. Edinburgh magic had struck again.