Me-Before-You-by-Jojo-Moyes

You’ve finally figured out that Patrick is never going to ask you?’
‘That’s it!’ Dad’s roar broke into the silence. ‘I’ve heard enough! Treena, go
into the kitchen. Lou, sit down and shut up. I’ve got enough stress in my life
without having to listen to you caterwauling at each other.’
‘If you think I’m helping you now with your stupid list, you’ve got another
thing coming,’ Treena hissed at me, as Mum manhandled her out of the door.
‘Good. I didn’t want your help anyway, freeloader,’ I said, and then ducked as
Dad threw a copy of the Radio Times at my head.
On Saturday morning I went to the library. I think I probably hadn’t been in
there since I was at school – quite possibly out of fear that they would remember
the Judy Blume I had lost in Year 7, and that a clammy, official hand would
reach out as I passed through its Victorian pillared doors, demanding £3,853 in
fines.
It wasn’t what I remembered. Half the books seemed to have been replaced by
CDs and DVDs, great bookshelves full of audiobooks, and even stands of
greetings cards. And it was not silent. The sound of singing and clapping filtered
through from the children’s book corner, where some kind of mother and baby
group was in full swing. People read magazines and chatted quietly. The section
where old men used to fall asleep over the free newspapers had disappeared,
replaced by a large oval table with computers dotted around the perimeter. I sat
down gingerly at one of these, hoping that nobody was watching. Computers,
like books, are my sister’s thing. Luckily, they seemed to have anticipated the
sheer terror felt by people like me. A librarian stopped by my table, and handed
me a card and a laminated sheet with instructions on it. She didn’t stand over my
shoulder, just murmured that she would be at the desk if I needed any further
help, and then it was just me and a chair with a wonky castor and the blank
screen.
The only computer I have had any contact with in years is Patrick’s. He only
really uses it to download fitness plans, or to order sports technique books from
Amazon. If there is other stuff he does on there, I don’t really want to know
about it. But I followed the librarian’s instructions, double-checking every stage
as I completed it. And, astonishingly, it worked. It didn’t just work, but it was
easy.