Me-Before-You-by-Jojo-Moyes

He was beginning to sound like my old careers teacher.
I tried to think. ‘I don’t really have any hobbies. I read a bit. I like clothes.’
‘Handy,’ he said, dryly.
‘You asked. I’m not really a hobby person.’ My voice had become strangely
defensive. ‘I don’t do much, okay? I work and then I go home.’
‘Where do you live?’
‘On the other side of the castle. Renfrew Road.’
He looked blank. Of course he did. There was little human traffic between the
two sides of the castle. ‘It’s off the dual carriageway. Near the McDonald’s.’
He nodded, although I’m not sure he really knew where I was talking about.
‘Holidays?’
‘I’ve been to Spain, with Patrick. My boyfriend,’ I added. ‘When I was a kid
we only really went to Dorset. Or Tenby. My aunt lives in Tenby.’
‘And what do you want?’
‘What do I want what?’
‘From your life?’
I blinked. ‘That’s a bit deep, isn’t it?’
‘Only generally. I’m not asking you to psychoanalyse yourself. I’m just
asking, what do you want? Get married? Pop out some ankle biters? Dream
career? Travel the world?’
There was a long pause.
I think I knew my answer would disappoint him even before I said the words
aloud. ‘I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.’
On Friday we went to the hospital. I’m glad I hadn’t known about Will’s
appointment before I arrived that morning, as I would have lain awake all night
fretting about having to drive him there. I can drive, yes. But I say I can drive in
the same way that I say I can speak French. Yes, I took the relevant exam and
passed. But I haven’t used that particular skill more than once a year since I did
so. The thought of loading Will and his chair into the adapted minivan and
carting him safely to and from the next town filled me with utter terror.
For weeks I had wished that my working day involved some escape from that
house. Now I would have done anything just to stay indoors. I located his
hospital card amongst the folders of stuff to do with his health – great fat binders