Page 23 of A Long Way Back
“I don’t get visitors apart from delivery guys. I don’t have any friends in London. I doubt there’ll be a reason I’d want you to make yourself scarce, but I’m assuming you understand the wordsfuck off.”
Ink chuckled. “Ah, the universal endearment. Is that why you don’t have any friends here?”
“I moved down to London from Northumberland a couple of months ago.” He looked at his crutches. “I’m not up to going out and meeting people yet.”
“Why did you move here?”
“Because I wanted to.” Tay didn’t try to hide his snap.
“Fair enough. What are the people in the flats above like?”
“I’ve never seen them.”
Ink frowned. “I get that it’s an effort to go upstairs, but have they never knocked on your door to introduce themselves?”
“No.”
“Fuck right off to them then.”
Tay chuckled.
“What happened to you? You said it was an accident.”
“Not quite. But it’s what I tell people because it gets complicated to explain. Fourteen months ago, I was pushed off a ladder by a man who was jealous of my friendship with a guy he was going out with. I broke my arms, my legs, and damaged my brain. I was in a coma for a while, then in a minimally conscious state. It took months to fully come out of it. I had to learn to speak and walk all over again. That’s why my speech is a little slow.”
His head was throbbing. Remembering sometimes did that.
“What happened to the man who pushed you?”
“After denying his guilt for months, he finally admitted it. He’s in prison awaiting sentencing. I hope he rots there.”
“Right.”
“You don’t agree he should rot there?”
“Yeah, if he’s guilty. Course I do. If people break the law, then they should be punished. He could have killed you. He’s a dangerous guy. Are you still friends with your friend?”
“He won’t be visiting.” Tay was not going down that path.
“Why not?”
“He just won’t.”
Ink sighed. “Do you have people coming in to do physio or do you have to go to them?”
“I don’t need them anymore.”
“Just like you don’t need me.”
“What makes you say that?” Tay asked.
“You knew I wasn’t registered withHelper,yet you picked me. You guessed I’d fail a criminal record check, but you still wanted me. I think once your parents are safely on their cruise ship, you’ll tell me to fuck off. But I’m not going anywhere for a week. If you want me to go then, I will.”
Tay gaped at him.
“Right. Now that’s settled, tell me what you won’t eat and what you like to eat. Describe your average day.”
Don’t fucking order me around. I’m in charge.
