Page 48 of A Long Way Back
Tay was treading water because the pool was deep at that end. He could almost feel his muscles thanking him. That wouldn’t last.
“Tell me when you’ve had enough,” Ink said.
“Ten more lengths?”
“Bloody hell. Duckie and I will get out and count.”
He almost choked with laughter when he made his first turn and heard Ink say “Seventeen” followed by “Four” on the next turn.
Tay nearly gave up after seven lengths, but he pushed himself on. He ought to have come swimming before now.
BY THE TIME THE FLAT was in sight, Tay was rethinking his plans to go swimming four times a week and dropped it to once—if he felt up to it. In his excitement at actually feeling normal, he’d overdone it. Everything ached. Everything except his head.
“I need to lie down,” he told Ink.And take a few pills.
“Let’s go into the garden,” Ink said as he pushed him up Rimmington Road. “I want to lie flat on my back in the sun and remind myself I’m not a sea creature. You can join me.”
Lying in the sun did sound good.
“There’s a blanket on the chair in my room,” Tay said.
“Suntan lotion?”
“Bathroom.”
“Want a book?”
“One by the side of the bed.”
Ink locked the chair while Tay pushed to his feet and made his way up the steps.Hurts, hurts, hurts.By the time Tay opened the door of the flat, Ink was behind him with the wheelchair.
Dog came running up and it was Tay he fussed around first. Tay was surprised how good it felt for someone—something to be pleased to see him.
“Make your way to the back door with Dog and I’ll get the blanket,” Ink said. “Those steps aren’t safe, so I’ll help you down.”
Tay leaned against the wall by the back door and waited. Ink came past him with the blanket and spread it on the grass. Dog bounded down the steps, did his spins, lay in the middle of the blanket, and Ink laughed. He came back to Tay and took the crutches from him. “Leave them inside. They’re more of a hindrance. Keep one hand on the railing and the other on my shoulder. I’ll walk down backwards.”
Tay gave a sigh of relief when he was standing on the grass.
“Shift, Dog,” Ink called.
The dog opened his eyes and closed them again.
“I don’t think I can sit down,” Tay said. His legs were stiff.
“If I hold you under your arms from behind, you can just relax back into me. I won’t let you fall. Well, I will, but it will be controlled.”
“More touching?”
Ink gaped at him. “Aren’t you over that yet? Bloody hell, you’re hard work.”
Tay laughed and after a struggle, he managed to sit on the blanket.
“I’ll go get the things we need and put the swimming stuff in the machine. Take your clothes off while I’m gone.”
He waggled his eyebrows before he disappeared inside, and Tay gulped.
Chapter Seven
