Page 88 of A Long Way Back
Ink pushed to his feet and pulled Tay to his. “Your wish is my command.”
“Is it?”
“No.”
WHEN IT CAME TIME TO set off for the hospital, Tay worried about Ink pushing him in the chair, though Ink insisted he was fine which he changed togoodwhen Tay frowned at him. Dog had been fed and was now lying in the sun in the main room. Tay had persuaded Ink to put on one of his shirts, a white cotton one, and he looked so hot in it that Tay’s mouth had gone dry. He wanted to buy Ink more clothes, but suspected he’d encounter resistance.Don’t try to buy himrepeated in his head.
Once they were inside the hospital, Tay walked with his crutches and Ink pushed the chair.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Ink asked.
Tay nodded. Once he’d confirmed his arrival at the neurology department reception, they sat in the waiting area and kept smiling at each other. He knew Ink was still holding stuff back and unless he stopped doing that, how could they move forward? Tay needed it to be more than sex between them. Itwasmore than sex, for him anyway. He got that it was a bit weird, Ink moving in before they were in a relationship, but this was the most excited and optimistic Tay had felt for a long time.
He’d emailed his parents and his sisters that morning, just to reassure them he was still alive. He’d told his mum how well he and Ink were getting on. A little bit of him wanted to say that Ink was his boyfriend, but maybe that wasn’t something to put in an email and he wasn’t sure Ink felt that way. Not yet. Tay very nearly emailed Jonty, then changed his mind. He needed to stand in front of him to tell him he was sorry.
What was he going to do if Ink never opened up to him? Ink had told him he had a National Insurance number so he could work in a proper job, just not his dream job. If Ink was so sure he’d fail the DBS, then any job where he was dealing with the public, including kids, would be a non-starter. He guessed Ink had been to prison. But what had he done?
If Ink’s work options were limited, then he could work for himself, but doing what? And what about going on holiday? Could he get a passport? Why didn’t he have a driving licence? Tay remembered the local authority had offered Jonty driving lessons, but he’d still been terrible after he’d finished the course and hadn’t had the money to pay for more. Maybe each local authority had different rules, but it did make Tay wonder if Ink had hada licence, but been banned from driving after a bad accident. That might explain a lot.
“That’s you,” Ink said.
Tay looked up to see a nurse in front of them. He grabbed his crutches and pushed to his feet. “Sorry.”
Ink followed him down the corridor and into Mr Jessop’s room.
“Tay! How are you doing? Come and sit down.”
“This is my friend Ink.”
“Nice to meet you, Ink.”
Tay was honest in his answers to the doctor’s questions. At least this time he was able to say he wasn’t taking painkillers, though he still got headaches sometimes.
“How’s your concentration?” Mr Jessop asked.
“Oh, look at that fly,” Tay said.
Ink laughed and the consultant smiled.
“Getting better and better,” Tay said.
The consultant watched him walk, checked his mobility and his reflexes, asked him questions about his memory, if he had difficulty with anything, how much exercise he was doing, whether he was depressed, sleeping okay, if he had mood swings… A week ago, he’d have lied about some of that.
“I’m pleased with your progress. Your speech is faster too. If the headaches get any worse, and don’t respond to painkillers, call and make an appointment, but I’m hoping they’ll fade away. You don’t need to see me anymore unless you feel you want to. Keep up your exercises and you can dispense with the wheelchair, then one crutch, then both. You’ve done remarkably well. Do you have any questions?”
“Can I drive?”
“Do you think you’d be safe driving?”
“I have an automatic. Not in London. It’s at my parents’ house.”
“You should be fine.”
“Is there anything he shouldn’t do?” Ink asked.
“What are you thinking of?”
Ink shrugged. “Free climbing, base jumping, bull riding, scuba diving.”
