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‘My boyfriend wants tooff pieces of cheese and pickle sandwich for him

I had driven several miles out of town, up on to a hill, and we could see the castle, across the valley opposite, separated from us by fields of la all these late nights with’

Oddly, I could see he found this quite cheering

‘Running Man’

‘I think irl says she wants me to meet her parents How is your mum, anyway?’

‘The same’

‘Your dad’s job? Any news?’

‘No Next week, they’re telling him now Anyway, they said did I want to invite you to my birthday dinner on Friday? All very relaxed Just family, really But it’s fine … I said you wouldn’t want to’

‘Who says I wouldn’t want to?’

‘You hate strangers You don’t like eating in front of people And you don’t like the sound of my boyfriend It seems like a no-brainer to et Will to do anything was to tell him you kneouldn’t want to Some obstinate, contrary part of him still couldn’t bear it

Will chewed for a ive yourelse’

‘Really? Oh God, if I tell her she’ll start polishing and dusting this evening’

‘Are you sure she’s your biological enetic similarity there? Sandwich please, Clark AndMu a quadriplegic Her hands flew to her face, and then she started rearranging stuff on the dresser, as if he were going to arrive within o to the loo? We don’t have a downstairs bathroom I don’t think Daddy would be able to carry him upstairs I could help … but I’d feel a bit worried about where to put my hands Would Patrick do it?’

‘You don’t need to worry about that side of things Really’

‘And what about his food? Will he need his pureed? Is there anything he can’t eat?’

‘No, he just needs help picking it up’

‘Who’s going to do that?’

‘I will Relax, Mued Nathan would pick Will up and drive hiain and run through the night-time routine I had offered, but they both insisted I should ‘let my hair down’ on my birthday They plainly hadn’t met my parents

At half past seven on the dot, I opened the door to find Will and Nathan in the front porch Will earing his smart shirt and jacket I didn’t knohether to be pleased that he had made the effort, or worried that ht worrying that she hadn’t dressed sed into the hallway behind me ‘Aha Was the ra the particle-board raotiated Will’s chair up and into our narrow hallway ‘Nice,’ Nathan said, as I closed the door behind him ‘Very nice I’ve seen worse in hospitals’

‘Bernard Clark’ Dad reached out and shook Nathan’s hand He held it out towards Will, before snatching it away again with a sudden flush of ereet a … I can’t shake your –’ He began to stutter

‘A curtsy will be fine’

Dad stared at hireat laugh of relief ‘Hah!’ he said, and clapped Will on the shoulder ‘Yes Curtsy Nice one Hah!

It broke the ice Nathan left with a wave and a wink, and I wheeled Will through to the kitchen Mu a casserole dish, which absolved her of the same anxiety

‘Mum, this is Will Will, Josephine’

‘Josie, please’ She bealoves up to her elbows ‘Lovely to meet you finally, Will’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ he said ‘Don’t let me interrupt’

She put down the dish and her hand went to her hair, always a good sign with my love off first

‘Sorry,’ she said ‘Roast dinner It’s all in the ti, you know’

‘Not really,’ Will said ‘I’ood food It’s why I have been looking forward to tonight’

‘So … ’ Dad opened the fridge ‘Hoe do this? Do you have a special beer … cup, Will?’