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Back Just the Way You Are Save as PDF
Chapters (42)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. Acknowledgments
  39. Author’s Note
  40. More from Beth Moran
  41. About the Author
  42. About Boldwood Books

I would be a friend to Leanne, but not a carer. She would have to source that help from elsewhere.

And I would make sure I found time in all this to complete the last item on the Dream List, if for no other reason than to prove Steph wrong.

21

I had been rescheduling my ReadUp sessions to fit around Joan’s holiday club, ending up with back-to-back coaching on Friday with my three favourite clients. Yasmin was first, marching through the door on a mission.

‘Here, I’ve completed the second workbook.’ She handed me the book.

‘Wow! Well done. You’re really going for this.’

‘Yes, because today I need you to help me make a Facebook page and flyers.’ She stopped then, as if noticing me for the first time. ‘Ollie, you look terrible.’

‘I know.’ When I’d seen my face in the mirror that morning, I’d wondered if there’d been a mix-up, and I was the one who should have collapsed on the bedroom floor.

‘When did you last wash your hair?’ Yasmin peered closer. ‘When was the last time you brushed your hair?’

I shrugged.

‘That top was already dirty when I saw you at the dog park on Wednesday.’

‘I’ve been busy.’

‘Ollie.’ Yasmin sounded even more serious than usual. ‘There are some extreme situations when a woman can’t brush her hair or wash her clothes.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘Or shower. Places where it is impossible to find shampoo or running water. There is no excuse for a woman living in Bigley Bottom, with a job and a house and the freedom to do what she wants, to treat herself like this. What is happening?’

I tried tucking my greasy, ratty hair neatly behind my ears. It immediately popped back out again. ‘Like I said, it’s been a really busy week.’

It had been the most physically and mentally exhausting week of my life. Worse than the week I moved. Worse than the week Mum decided she had suffered a stroke. Yasmin pulled a face to show what she thought about my busy week.

‘I want to cancel this session so that you can go home and sort yourself out, but there are dogs out there who need my help. I’m very conflicted.’

‘I’ve got sessions straight after this, anyway. I promise I’ll wash my hair this evening.’

Yasmin thought about it for a few seconds. ‘And find some clean clothes?’ She smoothed down her patterned tunic.

‘I presume the flyers you want to make are for dog training?’