‘Shit. Are you being sick? You need a bucket or …’ Light on and her big little boy by her side, touching her forehead with his rough, working man’s hand. His eyes keep fluttering closed as though it hurts to see. ‘I’m gonna get you some water, ’kay? And a cloth or something. Hang on.’

He does as he says, wiping her sweaty face and feeding her some water. It helps and it makes her wish for death. This shouldn’t be.

Will presses the same washcloth he used on her face to his own forehead. His eyes flutter and flutter as he studies her painkiller packet and checks the time and scrunches up his face, calculating. It hasn’t been long enough; she can tell by his lip-biting. She lets the moan she’s been holding in escape. He wipes her forehead again, but the cloth is dry and warm.

‘It’s a bit soon for more tablets.’

‘How soon?’

‘Should be another hour and a half, I think.’

‘I can’t wait that long.’

‘Hang on.’ He plods from the room, comes back with eyes and thumbs on his phone. ‘I’m just … Okay, I think it’ll be … Your dose is at the high end but not … A little early won’t cause …’

Does he know he keeps trailing off, that she can’t actually read what he is reading?

‘Yeah, ’kay. Then hopefully you’ll sleep long enough to … So the next one won’t be …’

She swallows the pills, asks him for help to the bathroom, is grateful he waits outside the door for her. Hates that he waits outside the door for her. When she’s back under the covers he surprises her by sitting on the end of her bed.

‘Is it okay if I stay here a bit?’

‘If you like.’

‘I’m not bothering you?’

‘Not at all,’ she says. ‘You don’t need to watch over me, though, if that’s what you’re doing.’

‘Nah, nah, I know.’

She waits for the tablets to take effect. Even wide awake and in pain she feels better having Will here. The weight of him there by her feet is what’s been missing.

‘Have you ever found out something and just wished so hard you could un-know it?’ he says after a little while.

‘Hmm. Yeah, I s’pose so. Must have. Why?’