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I took a step backwards, closed the door behind ’s tasks

My lean an almost physical satisfaction fro daily for a month now, and I still couldn’t see the attraction I suspected there would never be a point in my life when I wouldn’t prefer somebody else to do it

But on a day like today, when Will was confined to bed, and the world seemed to have stilled outside, I could also see there was a kind ofmy way from one end of the annexe to the other While I dusted and polished, I took the radio fro the volume low so that I didn’t disturb Will Periodically I poked , and it was only e got to one o’clock and he still hadn’t woken up that I started to feel a little anxious

I filled the log basket, noting that several inches of snow had now settled I ain, I did so loudly

‘Yes?’ His voice was hoarse, as if I had woken him

‘It’s me’ When he didn’t respond, I said, ‘Louisa A the Dance of the Seven Veils’

The roo ht Will was on one side, one arm bent in front of him as if to prop himself up, as he had been before when I looked in Soet he would not be able to turn over by himself His hair stuck up on one side, and a duvet was tucked neatly around him The smell of warm, unwashed male filled the roo as part of a working day

‘What can I do? Do you want your drink?’

‘I need to change position’

I put the drink down on a chest of drawers, and walked over to the bed ‘What … what do you want me to do?’

He sed carefully, as if it were painful ‘Lift and turn me, then raise the back of the bed Here … ’ He nodded for me to come closer ‘Put your arms under mine, link your hands behind my back and then pull back Keep your backside on the bed and that way you shouldn’t strain your lower back’

I couldn’t pretend this wasn’t a bit weird I reached around hiainst un nibbling on his ear The thought ether

‘What?’

‘Nothing’ I took a breath, linked my hands, and adjusted my position until I felt I had him securely He was broader than I had expected, somehow heavier And then, on a count of three, I pulled back

‘Jesus,’ he exclaimed, into my shoulder

‘What?’ I nearly dropped hi’

‘Yes Well, if you bothered to get out of bed, you’d know that it’s actually snowing outside’

I was half joking, but now I realized his skin was hot under his T-shirt – an intense heat that seehtly as I adjusted hiainst the pillow, and I tried to entle as possible He pointed out the re his head and shoulders up ‘Not too h,’ he noring his vague protest, so that I could see his face ‘Will – are you okay?’ I had to say it twice before he answered me

‘Notones’

‘Maybe soainst the cool pilloith a sigh

I gave him the beaker, watched him s

‘Thank you,’ he said afterwards, and I felt suddenly uneasy

Will never thanked

He closed his eyes, and for a while I just stood in the doorway and watched hi under his T-shirt, hiswas shallow, and perhaps a little more laboured than on other days But I had never seen hi to do with the pressure of lying down

‘Go,’ hemy head only to watch the snow settle thickly around the house, creeping up thesills in powdery landscapes Mu et the car down the road ‘Don’t set out for ho us first,’ she instructed I wasn’t sure what she thought she was going to do – send Dad out with a sledge and a St Bernard?

I listened to the local news on the radio, the es and teht with it I went back into Will’s rooain I didn’t like his colour He was pale, high points of soht on each cheek

‘Will?’ I said softly

He didn’t stir

‘Will?’

I began to feel the faint stirrings of panic I said his name twice more, loudly There was no response Finally, I leant over hi I could see in his chest His breath I should be able to feel his breath I putto detect an out breath When I couldn’t, I reached out a hand and touched his face gently