Chapter 30

Depression is common in people with M.S.,” Alice says, “because of the pain and the fatigue and constant complications. We work hard to focus on the positive things in our lives, but she has days where it all gets too hard for her. And she hates that she’s holding me back from living a normal life. When she’s really bad, she cries and says it would be better if she wasn’t here. I find that hard to handle.”

“Of course you do. I’m so sorry.”

“Her dark moods don’t tend to last long because she knows they upset me. I try to keep little treats for days like those. We go out in the car to the waterfront and look at the statues of Captain Cook and Young Nick—he was Captain Cook’s cabin boy, and he was the first person on the Endeavour to spot the New Zealand coastline.”

“Oh, I didn’t

“Yeah, Mum’s quite into Kiwi history. Sometimes we go to Dad’s grave and sit there and chat about him. Or we go to the Eastwoodhill Arboretum and just immerse ourselves in nature. I’ll make us something special