I want to take a sabbatical.

What would happen if I paused everything and did exactly that?

I said it as a joke:

I’m thinking of taking a sabbatical.

My husband side-eyed me while dipping poppadoms in spiced mango chutney at our local Indian restaurant and looked both worried and intrigued.

For how long?

I’m joking, I said.

Before realising I wasn’t.