“It’s the last sense to go and Jess always loved a good eavesdrop.” Libby applied some lip balm to Jess’s lips and then to her own. “She asked me if we were going to be alright.”

His hands stilled. “What did you say?”

The hesitancy in his voice sounded like worry and she raised a hand to cover his. “I told her we wanted to be okay. We had three kids depending on us so we had to be okay.”

“And we know where to get help when we need it.”

“That too.”

He dropped his head close and kissed her.

Lucy walked in wearing her school uniform. “Mommy, can I give Jess a kiss before I go to ballet?”

“Of course.”

They’d discussed how best to handle Jess dying at Burrunan and had wondered if the children should go to Pelican House. In the end, they decided it was better for them to be involved and see Jess slowly fade away, so it didn’t seem like she just suddenly vanished. That said, Libby didn’t want them terrified when Jess’s breathing deteriorated to rattling rasps. It was a fine line.

“If you’re sure you don’t want a break, I’ll take Leo and Indi to the park for half an hour to blow off some steam while Lucy’s at ballet. Alice is here and the palliative care nurse is due—”

“Go. It’s fine.”

He nodded and kissed her again. “Love you, tesoro mio.”

“Love you too.”

“Come on, Lucy-Goose, time to go.”

A few minutes later the running feet and banging doors ceased and the house fell quiet. Alice wandered in holding a bowl of warm water and with towels tucked under her arm. “I found a bar of that lemongrass soap you said she liked.”

“You really are the best.”

Jess’s favorite music played softly in the background and together Alice and Libby carefully washed the unconscious woman. The fresh scent of the soap lingered long after Alice had carried the bowl and dirty sheets away.

Libby sat down again, fatigue running like glue in her veins. It wasn’t a new feeling—it had been part of her life since her intern year. She squirted Sorbolene moisturizer on her palm and gently massaged Jess’s hand. “Remember my first year at the Alfred Hospital? The night of my first death? I called you up and you drove in to meet me. It was midnight but you insisted we go dancing.