I caught them smiling at each other just as I had so many times before, like they shared a code that only the two of them knew, and I had to fight off so many mixed emotions as my tender state absorbed every move of Matthew’s happiness.

I gulped back a bitter taste in my mouth which caught me unawares. Matthew’s life with Martin was full of new beginnings and opportunity, whereas mine had been steamrolled down a path I didn’t choose, just to help Matthew. I reminded myself I wasn’t in a great place and forced myself to be happy for my brother.

I also looked, as I always do, for Martin’s halo when he spoke with such passion about Matthew, reminding myself that they’d only just met before the tragedy that changed their lives. Yet here he was, still dedicated, still totally committed to Matthew, and I knew that things would have been so very different for all of us without him.

That’s love, I told myself. That’s absolute true love.

‘I bet Jack has words of wisdom for you when you feel panicky, Charlotte,’ Martin said to me over dinner when I explained my whole work dilemma in greater detail. Once the subject came up, there was no hiding my low mood, even if I’d managed to escape showing it most of the time I was in their company.

‘Jack is as awesome as he always is,’ I told them, and that was true of course. In fact, Matthew and Martin reminded me of me and Jack in many ways. Our bond is strong and pure, unconditional almost, and I know that we care for each other in equal measure. ‘He keeps reminding me of how I’ve nothing to worry about, that better things are round the corner, but I feel like such a failure, you know? I feel like I’ve let everyone down. I was a teacher in a top-class school and now I’m nothing.’

But just as I was about to really open the floodgates and get going, Matthew brought me back to earth with a bump.

‘I know, let’s walk the prom tomorrow and you can bitch to me for the whole time about how shit your life is being a fully qualified, unemployed teacher with years of experience and loads of talent to boot,’ he said.

My eyes widened at the extent of his point. Ow.

‘I don’t think it’s fair to say that as if it’s my fault,’ I said to him, that bitter taste hitting the back of my throat again.

Martin tactfully excused himself from the table. One thing I’ve noticed about him is that, despite his deep love, he takes no shit from Matthew and is also careful enough not to get involved in family domestics.