Emma came to hold Jo’s other hand, while the undertaker opened the car door for them. Jo looked at her gratefully. She was being so strong and so capable but Jo knew that the enormity of losing her father hadn’t hit her yet. She distractedly hoped that the stress of it wouldn’t trigger the anorexia that had first become apparent in her late teens and had dogged her at difficult times ever since.

Emma and Peter had been so close and he had been unbelievably proud of the young woman she had grown into. She was kind and funny and hugely successful, having graduated from Oxford with a double first before seamlessly carving out a career for herself as an international lawyer.

Being such a high achiever, she had concentrated first on her studies and then on her career, to the detriment of any kind of meaningful relationship, although she got lots of offers. Peter had often told her that it was all very well working hard but she needed to make sure she played hard, too. But Emma seemed happy to remain single and would breezily assure them that she didn’t have time for men, anyway.

Once she hit her thirties, Jo noticed a subtle change and Emma would say that she was open to settling down but that all the suitable men were married now and that she’d missed the boat. Jo hoped she was wrong about that but at 34, time no longer seemed to be on her side.

They climbed into the car, which had enough seats for the three of them. ‘What about Bella?’ Jo asked Ben, suddenly aware that there wasn’t room for her and Elodie.

‘She’s driving our car so that she can put Elodie in the car-seat.’

‘Ah, OK.’ Jo could see that Bella looked far from happy about the plan but she simply didn’t have the energy to think about it any further.

The journey to the church passed in virtual silence. Jo sat between Ben and Emma, tightly holding each of their hands, wishing she could find the strength to comfort them. As they pulled up, the surprisingly large crowd of mourners stepped back to let them through. Jo stared unseeingly at the familiar faces, their presence only dimly registering, as she nodded her hellos.

Ben led the way towards the church doorway and stopped abruptly as Matt stepped forward from the crowd to hug him. For a moment Jo thought he might lose his composure but as he pulled away and murmured his thanks, he took a deep breath and nodded, as if giving himself a pep-talk. Charlotte and Freya came over to Jo and Emma, embracing them both. ‘I’m so sorry,’ Charlotte said, taking Jo’s hand in hers. ‘You must feel so lost without him. I know how much you loved him.’

Finally, the wall of numbness that Jo had felt around her all day began to crack and she squeezed Charlotte’s hand. ‘Thank you, Charlie. I don’t even know where to begin.’ She shook her head helplessly. ‘I already miss him so, so much. I feel so alone.’ Her voice broke as she finished speaking.