‘Well, you might think about it after the funeral. A week today. It seems like forever. But then afterwards time will fly by and this will all be… well, in the past.’ Patrick remained together, focused. As though he was dealing with Eve’s death like reading a textbook, whilst I wanted to curl up in a heap among the bouquets. I looked up at Patrick. He had lost weight and his face looked sunken. He reached down and helped me to my feet. We both stood looking at the floor for a few moments.

‘Did she… did Eve ever…?’ I looked up at Patrick and I could see his withdrawn cheeks flushing with colour. ‘Did she talk about me much? About us? How do you think she… saw our future together?’ Patrick looked at me with his mouth pulled to one side. He shoved his hands firmly into his pockets ‘Cos, I know what you two are, were, well, like sisters really. You spoke about everything, I suppose.’

I felt my heart sink even further even though I didn’t know it could, as I recalled the last conversation I had with Eve about Patrick.

‘Well, she, you know… I can’t remember.’ I watched Patrick as he nodded his head and turned back to the tributes.

‘Of course. I understand,’ he said softly.

‘I’m sorry.’ I felt the rush of sadness and I put my hands over my face, trying to hide from Patrick who seemed so together.

‘Hey, hey.’ Patrick took me in his arms. Even though there wasn’t much difference in height between the two of us, I felt Patrick take my weight and I felt safe and protected. I recognised the scent of his aftershave as the one that always lingered in the hallway long after he had come in and been escorted into the flat. I missed Eve. I wept and my shoulders shook. I didn’t know how long I had been standing there in his arms, my mind racing with thoughts of Eve. Then it occurred to me, this was why Eve was with him. Patrick was caring, giving, strong and protective. Of course she was never going to leave him. She probably would have moved in with him for sure and even married him one day. Eve put on a front, but she had stayed with Patrick for over three years, which was a record. I remembered what she was like before he came around; she always made sure she was immaculate for him and I saw what they were like together as a couple. Eve may have not wanted to believe that Patrick was the one for her, but I could not imagine it any other way. I eased myself out of his firm grip, to look at Patrick’s face that couldn’t hide the bitter sadness.

‘She adored you.’ I began. ‘She couldn’t wait for you to come over and hang out and she would always take that extra bit longer in the bathroom when she knew you were coming over. And she talked about you often, with fondness. Real fondness. She never slagged you off or called you all the stuff we women like to call you men. She genuinely loved you, Patrick. You would have had a very happy life together.’ I felt relief. The last few days had been messy and fractured. I struggled constantly to hold one sane thought in my head. And now I felt I had said something that truly felt as though it made sense. Something real that would help ease Patrick’s grief if only by a tiny per cent.