I felt my phone buzz in my pocket as I popped open another beer. I did a double take as I read the message that had popped up on the screen.

It had been over a month since Emma had mentioned Trisha, not even after Mum had arranged a new stylist for her.

I tapped the top of my phone against in forehead, trying in vain to guess how Emma would want me to respond.

On the one hand, she'd never explained to me what exactly had gone down between the two of them, and she'd never explicitly said she didn't want to see her again... then again she hadn't said much of anything since the funeral.

I quickly typed my response before taking a swig of beer:

Two minutes later there was a quiet rapping on the front door. I turned off the rugby match I'd been watching and swung open the door with as pleasant a demeanor as I could muster.

"Trisha, it's... been awhile."

The blonde, usually meticulously put together, appeared as disheveled as I felt. Her hair was nearly as rumpled as her clothes, and her bright eyes were hooded with heavy makeup.

Perhaps, I mused, she isn't getting much sleep either.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to—I know shouldn't have come by unannounced, but uh Emma's mum called me."

I straightened at that. "Is everything alright?"

She nodded before explaining. "Yes, yes of course. She was just asking after Emma. She asked me how she was and I realized..."

I glanced over at the closed bedroom door, still unsure what Emma would want. "Right, well... She's asleep right now."

I immediately recognized the dejection that flashed across her features. Silently cursing myself, I stepped aside to open the door wider. "Care for something to drink?"

"Uh, sure... thanks," she murmured as she stepped past me into the flat.

I closed the door behind her and then led her into the kitchen. She hovered at the counter and I took up a place by the fridge. "There's beer or uh—"

"Beers fine—"

"Emma's got wine tucked around here somewhere..." I started as I opened a few cabinets.

"With the crackers," she said before explaining further with small laugh. "She keeps the red in the cupboard with the crackers and the whites in the fridge with the cheese... at least that's how she did it when we lived together."

I nodded stiltedly. "Right, that sounds familiar now that you mentioned it."

"Still, beer's fine... Thanks."

"Ems has, uh, been asleep for a while now," I said in way of making conversation as I poured her drink. "She might wake up soon or... not."

I smiled apologetically as I handed her the foaming glass. Trisha took a long sip before gingerly placing it down on the counter.

"She's been sleeping a lot recently," I confided.

Trisha nodded before taking another sip and grimacing at the bitter taste. "It was the same after her father died."

I took a swig of my own drink, and sensing the invitation, she went on.

"She was a total mess when I picked her up from the airport, but after a day or so it was like she'd just run out of tears, like she was just... empty." She frowned down at her glass. "It seemed like she was running on some sort of autopilot for a couple of days, but once all the decisions and arrangements were finally taken care of... it was like no one was home, you know?"

I nodded. Unfortunately, I did know.

"Earlier, I saw this look in her eyes, and it-it just terrified me."

Trisha's head shot up at that. "Promise you won't leave her alone."

I blinked at the sudden intensity of her words.

She leaned across the counter to grab my hand, squeezing it gravely. "She has to know she isn't alone. Promise me."

I nodded. "I promise."

She hesitated and, apparently satisfied by my answer, released my hand. "Right... I should go."

I started at her for a moment. Still unsure of exactly what had just passed between us.

"I'll tell her you came by," I said eventually.

"Don't—it might upset her."

"Yeah... alright," I nodded. Trisha stood and I followed her to the door.

Perhaps it was the movement, but suddenly Trisha's words fell into place. "Hang on—"

She froze partly through the doorway and glanced over her shoulder in question.

"You said you picked her up from the airport when her dad passed?"

She nodded slowly. "She was doing her term abroad."

And there it was.

"That's why she didn't go to Italy... why she gave up working on the school paper?"

It wasn't a question, still Trisha hesitated before confirming what I now knew to be true.

"Sh-She got a call from her uncle. I think her travel buddies pooled their money to get her a ticket home so she could say goodbye. Course, when she got home... her mum was in such a state they had to sedate her, so everything was left up to Emma to decide. After that..."

Trisha merely shrugged.

"I didn't realize—She doesn't talk about it much with me."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she's blocked out most of those memories."

"But you were there."

She bit her bottom lip. "Just... don't leave her alone."

I shook my head. Clearly something monumental had happened between them, but just as clearly—despite whatever bloody happened—Trisha still cared for Emma. And she was perhaps the one person on the planet who knew how to support her in her grief.

"You sure you don't want to stay a little while longer... see if she wakes up?"

Trisha's heavily mascaraed eyelashes fluttered as she struggled to keep the sudden wave of tears at bay. She had to clear her throat before she could speak.

"I don't think she'd want me here. I uh...I said some awful things that I-I didn't mean."

"I'm sure none of that matters now," I tried to assure her.

Nothing much seems to matter to Emma now.

Trisha shook her head, releasing the first tear. She swiped at it, but only further smudged her dark eye makeup. "Tom, the things I said—they were unforgivable."

"Nothing's unforgivable."

She shook her head again. "No, you don't understand. I-I didn't believe her," she sniffed. "When she told me about Patrick... I didn't..."

Trisha took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. When she'd composed herself, she lifted her chin to meet my worried gaze. "She needs you right now. Not me."

I didn't argue with her, and I didn't try again to stop her. Instead, I simply shut the door after her and let my forehead fall against it.

💕