Susan couldn't quite work out why she was standing there. She'd been walking up the lane and seen Brie sitting in her living room looking thoroughly miserable and the next thing she knew she was ringing the doorbell.
Just as Susan was deciding to chicken out and leg it back home the door opened and a very surprised looking Brie stood there.
"Susan?"
"Brie, um, hi. Can I come in?" Susan asked awkwardly.
"Of course." Brie stepped back to allow her inside and led the way to the living room. "Coffee?"
"Please."
Susan sat on the sofa, shifting uncomfortably as she tried to work out what to say. Brie arriving back with the coffees just made her feel more tongue-tied and the two women sat in silence for a long minute before Brie casually asked,
"So how's Mike?"
Susan decided it was now or never so, ignoring Brie's question, she launched into a babble,
"You looked so sad a moment ago when I saw you through the window, I mean, not like I was spying or anything, I just saw you and I hate Karl, you know that, and I don't think anything good could have come from you being with him, but you obviously cared about him or you'd never have done that to Orson and so his death must have been horrible for you and I'm so very sorry for your loss."
Susan finished panting slightly, she'd said all this in about three seconds, and looked anxiously at Brie's astounded face.
Eventually Brie took a deep breath and replied, "Thank you. It's very kind of you to say that."
"Well, I am. It must be horrible."
Brie nodded, wiping one small tear from the corner of her eye. Susan spotted this and immediately felt guilty.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I've just made you feel worse."
Brie shook her head, "It's fine. I'm fine." The glistening sheen of tears in her eyes betrayed her words.
"I'm so sorry." Susan repeated, going over to lay a hand on Brie's shoulder.
Without waning she erupted in to sobs. "I loved him Susan! I really did. And he loved me. Maybe you think that sounds stupid and that he didn't really but, you know, it doesn't matter because I loved him and now he's gone!"
Brie cried onto Susan's shoulder and Susan put her arms around her.
"It's alright. It'll be alright." She soothed.
For now, it wasn't important that it was Karl, who had cheated on Susan and Brie had cheated with, for whom Brie wept. It was just one friend comforting another, and that was all that mattered.