The clock ticked in the eerie silence of the bedroom. Jack decided he'd had enough of tossing and turning, afraid to move in case it woke Florence, and resolved his day may as well begin now. He slowly sat up, throwing the covers back, and got out of bed, grabbing his phone on the way. He tiptoed over to the door, opened it quietly, and stepped out into the hallway.

The sun was just beginning to rise as Jack entered the kitchen, the orangey glow of the rays beginning to peak over the horizon. They streamed in through the window, warming Jack as he made himself a coffee. He checked his phone to find a message from Siobhan. Mum's day, it read. Call me when you get up x.

Jack mentally calculated the time difference as he walked through to the lounge, coffee in hand, phone in the other. He set the coffee down on the table in front of him and pressed the button for video call. After a few rings, Siobhan picked up. He could see she had already been crying by the way her eyes were puffy and red.

"Hi love," said Jack, trying not to let his voice waver. "It's good to see you."

"Hi Dad," Siobhan replied, then choked out a sob.

"I know," Jack cooed, feeling his own emotion rise in his throat. "I know."

Jack sat down on the sofa with his coffee, sniffing and gulping to compose himself. He wanted to be strong for his little girl. He always had been ever since she was born, sometimes to his own detriment. She was his pride and joy, the true and only love of his life.

"I wish I could be with you," he said, finding it hard to hold on. He bit his lip, letting a single tear fall.

"I miss you so much, Dad," Siobhan cried.

"I miss you too."

They sat there in silence for a few moments, letting the emotion run through them.

"I hate that I have exams," Siobhan said, wiping her eyes. "Trust me the moment the semester ends, I'll be on the first flight out for the summer."

"I know. Come when you can. It'll be great to have you."

Siobhan craned her neck to look over her father's shoulder. "Where are you? You're not in the Shack… and it's… 4 am," said Siobhan, looking at the clock.

"I'm at Florence's," explained Jack.

"Still? It didn't sound like the Shack was that wrecked after the storm."

In truth, it was mild repairs, thought Jack. But no one else had to know that.

"Yeah," Jack breathed. Today didn't feel like the right time to tell her. Not on today. "Florence has been really good to me, you know," Jack went on. "She's been looking after me, making sure I'm alright."

"Good," Siobhan nodded. "You deserve to get looked after, Dad. God knows you've spent enough time looking after everyone else."

Jack smiled. "Thanks, love. Remember your Mum is always with us. Today and every other day."

Siobhan nodded and pressed her mouth into a line, trying to stop the tears. "I know."

"And I'm always with you too," Jack croaked.

Siobhan nodded. "I better go, Dad. I've got an exam later today."

"Good luck, baby girl," he smiled. "You'll do grand."

"Thanks, Dad. Love you."

"I love you too. I'll call you soon, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Dad."

"Bye, love."

Jack pressed the red button to end the call and rubbed his forehead. A beat later, the bedroom door opened with a creak and Jack heard footsteps. Florence's arms appeared around his shoulders, embracing him lovingly from behind.

"You okay?" Florence whispered in his ear.

"Yeah," Jack gulped. "It's Kathleen's anniversary today," he said, solemnly, feeling the emotion rise in his throat. "She died today. Two years ago."

"I'm sorry," Florence whispered, pressing a kiss to his temple, and inhaling him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered against his skin.

"I know," Jack replied, rubbing his hands along her arms affectionately.

"Is Siobhan doing okay?"

"I think so. As best she can."

"Good."

"I'm going to tell her, you know. About us," Jack said, gently, turning to Florence.

Florence kissed his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, understanding his position. "Do you want to come back to bed?"

"I think I'm awake now," said Jack. "Do you want a coffee?"

Florence nodded.

"I'll make you one," said Jack, moving to get up.

Florence put her hands on his shoulders and held him there. "Relax," she told him. "I'll join you."

Jack smiled and reached forward for his coffee, sipping it slowly. He watched her leave the lounge and make her way into the kitchen. Jack had made a pot, expecting at least a second mug for himself. Florence returned with a cup and sat down next to him on the sofa.

Florence turned and looked at him, brushing away his hair affectionately. "What do you need?" she asked, tentatively. "Tell me."

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Last year, me and Siobhan, we just sat on the beach for most of the day talking… remembering…"

He looked at Florence, feeling a pit open up in his stomach. She had all of this ahead of her, and there was nothing he could do to save her from the endless grief that awaited her for the rest of her life. He reached out and cupped her face gently, running his thumb across her jaw. Jack didn't know what to say. He didn't know what he needed and if he did, he didn't know how to tell her.

"I think I'll take a walk… later," he began. "I think that would be good. I think I'm going to try and take today slowly."

Florence nodded. "Good idea."

He would be there for her when the time came. It went without saying. There would be a time when he would hold her in his arms whilst she cried for Patrice, or times when she would push him away, need space, and he would have to understand. Of course, he would understand. He only wished there had been someone to hold him on the dark and lonely nights where his body wracked with sobs, muffling the sound of his pain into his pillow so that he didn't wake Siobhan.

He imagined that whilst he held her through the nights when she shook with grief, his tears would drip down onto her head because once again he wouldn't know what to say or do to take away the pain, knowing deep in his heart that there was really nothing he could say or do at all. The pain just was. It just existed because Patrice and Kathleen existed, and now they didn't.

Jack's hands snaked around to Florence's back and pulled her into a hug. He pressed her frame against his, resting his head on her shoulder, relaxing in her hold.

"Are you okay?" Florence asked again even though they both knew that question was futile on a day like today.

"Just hold me," Jack responded, inhaling her scent.

"You'll always have me, Jack," Florence whispered into his shoulder. "Always."

Jack nodded and murmured, "Yeah." Thankful that it seemed Florence knew exactly the right things to say, even when Jack didn't know what he needed to hear.