Shift had ended and now she found herself outside his door. She lifted her hand to knock but changed her mind. She fished around in her wallet and found the spare key to his front door. He had given this to her years ago when he asked her to check on his house while he had been in Texas.
She had used it several times since, when one of them had a bad case and needed a cuddle. She used to know when he needed one, and he knew when she needed one. She would use that key to come in while he slept and crawl in beside him. She used it now knowing her friend needed comfort now more than ever.
The door swung open and she entered and looked around the screen that blocked the entrance from his lounge room. He was lying on the couch, his arms holding a pillow, his head buried in it. He was asleep but came awake when he heard the door shut.
She came and knelt beside him. Stroking his hair as he lay there looking at her.
"I'm so sorry Nick. For everything. For Kylie dying, for not letting you have my nights off, for not being there. But mainly for being such a selfish bitch for so long." She lent in and placed a kiss on his forehead.
"Thank you." Barely a whisper. His voice raspy from crying. He sat up and she got up and sat beside him. He lay back down with his head in her lap. She stroked his hair and held him tight. They stayed like that for hours.
He hadn't completely forgiven her, but he knew he would. Given time. Right now he needed to be held, and that was what his friend was doing.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The coffin was the heaviest thing he had ever carried. The emotional weight far outweighing the physical. His brother, father and Kylie's father were pallbearers.
The service had been simple but beautiful. So many people had attended. It was mind blowing how such a young girl, not even 12, could attract so many people to her funeral. He doubted he would have half this number at his own. Now was time for the graveside burial. Family only.
They placed the coffin in the hearse and watched it pull away. The crowd dispersed to their cars, the family to the line of black limousines waiting to take them to the graveside.
He stood for a short moment watching the cars pull out. Steeling himself for the next part. He hated watching coffins get lowered into the ground. It was so..... final. He was going to be cremated. He had already made up his will and given instructions for it.
He turned to make his way back to the limo that was waiting and saw her. Sara. In a simple black dress. Just standing there.
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought you could use a friend." She came to him and hugged him. "Your eulogy was beautiful. She was lucky to have an uncle that loved her so much."
He smiled sadly at her. "I thought I was going to crack up in the middle."
She shrugged, "So what if you had. There is no shame in crying Nick."
"Nick, we have to go." His brother had come down from the waiting car, wondering who the woman was holding Nick's hands in hers.
"OK. I'll be there in a second." His brother walked back to the waiting car.
"I have to go."
"OK." She reached up and brushed his hair back. "You need a haircut." She smiled that gap tooth smile at him.
"Will you come to the burial with me? I don't know if I can do it alone." She could see tears welling in his eyes.
"It's a family thing Nick. I wouldn't feel right."
"Please. Everyone else has someone to hold their hand. I don't. Please come and hold my hand?"
She leaned up and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "OK." Hand in hand they walked up to the waiting car. And she didn't let go. Not through the burial. Not through the wake. And not at the hotel afterwards when he cried.
She had let Nick down in the last twelve months and she made a promise to herself she would never let him down again.
She had used it several times since, when one of them had a bad case and needed a cuddle. She used to know when he needed one, and he knew when she needed one. She would use that key to come in while he slept and crawl in beside him. She used it now knowing her friend needed comfort now more than ever.
The door swung open and she entered and looked around the screen that blocked the entrance from his lounge room. He was lying on the couch, his arms holding a pillow, his head buried in it. He was asleep but came awake when he heard the door shut.
She came and knelt beside him. Stroking his hair as he lay there looking at her.
"I'm so sorry Nick. For everything. For Kylie dying, for not letting you have my nights off, for not being there. But mainly for being such a selfish bitch for so long." She lent in and placed a kiss on his forehead.
"Thank you." Barely a whisper. His voice raspy from crying. He sat up and she got up and sat beside him. He lay back down with his head in her lap. She stroked his hair and held him tight. They stayed like that for hours.
He hadn't completely forgiven her, but he knew he would. Given time. Right now he needed to be held, and that was what his friend was doing.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The coffin was the heaviest thing he had ever carried. The emotional weight far outweighing the physical. His brother, father and Kylie's father were pallbearers.
The service had been simple but beautiful. So many people had attended. It was mind blowing how such a young girl, not even 12, could attract so many people to her funeral. He doubted he would have half this number at his own. Now was time for the graveside burial. Family only.
They placed the coffin in the hearse and watched it pull away. The crowd dispersed to their cars, the family to the line of black limousines waiting to take them to the graveside.
He stood for a short moment watching the cars pull out. Steeling himself for the next part. He hated watching coffins get lowered into the ground. It was so..... final. He was going to be cremated. He had already made up his will and given instructions for it.
He turned to make his way back to the limo that was waiting and saw her. Sara. In a simple black dress. Just standing there.
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought you could use a friend." She came to him and hugged him. "Your eulogy was beautiful. She was lucky to have an uncle that loved her so much."
He smiled sadly at her. "I thought I was going to crack up in the middle."
She shrugged, "So what if you had. There is no shame in crying Nick."
"Nick, we have to go." His brother had come down from the waiting car, wondering who the woman was holding Nick's hands in hers.
"OK. I'll be there in a second." His brother walked back to the waiting car.
"I have to go."
"OK." She reached up and brushed his hair back. "You need a haircut." She smiled that gap tooth smile at him.
"Will you come to the burial with me? I don't know if I can do it alone." She could see tears welling in his eyes.
"It's a family thing Nick. I wouldn't feel right."
"Please. Everyone else has someone to hold their hand. I don't. Please come and hold my hand?"
She leaned up and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "OK." Hand in hand they walked up to the waiting car. And she didn't let go. Not through the burial. Not through the wake. And not at the hotel afterwards when he cried.
She had let Nick down in the last twelve months and she made a promise to herself she would never let him down again.