Life goes on

Couldn't get back to sleep last night after the shocking news, so we sat drinking (de-caf) coffee in the study waiting for the shock to pass. The lights stayed on over the road until long after we went back to bed at 1am. Both of them have large families and judging by the number of cars parked in the road, they had all rallied round.

Stopped off at Asda on the way home from taking Nikki to work this morning for a sympathy card. Silly, meaningless gesture in a way, but you can't not, if you know what I mean. It didn't feel right, taking it round first thing and in any case I figured they'd probably still be in bed. I left it until lunchtime before popping round. The easy thing to do would have been to slip it quietly through the letterbox, but I knew that wasn't an option. Knew I had to grit my teeth and face Linda, having no words that could help her but saying them anyway.

Pete's brother opened the door. Pretty much the whole family seemed to still be there, making tea and swapping memories of Pete. A small forest of sympathy cards had already sprung up on the kitchen counter and with a wry smile I noticed that it wouldn't have mattered which of Asda's extensive collection I chose, it would still have been a duplicate.

I spoke only briefly to Linda. She was getting ready to go and choose a coffin, something which for obvious reasons she would rather not have had to do. I didn't stay long. Didn't want to intrude. Just long enough to pay my respects; offer the usual "if you need anything you only have to ask" that she must have already heard a hundred times.

It seems so ironic that they have only just finished doing up the house. Not really had much of a chance to enjoy it. But they say if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. I expect there were quite a few visitors to that house in the past who have harboured a little jealousy of Pete and Linda. Lovely new house; two lovely kids; lots of parties. None of them would offer to trade places with her now.