Ed and Tess entered the room, Sam was sitting by the bed. Cat lay still and silent her face was white and her breathing stilled forever. Tess saw Sam wipe a tear from her eye and gulp back, she turned towards them.  “What happend Sam? What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know only that the taxi she was in was hit by a lorry,” Sam was trying to be tough but Tess could see through this act, she knew that inside Sam was broken.  The worse thing about it all was Cat had rang her and told her what she had done.  She wanted to meet Tess the next day and talk to her, they had been best friends for so long and Tess knew she was the one Cat could turn to with the dilema she was in but she also knew she didn’t have any answers to her problem.   Now it seemed no one needed answers.

“Sam how long have you been here?”  Tess walked over to Sam and put her hand on her shoulder

“I don’t know, there was a crack in her voice it was minute but Tess could hear it.

Ed had not said a word he just stood there by the bed looking at his big sister, “What am I going to do now?” his voice was broken, “she was my best friend and she was the only person I could really talk to.”

Tess went over to him and put her arms around him, Ed cried on her shoulder, “She helped me all of my life reliable tidy Cat, she irritated me, nagged me and pushed me on. I’m going to miss her for ever.”

Sam stood up, “I guess I should go,” she walked out of the door and didn’t look back.  Tess wanted to go after her but she could not leave Ed. Tears streamed down Tess’s face but she made no sound, comforting Ed and holding in her own grief as best she could.

Sam rang the doorbell Ed opened the door, he looked tired and drawn, ” Sam, come in,” Sam followed him down the hall and into the sitting room.  Cat’s father stood up, he looked bewildered and lost he gave Sam an awkward hug, he had never done this before and Sam appreciated his effort to give her a little comfort.  Just then Cat’s Mother came in from the kitchen “Oh Sam you’re here, how are you? Now sit down have a cup of tea it’s freshly brewed, the vicar will be her soon.” She fussed over Sam like a mother hen and Sam felt awkward and had no words she could give to help her relax a little.