The Last Love Note

by Emma Grey

There was so much help in the beginning. They say grief changes your address book and it surprised me who stepped up, and how. I found that I’d completely underestimated Canberra, making the classic mistake of thinking it was a sterile city, full of politicians. Instead, we were embraced by new friends, friends of friends, neighbors, strangers.… And it went far beyond casseroles and lasagna. It was sitting beside me at the bank while I closed his account. Fixing towel rails and running loads of recycling to the tip. Late-night hot chocolates in pajamas when we couldn’t stop crying. A composer friend heard about Cam’s death while she was on an interstate bus and was moved to write a piece of music, then and there, that captured the full force of our love so exquisitely, I had it played at the funeral. And then that first Christmas, a group of random friends joined forces over social media; when Charlie and I drove in after the end-of-year concert at childcare, our whole house was twinkling in fairy lights. In that moment, I felt like the richest woman in the world.