I did love him. I loved him so much it hurt. He was so gentle and kind and smart. Strong—not just physically, but mentally, even after all he’d been put through. He had protected me so much. Looked after me. And I realised… I realised that I looked after him too. That I wasn’t too stupid or useless to be of value to him in return. It wasn’t a one-sided thing, where he gave and I just took. I had given him companionship out here. And affection. And hope.
