Witness

I found myself walking, station-bound, in my Sunday best, through deserted streets, past party-ed out clubbers, at 6am on saturday morning, to be with Paula. The journey, cross-country, was exhausting and cost the best part of a hundred quid. She's like a surrogate sister, and she'd asked me to be there 24 hours earlier, there was no way I was going to let her be there alone. He picked me up at the station "I'm so pleased you could come", he said warmly, "it means so much to us". And here again I felt deeply moved that once more I was witnessing the biggest moments in my friend's life. I helped paint her nails, pin up her hair, talk her through the butterflies. She looked so beautiful, my eyes started to fill. There was poignancy in her quietly checking her phone often. I noticed. I also noticed the tender and gentle way she was at certain moments. A heart like that deserves goodness. I quietly watched him with her, flushed, happy, affectionate. God, please keep them happy.