What to Do When Someone Dies

‘It’s all about money,’ Frances said thoughtfully, as we lingered over the coffee. ‘If you’re in London and you’ve got money, you can have anything.’ And then she pushed her food, barely touched, away from her and said, ‘Except happiness, of course. That’s a whole different story.’

People see what they want to see, don’t they?

The point of a secret affair is that it’s secret.

When the emotion is real, you can’t handle it: it overflows and comes out in the wrong way. When it’s real, you’re not dignified and sombre: you grin inappropriately and say the wrong thing and make awkward gestures.

Cooking for one is sad when you’re used to cooking for two.

Moments when your life changes: there will always be a before and an after, separated, perhaps, by a knock at the door.