Knightmare Fuel

  We met at a pool party. I remember that day clearly; it was in the middle of an unforgettable heatwave. Alfie smiled at me from across the pool, and the rest was history. Not only was he gorgeous and completely unaware of it, but he was also a fantastic listener. No matter who he spoke to, he listened intently. He was never just waiting for his turn to speak. Never just nodding absentmindedly. He absorbed every word- eyes bright and understanding. Later, when I told him that was one of my favourite things about him, he smiled and said, “Most people just want to be understood. It isn’t difficult if you pay attention.”     He has always paid attention. Even in the early months of our relationship, he remembered everything: how I take my coffee, which side of the bed I prefer, that I can’t sleep without my bedside fan or my childhood teddy, Scrappy.     There had always been a quiet predictability to our life together. We’d wake up at the same t...