“Gone? What do you mean he’s gone?” I felt panic rise and try to choke me at Chantal’s words and stopped dead in my tracks. I finally experienced what it means to feel the bottom fall out. For a few seconds, I felt as if I’d lost time and space, as if I was floating somewhere above myself and way off balance.

The rush of tears blinded me as my limbs grew weak, and my knees gave out. I’d have fallen flat on my face had Chantal not taken my arm. My thoughts became jumbled as ...