'It started with a kiss' was a love song by the group Hot Chocolate. Many a love story started with a kiss, but this one started with an ice cream. I only met Anita and Vince briefly, one time. They were both in their late forties and had never been married before they met one another.

Anita's other names and the names of all other people mentioned are fictitious. I am not party to small details and some I can only assume, but the basic story is here.

This is their TRUE LOVE STORY:-

IT STARTED WITH AN ICE CREAM

Weston-Super-Mare, England 2012/2013

Vince Payne sat by his mother's bed side in the nursing home; it was his turn to visit tonight. He shared the visiting with his married brother Joe, but Vince had never married and had lived with his mother in her house in Weston Super Mare until she'd sold it, to pay for her nursing care. Vince had bought himself a small property where he was happy, but he felt lonely at times and missed his mother's company.

What Vince and his brother were going through at the moment was something most children dreaded the thought of, but the care their mother received at the home was very good, which was some compensation. Unfortunately, she had breast cancer and was slowly dying. The medication she was given to relieve the pain appeared to be useless. It was a good thing that the brothers were close and, in fact, ran a business together. To face this situation without the support of a sibling or other family would be hard to do, Vince thought.

Now, Vince watched her sleeping. Beads of perspiration stood out on her forehead and her breathing was laboured. She seemed to have faded since his last visit. Suddenly she woke up and reached her hand towards his. Vince held her hand gently.

"Are you all right, mum?" he asked.

"I can't bear the pain Vince, I just want to die." she whispered.

Vince gulped and tears sprang to his eyes. These were words he didn't want to hear.

"Stop it...we all have to die sometime." she said.

Vince yanked his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes. As his mother had always been stoic, her words didn't surprise him, but they caused him great distress. Watching his wonderful mother slipping away from him was not an easy thing to do.

"Oh, mum..."

His mother squeezed his hand.

"Vince, go and find Anita."

Wide eyed, Vince stared at his mother. No one could be so unselfish. It was so typical of her to think of others instead of herself.

"Who's Anita?"

"Anne's daughter, Anita."

Anne had been his mother's best, life long friend and Anita was her daughter. Anne had died several years ago and Vince could vaguely remember seeing Anita at her funeral, having accompanied his mother, but they hadn't spoken.

"Oh...but I can't do that, she doesn't know me."

His mother stroked his hand with her fingers and said,

"You'll be all right with Anita."

Vince left his mother sleeping soundly and went home with a heavy heart and thought no more of their conversation.

The next morning, Vince rose at 6.30 am and got ready to go to work. He was in the kitchen making breakfast when the phone rang in the hall.

"Hello."

"Good morning Mr Payne, I'm afraid I have very sad news for you. Your mother has just passed away."

With those very words, the bottom fell out of his world.

The next few weeks became a blur to Vince. He had to arrange the funeral and sort out his mother's affairs. It was easier for him to do rather than his brother Joe, who was married and had other commitments. He had kept her papers placed tidily in a drawer. Her 'will' stated that what money she had left be split between the two brothers and although she lived in Weston Super Mare, she was to be buried in the same grave as her mother, in a Bristol cemetery, which was a plot for two. She had even decided which firm of undertakers she wished to carry out her funeral. It was the same undertaker who had handled Anne Bowers funeral and also that of Anne's mother, (Anita's grandmother), but Vince did not know this fact until later.

Going through his mother's address book, Vince found an address for Anita Bowers and he wrote to tell her of his mother's death and informed her when the funeral would be. He did this for several other people mentioned in the address book. The conversation about Anita which he'd had with his mother flitted through his mind, but only briefly.

The day of the funeral arrived. It was uncommonly hot and the sun shone down relentlessly from a cloudless, blue sky. His mother had asked specifically that no one wore black and several of the women wore bright summer dresses, due to the heat.

The church was filled with friends, neighbours and relations. The vicar, a young chap, gave an interesting talk about his mother's life and they sang a couple of her favourite hymns.  Seeing the coffin at the front of the church filled Vince with emotions he'd never experienced before. He was forty seven, a bachelor and now he would be completely alone. He still had Joe and his cousins, of course, and happily they were close. They were sitting with him now in the pew, but no one could ever replace his mother.

The drive to the cemetery in the funeral car was relieved by Joe's ready wit and typical British 'keep your chin up' humour, but it did not alleviate the pain Vince felt, or the awful knots which were tied tightly in his stomach. At the cemetery, family and friends all watched sadly as the coffin was lowered into the grave, prayers were said and then it was all over. Vince looked down onto the coffin for one last time 'Goodnight mum, God bless' he whispered.

As Vince and the family moved away from the graveside, the undertaker came up to Vince and patted his shoulder kindly.

"I was so pleased to do this funeral" he said. "I also did the funeral for your mum's friend Anne Bowers and her mother. I remember, because I had a long chat with your mum about Anne and their friendship; so that's three very memorable funerals I've done. Each church service told me about their lives together and it was very interesting, I learnt a lot. I learned a lot more today in fact."

"Thanks," said Vince half smiling, "You did a great job, but I hope I don't get to recommend you too often." They shook hands and the undertaker walked back to the cars with his colleagues and they drove away.