Content Warning: The source material contains discussion of drug and alcohol abuse and death by suicide.

Harold Fry waits at the table for his wife, Maureen, to finish vacuuming and join him at the table for breakfast. She hands him a letter from Berwick addressed to Harold. Enclosed in a pink envelope, it is from Queenie Hennessy, a former work associate of Harold’s, who states that she is dying from cancer in St. Bernadine’s Hospice. Maureen goes on with eating her toast, claiming she does not remember Queenie. When Harold tells her the sad news, she says she is sorry but tries to change the subject to something cheerier. After breakfast, Maureen continues cleaning in their son’s room. David no longer lives at home, but she diligently keeps his room clean “because she was waiting for David to come back, and she never knew when that would be” (6).

Meanwhile, completely taken aback by the news, Harold privately weeps and tries to remember his friend. He decides to write Queenie a note but struggles to find the right words. Deciding to simply say he is sorry, he seals the letter and decides to walk it to the mailbox.