There is a black headstone in a small cemetery at Pūrākaunui in Dunedin, and Mel visits this place often. For her, it provides a comforting sense of connection and closeness to someone that was lost too soon.

Every visit provides moments of reflection, reminiscence, and chats with Martin, who continues to influence her life. Before these visits, it was a couch in Martin's lounge where they would spend hours talking about music, books, travelling, archaeology and history, and the routine moments in daily lives. In many ways, those conversations have never really ended for Mel.

But music has always been the underlying theme when Mel talks about her life, even before she met Martin. Music had strongly influenced her childhood, where living with severe Asthma meant that there were long stretches of time spent indoors while other children were playing outside. By the age of five, Mel had taught herself to read music, and so began a lifelong relationship with music artists, and the stories found in their songs.

Over the years, music became the backdrop to new friendships, adventures, and celebrations. And as she never would have imagined, music also led her to one of the most important people in her life. When Mel talks about him, it’s apparent that their connection was built on far more than just a shared taste in music. Mel describes Martin as her soul mate.

Martin saw qualities in her that she often struggled to see for herself. He encouraged her ambitions, believed in her abilities, and gave her the confidence to truly back herself. And as I continued to chat with Mel, her eyes revealed the love felt and the emotional toll of loss experienced.

The conversation shifts to another important part of Mel’s life, a dedication to caring for and helping others. Nursing was always something she felt drawn to, but some early opinions directed towards her left her questioning whether she was truly suited to the profession. She found confidence in her abilities again when she unexpectedly helped save the life of a friend. In a moment where instinct and training took over, she soon realised that she had allowed self-doubts to overshadow her in those past years. Today, as a senior nurse working in advanced dementia care, Mel supports people and their families through some of life's most difficult moments while continuing to study towards a Master's degree in Nursing.

As a side, Mel met with me a few days prior to heading off on an overseas adventure, a first in a long time. The adventures that were once planned together with a soul mate, will still happen she says. While it's not unfolding quite as she imagined, it’s honouring the life they once shared and the conversations they didn’t get to complete.

Mel’s portrait was captured outside the Chicks Hotel, in Port Chalmers, one of Dunedin's most iconic live music venues, where she saw many live bands play over the years, and remains a meaningful part of her story. Before we finished, I asked Mel if she had a piece of wisdom to share with others, or would like others to know.

"The people we love never really leave us."