My mind was always just a whirl of activity every day, and by the end I was desperate to get out to my work. Friday and Saturday nights I didn't get a chance to even talk to Aly, but it seemed like every time I checked my phone there was some little 'thinking of you' texts from her, which would give me a fresh burst of energy. Maybe she really was a muse.

Monday night I worked until three AM, but finished with a two-foot model of the sketch I'd shown to Aly, the one with the woman floating in the air, arms thrown back. It felt incredible holding it...