The Distance Between Us: Meet David

Portraits from Holding On: A Novel About Grief, Memory, and the Families We Build

Meet David.

When I first started writing Holding On, I thought David would be comic relief—a laid-back older brother with a quick wit and a good heart.

But the more I sat with him, the more I realized how much he keeps tucked away.

David’s the kind of man who fixes the broken light before anyone notices it’s out. Who shows up with takeaway and a joke when things feel heavy. Who’d rather tinker in silence than talk about what hurts.

If you’ve read the early chapters, you’ve already seen glimpses of that—his warmth, his discomfort, his way of hanging back. But there’s more to him. And the quiet moments are starting to speak.

David Jackson
48. Electrician. Older brother. Steady presence.

Appearance
6'0", broad-shouldered, built from years of physical work.
Dark brown hair going grey at the temples.
Hazel eyes that flicker between mischief and weariness.
He wears his age without fuss. Solid. Unflashy. Grounded.

Personality
Dependable. Easygoing. A little emotionally cautious.
He uses humor like caulk—to patch cracks and deflect what might otherwise break through.
Shows love through action: fixing, fetching, staying.
Loyal to a fault. Still learning how to show up in the hard parts.

Backstory
Born and raised in Derbyshire. Works for the local council as an electrician—quietly respected, always busy.
He was always closer to their dad, Ralph—especially over projects and long silences.
Loves his family deeply, though expressing that love doesn’t always come easy.

Relationships
Lily & Ralph (parents) – Easy, familiar closeness with Ralph. Gentle teasing and quiet reverence for Lily.
Rachel (sister) – A charged mix of love and friction. He admires her strength but sometimes feels unseen.
Chris & the kids – A fond uncle. Steady, reliable. Never the center, but always around the edges.

Arc
David doesn’t lead the charge. But he stays.
And as Holding On unfolds, the question becomes: Is presence enough?
What happens when the quiet ones finally speak?

This is David.
And Holding On is the story of how even quiet grief finds its voice.