EMILY: No! I did not sign on to your dying. And it is not going to happen. Not tonight, not for a very long time. In fact, I demand to go first. Do I make myself clear?
RICHARD: Yes Emily. You may go first.
In A Year in the Life we find that Emily did not get her way for once, as Richard died before she did. Richard never promised he would only die after Emily’s demise – just that he was giving Emily permission to go first if she wanted to.