NATCHEZ — After a lifetime of living with people, living alone can be very difficult.

Melissa Jay Bolden, 77, was accustomed to someone being around all the time, so when her husband Lorenzo Bolden died in 2011, life simply changed. Luckily, she has a sister, Camille Carter Green, 73, who doubles as a best friend.

Camille, who has lost two husbands herself, knew what her sister was going through.

“I told her if you move to Natchez, you will never have to spend another night alone,” Camille said.

Melissa packed up, and moved from Champaign, Ill., and Camille held true to her promise.

When The Dart landed on Cottage Farm Road in Natchez Saturday, Camille was leaving her home on her way to her sister’s on Smith Street.

Camille and Melissa have always been close.

They came from a family of 11 children, and they are each other’s lone surviving sister.

Living in Natchez is the first time in their adult lives that they have lived in the same place, but that did not stop them from remaining connected.

“We used to talk every day on the phone,” Camille said.

“She’s always been my traveling partner, to Europe, England, Scotland, around America.”

While companionship is the main reason they live close together now, there are added benefits.

“We take care of each other,” Camille said.

Both Camille and Melissa have had their fair share of health problems. For Camille, it was pancreatitis from which doctors thought she might not recover. For Melissa, it was a quadruple bypass surgery.

Being close and together often allows for the women to watch out for each other.

Living in the same place has reminded them that they are sisters.

“Some days we are at each other’s throats, but that’s how family can be sometimes,” Melissa said. “I swear she comes over sometimes just for my cooking.”

Even though there are days when they do not want to be around the other person, Camille and Melissa deeply care for one another.

The nights they spend together consist mostly of television, puzzles and reminiscing about the past. For them, that’s all they need.

“It is wonderful spend so much time with my sister,” Camille said, “I just like being around her.”