Its a nice June day, about 75 outside and Kathryn and Becca are about 30-35 years of age, sitting on a porch. They are sitting in their favorite white painted rocking chairs watching their young babes run around together playing in a water sprinkler. Their husbands, dressed in the proper attire, are out back grilling (vegetarian food of course! ) and talking about what ever it is that men talk about, sports I guess. Its a beautiful way to end the week with the Friday get together.
Each week, its all the children talk about. "Momma! Momma! Momma! Is it time for Aunt Becca, Isabelle, Adam, Joseph and Abraham to come over yet?" Kathryn smiles and responds " No, sweetheart but tomorrow they will be here" Little Jacques, Addison, and Izzy Bree run along to go make a fort out of the couch cushions.
On the porch Kathryn and Becca talk about the news, new gossip, shoe shopping, work, the newest apple invention, and of course the newest addition to Kathryn's life - being pregnant again with a little girl to be named Meredith Celia Juliette.
The two eldest babes Jacques (4.5 years old) and Isabelle (4 years old) come running across the lawn. "MOMEEEEE WE HAVE A QUESTION!!!" they bellow in unison. Once the reach the beaming mothers, happy to answer the question, the children ask how their Mommies met.
Becca begins " When we were little but almost grownups we had a science class together - you know science remember they have a science center at daycare- Aunt Kathryn got confused a lot in that class but I helped her until she had to go to another class."
Kathryn picks up "But your Aunt Becca and I kept talking to each other, all the time! Some times even when we were not suppose to be talking *smiles at children* but we soon became best friends"
"Just like me and Jacques!"Isabelle chimes in
"Exactly sweetheart! Just like you and Jacques."
"But one day Aunt Kathryn got sick. Aunt Kathryn could only lay in bed all day and look at the ceiling all day long. She couldn't go outside, she couldn't listen to music, she couldn't even do her school work, she was really sick!"
Kathryn takes over "Because I was so sick some people got scared and left me alone, but I was sick with something different, not like the sniffles, no this sickness was in my brain. To get better I had to go to the doctor every single day and after a few days, no one was left, the all got scared and left but Aunt Becca was there. Aunt Becca and I talked and talked all day and all night and sometimes even when I was feeling the worst, Aunt Becca would make me giggle."
Becca chimes in " We would both giggle"
Kathryn remembers, "That's right! And Aunt Becca would invite me to places even though all I wanted to do was lay in bed. But there was something special Aunt Becca did that I can never ever EVER repay her for- Aunt Becca kept me from dying."
"Like Skippy the turtle that went to sleep forever? " Jacques asked, intrigued
"Yes darling just like that. Aunt Becca kept me from dying a lot of times. When I would feel my worst she would talk to me about her day, her teachers, how pretty it was outside and lots of other stuff too and I would feel better and I wouldn't die, the sickness in my brain would go away for a little bit." said Kathryn.
"Because your Aunt Becca cares so much about me she didn't want me to die, she loved me so much even when she was scared she didn't show it, she showed her bravery and her strength, just like a super hero. Aunt Becca was my super hero."
" And Aunt Kathryn helped me too, we were each other's super hero. And you guys know the rule with super hero's right? They can never leave each other. They are destined to be best friends for ever and ever. And that my darlings is how your Aunt Becca and Aunt Kathryn met." Becca and Kathryn smile as they continue to rock in their chairs. The children run back to tell their brothers and sisters about the story, a faint "Did you know Mommy was a super hero?" can be heard in the back ground although all Kathryn and Becca can focus on is remembering that time in their lives when thing were so unknown, when institutionalization was a serious option and when Kathryn almost went down the wrong path, only to be saved by her super hero, her best friend Becca.
