Her school had given her permission to take leave, and her parents had put off a trip that they had planned for her father’s work. And for weeks, she sat by Karen, both at home and in the hospital, thinking surely the doctors were wrong. But they weren’t.
Earlier that day, the doctor had called her from Karen’s room. His kind face was full of empathy, and she was grateful. She wasn’t sure she could have talked to him if he'd been businesslike.
But his words sliced through her even though she knew they were true. He told her that she was nearing the end, and it would be best for the baby to be brought by today. He also told her that Karen had had visitors earlier. Her heart leaped at the idea of Karen’s parents coming by, but that wasn’t who made the trip. It was an attorney with his legal assistant. Karen had asked two nurses to be witnesses as she had letters dictated and then gave them to the attorney to be handed out upon her death.
Karen had already talked to Melanie, pleading for her to become the legal guardian of Suzette. In truth, Karen didn’t need to plead, listing all the reasons she could think of. While Melanie’s heart was breaking, she couldn’t imagine a day without Suzette in it, so she’d readily agreed.
But now, staring into the tearful faces of her parents, Melanie dragged in a shuddering breath that hitched painfully as anguish ripped into her world. “I don’t know how to do this, Mom. I can't bear to say goodbye to my best friend or let her go. And I look at Suzette, and my heart aches so badly that Karen will never see her grow up, and Suzette will never remember her mother.”
The tears fell as her father pulled her into a deep embrace. She reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her.
After a moment, Suzette woke and began to squirm and cry. Leaning forward, she kissed the baby's sweet head. “Why don’t you go ahead and take her home, Mom? Karen had a chance to hold her earlier, and the doctor said it might’ve been the last visit.”
As her parents walked down the hall, she pulled in another deep breath and wiped her tears. Turning, she moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, taking Karen’s frail hand in her own. Karen’s eyes fluttered open, and her lips managed to curve upward in the tiniest of smiles. Speaking was difficult, but Karen managed. “Thank you. From the time we were twelve until this moment and beyond, you have been the greatest friend I could’ve ever had.”
Once again, Melanie’s tears fell unheeded, dropping onto the pile of blankets keeping Karen warm. “I feel the same way. You’re in my heart always.”
“I talked to a lawyer…”
“Yeah, the doctor mentioned that. You don’t have to talk about it now, Karen.”
Karen nodded slowly. “Yes, I do. I’ve had my wishes written out. Suzette will become your daughter. I don’t think my parents will care, but I wanted it done legally, just in case.”
Melanie simply nodded, unable to form words.
Karen’s eyes flooded before they spilled down her cheeks. She finally managed to say, “I left letters. They’ll tell you what to do.”
Melanie listened as the beeping monitor slowed and was barely aware of several nurses and the doctor coming in to stand nearby. She wanted to scream for them to leave and beg for Karen to stay. Swallowing past the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her, she leaned forward and whispered, “I’ll always love you, Bestie. I promise I’ll take care of Suzette as though she was my own.”
Karen’s eyes fluttered once again, and with her weakened voice, she managed to whisper in return. “Best friends forever.”
One month later
“Are you sure?” Melanie’s mother asked, folding some of Suzette’s clothes that had just come out of the dryer.
Snorting, Melanie shook her head. “Honestly, Mom? I’m not sure about anything anymore.”
A month ago, she had buried her best friend. The funeral had been beautiful, filled with Karen’s friends and coworkers. Her parents had been informed but chose not to attend, giving the excuse that it was God’s will for their daughter to die for having lived a sinful life. Melanie had finally lost her cool, screaming at them every insult she could hurl, not caring that it made her look like she was possessed. She didn’t normally handle unpleasant situations like that, but her own grief spilled out into anger.
And somehow, it had been cathartic. She managed to get through the funeral with the help of her own family and friends. Suzette had barely left her arms, and even though many had offered to hold her on that horrible day, Melanie couldn’t let her go. It was the piece of Karen that lived on, and if she ever needed it, that was the day.
It was later that evening after everyone had gone, and she and her mother had put Suzette down to sleep. She had already read the legal documents with the attorney. The guardianship paperwork was standard, and she’d sign everything necessary before the funeral with the attorney. But he had given her two letters. One had her name on the outside. And the other one was addressed to Jose Martinez. Suzette’s father.
She wanted to rip his open and read it, but she forced her fingers to lay it to the side while she threw herself into the role of mom for Suzette.
And now, the high school year was over, and she’d had the time to think and plan what was next.
She looked around at her townhouse that only two years earlier she’d been so excited to move into. Her parents often traveled, but Melanie relished her home. When Karen had moved in, she’d been happy to share her space. But now, it was filled with memories that threatened to drown her. Life changes when we least expect it.
“This is the perfect time to deliver the letter to Suzette’s sperm donor.”
“Melanie!” her mother chided.
“I know! I know! That’s a rotten thing to say! It’s not his fault that he didn’t have a choice to be here. It’s just that it’s hard for me to be rational when…” The words faded as she swallowed deeply and stared unseeing out the window. “When nothing in all this mess is fair.”
They were silent for a long moment, hearts aching. “I miss her, Mom.” She turned to face her mother as a tear dropped onto her shirt. “You know how people say that when someone they love dies, they often start to call them and then realize that person isn’t there. But that doesn’t happen for me. Because every second of every day, I have Suzette and am one-hundred percent aware that Karen is gone.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed deeply, trying to keep the tears at bay. Her mother’s arms surrounded her, and they clung to each other until she could finally catch a breath that didn’t hitch in her throat.
“I’m amazed at how well you’re hanging on.”
She scoffed. “Being a mom to Suzette and vowing to keep Karen’s memory alive for her is the only thing that keeps me going every day.”
“No judgment here, Melanie. Sometimes the best we can do in life is find something that lets us get from one day to the next. I promise you, though, it will get easier.” She tilted her head to the side. “But Baytown? Are you sure?”
“You and Dad are getting ready to take a month-long trip to Paris that you’ve put off long enough. I don’t want him to lose the contract because you cancel again.” Her father taught Art History at George Mason University and had planned a tour of museums in Paris for a paper he was writing. They’d easily postponed their trip, but she hated for them not to go at the earliest opportunity.