BFF (Best Friends Forever)
Written- March 3, 2012.
Ingrid G.
Both Stacy and Libe were friends and inseparable since grade school. After they graduated from high school they attended different universities, one studying to be a lawyer and the other a doctor. No matter what, they always phoned each other at least once a week. As studies became harder and their circle of friends changed they didn’t seem to have any extra time. Sometimes months went by before one of them made the call. Graduation and new demanding jobs took them different directions and finally they stopped phoning each other.
It was an early Saturday November morning, and Stacy couldn’t sleep. She watched the sky turn from dark blue to purple to pink, and then to pinkish-orange as she made a cup of coffee. Holding the warm cup in both hands, she stood in the kitchen, sipping and staring out the window. Frost had glazed the roof tops and the grass looked as if the tips of each blade had been dipped in white paint.
It reminded her of another early November morning many years ago. It was Stacy’s birthday and Libe had slept over. Libe never slept much at the best of times, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that she was up early. Waking Stacy, Libe convinced her that they should go outside and watch the sun rise together to start the first day is a teenager. From girlhood to womanhood she called it. So, throwing their coats and boots over their pajamas, they quietly made their way outside. The sun rise was so beautiful and the sound of the grass as it crunched under their boots was delightful. But what she remembered the most was the cracking sound of the white frozen crusted puddles and their laughter each time they found a new one to break.
Now, it seemed so many years ago. Stacy thought about calling Libe just as the phone rang. Only her mother would phone so early in
the morning. Her mother never forgot her birthday and always called. Without checking the number Stacy answered assuming it was her mother. To her surprise it was her friend Libe. The two friends talked for hours. They realized no matter how thing changed in their lives they would remain best of friends. They promised each other that they wouldn’t let time slip away on them again. So they planned a week holiday in Mexico so that they would have no distractions and could catch up on all the things they missed.
By the second day of the holiday Stacy realized how much she missed libe’s friendship. They were like sisters even having the same hair
style then and now. Some things had changed like Libe settling down. She was always a rebel and a bit of a wild child but now she was more mature. There was one thing that didn’t change and that was Libe’s sleeping hours or lack of them.
On the fifth morning as usual Stacy heard Libe leave the room at about 6 am. She would go for a jog and then head to the cafeteria on the South wing of the hotel which was a fair walk from their room. Stacy smiled as she rolled over in her bed, knowing that Libe would come back with coffee and breakfast for both of them by 8 am. The smell of coffee, toast, bacon and eggs always got her out of bed.
However, this morning all she could smell was burned toast. She heard the bedroom door hit the wall as it flung open and Libe yelling.
Stacy jumped out of bed and saw Libe’s face and clothes had soot on them. Libe was yelling at Stacy to get out of the hotel.
Grabbing some clothes, Stacy ran out into the smoke filled hallway and although she couldn’t see much she felt Libe pushing her towards the stairwell, down the stairs and though the main exist. Stacy heard a blast just as Libe gave her a push which threw her onto the lawn.
Stacy opened her eyes to what seemed like only seconds had passed, and realized she was now in the hospital. Her head was pounding, her throat was raw and sore and she felt sick to stomach. The nurse told her she had taken in a lot of smoke and that she had a concussion as she was thrown from the building during the second explosion. She asked the nurse about her friend Libe who was right behind her.
The nurse looked puzzled and shrugged her shoulders indicating she knew nothing. As hospital staff came in to check on her, Stacy
would ask about Libe but most of them knew very little English.
Several hours had passed before an English translator showed up. Stacy told him about her friend Libe and how she was right behind her, helping her out the building. She wondered if he could find out what happened to her.
He began to explain to Stacy that there had been an explosion in the cafeteria at 7:30 am and a second explosion within 5 minutes of the first. The first explosion must have woke her up and she was right at the main exist when the second explosion threw her clear of the building.
He told her that her friend Libe couldn’t have been behind her as everyone in the cafeteria area at the time of the first explosion
was found dead, including her friend Libe.