My name's Wren. All I know is that my sister's name is Cath, I live in Nebraska, and that something happened today. I'm not exactly sure what, because I'm only 8 years old. My mom was putting me and Cath to bed one night, and she said to us, "See you in the morning."
Boy, was she wrong.
I wake up to my dad shaking me awake, and Cath standing next to him, hugging her favorite stuffed animal, Chuckles the Koala, and crying, sniffling. I blink my eyes and sit up in bed, yawning. "What's wrong?" I ask my father.
I know something's wrong, I can see the fear and sadness in his eyes. "Your mommy's sick," he replies. "We have to take her to the hospital."
5 minutes later, we are in the family minivan, driving really fast on the highway to the hospital. Mommy sits in the front seat, sweating really bad. She's holding her stomach, and I want to help, but I know there's nothing I can do. We have to wait until we get to the hospital.
10 years later
Still me. Still Wren. I'm 18 now, and go to college. But not today. Ever since Mom died, I visit her grave every Saturday. I write her a letter every couple weeks or so, just to help her keep up with her twin daughters' lives. Cath visits too, just not as often. I still remember the service in honor of my mom, me and Cath clutching each other like the two little girls we were, wrapped in our father's arms, tears streaming down our faces. We weren't listening to the pastor who was speaking in honor of my mother, since he was just talking about the horrible stomach cancer that had killed her. That's not something two 8-year-olds want to listen to.
From that day on, I knew me and Cath would have to stick together, for our mom, for our dad, for us. We go to the same college, stay in the same dorm. I think that's together, right? I know our mom is looking down on us, watching us, but it still comforts me to be able to tell her myself.
Then I met Reagan, my best friend. We were at the Freshman Mixer, a special event held for the newcomers, so they could get to know each other. Cath wasn't able to go because she was visiting our dad, and I'm not super into this kind of stuff, so I spent most of the party in the cafeteria, instead of actually participating in the party. I was alone in there for about 20 minutes, and that's when Reagan walked in. She saw she wasn't alone, then walked over and sat right next to me. "You too?" she said to me.
"You too, what?" I answered back.
"I can tell you're not a party person. If you were, you wouldn't be sitting by yourself in this ratty old cafeteria, talking to a loser like me. Well, I'm not a party person either."
At this moment, I knew Reagan and I had a special connection. We ended up talking in that cafeteria until midnight, long after the party had ended, not even paying attention to the time and the people passing through the cafeteria on their way back to their dorms, exhausted. But Reagan and I really hit it off. That conversation would lead to hundreds (maybe a slight exaggeration) of hang-out sessions in my room, laughing to whatever joke we thought was funny, even making Cath join in our hysterical laughter.
I was so caught up in becoming best friends with Reagan that I had only visited my mom's grave once during the 4 months I had known Reagan. So I got started on a letter.
Hey, Mom. How are you? I hope Heaven is treating you well.
Just thought I would let you in on my life. I became best friends with a girl named Reagan. She is awesome. She is EXACTLY like me. She even looks like me! We have so much in common, you would think we were twins!
Now, about my real twin. Cath is doing great. She's getting straight A's, especially after she got some extra help from her Fiction Writing professor, Professor Piper. She is always off with her fiction-writing friends, so you don't have to worry about her social life. I think she finally found where she belongs. Cath goes to visit Dad once or twice a month, always on the weekends. She can't miss a day of school if she wants to keep her straight A's, after all! I can tell she really misses you, and I do too.
Dad has a new girlfriend now. Her name is Laura, just like you! Since Dad wants us to get to know her better, we are all going on a cruise together in May! He really misses you too, but he realized he needed to move on with his life.
That's the reason for this letter, Mom. I just wanted to tell you not to worry about us. We are all doing fine, and even though you're gone, you will always be with us. You will always have a special place in my heart, and I know you will always be as important to me as you were when I was just a little kid.
Goodbye (not forever), and see you next week.
Sincerely,
Your daughter, Wren
Boy, was she wrong.
I wake up to my dad shaking me awake, and Cath standing next to him, hugging her favorite stuffed animal, Chuckles the Koala, and crying, sniffling. I blink my eyes and sit up in bed, yawning. "What's wrong?" I ask my father.
I know something's wrong, I can see the fear and sadness in his eyes. "Your mommy's sick," he replies. "We have to take her to the hospital."
5 minutes later, we are in the family minivan, driving really fast on the highway to the hospital. Mommy sits in the front seat, sweating really bad. She's holding her stomach, and I want to help, but I know there's nothing I can do. We have to wait until we get to the hospital.
10 years later
Still me. Still Wren. I'm 18 now, and go to college. But not today. Ever since Mom died, I visit her grave every Saturday. I write her a letter every couple weeks or so, just to help her keep up with her twin daughters' lives. Cath visits too, just not as often. I still remember the service in honor of my mom, me and Cath clutching each other like the two little girls we were, wrapped in our father's arms, tears streaming down our faces. We weren't listening to the pastor who was speaking in honor of my mother, since he was just talking about the horrible stomach cancer that had killed her. That's not something two 8-year-olds want to listen to.
From that day on, I knew me and Cath would have to stick together, for our mom, for our dad, for us. We go to the same college, stay in the same dorm. I think that's together, right? I know our mom is looking down on us, watching us, but it still comforts me to be able to tell her myself.
Then I met Reagan, my best friend. We were at the Freshman Mixer, a special event held for the newcomers, so they could get to know each other. Cath wasn't able to go because she was visiting our dad, and I'm not super into this kind of stuff, so I spent most of the party in the cafeteria, instead of actually participating in the party. I was alone in there for about 20 minutes, and that's when Reagan walked in. She saw she wasn't alone, then walked over and sat right next to me. "You too?" she said to me.
"You too, what?" I answered back.
"I can tell you're not a party person. If you were, you wouldn't be sitting by yourself in this ratty old cafeteria, talking to a loser like me. Well, I'm not a party person either."
At this moment, I knew Reagan and I had a special connection. We ended up talking in that cafeteria until midnight, long after the party had ended, not even paying attention to the time and the people passing through the cafeteria on their way back to their dorms, exhausted. But Reagan and I really hit it off. That conversation would lead to hundreds (maybe a slight exaggeration) of hang-out sessions in my room, laughing to whatever joke we thought was funny, even making Cath join in our hysterical laughter.
I was so caught up in becoming best friends with Reagan that I had only visited my mom's grave once during the 4 months I had known Reagan. So I got started on a letter.
Hey, Mom. How are you? I hope Heaven is treating you well.
Just thought I would let you in on my life. I became best friends with a girl named Reagan. She is awesome. She is EXACTLY like me. She even looks like me! We have so much in common, you would think we were twins!
Now, about my real twin. Cath is doing great. She's getting straight A's, especially after she got some extra help from her Fiction Writing professor, Professor Piper. She is always off with her fiction-writing friends, so you don't have to worry about her social life. I think she finally found where she belongs. Cath goes to visit Dad once or twice a month, always on the weekends. She can't miss a day of school if she wants to keep her straight A's, after all! I can tell she really misses you, and I do too.
Dad has a new girlfriend now. Her name is Laura, just like you! Since Dad wants us to get to know her better, we are all going on a cruise together in May! He really misses you too, but he realized he needed to move on with his life.
That's the reason for this letter, Mom. I just wanted to tell you not to worry about us. We are all doing fine, and even though you're gone, you will always be with us. You will always have a special place in my heart, and I know you will always be as important to me as you were when I was just a little kid.
Goodbye (not forever), and see you next week.
Sincerely,
Your daughter, Wren