My earliest memory is of one of my closest sisterfriends, Joanne, standing with me by the last pew near the church exit. Jessica and a couple of other church youth weren't too far behind us. I remember trying to discreetly confirm with Jo what her relation to Jessica was. “So that’s your cousin you said? On your mom’s side?... Oh, okay.” I remember thinking she seemed cool off the first impression but wasn’t going to explore further. Since she was coming into the fold (of our church’s youth group), I figured I’d get to know her as the opportunity continued to present itself. And oh, was there opportunity!
I’d rather focus on Jess’ version of this though; she has the memory of an elephant. She’ll know who wore what, what they said, what song was on the radio, who framed Roger Rabbit, and where in the world was Carmen Sandiego.
2006. We hadn’t met each other yet but the bridge would be Joanne: a cousin to one and a friend to the other.
It was April Vacation. I was asked by my cousin to fill in for a friend on her church step team. Stepping was the thing at that time, so I obliged. Joane and I would be introduced a short time after.
For me, summer 2006, standing outside the big white church in Codman Sq., waiting to cross the street to cash our checks at Western Union is what I recall. Our friendship began to slowly bud. Visits to Joane’s home and church, sharing and swapping of clothes (because that’s what high schoolers did), and hangouts here and there watered our relationship for about a year.
Summer 2007, Joane would find herself on my couch telling me she was pregnant. Not knowing what to say, I prayed with and for her. She’d be starting her first year of college that fall and I would be beginning my senior year of high school. Between our classes, Joane preparing for her chocolate bundle of joy, and my college applications, there wasn’t much time to hangout other than occasional check-in calls.
Fall of 2008, it would now be me, sitting on the phone telling Joane I was pregnant. Looking back, our friendship was a whirlwind, but at the moment, it didn’t seem so.
Our sons would share the same father, and what seemed like should have been the end of a friendship was actually the start of a sisterhood.
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
