To A Friend On Her Wedding Day

My friend got married today and I wasn’t able to make her ceremony. So this is for her.

You came to the school when I was in grade 2. Chloe seemed to think that she had dibs on being your friend, because you had moved into the house behind hers.

The teachers however, asked me to show you around. I don’t think Chloe liked me after that.

You went to my Nan’s house every day after school for daycare. I used to walk down, so that we could play. I stayed at your house a few times, but honestly, you woke up far too early for me. I never was much of a morning person.

You had an older brother. All of our friends had a crush on him. I remember you and me wondering what on earth the attraction was.

We once spend a whole afternoon playing in the hay in Amberly’s paddock, we walked to the shop and I slid and fell, flat on my back in the mud. We laughed so hard as we walked back home, with me dripping all the way. Your mum was nice enough to wash my clothes for me.

We weathered a best friend getting cancer. All of a sudden, everyone was her bestest friend and she didn’t have so much time for us anymore. Luckily after 12mths of chemo she got better. I still see her in town nowadays.

When I was in grade 6 your mother decided that you were moving to the mainland. I was so sad. You left and we didn’t talk so much anymore. We caught up on the phone every few months and when we talked, it was awesome.

I thought about you alot. I remember that you had some stuff going on in your life and that you were depressed for a while. I was glad that you were okay at the end of that.

You moved back to Tassie and I was rapt. Unfortunately you were living up north, so I still didn’t get to see you much. You were there when I realised that I was serious about wanting to be with Nathan. You opened my eyes to how badly my current boyfriend was treating me and you talked me through dumping him.

You got pregnant just after I did, there is 4mths between Amy and B. I thought you were silly for wanting to give birth in Sydney, but I kept my mouth shut because it was your decision.

After Amy was born, you came to visit me, heavily pregnant. We talked and you got to coo over Amy. I was excited to see your big belly because I was missing mine.

We tried to catch up on the phone more often, but it was hard. Eventually you went to Sydney to await B’s arrival and I started counting down the days until his due date.

B arrived by emergency C-section 2 weeks before his due date, you had had a placetal abruption and hemmoraged. I was so worried when I found out. I spent nearly $20 in the next few days on phone calls to your mothers mobile. Luckily after a few hiccups, both you and B were fine.

You came to visit me in my new house when B was a few weeks old. It was great to catch up and even better to remember how tiny newborns are.

Even when we don’t talk everyday, even when we don’t see each other, I still wonder how you are and hope that everything is going okay.

I am sorry I couldn’t ring you this morning. Know that I though about you all day and that I hoped that all the preparations went to plan.

I wish you all the happiness in the world for you and your man. You deserve it completely. I wish I could have been there to see it happen.

xxx

Email to a friend