A Final Goodbye-

“Yvette, I knew you would want to know right away. Marlene passed today”. My stomach clenched, my heart sank, and my body became numb. As tears filled my eyes, I tried to contain my emotions. I was about to embark on my long drive home from work and needed to focus. There wasn’t a day that went by that Marlene wouldn’t say, 'Be safe on your drive.'

My friendship with Marlene spanned over twenty years. Our relationship was more than just friends; we were like family. I knew the time was growing near. Her health had become frail. She had been in and out of rehabs, and she faced many chronic issues.

Each day was a struggle for her to get through.

It broke my heart to see her this way.

Her passing felt surreal.

Did this really just happen? 

Arriving home, I quickly made my way across the street.

I got there just as they were rolling her out on a stretcher.

She was wrapped from head to toe snugly in a white blanket. 

I didn’t want to look as I knew this was our final goodbye, or so I thought.

But to my surprise, it would be the next morning for our final goodbye.  

She was about to pay me a visit. Over the years of our friendship, we spoke about everything under the sun, including when she passed. If there were a way she could communicate with me, she would. The agreement was that she would reach down and touch my hand or show up as a cardinal outside my window. Well, she was much more creative than that in a very mystical and magical way.

Awakening the next day, I scanned through old photos and videos of our adventures. I came across a video where we pretended to be in a rock band. She played the bongo drums, and I played the keyboard to a song by A-ha, Take On Me. We could barely hold a note, but we were rockstars in our minds. I decided to send this video to a group of friends, but I accidentally sent it to my co-workers.

Oh boy, they were about to see a different side of me, a silly and goofy Yvette. 

One co-worker wrote back saying, 'Everyone needs a Marlene in their life.'

But what happened next was astonishing. Within minutes of the video being sent, two of my instructors set up for a class, and as they turned on their speakers, the exact song came on. 

Startled, they shot a video of the moment, and the lyrics were, Take me home… I'll be gone...

What are the chances? I have always been intrigued by synchronicities.  

I had to think, was Marlene trying to communicate with me?

As I stood in my kitchen pondering what just happened, a squirrel began running back and forth relentlessly on the patio screen just outside my window. So much that it caught my attention. I thought there must be something wrong with him, as I had never seen such behavior before. Slowly and quietly, I slipped outside and sat down on a lounge chair to observe. He peeked his head around the corner of the screen, looked right at me, and began chirping. Naturally, I started making chirping noises back to him. This went on for several minutes until I finally stood up and walked around. The squirrel then climbed to the highest point of my roof. As he came back down, he eyed a palm tree near the house. Don’t do it, squirrel, you're too far away, I thought. Just then, he leaped, flying through the air, landing securely on the tree. 

For years, Marlene and I played the "animal noise" game. We even played the week up to her passing. I would call her, and when she answered, I would meow. She would respond with a quack. We would go back and forth until she would finally say, Are we done yet? 

Then we would continue on a bit longer before we began our conversation. 

We were many animals over the years.

What another coincidence, this squirrel got me outside to talk to him.  

How long would we have talked had I not gotten up?

I like to believe the following morning was our final goodbye.

Now my life has changed.

There are no more good mornings, no more good nights, and no more I love you. 

And there are no more. Do I have to listen to you read that newsletter over to me again for the 10th time?

She helped me edit each one for you.

I was blessed to have decades of friendship with Marlene. 

I was blessed to have a friend with whom, as adults, we could still play like kids. 

And I am blessed to have so many fond memories that will always be alive within my heart.

Thank you, Marlene, for a wonderful life with you.

And thank you for this beautiful story, I get to share in your memory.

I wouldn’t expect anything less.

Until we meet again. xo