A Very Special Evening

Image Jan Baldwin

We have friends coming to dinner on Saturday night. Nothing out of the ordinary perhaps except for one very special reason. 26 years ago, my dearest friend ended our friendship when a business relationship between my then husband & her husband dissolved acrimoniously (living proof for never mixing business with friendship). We'd been bestie's since we were 17, long before we'd met our husbands. It literally broke my heart to lose her & I felt as though the brightest, most luminous light in my life had gone forever. The pain of that loss was deep & constant. Life went on & more children arrived to both families & brief, strained, formal communication occurred each time another baby was welcomed. Then my divorce & the loss of my darling mother followed in quick succession & I needed my friend's support desperately, but sadly she felt unable to reach out.

A few years later, out of that time of anguish & sadness came great joy in the form of the gorgeous MOTH. I sent my friend an invitation to our wedding, & much to my delight she & her husband accepted. Little was said on the night, but they were there sharing our happiness, so I rejoiced in their presence. I felt that a new beginning & a new partner may lead to the wounds being healed between us, but that didn't happen. The years have passed, all our children have grown into wonderful adults & other than Christmas & birthday cards exchanged each year, there's been no contact.

However a little over a year ago, a close mutual friend took matters into his own hands (bless him!) & invited us all to dinner. The boys got on very well, with much in common between them it was like MOTH & my friend's dear husband had known each other forever. The years seemed to just fall away & it was a lovely night. However, reflecting afterwards, I didn't feel things between us had really changed.

Then last month I received a birthday card from her. She wrote that she didn't just think of me on my special day but every day & how great it was to see each other again. I sat out in the garden that day reading her words over & over & the tears came. Tears for the many years we've lost, tears for the special moments celebrated without her, but also tears of hope for a future as friends again. Words aren't needed from either of us, just a gentle look & a loving embrace to happy days ahead.

They have accepted our invitation to dinner on Saturday & I have a feeling that for many reasons, it will be a very special evening.