FRIENDS FOREVER

After returning from Europe, I retired to the solitude of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to work on my next book when I got the letter. It came from my brother in Texas. My family was fine, and it inquired as to how my life was on the farm. When I read the last line my blood ran cold. Leandra had leukemia.

She had been diagnosed almost a year ago. They tried to contact me, but I was away. The doctor didn't give her much time. I read the letter again, and my heart grew heavier with every word. My knees gave out as I sat down on the porch steps, clutching the letter, as the tears began to flow.

Leandra had been my best friend in college. If not for her I never would have found the courage to become a writer. I rested my head in my hand and ran my fingers through my hair as my mind drifted back.

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Leandra and I sat in front of Mom and Pop's convenience store waiting for my parents to come pick me up. She would have done it herself, although it was out of her way. She was always willing to go out of her way for a friend. But I insisted that she didn't have too.

"This is good," she said, glancing over the poem I had given her. "You should consider getting it published." She started to hand it back to me.

"It's for you," I said.

"You have given me so much already," she said, beaming.

"Leandra, I..."

"You spoil me," she said, flashing her dimples.

"That's what friends are for." I grinned, and she grinned back.

"That is one thing I like about you," she said. "Most of the guys I know don't want to be just friends. They always want something more. I guess that's why I don't have a lot of guy friends...except for you."

"Friends are friends forever," I said as my parents drove up beside us.

"And you are the best," she said hugging me.

"Drive safely." I waved to her as she drove off and stared after her until she was gone. I had butterflies in my stomach and didn't understand why. I had just been through a broken relationship, and Leandra had stood by me like a sister.

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I packed a few things in the back of my Jeep and locked up the house. My neighbor would take care of the animals while I was gone. I glanced back at my farm as I sped away to the freeway and on to Texas. I had filled up with gas and carried two extra gas cans in the back with the determination to drive all night if I had too. My mind drifted again.

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We had gathered with friends for lunch on Saturday. I was broke as usual and had just gone for the company. The waiter had taken everybody's order and was finishing with Leandra.

"Do you want anything, Jack?" she asked.

"I'm broke."

"No problem," she said, rummaging through her purse.

"I could use a coke," I said with hesitation. The waiter wrote it down and disappeared.

"Jack wrote me the greatest poem," Leandra said, taking it out of her purse for everybody to see. "Jack you really should think about getting some of your work published."

"I don't know," I said in a low voice. "You are the only one I have ever really shown my work too. Besides, what could I write about that would be worth publishing?"

"Write about what you know," she said. "Write about friendship and love, and experiences we have in college. I'm sure you can find something as long as I'm here to push you.

"I even think I could find a place in some of your stories." She smiled, and I could feel the blood rushing to my face.

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I snapped to attention when I saw the flashing red and blue lights. Not realizing how fast I had been going, I pulled over to the side of the road. The policeman got out of his car and walked up to my window. I was too worked up to argue, so I accepted the speeding ticket and drove on.

I crossed the state line into Texarkana when my tire blew out. Luckily I had a spare. It was slow work changing it with only my flashlight's limited illumination, and as I worked my mind wandered again.

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"Jack." Leandra stopped me. "I have something for you." She took a large folder out of her book bag and handed it to me. Inside were all the poems I had given her over the years. "I want you to take these and get them published."

"But they were for you."

"Do it for me," she said.

That is exactly what I did. Within a year's time I had taken all those poems, compiled them into a book, and dedicated it to her. I would have stopped there, but she pressed me to pursue my dream.

*************************************************

I changed the tire and hopped back into the car. Sure I was tired, but I couldn't stop. It was a direct path to the south where a friend needed me. A thunderstorm hit outside of Dallas and I had to slow my pace; but I didn't stop.

I had lost contact with Leandra, but my feelings for her never changed. Last I heard, she was engaged to be married. That was when I shipped off for an extended tour of Europe. I had toured six months before I arrived in London where I rented an apartment for a year, but I never forgot Leandra. I loved her.

I arrived at the hospital at seven in the morning and asked at the desk for Leandra's room. Visiting hours wouldn't start until eight, so I waited in the waiting room, too worked up to nap for any extended amount of time.

At eight o'clock sharp, I rushed up to her room, stopping to grab a bouquet of flowers at the gift shop. My anxious mind grasped for ideas. What would I say to her? I reached for the door knob but paused before going in. My heart was pounding in my chest. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Leandra was pale with sunken eyes. Her beautiful brunette hair had fallen out due to her treatments, and she wore a baseball cap to cover her bare scalp. She sat up when she saw me enter. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. For the first time in a long time I was at a loss for words.

"Jack," she said with surprise. I handed her the flowers. "They're beautiful."

"How are you?"

"I'll be all right," she said. "But I have been better. How about you? You haven't changed much."

"I live one day at a time," I said.

"I read your book." She reached under a pillow and retrieved a copy of my novel "Friends Forever". "I loved it, especially the part where the two friends had to say goodbye. It made me cry."

"I'm glad you liked it," I said. My eyes began to get misty; I fought to regain my composure.

"Will you sign it for me?" she asked, handing me the book.

I smiled, took a pen from my coat pocket and signed it, "With all my love forever, Jack Bentley."

"Where's your husband?"

"Victor broke off the engagement when I was diagnosed," she said beginning to get misty eyed. "He came by to visit a few times, but eventually he stopped coming." She yawned.

"I had better go and let you get some rest."

"Thanks, Jack," she said laying her head back. "Thanks for everything."

"Friends are friends forever," I said, turning my head so she couldn't see the tears in my eyes.

"Will you come back and see me?" she asked with eyes full of hope.

"You can count on it," I said, giving her a smile. As I looked back at her I saw her as she was and always would be - the same beautiful and vivacious woman I had fallen in love with. As she closed her eyes I gently closed the door behind me.

She died that night in peaceful slumber, and part of me died too. I now understand what Aristotle meant when he said true friends are one soul in two bodies. Leandra and I were of the same heart and soul, and someday on the other side of life and death we will again walk together hand in hand; friends forever.

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