Maid of Honor
My sister gets married on Saturday.
And I'm currently sitting at the airport trying to finish the maid of honor speech.
But every time I go to write, the most random memories start to surface.
All of a sudden, I'm 5 again, sharing a shower with her, as we flip-flop back and forth, taking turns under the running water.
Or I'm 6, and we're flying down the back alley on plastic big wheelers with both our feet off the pedals. Praying that we don't hit a stick and crash.
Or I'm 8, asking her in the dark of our bedroom if I can sleep in her bed again. Only to hear her usual response of, "Yea, but you have to scratch my arm."
Or I'm 13, watching her sneak out the back door. Telling her she shouldn't do it, but also promising to cover for her if mom and dad wake up.
Or I'm 15, jamming out to Motion City Soundtrack in the backseat of her friend's (freezing) car on the way to school in the morning.
Or I'm 18, in some random lot in Arbutus, teaching her how to parallel park as she nervously clutches the wheel.
Or I'm 19, running to her house in tears because I got cut from our college lacrosse team. Listening to her tell me that everything is going to be okay.
Or I'm 22, at a music festival, holding her hand tightly as we navigate through the crowds. As we dance, and sing, and scream.
Or I'm 25, laying next to her in my bedroom in Charleston, as she takes stupid videos of the two of us and we almost pee from laughing.
Or I'm 27, sitting next to her at a busy restaurant, as she tells me she couldn't be more sure about the person she is marrying.
Life is strange. Memories are even stranger. I remember every detail of each one of these moments (and so many more). I remember the look on her face, the people around us, the clothes we were wearing. But more than anything, I remember how she made me feel.
Safe, protected, cared for, loved.
Time falls away when I think about her.
And right now, I'm already there. In the future. Just a few days from now. Watching her walk down the aisle.
As every memory and more, pours out around me.
As everything else falls away.
And all I see is her.