Friends by Nina W

In Holyoke, Ma lived a woman named Rebecca. She worked for a small newspaper company. She was very good about visiting her grandmother or Gema who lived in a nursing center for the elderly. Her parents were not so good on the other hand and neither were her sisters who live in California and Houston. Today, although Rebecca wasn’t on her own it felt like it. Her sisters weren’t coming because they wanted to but because they knew it was polite. As they walked into room 310 they passed Mrs. Hartshorn who was tying knots in her long white hair, Mrs.Benton who was crying and calling out for her mother. As always her grandmother was a sleep.
Rebecca called her name softly,”Gemma.”
“Is that you Rebecca?” Gemma said. “I was the princess in the castle in the sleeping woods. I was the princess when the great mist fell over us forcing us all a sleep. The prince kissed me only me awake. Promise you will find the castle it is all I have to give you. Promise.”
“I promise Gemma.”
Across the country lived a boy named David at the age of about fourteen. He was living in a foster home although if you told him it would take him a second to process it. He was so close to them because he was loved and treated like he actually was someone unlike his real parents. Anyway the family he was living with got a call from his foster mother’s close friend whose mother had died. They were invited to the funeral but told they shouldn’t feel obliged because of airfare but the family decided to go anyways. So they packed up their stuff and flew to Holyoke, Ma.
As they walked into the church the families saw each other and greeted one another with hugs. Everyone noticed a small boy dressed in a long sleeve shirt after all it was the middle of july.
“Now who is this little fellow?” asked Rebecca.
“Yes, who?” replied her sisters and her parents.
“This is David we have adopted him.” said David’s foster mother.
“Rebecca go show him the house.” Her mother said.
As they walked out of the church Rebecca asked him if he would mind telling her how he came into foster care. He said no and that he came to foster care because he was beaten by his mother. Rebecca said she felt so sorry and of course he responded it’s okay its over now. Rebecca said if it helps my grandmother was in a concentration camp and she was the only woman to come out alive.
“That’s so sad.” David said.
“It is not really any sadder than your story.” Rebecca said. “Come on I will bring you back to your mother.”
“Oh hi david! Are you ready to leave yet?” his mother asked.
“NO!” shouted David. “I want to stay here and play with my new friend.”
“What friend?”
“Rebecca”
“Rebeccas your friend? Well we have to go now. She can visit us whenever she wants. Come on David we are leaving.” Called his mother.