Reunion

They sat squished together on the long bench. They had finished eating hours ago but the cold food remained on the plates, congealing slowly. They knew when soon enough it would be time to say goodbye.
A tall, plump brunette with designer jeans and gorgeous green eyes with her knees tucked up to her chest named Jamie sat next to Mary Beth Donaldson, who was always known as the prettiest girl in the school. That had been ten years ago, but it was as true as ever.
Jamie brushed the hair back from Mary Beth’s eyes, “It’ll be all right,” she whispered softly. Mary Beth looked at her sadly, then smiled.
“No it won’t.” She answered calmly. “It’ll never be okay again.”
Jamie looked down at her favorite black boots, wishing she knew what to say next. They’d always been together, since they were six and arguing over the rules of hopscotch at William Penn Elementary. “Jamie and Mary Beth like two peas in a pod,” everyone had always said.
“So, how’s life been?” Mary Beth asked softly, trying desperately to maintain the semblance of a normal visit.

“Oh Bethie,” she sighed. “Don’t do this.”

“No, no. I want to hear. Since graduation from the university, I’ve barely seen you.”

“I know, sorry.”

“No, no. Don’t be sorry. You were off making a name for yourself as the up and coming star of National Geographic. It’s what you’ve always wanted, Jamie.” Mary Beth fished a paper out of the bag lying next to her. “I read this great article by, who was it again? Jamie Godffrey?”

“Ha ha, Bethie. You don’t have to ready what I write.”

“Seriously, J, it was great. You know, the one about where you visited Trinidad and Tobago and talked with those guys.”

“The ones who’d died, seen the light, then come back.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Mary Beth nodded her head eagerly. "That one.” She paused, uncertain of whether or not she should go on. Looking right into her vibrant green eyes, Jamie knew. She wrapped her arms around her and whispered,

“I believe it all Bethie. In heaven and God and you know, there being bigger and better things to move on to. You might to if you’d talk to some of those guys – they’re pretty adamant about their experiences.”

“Yeah, I guess. I just don’t know. But, I guess its now or never Jamie!” Mary Beth looked up and laughed at the horrified expression on her best friend’s face. “I’m just kidding – if you can’t laugh at your life, what’s the point of living?”

“You sound like your old self again, Bethie. I’m glad. For a while there your letters were pretty bleak,” Jamie looked down at her hands wishing she could break the habit of biting her nails. “I remember I got one while I was in Cairo writing a piece, you might remember, on the latest mummy excavations – you were always into that stuff.”

“It just always seemed cool to think about bodies lying in the ground for thousands of years just waiting for the next treasure seeker.”

“Yeah well, anyways, I just remember reading your letter and thinking I needed to come home because you needed me,” Jamie started harder at her hands as if she could somehow will time backwards. “I even bought a plane ticket – it cost a fortune,” she laughed nervously. “Then the latest excavation discovered a new tomb of the unknown pharaoh and I had to go. Maybe if I’d come…” she left the sentence unfinished. Slowly, her shoulders began to shake. “Oh Bethie,” she choked out.

“Geez, Jamie. You’d think I’d be the one crying,” Mary Beth said as she took her turn wrapping her arms around her best friend. “It’s okay honey. It’s all over now.”

“Yeah.” Jamie sat up, dabbing mascara from under her eyes. “I knew I shouldn’t have worn mascara when I came here.” Mary Beth laughed and soon they were both laughing uncontrollably. They rolled around on the floor like two schoolgirls until they were exhausted. Then they just lay there staring at the ceiling, watching. Waiting.

“So, Jamie, did you ever meet that guy again? What’s his name – the one you kept writing about?”

“Oh yeah. Didn’t I ever tell you? he….” Suddenly, the years disappeared as if they were in high school again curled up on the floor of Bethie’s living room watching Stepmom for the hundredth time while painting their toenails a fiery shade of red for Beth and hot pink for Jamie, dreaming of their future hunky husbands and fabulous careers instead of two women nearing middle age in a concrete six by six cell.
The talk turned from guys to the best shade of eyeshadow to the merits of the latest Julia Roberts flick.
“But she is such a phenomenal actress, Jamie. I mean, you just can’t deny that.”

“Sure, sure. She’s had her hits. But his movie is terrible, Bethie. I mean really terrible. Just because she’s famous doesn’t mean she gets an Oscar for every movie she’s in. I mean, geez – ”

“Ladies,” the guard interrupted them, almost reluctantly. Mary Beth thought she was one of the nicer guards she’d had.

“It’s time.” They rose slowly, arthritis of the heart stiffening their resolve. Mary Beth’s hands shook as she stared at Jamie.

“It’s time,” Mary Beth repeated as if she’d been waiting to hear those words for years, yet she couldn’t believe they were actually coming. Suddenly, tears began rolling down her cheeks. “I didn’t want to cry,” she whispered. “I thought I was ready.”
Jamie smiled a sad smile. One that’s not really a smile at all, but an involuntary turning up of the muscles because there’s nothing else to do. She held Mary Beth tightly for the last time, holding on forever. Cupping her face in her hands, she said,
“Listen to me. Mary Beth, you are the most wonderful person I’ve ever known. And, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I know,” her voice faltered, but she continued resolutely. “I know David did things – he shouldn’t have. I’ll never know what happened exactly or why, but I trust you. And I love you.” The involuntary smile crinkled a little, turning upside down. The girls separated.

"Thanks for helping me polish off those three cheeseburgers and fries and chocolate milk shakes," Mary Beth said. She uttered her last words turning her head toward her best friend as the guard escorted her away from her cell down the hall to the door that haunted everyone on Death Row. "Thanks Jamie. You're the best."