Angel Friend

by Jackie Loret de Mola

I once had a best friend. One day we went to a miniature store to buy things for her doll house. She was building a doll house her sons had bought the "deed" for to help her keep busy so she could keep her mind off her breast cancer. While we were in the doll house store, suddenly she said, "Jackie, I need a better name for you." I said, "what do you mean?" Gayle (my friend) said, "Well, you are more than a best friend, and even more than a sister. Let's see, what can I call you?" I said, "best sister friend?!" She said, "no, not enough." A few seconds later she excitedly shouted, "Angel friend. That's it, you are my angel friend!" And angel friend it was from that day foward.

About 6 months or so later, Gayle died. My singing group from our church and I did all her music for the wake and the funeral. I don't know to this day how I did it, I was on auto pilot, Gayle prepared me completely on each song that was to be sung, each thing that was to be said. She even practiced with me on 2 very important songs she wanted me to do alone, they were "Knee Deep in a River" and "The Dance".

At the wake I was to start the remembering part where anyone who wanted to say something about Gayle could get up and do so. After I was done, 2 to 3 more hours of honor to Gayle went on. It was incredible. After that night was over, people were milling around Gayle's casket, viewing her, and I can't tell you how many people greeted me by saying, "OH! YOU'RE HER ANGEL FRIEND!" My heart stopped each time realizing what my friend had done for me. I realized even more how much our friendship meant to us both.

Days after her death I received a card from her in the mail telling me to not mourn her she would be on my shoulder, she would be my angel watching over me. Her mother sent those cards out that Gayle had written while she was so sick. I wasn't the only one who got one of Gayle's special cards.

But do you know what? I could never even begin to compare to the angel she is, was and will always be to me. She and she alone deserves the title Angel Friend. She taught me what true friendship is. We were able to share that with our husbands, and her 2 sons and my 4 sons. My Angel Friend lives on in the very heart and soul of me.

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