Sledding With Kizzy

It was a cold snowy day, all the roads were occupied, my niece and I were snowed in. "Auntie Simone?" My 6 year old niece calls out. I was looking out of a window enjoying a cup of hot coca reminiscing. This particular snow day reminded me of an old friend that I haven't seen in years. I turned around to see niece holding some arts and crafts items. "Can we make something for mommy and daddy?" I smiled warmly "Sure we can honey, go set up the table I'll be right there. I looked out the window one more time taking in the breathtaking scene of my front yard, the sky was painted pink with streaks of blue. I was still reminiscing about my old friend. We used to have good times my friend and I, laughing, telling jokes, hanging out, and playing in the snow. That was years ago, and now we don't even speak anymore. I went to go sit down with my niece in the family room. She already started painting as she looked up at me and smiled. I sat down next to her and grabbed a brush and dipped it the water and then my first color and started painting. "So what are you making sweetie?" I prompted as I continued to paint my scenery. She looked up at me and raised her picture of her painted tree and four stick figure people. "What are you painting Auntie?" She asked. I looked down at my paper unaware of what I was really painting. It was a picture of a pile of snow and the pinkish-blue sky. "Hmm..... I don't know yet." I said as I scratched my head. We sat in silence for a few minutes. As I was painting I sat there and thought about my childhood, around this time of year my old friend and I would go sledding down the hill about 2 miles from here. Our parents would take us because they knew how much we liked the snow. Our coats and boots would be covered in snow at the end of the day. Afterwards we would go inside my house and sip hot coca and watch Disney movies. Even one year we made an oath on the top of the hill to be friends forever. I smiled as I painted my last tree, my painting was complete. We sat to take a look at our pictures and explain what we drew. My niece picture was a picnic setting with her parents and I in it. I smiled and gave her a kiss. "Its lovely sweetie, we can place this picture on your parents new home later ok?" She smiled sweetly and said "Okay Auntie, can I lay down I'm a little tired?" I nodded as she walked upstairs. I was left alone for the rest of the afternoon. I went up to the attic rummaging in the trunk for old pictures. When I found them I went downstairs and placed the photos on the table and looked through them. My childhood was calling to me, or maybe I was just missing my old friend. "Maybe one day." I say to myself as I sighed and closed the book and enjoy the rest of my day. Later that night, as I was getting ready for bed I heard a knock on my door. It didn't sound like my niece's knock it sounded like someone else knock, but it wasn't a strange knock. They knocked again repeating the same knocking melody. "Shave and a haircut, two bits." Went the knock. Only one person I knew that knocked like that. But I was still cautious. "Who is it?" I called out, I was scared and excited at the same time. "Yo you don't know who this is, so lame!" a girl called out. It was her, my old friend, Kizzy. I was so excited I opened the door so fast. "Kizzy! Oh my goodness, I..I haven't seen you in so long! I grabbed her really hard and hugged her. She was my best friend, the only friend I had that ever made an impact on my life for the better. She hugged me backed and said "I was in the neighborhood and I thought I stop by, girl you look amazing!" I smiled I wanted to catch up with everything she had going on with her life, I knew she had to be doing good, she hasn't aged over 15 years. We went downstairs and began to talk, I told her about my life and how I was doing, how I was taking care of my niece in her parents absence, everything. Kizzy just sat there, smiled and took it all in, grasping at her cup barley taking a sip. After I was finished I asked her what was going on in her life. She just smiled and said "To be honest I didn't come here for that." I was confused, what did she come here for then? I knew we haven't talked in a while maybe she's upset with me. "What do you mean?" I asked, she just stared at me for a few seconds and began to speak. "I want to go sledding, like we used to. I know you're niece must be sleeping but we don't even have to go that far." I thought about it, but the only place for sledding was 2 miles away and the roads near there where still snowed in according the the weather report on the news. "I would love to but where would we go?" Kizzy smiled and looked at my back door. I looked confused I didn't know what she was up to, she used to be a prankster. She began to walk towards the back door and open it, as I got up to look I couldn't believe it. It was hills of beautifully white snow right in my backyard. I felt like a child again ready to take on the snow. I smiled and told her I would be right back. I ran upstairs and put on my coat, boots, hat, scarf, and gloves and ran downstairs. Kizzy was already outside with a beautiful shiny red sled decorated with gold bows and trimming. "Lets get in." She said excitedly as we mounted the beautiful sled and made our way down each mountainous hill. It felt great to experience the kid in me again the same kid in me that loves taking on sledding, skiing, and ice skating. I missed it and I missed my old friend. After a while we came inside and had hot coca. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I asked her, "Kizzy, what made you come here today? I mean ironically I was thinking about our friendship all day and them you showed up, But why?" She smiled warmly "Simone, do you really have to ask, you lameo?" We chuckled. "I came because your my best friend, actually more than best friends we were like sisters, we still are!" I smiled and nodded, she was right I should've known why she was here, a hundred years can go by and it would feel as if though no time has passed between us. I loved that about our friendship. Kizzy looked at me with serious but caring face and placed her hand on mine. Her hands were still a little cold from the snow. "I also came here to say, that I love you and I care about you, I didn't get to say that the last time I was here. I will always be right here." She said as she touched my chest. I was confused why was she talking like that? I didn't pay it any mind I just smiled and kept sipping my hot coca having a great conversation with my old friend. We sat and talked for the rest of the night until the stroke of twelve. She looked at the clock, and then looked at me and smiled once more. "I have to go, I'll be called soon." She says as she puts her coat on and heads for the door. I was sad to see her go I was enjoying my conversation with her so I asked, "Why don't you stay here tonight?" I have and extra room and I can make breakfast and we can catch up some more tomorrow?" She hugged me tight and said, "I know this is hard for you to do but, remember our oath we're friends forever. You'll see me again, and when you do we'll be able to go sledding for as long we can, forever." I nodded and she headed for the door, but before she left she looked back and said "Remember." She closed the door behind her. I went back upstairs and looked at my ceiling counting the sheep, counting the days of when my oldest friend and I will meet again. The next morning my niece met me with enthusiasm. "Auntie Simone, can we put this on my parents forever home now?" She said as she shoved the painting in my face. I yawned and nodded as I got up and prepared myself for the day. I told my niece to get dressed, and she skipped merrily out the room. I had another one of those dreams, I knew it was a dream because there was no way my friend could visit me, well not in this life anyway. My friend Kizzy passed away about 15 years ago when we were in our sophomore year in college. The last time I spent time with her, we went sledding. We got into a terrible car accident, I survived, but she died instantly. During these times when it snows I always think of her the most. Waiting until the day she arrives in my dream again, and one day invite me to her forever home. My niece came back fully dressed and eager. I smiled and said "Hey, while were out, maybe we can stop by your favorite café and get a bite to eat and then go sledding, how does that sound?" She nodded with excitement as I held her hand and we walked outside to the car.