After breaking down in tears on live television, Tina and Holly finally arrived at my house. I got up to open the door for them, and when I did, Tina and Holly hugged me. "I am so sorry for crying on live TV," I apologized to them both.
Holly told me it was alright. They understood how I was feeling. Tina asked me. "Is it OK for us to come in, or just let us stand at the front door?"
With a grin spreading across my face, I reached out and took hold of their arms, pulling them into the cozy interior of the house. Once inside, I gently shut the front door behind us, shutting out the chilly evening air. Then Holly, my dear friend, spoke up excitedly, "Oh, you won't believe what I brought with me!" She reached into the bag she had carefully carried into the house and pulled out three bottles of wine, the labels showcasing the winery's intricate artwork.
Tina went into the kitchen to get three wine glasses out of the cabinet and returned to the living room. Holly opened a Snowy Mountains Pink Blush Wine bottle and served us some wine. We usually all be talking each other's ears off, but not tonight. Holly sat next to me on the sofa, and Tina sat over on the love seat. (I wish I could talk to both because I need them right now while I'm looking out this window into deep space.)
We all looked at each other, knowing that the night ahead was going to be challenging for me. "What do you want us to do tonight?" asked Tina, full of sympathy.
I replied, "Could you both help me pack? I haven't even taken my luggage out of the closet yet!"
We all chuckled, and Holly said, "Seriously? You haven't started packing yet?"
Taking a deep sigh, Tina said, "Come on, let's get started."
We all got up and went upstairs to the closet in the hallway to take the luggage out. I had eight pieces of luggage, a large tote bag, two large duffle bags, two large suitcases, two medium suitcases, and one small suitcase.
Tina and Holly helped me pull the luggage out into the hallway. Tina asked me, "Is that all?"
I said. " No. There are another two big duffle bags that has wheels attached to them. That is in another room," I informed them.
I reminded them that there was a limit of 10 pieces of luggage, no lockers, and no boxes. Holly looked at all the bags in the hall, laughed a bit, and said, "Where do we even begin?" I pointed at my bedroom, where I had all my clothes scattered everywhere.
Tina walked into my bedroom, laughed, and said with a disapproving tone, "Oh my goodness, we are going to be here all damn night."
Holly and I let out a laugh, and I confidently replied, "If it were just me, I would be here all damn night trying to pack this junk up. But I'm glad both of you are here to help."
They smiled at me and said, "Anytime."
I asked Holly if she could go to the other bedroom by the bathroom to pack up everything I had set out - a veritable mountain of stuff!—everything in the closet using duffle bags; I sat next to the daybed.
It took a couple of hours to get my stuff packed, which was no surprise considering that I had scattered my belongings around my house like a tornado had just passed through—my room, day room, bathroom, downstairs bathroom, den, some things in the kitchen, and guest room.
We had finished packing all my stuff into the luggage, so all the baggage was placed conveniently next to the front door. This made it really easy for me to grab it on my way out, which was great!
We had a really great evening, and it was getting late. We had finished the bottle of wine that Holly had opened, and there were still two bottles left! It was a little after midnight—early Friday morning—and I was already starting to feel a little emotional. It was such a wonderful night, and I was so thankful to have been able to spend it with my friends.
In about 19 hours, I'm off to the airport to board the shuttlecraft to the colony ship. As I look at my two best friends, Tina and Holly, tears start to form in my eyes. They have been by my side for so long, and I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness knowing that we're all going our separate ways. We have gone through so much together, from exploring the world to sharing secrets. I'm so thankful to have had them both in my life, and I will miss them dearly.
Holly told me, "Please don't cry."
Tina held my hand and wiped away the tears from my eyes, telling me, "Don't worry; everything will be okay. Get some sleep; you have a long day ahead. Holly and I are supposed to be at work at 7:00 a.m."
I just stood by the front door and nodded my head in acknowledgment that I had heard them. They both hugged me tightly, and before they left, Holly said. "We'll see you later this afternoon at 1:30 to take you to the airport."
I smiled and gently said OK. Tina opened the front door, and both of them walked to their cars. I waved to them both as they drove away, and then I closed the front door.
Before going upstairs to bed, I put the mason jars into a carrying case. I turned off all the lights downstairs and went upstairs to my bedroom, feeling a little bit better knowing that my friends were there for me.
When I arrived in my bedroom, I quickly grabbed the remote control and switched on the television, opting for a comedy show to watch.
After a few moments of deliberation, I decided to watch Neon City, a delightful comedy about a family living in a vibrant and stylish area.
Before I went to bed, I had to sign the back of my car title and the deed to my house. I was giving them both to Holly, as she was in the process of searching for a new car and house. I was splitting the money between myself and Tina; I was taking $200 and giving the rest to Tina.
I settled in on my bed, reaching for the folder containing the car title deed to the house from my nightstand. I carefully signed where I needed to and placed the folder back on the nightstand.
I allowed myself a moment to relax, turning my attention to the television and letting the comfort of sleep lull me away.