Many many years ago when Chris and I were just young kids falling in love I had a nemesis. She was beautiful, perfect, and just as devious as I was at that age. I was the new fling in her friend’s life and we made each other lives hell. Secretly, I was envious of her. To me she looked perfect and she intimidated the hell out of me. I remember one night our dislike of each other had me chain smoking Marlboro reds on the front stoop, drinking southern comfort straight from the bottle.

Our fights were legendary. She was my nemesis.

A strange thing happened….we grew up. We realized we weren’t perfect and when we would hang out over a few drinks we’d have a really good time. We became other people’s worst nightmares. As our husbands wondered if hell froze over we laughed, did shots and complimented each other.

Last night I was struggling with fear. I was doing my best to be strong for everyone. Chris saw through it of course and smothered me in love. As did others. Stacy, my beautiful nemesis, reached out not knowing that I was awaiting results of my CT. She said she was thinking of me and wanted to check in.

Stacy lost her nemesis crown to that bitch cancer years ago. Despite or maybe because of our past we have a weirdly close connection. She still intimidates the hell out of me. Like a goth girl fears the cheerleader. But at the end of the day we both are two seasoned BMX wives who grew up in the shadows of our past. We aren’t perfect. We are still bitchy. We still are immature. And we are friends.

Cancer is my nemesis along with her sidekick marker. She needs to watch out. I have an arsenal of strong women…and one is a head cheerleader.