When I first met Chris, his niece (soon to be my niece) Brittany was just a little blond pixie with a sassy mouth and attitude. She had her uncle and anyone else that knew her wrapped around her finger. And she knew it. Over the years Brittany would come to stay with us many times. We talk of those times and most of the stories were centered around Uncle Chris and how he would scare her with ghost stories or build an ice skating rink for her and her brother Brock. This year she told me a memory of hers that I still can’t stop thinking about.

It was Christmas about 20 years ago. Brittany came back to Madison with us. Chris drove a beat up VW diesel pick up truck, bucket seats not bench. So where did I sit? In the back bed of the truck with the pups. Not very legal nor warm but Brit was safe, as safe as one can be in a pos vw truck. On the way home unbeknownst to me, Chris was telling Brit all about aliens and alien abductions. While the back truck bed was frosting over, the front cab was filled with stories of little green (or grey) men and their love of experimenting on humans. We got home late and I set to work getting Brittany all settled in her bed. The “girl” room in our home was a light purple and was furnished with my old bed set. I loved that room. That is where my memory ends of that night and Brittany’s continues.

After tucking her in under the purple and white quilt, Brittany told me she was scared. I went to the closet and pulled out incense stating it would relax her and keep the aliens away. I then sat with her till her eyes closed.

I don’t remember this but she does. And we come full circle.

We don’t know what the future holds and that scares many people. It scares my beautiful niece. She says she can’t imagine her world without me. I don’t have incense to make this scary story better or to keep away death. And in my head it is her tucking me in and sitting with me till my eyes close. And that both comforts me and breaks my heart.

Our paths have run parallel for most of our lives together. From her childhood, to the births of our sons only a few months apart, to watching her become the beautiful mother and partner I’ve always known she would be. It is only natural to have her there as we take this next path into the unknown. Into the light.