Best Friends

It has been a while since Lachelle and Renee had traveled to Marsala, Italy. After many years Renee is finally sitting, gazing at the beautiful Mediterranean Sea as the red and orange sun sets evenly on the even lined horizon. "I'm back," Renee, thought to herselfÐ'...finally, I'm back." The water was calm with small ripple like waves. The air smells of ancient history. There is a balcony that is made out of a dark gray quartzite stone and a table with two ironed carved white chairs. There is also a pair of French doors that connects to the bedroom. "She would have loved the view." Renee said, as tears began to fall.

Lachelle and Renee have been best friends since Renee was 7 and Lachelle was 11. They met in church singing in the children's choir. Lachelle had a beautiful voice. She would bellow out notes effortlessly and people's eyes would look hypnotized by note. Lachelle and Renee loved being in church because they loved to sing gospel music. To them, gospel affected the soul of person. One year they decided to start a group, called the Argo Ensemble, a gospel group, that consisted of 5 members: Lachelle; 17 years old, Lee; 21 years old, Cheslea; 16 years old, Lynette; 14 years old and Renee was 13 years old. Renee loved the fact that she could stay up rehearsing passed her curfew. They would rehearse past midnight some nights and Renee's parents would not mind because they knew she was with dependable peers. The Argo Ensemble sang everywhere in Illinois. Lachelle and Renee's relationship grew tighter through these affairs. After each "gig" they would recap the evening by laughing at the mistakes only they noticed. They would alternate spending nights over to each other's houses every weekend. They would spend the night over each other's homes, stay up late and eat everything we could find. They would have singing talent shows, which Renee knew Lachelle would win, but the fact that it was all in fun, she didn't care who won, she just loved to sing and be in the company of her best friend. They would call each other everyday 10 times a day to discuss something that might have just happened. They also would make an effort to watch an awesome movie, "Beaches" together.

As Renee matured into her 20's, she began dating and enjoying the fact that she only had herself to manage. She didn't have to feel tied down in a committed relationship if she didn't want too. The Argo Ensemble has been broken up for 2 years and Renee has been singing back up for Lachelle for 5 years straight. Unfortunately, Renee asked to be excused from her vocal seat since she was now in school completing her Bachelor's degree at Depaul University. Renee had no extra time for traveling and rehearsing anymore.

Lachelle got married and had two children at the age of 25. She had two girls but was constantly determined to give her husband a son. Renee always thought Lachelle put too much pressure on this issue considering it was not she producing the boy but his chromosome that produced the boys. Renee and Lachelle would always argue this issue and every time Lachelle angry and disgusted. This episode in Lachelle's life went on 5 years and 3 kids later, still not producing any boys but all girls. Renee finally mentioned to Lachelle that she should not beat herself down or feel guilty of the fact that she cannot have a boy and her husband should understand that. After the last child, Lachelle decided to fix that problem by never having another child again.

Lachelle at the age of 32 and Renee at the age of 28 were still closer than close. They continued their ritual of calling each other everyday talking about the world. Lachelle would talk to Renee about her marital situations and problems and Renee would talk to Lachelle about work issues and dating frenzies. Another ritual they would have is every month gets together for a girl's night, order pizza and watch their favorite movie "Beaches." They thought this movie was the epitome of best friend movies. They would cry every time they watched it just like they've never seen it before and then laugh at the fact of they were crying again.

They very seldom had knock down, wall shacking arguments and when they did they didn't let the day end without making up. Lachelle was the kind of person who has always done what she wanted to do. She hardly ever listened to good sound advice from family or friends. Renee was the kind of person who loved being busy but still knew how to make time for herself. One thing Lachelle and Renee knew was that they both knew each other inside and out. They never spoke about each other outside their circle and they both loved the same things.

One evening Renee was in her apartment just getting out the shower when her phone rang. "I hate it when that happens, something told me to bring the phone in the bathroom with me." She picked it up and it was Lachelle on the other end sounding desperate. "What is wrong girl?" Renee asked Lachelle. "I am on my way to your place, I don't know if I want to stay in my marriage." Lachelle said. "How far are you away?" Renee curiously asked. "I am 10 minutes away." Lachelle replied.

Renee hung the phone up, dripping wet she ran to the bathroom to get her robe. Renee knew Lachelle must have been speeding because she lives 30 minutes away from her. Renee pondered in her mind what could have happened between her and her husband.

The doorbell rang and Renee let Lachelle in, she had on her black with white poke-a-dot silk pajamas and her mint black gabardine long length trench coat. Her eyes were swollen from crying and she was just hysterical. Immediately Renee told her to sit down on the couch and discuss what happened. Lachelle went on and on about how she is tired of her marriage and how her husband doesn't understand her. She wants out of the marriage and the kids are driving her crazy. She said before she came, she tore the house to pieces. She broke every dish in the house, she tore down the stereo and television, she broke the windows to the dining room and the kids woke up in horror to find their mother acting out "I couldn't control myself and that scares me." "Lachelle," Renee uttered, "what do you want to do?" Lachelle looked up to the ceiling and then around the living room and finally fixed her eyes on the wall, which hung an African art piece. Lachelle said she never knew Renee bought the African art piece from the art show. Renee looked at her like she was crazy asking, "Lachelle, did you hear what I asked you? What are you going to do? What do you want me to do?" Lachelle looked at Renee and a tear rolled down her left check. "I am not sure, all I know is