“Jess, which top, blue with white triangles or black with white triangles?” Bryonna yelled across the house.
“Blue will look better under the restaurant lights,” I answered honestly. Bryonna walked across the house to my room in the blue shirt I suggested.

“Jess, can you believe it? We’re here! We planned this for months and we’re finally here!” Bryonna said with such awe it came out in a whisper.

“I know B; this is everything we dreamed about, other than the A/C being broken.” The two girls giggled.
Bryonna, B as I call her, is my bestfriend. We have been inseparable since high school. Back then we were complete opposites. She was the daring, outgoing one, and I was the quiet, quirky one in her shadow. Our senior year, we decided on different colleges; despite our previous plans to attend the same one. She went to Appalachian, and I went to Chapel Hill. As we finished up college, we started to plan this amazing trip. Little did we know it would be the best trip yet!

“How are we going to find our way around this island?” I said with wide eyes.
“What can’t we do?” Bryonna replied with a mischievous grin.
“I’m serious, B!” I exclaimed.

“We’ll figure it out, Jess. We always do!” Bryonna replied with her familiar nonchalant attitude.
“Lets go eat. Didn’t we pass a restaurant on our road?” Bryonna said. “Yeah, we did; let’s walk.” I said quickly.
“I’ll have the Chicken Schnitzel, no asparagus.” I said tastefully.

“Make that two.” Bryonna said cheerfully. As the waiter walked away, Bryonna leaned in close, “you’ve been down here before, so tell me, what is the deal with all of the roaming animals?” I almost choked from laughing.

“I have no idea B, they are just here.” I replied easily. “I wonder who she is,” I said pointing at a girl around our age.

“I’m guessing she lives here, she has an expensive bag and a permanent tan.” Bryonna said looking over at her. At that moment, she glanced my way and smiled. You could tell it was a painful smile, I wondered what her story was.

After finishing our chicken and paying for our meal, I looked up to see the girl we had spoken of earlier.
“Hi, are you guys visiting?” She said with a huge smile.
“Yes, we’re staying for four days!” I replied.
“I’m Bethany, I live here.” she said.

“Really? How do you manage to drive on these crazy roads?” Bryonna said with amazement.
“Well, you get used to constantly dodging animals and other cars.” She said with a laugh.
“I saw you two walk in, did you drive down here?” She asked.
“No, we couldn’t get the courage up.” I said with a short laugh.

“It took me six months to even get behind the wheel when we moved.” We all laughed. After an hour or so of talking, she asked us if we needed a tour of the island. We accepted quickly, even though we knew we wouldn’t see much because it was dark.
“Would y’all like to come by my house?” She questioned.
“Sure!” Bryonna and I replied in unison.

As we went up her drive, I was astonished at how elaborate her house was. She took us up the front path and gave us a tour, a long one at that. She finally showed us to her room where we sat and talked for hours about Bethany and her missing mom. She told us her mother had left early one morning for a trip, (she was a wedding planner and often made trips to other islands) she said she was oddly suspicious because her mom was very emotional. She had told her she loved her and said goodbye, six months later her mom had not returned. The girls realized it was coming towards midnight, as they piled into her Mercedes to head to our resort. We made plans for her to come pick us up the next day and we would go to Lambert Beach. We stayed at the beach half of the day, alternating between a beach chair and walking in the water. Around lunch, we headed to Bethany’s house, we grabbed a quick sandwich and talked more. Bethany had revealed her mom had last been seen at the boat dock beside their yacht. We all agreed to take it easy that day and go to the boat dock the next morning. Later, we talked well into the night.

I awoke the next day with the morning sun staring me in the face, as I gathered my bearings I realized we had fallen asleep talking. I laughed silently. I woke the girls up from, what seemed to be, a dead sleep. We then got ready and made a quick stop by our vacation house to take a quick shower and grab fresh clothes.
“Next stop, the boat doak!” Bethany said quickly.

As we arrived at the boat dock, I saw boats, boats, and more boats. I didn’t even know where to start looking for clues. Mainly, we just walked around in hopes to find anything. After we had given up at the boat dock, Bethany took us back to her place and we searched her moms room from top to bottom. While we were searching, I looked through her desk drawer and hidden in a mound of old paid bills, there was a letter addressed to Bethany, she quickly opened it and revealed a small receipt of a ticket to one of her recitals from many years ago. Twenty minutes later, we were in front of the theater.

“Wow, I haven’t seen this place in years.” Bethany said as tears formed in her eyes.
We saw a few people rehearsing on stage, I wondered what they were doing but didn’t want to ask. Bethany stopped suddenly and asked them what they were rehearsing and kept talking to them, until finally I shooed her into the dressing room area. As we approached the dressing room, Bethany turned to Bryonna and I and apologized for wasting our vacation and handed us her car keys. We both rejected the keys and continued on. Bethany smiled back at us and turned the doorknob. She was filled with awe, I could tell, she said it looked exactly as it had when she still did recitals. We looked around to find any kind of clue, after at least an hour, Bethany plopped down on the couch.

“I give up, there is nothing about my moms disappearance in this room.” Bethany said exasperated.
“When is this picture from, Beth?” I asked pointing to the picture of her and her mom on the wall.
“Nationals ‘08. My last recital.” She said without much thought.

Before the girls realized what I was doing I had lifted the picture frame off the wall, behind the frame was a letter wedged between the nails addressed to Bethany.

Bethany scrambled off the couch, snatched the letter, tore it open, and began to read aloud.
My Dearest Bethany,

  I hope you won’t find my disappearance cruel, as I had to complete a very important task. A few things you don’t know about me. One, I have breast cancer. I am truly sorry for never telling you, but with you at college in the states, I didn’t want to ruin your plans. Two, I am dying, quickly I might add, I have three weeks tops. Three, I have arranged for you to find this soon, but if this arrangement falls through, God will intervene. These are things I have kept from you and again I am truly sorry my darling. As you know, me and your father never had a real wedding and that is one of the millions of things I want for you. I have traveled away on what seems like a business trip, but truly was a trip to plan your wedding. I know, as of right now, you do not have a fiance’, (unless you will have one by the time you get this) but I have picked out a few things for you to remember me by on your special day. As a wedding planner and your mother, I have a feeling I know exactly what you want. I have picked out a dress and a few decorations. I hope you will love this wedding of sorts, because it truly was my death wish.

To obtain these items you will need to travel to St. Thomas by ferry. As you get off the ferry, you will go through customs because it is US territory, you will need a passport!! After you get through customs and walk out of the ferry station, you will turn left and continue down the street. There is a small bridal shop, Mrs. Kay’s Bridal, you will go in and ask to see Mrs. Kay. She will show you to the back room where all of your bridal things are being stored. Remember to keep me in your heart on your special day.
I love you sweetie.
  Your mother

Bethany finished with a teary face and a small voice, I realized when she finished sometime during the letter I had started crying. Bryonna and I both engulfed her in a huge hug and stayed like that for a while. An hour later, we were boarding a ferry to St. Thomas, on the ferry we prepared our passports and backpacks. When the ferry had docked, we got in the long line for customs. After going through customs, it was approaching 5:45, we hurriedly walked down the street to the Bridal shop.

We finally arrived at the tiny shop and walked in, Bethany went straight to the counter to ask for Mrs. Kay. What seemed like only a minute later Mrs. Kay popped out and exclaimed it had been at least six months since she had seen Bethany’s mother. Bethany asked about the back room, Mrs. Kay smiled and led them to the back. As she opened the door, I think all of us gasped. Every wedding decoration known to man was laying in front of us, along with this beautiful gown. Mrs. Kay silently enveloped Bethany in her arms and the two stood crying, while Bryonna and I stood gaping at the decorations.

I realized at this moment, life isn’t all about taking elaborate vacations or always being the best of the best. Life also isn’t to be hated, life is to be filled with joy. That joy comes from helping someone out in times of need and not expecting anything back; such as, helping Bethany find peace and closure about her mother’s sudden disappearance and making a new friend in the process.