Life in Middleton was never exciting. And the day Cody MacGregor and Erin Fletcher were separated it was downright devastating. The two of them were only three years apart in age. They met when Erin was four years old, and from then on they became inseparable. They were the best of friends who spent practically every hour of every day together.
Cody was the braver of the two, and was always the hero in Erin's eyes. Cody was also the stronger one, but that may have been because of her height. She was tall for only being seven years old, and continued to be taller than all of the other kids her age throughout the years.
Cody used to feel lucky for the name given her, because she knew she couldn't stand girlie names or anything else girlie for that matter. Except for Erin. Yes, Erin could be as girlie as she wanted to be and it was okay for Cody. In fact she liked it. So, Cody made it a point every Thanksgiving holiday, to thank her father for naming her the way he did.
Cody was close to her dad. He was the only one she had around besides Erin. He was the one who took her fishing and taught her how to work on a car. Cody never knew her mom, on account that she died in a terrible car accident when she was nine months pregnant with Cody. Mr. MacGregor would hug Cody fiercely on her birthday every year, and thank the heavens out loud for leaving him with something to remember his beloved wife by.
Erin lived two houses down from her best friend. Her brother, Michael was Cody's age, but he didn't really hang out with them. Only when it was time for softball, and Cody joined their team ---- of course, only after winning a fist fight against John Rogers, who said girls can't play softball they only know how to cook and sew ----- did Michael spend time with them. And Erin was there at every game cheering on her brother and her best friend.
Erin used to wait every morning for Cody to come get her so they can walk to school together, and every day Cody made sure Erin got home safely no matter where they were after school. Even when Erin had to attend summer school one year because she was having trouble with math, Cody was right there to walk with her and pick her up afterwards.
Erin never got tired of Cody. She could tell her best friend anything and know she would never be put down or rejected. Erin knew there was something special between her and Cody. She used to believe it was a magical rope that connected them. She said they were fashioned out of the same mold in heaven before it accidentally fell and broke.
Erin's mom used to chastise her for her foolish thoughts and for always spending time with Cody. Her mother was disappointed that Erin didn't try to make other friends, but for Erin, Cody was all she wanted. On the days when Erin's mom and pop fought, Erin would stay at Cody's and on many occasions spend the night. Together they would help Mr. MacGregor cook dinner or set the table and then all three would play a board game together. Erin and Cody would sleep on the living room floor in sleeping bags or out in the back yard in Cody's tent on summer nights.
Yeah, life for these two girls was simple and fun --- the way childhood should be for all. But one summer day changed everything for them forever.
************
Cody just turned thirteen years old. It was two weeks after her birthday that she woke up to find there was something very different going on. She felt different. So she stared into the huge brightly-lit bathroom mirror after her shower, and was dumbfounded to find these small round mounds of flesh where her flat chest used to be. "Oh no, this can't be happening." She whispered to no one. Tentatively raising a hand to poke at the fleshy lump, a tear threatened to spill over her cheeks. Far in the back of her mind, she knew that one day she would get these "things", but had hoped that maybe the gods would bless her in not having any.
Throwing on her T-shirt, she ran out of the bathroom in search of her father. She knocked into him in the laundry room, and hugged him tightly about the waist.
"Hey, Lil' Bit, what's wrong?" He asked in wonder as she just held onto him. "Uhh...you're squeezing your pa's breakfast out of him." He pried her arms away, and looked into her stormy blue eyes. Quickly noticing that her shirt didn't fit just right, he chuckled. "You're startin' to grow up Lil' Bit. And here I was beginnin' to think adolescence would pass you by." He hoisted her up onto the dryer, and crossed his burly thick arms across his broad chest.
"I don't wanna have breasts, pa." She stated vehemently.
"Aw, sweetie, its part of nature." He scratched at his thick bushy black and peppered gray beard with his massive paw of a hand before continuing, "Now you know this also means you're going start your period soon."
"Noooo." She grabbed at her raven hair in anger.
"Now Cody," He took her hands in his. "We've had this talk, and it's a good thing we did." Raising her chin to meet her eyes, he lovingly said, "Honey, if I could change things for you, I would. I'd like to always keep you at ten years old as my feisty tomboy, but that's not how life works."
She couldn't help but cry, so he pulled her into a hug. "I wish your ma was here to help with all this. She would know how to make you feel better." He brushed a thick hand through her long hair. "But I'm tryin' the best I can Lil' Bit."
Cody wiped at her face. "I know pa."
"Hey, when I get home from work, we'll go to Wal-Mart and get you a couple of training bras, and maybe some other...umm...feminine products so that we're not completely caught by surprise when your period does come."
She rolled her eyes, and smacked a hand to her forehead. "I really hate this."
"I know." He cupped her cheeks, and gave her a smile. "But you'll be okay."
*************
Erin ran from the kitchen table and out into the bright sunshine outside. Grabbing her favorite purple baseball cap on the way out, the one with Winnie the Pooh eating a jar of honey, that Cody gave her a year ago, she skipped her way over to her best friend's place.
She always started her search for Cody in the backyard because she knew her favorite friend enjoyed spending every summer day outside. Expecting to find Cody playing with her chameleon on the back porch, she was surprised there was no sign of her so she took a seat on the steps and waited a few moments. Suddenly she heard a sniffle coming from the tent in the middle of yard. Hopping up and over in that direction, she unzipped the flap, and tackled Cody onto her back with a big hug. "Hey you, how come you're in here all alone?"
Erin looked into her favorite blue eyes and noticed the tear stained face. "What's wrong Cody? What happened?"
Cody remained silent and just wiped at her face with the back of her hand.
"Come on C-o-d-y. You never cry. P-l-e-a-s-e talk to me, I'm your best friend. We tell each other everything."
Ocean blue eyes looked into sea green. "I'm... growing up."
Erin gave her a goofy smile. "Whaddya mean silly?"
"I'm... um... I'm getting breasts."
Excitedly Erin questioned, "Really?" She clapped her hands in joy. "Yaaayy, you're so lucky. I'm going to be so happy when I start to grow up and have breasts."
"But I don't want them. I'm not glad I have them." Cody hung her head in anger.
Erin bit her bottom lip, and wondered what to say to help her friend. "I'm sorry you don't want them. I wish you could give them to me. It would be so nice."
Cody chuckled. "You're such a girl."
"I like being a girl. Don't you like me being a girl?"
"You know I do."
Erin gave her a huge grin, and a giggle. "So... can I see them?"
