little bitty girl

My cousin Jo-Ann and I would often say this to one another. Right after I squeezed her as hard as I could.

Jo-Ann is my cousin closest to me in age, and we spent almost all of our holidays together until my family left for Canada. We had to promise not to fight with each other because our parents would make us. We inevitably ended up fighting during our weeks of vacation. What attributed to the fighting probably had much to do with the fact that since we didn't see each other for months, we would spend at least the first four days completely glued to each other. We were bound to get on each other's nerves eventually. But we always made up and I would always cry copiously as her father pulled the car out of our driveway.

I remember her best like this. I don't really know what it was with us, but we were always laughing our heads off. I always wanted to be her; with her snow white skin, gorgeous peach shaped face and her cute little line of freckles across the bridge on her nose. Her nose would wrinkle just so to either show disgust, disdain or humor. How I was so jealous of the ability to wrinkle one's nose.

The last time we saw each other was when I was home in Malaysia four years ago. I was afraid that my long time away with no real communication would make us act differently with each other. But there I was again, in her bedroom talking into the late late night. When she put me on the bus to go to my next destination, we promised each other that we wouldn't cry. As the bus pulled out, my face was pressed against the glass while tears were free falling from my face. I thought,"How stupid of me. Here I am crying like a moron" and then I noticed she was wiping her tears and leaning against Kau-Sern (then boyfriend, now husband).

Jo, I don't think I ever told you how special you were and are to me and thank you for giving me such great childhood memories.

Happy Belated Birthday.