He was sitting in the front row on the first seat at church. He was the pastor’s son and my big brother’s best friend. I thought his freckle-covered face was adorable, and every time I looked into his beautiful, blue-green eyes, I would drown in a pool of bliss. I had a perfect view of him from my seat in the third row, on the opposite side of the church. His name was Daniel Mack Abbott, but we all called him Danny.Every time he happened to glance behind him, my best friend Jacqui would nudge me.
"He's looking at you," she whispered. I giggled.
"How many times is that now?" I asked.
"Four,” she whispered.
I was about 14 years old and had the biggest crush of my whole entire life. I would do anything to get his attention and I was willing to fight any girl for him. I figured if I fought hard enough, he would be mine.
(My scrapbook was filled with his pictures.)
"Just wait, I would boast to everyone. “I'm gonna marry that boy some day!"
My boasting came to halt one day when my best friend Jacqui called.
"Hey girl, what's up?" I said.
“You are so not going to believe what just happened to me,” she said.
“Oh tell me, tell me,” I exclaimed.
“Danny just called me,” she said.
“What did he say?” I squealed. She paused…
"Okay, don't get mad at me," she said, but Danny asked me to the Valentine's Banquet, and I said ‘yes’."
"Uhhh, umm ..."shocked, all I could do was stutter. I couldn’t believe it!
"He just called a few minutes ago," she said. "You’re my best friend so I wanted you to be the first to know."
"Oh,” I managed to choke out. How nice of you, I though to myself! I didn’t know what else to say. So hung up the phone and started crying.
*
How could she do this to me? I wondered. She knew how much I liked him, and yet she still said “yes”. What kind of a friend was she? Little did I know I had a lot to learn about friendship.
"Hey girl, what's up?" I said.
“You are so not going to believe what just happened to me,” she said.
“Oh tell me, tell me,” I exclaimed.
“Danny just called me,” she said.
“What did he say?” I squealed. She paused…
"Okay, don't get mad at me," she said, but Danny asked me to the Valentine's Banquet, and I said ‘yes’."
"Uhhh, umm ..."shocked, all I could do was stutter. I couldn’t believe it!
"He just called a few minutes ago," she said. "You’re my best friend so I wanted you to be the first to know."
"Oh,” I managed to choke out. How nice of you, I though to myself! I didn’t know what else to say. So hung up the phone and started crying.
*
How could she do this to me? I wondered. She knew how much I liked him, and yet she still said “yes”. What kind of a friend was she? Little did I know I had a lot to learn about friendship.
*
“Just because you like him, doesn’t mean you own him,” said one of the older girls in my church,“Other girls can like him, too.”
“Whatever!” I thought to myself.
“Just because you like him, doesn’t mean you own him,” said one of the older girls in my church,“Other girls can like him, too.”
“Whatever!” I thought to myself.
*
However, I did try really hard not to be mad at her for what she had done. It wasn’t her fault that he liked her and not me. I told myself no guy was worth losing my best friend.
However, I did try really hard not to be mad at her for what she had done. It wasn’t her fault that he liked her and not me. I told myself no guy was worth losing my best friend.
Yet, when I looked at his handsome face, I wasn’t sure maybe it was.
*
This situation was really hard on our friendship. That’s when little Sarah stepped in. Sarah Nickels was 10 years old. Too young for Danny, too young to be my friend, but just right to be my messenger, and she was a very loyal messenger, too!
This situation was really hard on our friendship. That’s when little Sarah stepped in. Sarah Nickels was 10 years old. Too young for Danny, too young to be my friend, but just right to be my messenger, and she was a very loyal messenger, too!
*
“Everyone thinks that you’re mad because Danny didn’t ask you to the banquet," said Sarah.
"I'm not mad!” I said. “But go tell Danny he should have gone with me!"
“Okay,” she said obediently, running off to do her job.
“Everyone thinks that you’re mad because Danny didn’t ask you to the banquet," said Sarah.
"I'm not mad!” I said. “But go tell Danny he should have gone with me!"
“Okay,” she said obediently, running off to do her job.
*
Another time at summer, Bible camp, in Prescott, little Sarah came running over to me.
"Mary! Mary! Some girl at choir practice said that she likes Danny." At 14 I was too old to be a camper, so I went as a staff member instead. Sarah would keep me informed on everything that was going on.
"WHAT! How dare she?" I said.
"I know," said Sarah. "I told her that Danny Abbott went to our church and that you liked him first."
"Good job!" I said.
Another time at summer, Bible camp, in Prescott, little Sarah came running over to me.
"Mary! Mary! Some girl at choir practice said that she likes Danny." At 14 I was too old to be a camper, so I went as a staff member instead. Sarah would keep me informed on everything that was going on.
"WHAT! How dare she?" I said.
"I know," said Sarah. "I told her that Danny Abbott went to our church and that you liked him first."
"Good job!" I said.
*
That night Sarah was at my side in the dorm room as I yelled out the window.
"I like Danny Abbott!"
"Well I like Danny Abbott, too," yelled a voice a couple rooms down in the dorm.
"That’s her," whispered Sarah.
"Well I like Danny Abbott more," I yelled back.
That night Sarah was at my side in the dorm room as I yelled out the window.
"I like Danny Abbott!"
"Well I like Danny Abbott, too," yelled a voice a couple rooms down in the dorm.
"That’s her," whispered Sarah.
"Well I like Danny Abbott more," I yelled back.
*
One time I made a cookie for Danny, but I was to shy to give it to him.
"Sarah, will you go give this to Danny for me.” I kissed the cookie before I handed it to her. "Tell Danny I made this cookie for him. After he takes a bite of the cookie, tell him I kissed it. Then come back and tell me what he says.”
"He says it was delicious," she said after completing her assignment. (She left out the part were he spit it out, after he found out that I had kissed it.)
One time I made a cookie for Danny, but I was to shy to give it to him.
"Sarah, will you go give this to Danny for me.” I kissed the cookie before I handed it to her. "Tell Danny I made this cookie for him. After he takes a bite of the cookie, tell him I kissed it. Then come back and tell me what he says.”
"He says it was delicious," she said after completing her assignment. (She left out the part were he spit it out, after he found out that I had kissed it.)
*And so the drama continued...
*“Let’s go find Danny and take a picture of him. Go tell Danny I like his shirt. Go give Danny this note. Go tell Danny I missed him. Tell me if you see any girls flirting with him.” And little Sarah kept doing her job…
*
That was all a long time ago, I am 25 now, and a lot has happened in the last 11 years. Jacqui and I managed to get over our petty squabbling and remained the best of friends. Little Sarah grew up, and we became best friends as well. Eventually, I got over Danny, and have liked a million guys since then. I have spent many nights up late, with both Jacqui and Sarah, whispering and giggling over cute guys.
That was all a long time ago, I am 25 now, and a lot has happened in the last 11 years. Jacqui and I managed to get over our petty squabbling and remained the best of friends. Little Sarah grew up, and we became best friends as well. Eventually, I got over Danny, and have liked a million guys since then. I have spent many nights up late, with both Jacqui and Sarah, whispering and giggling over cute guys.
*
Three summers ago there was a wedding, Danny Abbott's wedding. This was the wedding I had spent many hours dreaming about.
Three summers ago there was a wedding, Danny Abbott's wedding. This was the wedding I had spent many hours dreaming about.
*
Although it wasn’t exactly the way I had planned it. It was still perfect, because, it happened exactly the way God planned it.
*
I felt like a princess that day, as I walked down the aisle holding on tightly to my beautiful rose bouquet. My Little Messenger Sarah did my hair and it was piled up on my head with beautiful curls flowing down. Little pink and red roses were in my hair and I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world, as I walked down the aisle, smiling happily. No, I wasn't the bride, but I was a bridesmaid.
*So who did Danny Abbott end up marrying?
I felt like a princess that day, as I walked down the aisle holding on tightly to my beautiful rose bouquet. My Little Messenger Sarah did my hair and it was piled up on my head with beautiful curls flowing down. Little pink and red roses were in my hair and I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world, as I walked down the aisle, smiling happily. No, I wasn't the bride, but I was a bridesmaid.
*So who did Danny Abbott end up marrying?
It wasn't my best friend that went with him to the banquet or the girl from camp or any of the other girls I used to fight with. It was little Sarah. I don’t remember her ever doing foolish things to try and gain his attention, but one day he looked across the aisle at church and he noticed her. Danny Abbott fell in love with my Little Messenger.
*
“I can’t believe it!” I said to Sarah on her wedding day, as I buttoned the cuffs on her beautiful white dress. “My little Sarah is getting married.” I can’t help but smile at the way things turned out.*
*
“I can’t believe it!” I said to Sarah on her wedding day, as I buttoned the cuffs on her beautiful white dress. “My little Sarah is getting married.” I can’t help but smile at the way things turned out.*
You see, my little messenger gave me a message as well. Her message was about friendship and loyalty. She taught me that being a friend doesn’t mean you can’t like the same guy, but a true friend will stick by you no matter what happens. The world is full of handsome men. However, best friends are like a rare treasure, they're hard to find.
