Sending a T-shirt hug

When I graduated from college, I left Hillary behind. We all left Hillary behind. She is a year younger than most of the people she was friends with including our other roommate and her now-husband.

She wasn't happy with us, as if we had any control over it. Hillary is not good with good-byes. I once had to drag her downstairs from our room in the sorority house before I left for our six-week winter break, after which Hillary would spend a 10-week quarter in Mexico. She just wanted me to leave for home without saying a word to her. That's Hillary. I made her come down and hug me. That's me.

Anyway, when I graduated, I gave Hillary a sorority T-shirt that had been given to me the year before. She coveted that T-shirt during my senior year and she was the only person to whom I was willing to give it.

It is a soft, heathered gray, thin T-shirt from a time before either one of us was in college. It is the most comfortable T-shirt I have ever worn.

One day, while planning my wedding, I got a package in the mail. It was the T-shirt from Hillary with a note saying she figured I needed it back.

I returned it to her a few months later as part of her wedding shower present. She kept it through her pregnancy with The Boy and sent it back to me when I was pregnant with Peanut.

Now the T-shirt is on its way back to Florida. I'm also sending some Highlander Grogg, decaf (so she can drink all she wants without worry) coffee, our coffee of choice during college.

Hillary and I have always been close but motherhood has strengthened our friendship. She was one of the first people I told I was pregnant. She was the first person I personally called to tell her I was in the hospital and then again when I had Peanut. We talk at least once or twice a week by phone and send each other notes almost every day.

So since I can't be there in person (and since I forgot to include the card in the package), I'm sending the shirt back as a congratulations hug. Hillary, you are a wonderful mother and the next little one will be lucky to have you as his or her mama.

Love you.