The Bucket List

Bailey was everything Grace remembered, long blonde hair that fell in natural waves, a long, tall athletic body, and a beautiful face that matched her beautiful personality.

Grace was thankful that Rissa hadn’t told her the cancer had returned, she remembered from when they were younger and when they would make their annual summer visits ever since Bailey’s dad had passed away.

Bailey would never let Grace out of her sight, always pulling her close and if she ever yawned instantly pulling her upstairs making her lay in her bed. She was like a miniature nurse, trying to make sure everything was how it should be.

When they both reached the age of ten, they didn’t swap stories of their latest adventure or what they’d been up to instead Bailey begging to hear all the stories of when Grace had been in hospital and how her progress was going.

When Grace’s hair began to fall out, she couldn’t cry, she wouldn’t allow herself. Instead of telling her mum or letting anyone find the small clump she put it in an envelope and tucked it into her bedside draw in the room her and Bailey shared.

Soon though her family noticed, the bald patches in her hair contrasting to the usual dark brown nearly black roots. Instead of waiting for the rest to fall out Grace and Bailey locked themselves in the bathroom, the only noise was that of the electric razor that her mum used to cut her dads hair. Grace sat in front of Bailey, the mirror showing her own reflection as she gave a reassuring nod. When they exited the bathroom, her mum cried. Her hand caressing her babies smooth bald head.

Her dad went out and came back with tons of scarves, different colours and patterns adorning them like a rainbow. Grace treasured her scarves, but deep down inside she was upset that her illness was affecting her physical appearance, now letting everyone know that she was abnormal when she left the house.

One night, being bored of being inside from a sudden burst of unexpected Arizona rain, Bailey pulled Grace in front of her, gently stroking the top of her hair. Being a couple of months older, as well as a few inches taller Bailey was very protective of her younger step cousin. Though they weren’t actually blood related, only through marriage, they didn’t think of it that way thinking of each other as there best friends, as invincible.

Giving Grace a small smile, letting her hand fall from her head, she reached up her hand tugging at the bright pink beanie that she had pulled on her head earlier on that afternoon, not taking it off or answering her mother when she questioned her.

As the pink accessory fell to the floor Grace’s eyes widened.

“Bails, what did you do?!” she squeaked as the older girl just smiled, grabbing her hand.

“I know you felt alone, and I thought I’d try and fix that. See now we match, people will think we are twins!” Bailey replied beaming at Grace, as the younger girl traced her cousins newly shaved head.

When they came downstairs that night for supper they didn’t know what was going to happen, Bailey never thought of consequences when it involved making Grace happy.

They were the last to the table, her grandparent’s, parents, aunt as well as Russ already seated with a drink in front of them.

Grace walked down, her hand gripping Baileys, before they reached the door they stopped turning to face each other. Grace raised her hand, adjusting Bailey’s floral scarf on her head.

When they walked through the door everyone looked up giving the girls a smile as they sat down, her grandparent’s eyes lingering upon Grace’s creamy scalp. When Bailey reached across the table to grab a bread roll the scarf fell on her plate, all eyes snapping onto her and Grace.

“Bailey, what have you done?! Are you making fun of Grace! You could be hurting her feelings, rubbing it in her face that she unfortunately has this disease!” their Grandma roared, as Rissa sat their shocked starring at her daughter.

“I’m-“Bailey began, her face heating up, this wasn’t the reaction she was expecting.

“Go upstairs, no supper for you” they commanded, pointing up the stair, as Baileys head bowed.

“Stop! I asked Bailey to do it, so I wouldn’t feel alone” Grace explained, crying as Bailey squeezed her hand under the table.

This year things were the same, they made up for lost time. Staying up late at night, playing Taylor Swift loudly singing along with the beautiful lyrics, going on pointless drives, windows down Grace’s arm hanging out the side tapping the rhythm to the songs Bailey played as Grace took random turns to discover their new adventure.