Precious Friendships

by: Halliwellgirls

I own this story, these characters, and all the rest of the stories on this page. Do not copy without my permission. Thank you.

This is a transition story between the first generation of friends and the new generation, their granddaughters. It is both the beginning and the end--the end of the old series and the beginning of the new one, as Lily, Lexi, Piper, and Alyson start the same process that their grandmothers went through 50 years earlier--growing up.
It was pouring rain outside. Thunder could be heard in the distance, too. They sky was a very dark grey, and didn�t look as if it was going to let up any time soon. 15-year-old Lily Mitchell was staring glumly out the window, not paying attention to the chaos behind her. It was her grandmother�s wake. Lily sighed, it was her grandmother�s wake, and she still didn�t believe she was really gone. Lily half expected her grandmother to come out of her first-floor bedroom in the Mitchell house and join the party. She didn�t though, because she was dead. Lily watched the raindrops splatter against the window, matching her exact mood at the moment. She glanced down at her hands, still clutching the program from this morning�s funeral. She had received it as she came through the door at the church and still hadn�t put it down. She�d wrinkled it, rolled it up, folded it, and crinkled it every which way. She smoothed it out now so she could see the writing.

                                                       Tara Louise Maclayne Adams
                                                   December 16, 1984 - May 15, 2058
                                                            Forever In Our Hearts

    It was true. Grandma Tara would always be in her heart. She sighed, putting her forehead on the cool pane of glass. It felt nice against her forehead. She twirled her light brown hair in her hands, marveling on how many colors her hair actually contained. Black, brown, blonde, and red could on occasion be found in Lily�s tresses. She sighed, wondering why her cousins didn�t come. Okay, they weren�t so much her cousins as not related at all, but she�d known them her whole life and they were her best friends.
    Fifteen-and-a-half like her, Alexis-Marie Lindley was the granddaughter of Kennedi and Siobhan. She was named after her grandmothers, as Kennedi was Kennedi Marie and Siobhan was Siobhan Alexis. Lexi looked like them, also, or at least a cross between them. Dark, curly hair, brown eyes, and medium skin, she was a real beauty. She was Lily�s absolute best friend, she and Lexi could almost read each others� minds.
    The Combs twins were her two other best friends, they had just recently turned fifteen. Alyson and Piper, named after their grandmother, Alyson Piper Almond, were best friends with each other, and looked very alike with their reddish blonde hair and green eyes.
    She looked down on her grandmother�s picture on the program. Alyson, Kennedi, Siobhan, and Lily�s grandmother, Tara, were truly the meaning of friendship. They�d met in childhood, and had grown up together, spending 50-odd years together. Lily could only hope that she would be as close to Allie, Piper, and Lexi as those four were.
    Lily felt a hand on her shoulder then. She spun around slowly to meet her best friend�s brown eyes, which locked with Lily�s blue ones. Lily smiled faintly at her friend, who smiled back.
    �How are you, honey?� Lexi asked, straying from saying �Are you okay?� because she certainly wasn�t.
    �Surviving.� Lily said, in a whisper, as she reached out her arms for Lexi. Her friend pulled Lily towards her, and Lily breathed in the scent of Lexi�s shampoo. The four friends had showered early that morning, at least four or five hours ago, but Lexi�s hair still smelled faintly of the kiwi-watermelon shampoo she used.
    �I�m here.� Lexi whispered in her friend�s ear. Lily still hadn�t cried. Her grandmother had died three days ago, and she still hadn�t cried. Usually, Lily was the first of the friends to cry, so this was worrying Lexi, Allie, and Piper. Lexi kept reassuring her it was okay to let go and cry, but Lily just couldn�t seem to.
    �I love you.� Lily whispered, so quietly that Lexi barely heard her.
    �You, too, honey.� Lexi returned the sentiment, and then pulled away, taking her friend by the hands,    �People are starting to leave, you want to come help send off?� she asked.
    �Sure.� Lily�s answer was short and strained, but Lexi didn�t push her, she just took her hand and led her towards the foyer where Allie and Piper were sending the guests off with Gregory and Allegra Mitchell, Lily�s parents. Allegra was Tara�s daughter, and it was very clear where Lily had gotten her looks.
    �Are you going to stay here again?� Brandon Lindley asked his sister. Brandon was Lexi�s 13-year-old brother, and was a big pain.
    �Yes.� Lexi�s answer was short, �Bye, bro, Mom.� Lexi said goodbye to her mother and brother. Lexi�s parents were divorced and she rarely saw her father. They didn�t visit him that often, since he lived in South Dakota now, about 5 hours� drive away.
    �Bye, Lex.� Madison-Anna Lindley, Lexi�s mom, gave her a kiss, �Take good care of Lily.�
    �I always do.� Lexi returned, smiling at Lily momentarily. The Lindleys left the house, and Lexi and Lily turned to their other best friends who were saying good-bye to the twins� parents, Tom and Tamara Combs. They waved goodbye, as the Combses stepped out just behind the Lindleys, and now the only ones left in the hallway were Gregory, Allegra, Lily, Lexi, Allie, and Piper.

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