No words for goodbye

Last night, sometime close to midnight, my friend KB died. She was 51 years old and had been married to the love of her life for 6 months. She leaves behind two of the greatest kids who are too young to be without a mom and two great step-kids who just got to know her.

That smile

She was my friend.

We met because our dogs decided to be best friends. Dezi (my dog) and Lexi (KB's dog) tore down the fence between my parent's house and KB's house so they could play. I knew Lexi for many months before I met KB. But Lexi introduced us.

One day while playing fetch with the dogs, Lexi jumped up and ate the necklace right off my neck. It was the one my mother gave me when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so it was pretty important to me. KB answered the door wearing only a towel. We spent the next week bonding while sifting poop for signs of silver.  We were fast friends from that point on.

Dog poop mining will do that.

KB had a rough go of things in life, but never failed to be the happiest, most positive person I'd ever met. Her mother had died when she was young. Her brother had followed suit shortly after with Lukemia. KB got married and then separated with two small children - a toddler and a new baby. She raised them single handedly for nearly 20 years.

KB did what only KB could do - she enjoyed every moment of life knowing how short it could be. She was careful with money because she had to be, but she gave everything she could for her children. She spent time with them, she laughed with them, she was their friend and their parent and their champion. She didn't care if the house was clean as long as she was with her kids.

She made use of every second.

KB was the strangest woman I have ever met. She was weird and eccentric and never apologized for it once. She liked what she liked, she was what she was, and she let it be known. KB gave me the courage to be ridiculous and nerdy and to admit to having dreams that weren't sensible.

KB was an archivist in her day job, but her passions were baking and writing.  She encouraged me to write and we spent hours talking about plots and characters and our plans to be famous authors. We planned to write a piece of our novels every Friday until they were done.

She baked bread every Saturday for years and sold it so she would have enough money to make it through the month. She was amazing at it and was everyone's go to baker for every occasion.  She even made my wedding cake (one of the most gorgeous things ever) but the stress of it was too much for her and she refused to do it again until her own wedding.

After over a decade of being single, KB met the love of her life. She knew instantly he was the one for her. Fate took a little while for them to get together, but they did and it has been amazing to watch. After years of being alone, she had found her other half. Her centre. She was never so happy as the time she spent with Chris. She beamed and the joy was contagious. A year and a half of the KB who was always meant to be.

Her happiest day
photo via Wynn Anne 

Yesterday, KB went into the hospital for extreme stomach pain. After hours of tests, they found nothing useful. A CT scan was needed. It was all very routine. She was injected with an iodine solution and things went badly. It appeared to be an allergic reaction that shut down her organs.

Within a few hours, a woman who had more life than anyone I know was gone.

And we are left.

I will miss you, KB. You were sunshine in the rain -- even when the cloud was right over your head. You have been my friend, my cheering squad, my sounding board, my prayer partner. You gave everyone everything at anytime they needed it and I am honoured you came into my life.