Ellie has been through more than her fair share of hard times, health wise, for a child growing up in the UK.
When Ellie was about 2/3 (& suffering an agonising stomach problem that would last for 3 years) & Jo, my older daughter, was 6/7, we moved to a different area of Brighton & Jo started her 1st year of proper school (she'd only been in reception until that point) at a new school. She settled easily, made a best friend who has stayed in her class & been with her all through infants, juniors & secondary (alas, he is off to a different college now so they will be finally separated, though I don't doubt they will remain close friends despite this).
So in the mornings, I would get Jo ready for school, I would get Ellie ready to go out with me to take Jo to school. The walk was up a steep hill for the first 10 minutes, with a kid in a pushchair & a young un hanging off of it or me. Some mornings, when I opened my front door to leave, I'd see another mum walking past, kid in a buggy, at least 2 or 3 others hanging off her. I became competitive with this inimitable stranger. If she could make it to school by 08:55 with more kids than one in tow then I would make it there faster! More often than not I didn't, staring at her arse rocket away into the distance as I cursed her physical fitness whilst I huffed & puffed in her wake.
When Ellie reached playgroup age I enrolled her in the one around the corner. She quickly bonded with one of the other girls there, her name was Zoe. They talked of each other & wanted to go for play dates at each others houses. Soon after that I was approached by a wonderfully warm & friendly woman who was Zoe's mum, the same woman whose backside I'd raced up that hill to school so many times. Her name was Julie, since then she has been one of my closest friends.
Over the years, Ellie & Zoe built a friendship that until now I never realised was so rock solid. They went to the same school at first, they were in the same class in Reception & Year 1. But then Zoe moved away & had to go to another school nearer to where she lived. I assumed they would gradually drift apart as they were only 6 or 7 at that time.
Today, 1 year & 3 months into Elise's illness, all other "friends" long since dissipated, lost interest, embarrassed & awkward about Ellie's disability, today, I sat & watched Ellie & Zoe sitting on the veranda, chatting & giggling, playing games, whispering hushed secrets, exchanging knowing glances. They are 12 now. And today, I saw Ellie again. Ellie before she became unwEllie, & I am so, so grateful that we have Zoe in our lives. Ellie is an amazing kid, after all she's been through she's still kind & considerate & thoughtful & incredibly empathetic. And so is Zoe. She gives both me & Ellie the strength to know how the love of others can keep us going.
Zoe, we love you. x
