And So She Slept

The Bucket (List)

Saying an exhausted farewell and thank you to the last guests shuffling out of the loft, Sadie closed the door and slid the old golden chain into the lock. She turned around, leaning her back against the door to look at the state of her home, and the two most important people in her life since the death of her parents. Jack and Krystina may not have been her family, but when she was left with no one, they didn't hesitate to make her feel at home. Kicking her pumps off, and losing three inches of height, she walked back into the kitchen to help bag the empty cups and cake-covered paper plates.

"Overall, I'd say best party I've ever done," Krystina announced, giving her cocktail one last gulp before placing the lipstick touched martini glass in the sink and picking up another. Jack rolled his eyes at her almost to say that it wasn't the time to congratulate herself, and quickly looked at Sadie. "I didn't mean-"

"It's ok guys, seriously. This was the best thing we could have done and I'm really grateful you were able to throw this amazing party for me. This is what I wanted."

"Yeah, but you don't have to be ok with it, Sadie, if you change your mind we can just find a way to tell them what's going on." Krystina almost regretted the words she spoke as they seeped through her red lips. If she were Sadie, she would have done the same; anything to avoid the pitiful looks and constant remarks of how she still looks wonderful considering the circumstances.

"I know, but I think you were both right. It's better this way," Sadie reassured them. She watched them look at her in a way that could only mean they were analyzing her responses to decide whether she was sincere, or just being polite.

After quickly cleaning up the kitchen, they moved into the living room where they were faced with the leftover corner of a delicately frosted cake, and a mountain of envelopes overflowing out of the silver pail in the center.

Sitting down at the table, Krystina proudly pulled out the three inch binder she'd decorated. She suggested that the cards could be opened, then documented for thank you cards, and finally hole punched and placed in the binder for safekeeping. Sadie and Jack looked at each other, figuratively rolling up their sleeves.

"If you don't want to-"

"-I'm ok, really. This should be fun, right?" Sadie nudged Jack sweetly. He returned her smile, knowing that beneath her brave grin was the girl he loved, terrified.

Rolling up the vintage chalkboard Sadie found at an old school estate sale, Krystina grabbed a piece of chalk, wrote "Bucket List" on the top, and underlined it. It was the idea she had been most proud of for the party. Since Sadie was supposedly moving out of the country, Krystina had told everyone invited to bring an envelope with an American bucket list idea and include the money to execute it. Picking up a yellow envelope from the top, Krystina began the list.

"Ok first one up, Blake says he's giving you $75 to order as many burgers from White Castle as you can eat in one sitting. Of course he is," Krystina laughed.

Jack and Sadie giggled as she wrote Blake's name and the amount given on the board before hole punching his note for the "Bucket Binder". She thought that having everyone give Sadie the money for bucket list ideas would push her to actually do some of them in the next six months, and hopefully take her mind off of everything - at least for a while. Sadie's mind was on the positive things with Jack and Krystina around, but with the weight of the world on her shoulders and a time limit on her body, it wouldn't be permanent.

"Wow, Mr. B from Milliani's gave you $4,500 to go to Vegas! Holy shit!" Jack could barely contain his surprise.

"Dave must have really loved my parents. I think he's mad at me for leaving, well, you know what I mean."