The girl with the auburn hair was being chased by the brunette boy, his hair streaked with red. Watching them made her think of a time which now seemed so long, long ago.
"Je me souvien..." she said to herself dreamily.
She could still vividly remember the redhead pedalling his bike, no hands ! His eyes on the blonde gazing at him dremily from the sidewalk. He would do anything to please her. They ran around too, they still didn't have cars then, walking to the Chocklit Shoppe for dates for which they both saved so hard.
The girl was now leaning on a tree, her eyes half shut as she regarded the brunette boy chasing a redhead girl. Betty shook her head smiling, her friends called her Noddy but little did they know that she observed everything from those half shut eyes. No wonder she was her father's pet.
She remembered the first time she saw him. He looked like a clown, a long nose, ill fitting dress, a funny hat. She couldn't understand what the redhead saw in him. He called him his best pal !
The little tyke looked at the group having so much fun, he tried running with them but his little legs couldn't carry him far and he stumbled often. The auburn haired girl was always picking him up, cooing into his ear, smooching him if he was about to cry.
She remembered the first time she rushed home crying, he saw her on the way. Seeing him, reminded her of his 'best pal' who had been so cruel with her. Just seeing him, his funny face made her snicker, and then he gave his goofy smile amd she forgot her sorrows. That would be the first of many times when the clown would cheer her up after her knight had dashed her heart.
The brunette boy with the red streaks chided the auburn haired girl for being a mommy. He turned up his nose as the girl took up the little fellow in her arms, swinging him as she was swung be her parents, the brunette boy rolled his eyes.
She turned to the fridge, she got the first photo they ever had got done together printed into pictures and magnets. Yes, despite everything, all the heartbreaks, she was still her best friend. The boy reminded her of her.
The redhead girl bopped the ball on the brunette's head. The boy went into a fit and dashed after her again. The auburn haired girl breaking into a fit of laughter.
He was so full of mischief. Everyone loved to hate him, he was always pulling pranks on the gang, no matter how many times he got beaten up by the big guys.
Betty was putting the final touches to dinner, in between she kept an eye on her iPhone watching for any developments on her latest book release, it was then that she heard her call.
"Daddy !"
She saw the car turning into the driveway, even after all these years, despite all his work, he always made it home for dinner. It was different when Diana was not there yet, they both had their careers, but Diana's arrival changed everything. When her work bound her up, he would pitch in without asking.
He picked up the girl in his arms, kissing her, ruffling her hair. She opened the front door, watching them both smiling in the golden evening made her forget all her cares.
His hair was already streaked with grey. It was a wonder that he didn't have glasses yet, but then he was not ordinary. He was the best there was.
He put his hand round her waist and kissed her, that same warm kiss which changed everything in their lives, in their lives of their friends.
"I want a kiss too !" the auburn haired girl piped up.
Laughing, mother and father kissed her. She was their darling, their little girl.
Leaving the girl to her friends, he went into the kitchen. "How was your day, Dear ?" he asked.
Betty looked out into the garden again, at the kids happy to find Diana again among them, she smiled and looked back at him "Oh, nothing really !"
He put his arms around her, stooping a bit so that their cheeks touched as they watched the kids play.
"She has your eyes." he said.
"She mimics you in her looks." she said.
"She is kind and gentle like you." he said.
"Well, it is a relief she doesn't eat like you !" she shot back.
"How mean !" he turned her round and looked into her eyes, their foreheads touching "Do you think I married you for your cooking ?"
"You proposed to me when we were fourteen because you liked my food !" she said.
"Nobody can cook like you." he traced her lips "but I love you for who you are, for the angel that is Betty Cooper."
They kissed.
Breaking off, she touched his cheeks and smiled "Where did you learn to be so gallant, Dr. Jones ?"
"Well they certainly didn't teach that at the university !" he laughed "Guess I really learnt something from old Arch !"
They looked back at the children, now saying their goodbyes and breaking off for dinner, Diana skipping towards the front door.
"So what did you really do today ?" he asked
Betty sighed dreamily "Je me souvien !"