The Importance of Friends
It was 11:45 exactly when Abby was dragged out of her bed by four crazy people in brightly colored nightgowns. Those crazy people just happen to be her best friends. They pushed her in the back of the car with Erica and drove the ten minutes to Erica's house. Abigail started a fire in the fire pit of Erica's backyard and motioned for everyone to sit around the fire.
"What is this?!" Abby asked angrily for the thousandth time.
"A Ya-Ya mission of mercy." Etta said.
"An intervention." Katie added.
"I shoulda never let you watch that movie. You are not Ya-Ya's. Now let's just get in the car and go home!"
"You once told us you wanted to do this. Now we're here and you're going to do this or so help me God I'll knock you into the middle of next week." Erica said.
"Then I'll kick your sorry arse on Thursday!" Abby shouted back.
"Do it!" Erica challenged.
"Fine!" Abby grabbed the bag Abigail handed her. "These are the crowns of the Queens that have gone before us. They come from the Indian Holy Ground, The Jungles of the Ancients, and the Prairies of the Norwegians."
She passed out the crowns she realized the girls had spent the afternoon putting together. She couldn't even begin to imagine where they found the old hats and the beads and fake flowers they'd glued to them.
"This is the blood of our people," She said, pulling out a mason jar and a pretty glass goblet she recognized as her own. She'd have to talk to them about that later. "The Wolf People, the Alligator People, and the Moon Women from which we gain our strength to rule all worlds."
She passed the goblet to Etta, who sat at her right.
"Etta Williams I declare you… Princess Lion of the Mountains."
"Ha cha cha." She laughed, passing the glass.
"Erica Johnson I declare you… Duchess Flighty as a Robin."
"I'm not flighty." She mumbled but smiled all the same.
"Abigail Chase I declare you… Viscomtesse Raging River." Abigail laughed and passed the goblet. "Katie Malloy I declare you… Countess Whispering Willow." Katie grinned at this and passed the goblet back to Abby. "And I, Abby Owens, am hereby and forever, Queen Sister Bear." She pulled the knife out of the bag.
"I cannot believe we're doing this." Katie muttered.
"Silence!" Abby said. She pricked her hands and passed the knife to Etta. "We are the mighty Ya-Ya Priestesses. Let no man put us under." They joined hands and stood. "Now, our blood flows through each other, as it has down for all eternity. Loyal forever. We raise our voices in the words of mumbo gumbo… YA-YA!"
"YA-YA!" They screamed.
