Our missing friend

It's approaching the end of Ramadhan, and it's making me and my family think more about our missing friend. This is the time of year when she'd be busy fasting, and often getting fit at the same time, getting very thin. We'd be talking about getting together for an Eid El Fitri feast, which would probably have been at her home this year, as it was at ours last. This time last year was the last time we saw her. I'd prepared foods and drinks for us, but she was still fasting at the time, so we just chatted lots about life, and how she missed her family, and wanted to go back early this year. She brought gifts for my daughter, as usual. She was so kind. We chatted about my daughter's health, her eczema and chest troubles, and T spoke of traditional ways they'd treat them in Sumatra. She stayed a few hours, but I so wish we'd had more time. There's so many things I would've loved to speak with her about.

My brother came across an old photo of her today, when looking at pictures of when my daughter was born, so I thought I'd share it with you. It was taken 3 years ago, when my daughter was just a few days old (you can see how tired I looked!).

As an update, I've not heard anything from the police for a long time now. I've written to her family, and am hoping they'll be in touch with me in time. I'm hoping they'll want to stay in touch. It's now been nearly 9 months since she disappeared.

Yesterday I held a baby not much bigger than my daughter was in that photo. She felt so beautiful, and had that lovely soft feel and smell of babies. It was lovely at the time, but left me feeling quite empty again later in the eve. I've strangely taken to holding one of my first ever soft toys in bed at night again. It seems to make me relax more, and somehow brings comfort when I'm feeling a bit lost. Crazy? Yeah, maybe.