By Alyssa Huang
She arrived in my hands, an ethereal gift
Her sweet factory scent
tickling my nares
like blooming lilacs on a sunny spring day
Soft, fluffy purple fleece on one side
Silky and pink with a stitched butterfly design on the other
Each thread offering comfort by the touch
I named her Blankie
My very first best friend
My partner in crime
We stuck together throughout day and night
Throughout every meal and every venture
Two peas in a pod
Like Batman and Robin
Until the fateful day
When I was admitted into preschool,
but Blankie was not
Blankie kept strong
She dabbed my face dry
patted my hand
and opened the large, hefty preschool doors
With timid steps
I forced myself forward
My small frame shaking due to the unfamiliar departure
Separation from my companion, Blankie
After that ceaseless preschool day,
my feet bounded up the stairs
Blankie greeted me at the edge of my bed
So patient, so loyal
Like the dog I’ve never had
Weeks later, I arrived home
Excited to find my partner in crime, Blankie
But my bed appeared barren
No beautiful blanket in sight
Fear raced down my spine
My chest thundered
Air from my breath grew faint
Dirty clothes flew into the air
Sore eyes scoured every unmade bed
under every chair
and our favorite snack spots
Until finally,
A glimpse of Blankie’s pink belly
Swirling in circles like a whirlpool
Blankie appeared imprisoned
behind a clear door with a round metal frame
Patrolled by two silver knob-guards
Called “High Heat” and “Tumble Dry”
I heaved the dryer door open
And Blankie flew into my arms
Still warm and damp with sweat
Her wonderful familiar scent of used socks faded
Replaced with the foreign smell of Tide detergent
But I still recognized Blankie
and hugged her tight
Years passed
I grew taller, and Blankie grew paler
Until one day,
I noticed a few crevices
between Blankie’s fuzzy purple back and her soft pink belly
Blankie had fallen apart
Hot tears drenched my face
But I remained collected and jumped into action
My fingers, skilled like a surgeon,
Wove a thin needle into Blankie’s soft purple flesh
Blankie’s face wrinkled and winced
as I sealed her gaping wound
Her cries vibrated in my eardrums
While I cradled her in my arms
After an hour of surgery
Blankie emerged fixed and healthy
All seemed well
We hugged each other in relief
Later that night,
Hushed tones emerged
behind by parents’ bedroom door
I kissed Blankie goodnight
and crept to my parents’ door like a ninja
Pressing my ear against the keyhole,
I listened
My parents whispered about adoption
Searching for Blankie’s twin sister
Did she even exist?
Two determined sets of hands
clicked purposefully on computer keys
scrutinizing every international adoption facility -
Amazon, Ebay, and Babies R Us
But after three days of searching
Seeking in vain,
both parents surrendered the investigation
Because no identical Blankie exists
A fact I have known all along.