I’ve been friends with my oldest, closest friend Megan since we were three. We met in pre-school, spent every waking second we were allowed to together as kids, tormented her little brother together, were tormented by my older brother together, and ran up enormous phone bills when we moved away from each other to go to college. We have the kind of friendship where I’m not really sure something big has happened to me until I’m able to pick up the phone and tell Megan.

I had to borrow all this snow gear. I was not prepared!

These days, we live across the country from each other, but this weekend, I had the best time going to visit her and her family in Virginia. It snowed a foot (which was a foot less than was predicted) and we pretty much hunkered down at her house outside of Charlottesville for the entire weekend. Bread was baked. Homemade applesauce simmered on the stove. Games of Bananagram were played. Long, snowy walks in the woods were taken. Her brother worked next door slaughtering a pig and making it into scrapple. Do not ask what scrapple is. You do not want to know. Basically: it was some good old country fun for this citified girl.

But the best part of the weekend were the long, rambling conversations that always make me feel like when I’m with Megan, I am home.

I know that I write love stories. I know that’s sort of “the point.” But: It’s so good to be reminded of how essential good friends are. In life, in stories, in everything we do. Because what good is being in love if you can’t gush about it to your best friend?

Megan was my original inspiration for Luce’s character (more in appearance than personality), but she’s a big inspiration for the relationships Luce has with her friends in Fallen (and later in Torment). We don’t get to see each other half as often as we’d like anymore, but she’s a huge part of who I am, and it was beautiful to see her life with her new family, her warm and giving husband, John, and the world’s smiliest baby, Oliver.