The first time I met Heather was, I think, when she and Jesse came back from Japan. I remember hanging out with her at our grandma’s house. She and Jesse were both younger than me - not by that much, though, so we got along well. I was really intrigued by her photos of Japan - every student in uniform. Of course, we had many interactions over the years, sharing family and all.
I remember one time at her dad’s house, when I was visiting Boston (before I moved there), we watched an episode of the X-Files together. I still remember the exact episode. Not my favorite one, but it still reminds me of her. She was talking to someone, I can’t remember who, about knowing a little Spanish.
The last time I saw her, she was still well enough to go out to pizza with my husband and son. We went to a little place right by her apartment. We went back to her place afterwards so we could hang out, and she told my son she had the movie Aladdin. She put it on, and my husband and I were confused, because we were expecting the Disney version but it wasn’t.
I know these are all little things, but they are my memories of her, and they put a little smile on my face even in my sadness.