The Friend Who Disappeared

One day my friend disappeared.

No goodbye.
No explanation.
No trace.

At first, I thought she was simply taking a break from social media. I knew she had struggled with depression before, so I gave her the time and space I thought she needed.

Weeks turned into months.

Then months turned into years.

Before she disappeared, Chrystal Lee and I met almost every week at Curry Hopper in Eastpoint Mall.

We shared many common interests. We were both internet marketers, loved words, and were raising children while trying to build our own businesses.

We exchanged ideas, talked about the challenges of running a one-person business, and celebrated the small victories that only another solopreneur would understand.

She spoke my language.

Running a business alone can be a lonely journey. Having someone who understood my struggles and never dismissed my ideas made the road feel much less lonely.

After she disappeared, I sent messages, hoping she would reply when she was ready.

She never did.

Her social media accounts were gone. I searched online from time to time, hoping to find some trace of her, but she was nowhere to be found.

I still don't know what happened to Chrystal Lee.

I only know that every now and then I type her name into a search box, hoping this time the internet will give me back my friend.