The Beautiful People

When Elizabeth was a little girl, before Emily arrived, she used to go to the grocery store with Lee every week.  They were an unusual couple - Lee in cut offs and t-shirts spattered with paint and spit-up, Elizabeth in beautiful clothes (we received a cache of designer hand-me-downs from one of my co-workers when she was born) and her hair in bows and ribbons.  One night, after their weekly grocery trip, Lee told me that for the last few weeks, Elizabeth had been receiving a dollar from an old man that they saw each week.  He was always there at the same time they were, with other residents from his assisted living facility.  This went on for several months, until Lee switched shopping days.  We always used to remark that it was funny that this old man gave her a dollar each week, simply because she was so adorable.  She must have made his day.
Fast forward four years.  We go to mass every Sunday and most weeks, Elizabeth goes to Sunday school but Emily comes into church with us.  Each week, she sees "the pretty lady," a lovely woman who is always impeccably dressed, in high heels and wonderful jewelry.  Emily always gives her a smile or wave and the woman always smiles back.  This past Sunday, before mass started, she came over to us and gave Emily a small pink box with an adorable bunny inside and a note that said "Happy Easter to the prettiest little girl in church."  Like big sister, like little sister.