I knew Maggie since she was a little adopted baby born on Christmas day. Holding her I felt a sense of peace. All warm and wrapped up like a much loved Christmas present. I wanted to bestow love on her just like her mother and father did, who had patiently waited so long for her to arrive from India.
As we grew we shared many wonderful experiences. We'd go on summer holidays and play and roll in the sand without a care in the world. Our friendship went from strength to strength as we'd walk side by side along the beach or gaze up at the stars, wishing each other all the best in life.
Back in Melbourne we'd hang out at each other's places, making cupcakes, patting the family dog, having a bit of a laugh and always a good time. We did many things together such as swimming, going to the movies, shopping and playing our favourite, game hide and seek.
However little did I know that Maggie was going to seek out drugs during her short life, which really put our friendship to the test. During my late teens and early 20s I had to bear her and her growing addiction. It started with alcohol and marijuana and then moved on to acid and heroin.
I started to fear her. She turned ugly and would beg me for favours and money, just as I was beginning to find my place in the working world. She started doing anything she could to fund her addiction. I became an easy target as she began to attack my closet and wallet.
It was the taking of my clothes that caused me the most despair. The minute my back was turned she'd grab my clothes and put them underneath her clothes or into her backpack. My designer clothes were everything to me. I had worked hard to attain them and now they were all gone.
At first I didn't know what was happening. I thought maybe the cleaning lady was taking my things. Even when my clothes were replaced they soon did a vanishing act once again. Nothing felt safe anymore. I felt violated.
"It dawned on me that we were more similar than I'd thought, her addiction to drugs like a strange reflection of my addiction to shopping."
My incredibly astute mother was the first to suspect my friend of taking and selling my designer clothes to fund