It was the first thing I noticed about the sitcom, Laverne and Shirley. “She makes her cursive “L”s just like you!” I told my mom. Laverne wore her loopy “L” on all of her clothing, not that far from where my mom and I wore our hearts on our sleeves — always looking for something, someone, to connect.

I haven’t thought about them for years, these two fictional bottle cappers from Wisconsin, but then I had the dream. It was just a couple of nights ago. My grandma was the first to bring it up. She said, “I’m going to go with her to Milwaukee. I want to be together.” I looked at my mom. She explained that she had to go to Milwaukee. No one asked why, we just seemed to know. “I’m going to come too,” I said. (I have always been a come-with gal.) They both smiled, knowing we would indeed be together, no matter what, no matter where. Because heaven could be anyplace, why not here?

I saw the yellow sticky note this morning in my mother’s handwriting. The red loop of the “L” beat against my sleeve. My heart is full. I am dressed in the ones I love.

“On your mark, get set, and go now, got a dream and we just know now, we’re gonna make our dream come true. And we’ll do it our way, yes our way! Make all our dreams come true, for me and you!”