Golden is gone.

She was born in Beatrix’s mind, somewhere behind those green eyes. For a year, she thrived, evolved, adventured, and pulled her girl along. Golden was a good friend.

When Beatrix started talking about Golden, it took me a few days to catch on. Golden went to McDonald’s. Golden has a new baby sister. Golden’s birthday is today. Golden is 5. All of these seemed like facts about a real girl.

And then.

Golden is at college. Golden has a new iPhone. Golden downloaded Paper Toss. Golden is surfing in Mexico. Golden opened a deli named Golden’s Deli. Golden sold lots of pickles. Golden has friends named Shep, Cake, Popgoestheweasel, and Blueberry. Golden was born in South America. Golden drives a pink Slug Bug. Golden has a store where she sells sunglasses and statues of horses. Golden loves singing the blues. Golden has another new sister. And another. And another. Golden fell down and died. Oh! Golden is still alive, but she has a broken leg.

It was clear that Golden was not a real girl, but super-real. She seemed to embody Beatrix’s wishes and dreams. If Golden had an iPhone and a pet fox and a baby sister, then maybe Beatrix could too.

When asked where she met Golden, Beatrix would answer church or McDonald’s. Maybe Beatrix couldn’t exactly remember. She was only 3, after all.

A few weeks ago, it occurred to me I hadn’t heard the name Golden in awhile.

I thought about asking Beatrix about Golden. Where was she? What was she doing?

But if Beatrix created her to fulfill a purpose in her life, to play, to pretend, to stretch her imagination, then the absence of Golden means something too.

Still, there is a Golden-shaped hole in the fabric of our days. It’s shifts, just like she did. She was big, she was little, she did math one moment and skied the next. It was fun hearing about her. It was funny hearing about her. She provided a glimpse into Beatrix’s bright and colorful world—what she valued, what she dreamed of doing, who she wanted to be.

The answer: A brilliant girl beloved by family, ever-growing, going on adventures, not afraid of independence, sometimes vulnerable, always brave, creative.

Mission accomplished. Thank you, Golden.