Balto and Nikki - Young Love

22. Thoughts

Hey there folks, we hope you are all feeling well. We already have mid-February. The time is running so fast. Nikki and I want to use this opportunity to tell you a few things about what has happened here recently. First, I will tell you a few things, and Nikki will take over for the second part.

Part 1: Balto

Let us begin with Christmas, as the entry about New York ended with a mention of how much Nikki liked the present I got for her. Some may remember that it was a first edition of T.S. Elliot's book "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats."

For Nikki and me, this was the second time we celebrated Christmas as a couple. Mom got new bedsheets and a bedding set made from Egyptian cotton. It is so soft, it's unbelievable. Mom wanted to have this for such a long, but never wanted to spend the money on it. Nikki's mom got a special album with a collection of all the best Musical Songs, for Mr. Kofi we bought a set of high-quality knifes. He loves to make BBQ, so this was the best present we could think of. Well, he had to pay one cent to us for it. It brings bad luck to give knives away. At least, mom said so.

Nikki's parents on their side gifted us all with a trip to the spa over New Year's Eve. I can't tell you how relaxing this was. The warm water, the massages, I even got my first manicure and pedicure. We watched a display while sitting in an outdoor whirlpool, it was fantastic. Nothing better than beginning a new year with your best friends and the love of your life.

The main reason why Mrs. Kofi had the idea for the spa was, well, me. During our trip to New York City, I had several, how should I call them, sightings of something, or better said, someone, who wasn't there. Mrs. Kofi meant it probably was the stress, and suggested a stay at the spa she and mom went to as Mr. Kofi, Nikki and I were camping with Mikey and his father back in October.

Next to the presents we gave to our parents, Nikki and I had written a little letter, which we read to them together:

To our dear parents.

You gave us life; you raised us up.

You protected us, gave us safety, no matter what.

You were there to aid us, was it a broken heart or just simple cuts.

You accompanied us in sadness and joy, and you more than once saved our butts.

We want to thank you for everything you did. Without your support, we would have never made it so far.

Without your constant support, we would never have managed to stay together.

We know we don't say this often enough, so please believe us when we say it today.

From the deepest depths of our hearts,

We love you.

Even now, I still begin to cry every time I read this. I apologize for being so emotional. Nikki and I really won the parent lottery before we were born.

At this point, I have to mention Mr. Kofi in particular. If you had told me on this evening in May 2020, that he will be one of our biggest supporters, I would have called you a liar.

But he didn't just become a supporter. He also became a protector, a teacher, an advisor for Nikki and me. Mom often says that she is happy for having him as a father-figure for me. Honestly, I couldn't think of a better one, either. Well, beside my dad, of course. Mr. Kofi is, for me, the perfect example of what a father should be.

Let us move on. Back in January, we had two unexpected visitors. My paternal grandparents, to be more precisely.

As you might know by now, the story of us Anthropomorphs is still quite young. There weren't many generations yet, and my grandparents aren't as old as you might think. They are now in their late 50s. Yes, they are some of the first Anthropomorphs ever created. I can't say how glad we can be that the fight for equal right didn't take such a long time for us. If my history books are accurate, it took no longer than two or three years. Hm, maybe I can add a few more details here.