The Trail To The Rainbow Bridge

Little Grey Kitten

Watching Mom and Dad discuss the new dog I have brought home makes me think about one of the first times my world changed. The time I finally got to keep a sweet soul I rescued. Sweet Richie was no longer a small kitten but he has always played an important role in my life since then. As I stare into the wooded area outside the sliding glass door I vividly remember the night my entire life changed.
         

-  Ten years before-

I watch dad make his way around the corner of the counter to mom who is standing against the island with her hands crossed over her chest. I know what is going to happen next, a simple argument will happen on how I need to stop bringing home animals that we can't care for. The arguments never get as harsh as some of the stories I have heard about Shay's mom and dad. I have yet to see my dad ever raise his voice in an argument, let alone raise his hand to mom or anyone for that matter. Mom and dad were a simple couple with a simple home and simple jobs. I call it simple because listening to others at school I am glad I have a simple life. I don't have a drunk dad or a mom with a bad drug habit. My mom and dad are always there for every school event and personal events. They are not gone for weeks at a time on a drunken bender or a fancy business trip like Sara's mom and dad. Although it's mostly Sara's dad that is always gone. I have heard my mom talking to dad about Mary, I shouldn't listen to conversations that do not concern me but I heard one of my friends names so I thought that I would just keep listening.

"May is a drunk you know. That husband of hers buys her whatever will keep her quiet and that happens to be a lot of wine. I see her every Tuesday at the grocery store with no less than three bottles of that top shelf, fancy wine.", mom said to dad in a hush voice. I let on like I'm studying my homework with the newest family cat I found but I can see dad's reflection in the sliding glass door as he turns back to my mom. "She has to be a drunk knowing how Bob is and how those business trips are not just for professional meetings. Plus she has to put on a good show for Sara to make sure she is happy and healthy. I honestly couldn't imagine having to deal with that myself. I guess that's where every one is different. I could never leave you or Rainey. You both are the reason I have a life to live in the first place. Bob just doesn't know what he is missing out on!", dad whispered back to mom while rubbing her hand.

I stand up thinking about how my simple life is the best and that I am glad I have the parents I have. I make my way over to the island where mom and dad are sitting have their evening cup of coffee. I squeeze into the middle of them and make them wrap me up in a double hug. They both give me a kiss on the top of my head and then all of the sudden a small grey striped cat has climbed its way up dad's pants leg and into his lap. He headbutts me and starts a loud pur resembling a tiny lawn mower. He makes his way to the granite counter top when dad picks him up and sets him gently down on the floor. "The counter is not made for tiny cat paws little Richie.", dad said a smiling. Dad gives Richie a good scratch around the neck and face and then
Richie spots his food bowl and heads over for the rest of his dinner.

"Dad, can I ask you a question?", I say with my puppy dog eyes. Dad gives a quick glance to mom and then back at me and raises his eyebrows. "Rainey, if you ask to keep this cat then we would be going back on the promise that we made each other. Plus we have already posted his picture around town and at the shelter in hopes of finding him a good home.", dad said sincerely. I look over at the small grey kitten and watch him as he grooms himself now that he has a fully belly. My eyes fill with tears and I look up at dad. "I know what we promised dad, but Richie likes it here and loves all of us. How can we just give him to someone else if he loves us as much as he does?", I ask with a shaky voice.

Richie has now made his way back over to me and is doing a very well executed figure eight between my legs and dad's chair. "Rainey, my sweet caring child. You have the heart of a church full of nuns. The compassion you show to every breathing thing brings a smile to my face and a warmth in my soul. How can someone like you be living in such a cruel world?", dad says. I bend over and bring Richie to eye level with me, his loud purring is still going and he has a little bit of wet food still on a couple of his whiskers. I bring him in close to my chest and give him a big hug.

"Rainey bug, I will make a deal with you, okay. If Richie has not found a home by the beginning of next week, you can keep him. BUT... You have to help mom take care of him. You will also need to put in some money from your allowance so that we are able to take him to the vet and keep him healthy and make sure he has his food and litter and so on. If you think you can hold up your end of the deal, then I think we can make this work if Richie is still with us next week." Dad said with a hopeful glimmer in his eye.

A huge smile begins to form on my face, so big it shows my teeth and my jaws kinda ache. I hug Richie tighter and he purs a little louder. "Thank you daddy. Mom, I promise to help you with whatever Richie needs!", I said with excitement. Mom smiles a warm smile to me and a bigger smile over to my dad and rubs his shoulder. "Well Rainey, I think we can make this work.", mom says with a smile.

I give Richie a scratch on the neck and mom and dad a quick, I love you, and head back to my school work. While I continue to study, Richie has found a way to entertain himself with my pencil pouch. I can hear mom and dad still talking in the background but now the whispering is so low that I can't make out what they're saying.

As I finish packing my school work back into my backpack and fighting Richie for my pencil pouch, mom's phone rings and she leaves the room in a panic after just a couple of seconds on the phone. I successfully retrieve my pouch from the now excited kitten and make my way through the kitchen and down the hall to my room. Passing Mom and Dad's room I can hear muffled talking and then a slow heart wrenching cry. Richie is sticking his paws under their bedroom door and I can see a shadow from inside the room move under the door. I quickly make my way to my room when I hear Mom and Dad's door slowly open. I can see the light from the cracked door on the hallway wall, the crack of light grows bigger and a shadow makes its way to my room. Dad makes his way around the corner, tears in his eyes and his hands in his pockets. "Rainey, can you come to our room for a minute, we need to talk to you about something. It's about your Grandmother Rachel.", Dad said softly.

From the look on my dad's face I knew that something was not okay, something has changed since we seen Grandma last Wednesday. I pick Richie up and head down the hallway with Dad. When we reach their room, Mom is sitting on the bed with her head in her hands letting out a soft crying hum. I sit down next to Mom with my head on her shoulder. She reaches out and pulls me into her arms, Dad kneels in front of us and Richie leaves my lap to play on Mom and Dad's fluffy green duvet.

Dad grabs my hand and then Mom's. "Rainey, that was Grandma's doctor that just called. As you know, she was sick and wasn't feeling well and the doctors tried to give her all the medicine they could to make her feel better. Tonight after Grandma took her medicine for the night, she passed away.", Dad said with tears streaming down his face.

I bury my face into mom's arms, the ache in my chest is like a hard thumping that takes my breath away. I know then that I will never see my grandmothers sweet face anymore, hear her sing me old church songs and watch old tv shows together. In the blink of an eye, her world stopped and ours was thrown upside down.