Heal My Heart

S i x t y - T h r e e : P u p p y

A/N: Comment & Vote

"I want to get three new cats," I decided.

Scott shook his head. "You can have one."

I frowned. "But you hit me."

He was getting the cats to make up for it, right? Scott closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Puppy but I don't think you're getting a cat today."

My eyes went wide. "Why? You-you hit me and hit me and hit me."

"I hit you once Puppy," he retorted drily. "And for this. You don't want to talk about what happened--you just want me to get you something."

"You said the cat. Not me."

"I know. That's on me. I shouldn't have. Let's go home."

"But my cat," I whispered. There was an ache inside me, I wanted the cat so badly.

"I said no."

I hugged my knees and turned away from him.

***

Once Scott freed me from the car I instantly went inside.

I opened the fridge and began to pull out jellos. "One Puppy," Scott sighed. "And remember you have to clean the cat box. Tomorrow you'll start on your outside chores."

I pushed the jellos back in with a sigh and pulled out a green one. "Use a spoon."

He went to the cupboard and started to smear brown stuff on a slice of bread. He folded it over and took a bite. "Why are you eating it like that?"

"Because I don't feel like having a real sandwich. Can you pass me the milk?"

I peered inside. "The...white stuff?"

"In the carton, yes."

I pulled it out and gave it to him. He folded the little spout out and smelled it. "What are you doing that?"

He spoke around another bite. "To make sure it's still good."

I peeled back the foil and sat in a chair. "Is it?"

"I think so."

He drank right from the carton! "Scott! You need a cup!"

He pulled back after a moment and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He always told me to use a napkin. "I'm the only one drinking," he replied. "And I bought it."

"And-and you don't need a napkin?"

"I'm about to change anyway," he said. "What are you up to for the rest of the day."

"I don't know. Watching TV."

"Maybe look at one of the books I got you?"

I sighed and nodded my head. "Where's Cheddar Cheese?"

"He's upstairs isn't he?"

"He always comes down to visit me. I'll go look." I got down from the table and went up the stairs call his name.

I looked in every room and under all the beds.

"Scott? Did you move Cheddar Cheese cos I wasn't good on the trip?"

"Puppy I just got back. I'll go ask around--maybe he found his way into the office."

I had a sick feeling in my belly. What if...

No.

I couldn't think that.

I ate my jello out of the cup. Using a spoon for jello was stupid. When I was done I went to my room and tried to read one of the books.

However the first page made me want Cheddar immediately.

The cat ran.

Cheddar sometimes ran. He didn't like to but whenever I shook the food bowl he came running. I put down the book to go ask Scott if he'd found Cheddar.

I found him talking to Lisa about something. "Scott?"

Lisa stopped talking and touched his arm. I immediately went to touch his other arm. I didn't like that she touched him so much. Lisa left and Scott sat in the office chair. "Puppy I have something I need to talk to you about."

"Can we find Cheddar first? Maybe he's in the basement."

"I don't have a basement Puppy. But we need to talk about Cheddar."

"Why?"

"When Lisa was going in to feed him he got outside. He went into the barn and spooked some of the horses..."

I went to the door. "So he's in the barn?"

Scott rubbed his forehead. "They stepped on him Puppy."

My stomach clenched. "Did they hurt him? Is he at the cat hospital?"

"No he...went to a better place?"

"A better hospital?" My eyes filled with tears and my voice wavered. "Scott I want to see Cheddar Cheese!"

"He died Puppy. You don't want to see the body."

"He can't be dead! He's my friend!"

"I know this is hard Puppy. Why don't we go inside and get his things together?"

"He's not dead. He can't be dead. He didn't... Say goodbye." I choked. "It wasn't his fault."

"It wasn't anyone's fault."

"Lisa let him outside! She horrible!"

"Puppy she feels terrible about this. It was an accident."

"One day they're going to make a movie about her and it'll be called the Cat Killer." I scrubbed tears from my eyes but more came. "Scott he can't be dead."

"I know buddy. Let's go inside."

QOTC: I'm legit crying... 😢😭