Send Me In Orbit

The Last Flight

They saw it coming.

Mekeni was sick. He grew weaker and weaker by the day. For five days now he sat on the floor of his cage, too weak to do anything but coo softly. When he stopped eating, Leah knew it wouldn't be long. Her beloved pet had lived for twenty years and she knew it was his time. No one lives forever, after all. But her heart ached as she stroked her Mekeni's little head.

They couldn't bear to keep him in a cage anymore, so Clark made him an actual bird's nest where he could lie down comfortably. Aside from Leah, four year old CJ was the most affected. He's known and loved Mekeni his whole life and he couldn't understand why Mekeni was so sick.

"Did he eat something bad, Mommy?" CJ asked as they sat with Mekeni on the front porch, stroking him and giving him what comfort that they could.

"No, Baby."

"Di po siya mainit."

Leah couldn't help but smile as she watched her son struggle to diagnose and understand Mekeni's illness.

"Matanda na si Mekeni, anak. Bata pa lang ako, nasa akin na si Mekeni. Ngayon matanda na ako at may mga anak na ako, eto pa rin siya. Pero, anak, ang lahat ng buhay may hangganan. Oras na talaga ni Mekeni. Ang lahat ng bagay sa mundo, namamatay."

CJ looked up at her and the look on his small face broke Leah's heart. "Mamamatay si Mekeni?"

Leah nodded. "Hindi na siya gagaling, Baby. I'm sorry."

His shoulders slumped forward and he looked like he was about to cry. "No more Mekeni?"

"Anak...anak. Nandito pa siya, pero hindi ko alam kung gaano pa katagal. Sa ngayon, pasayahin na lang muna natin siya, ha?" Leah opened up her arms and pulled CJ onto her lap. "Gusto mo ikwento ko ulit sa 'yo kung paano nagkakilala si Mommy and Daddy dahil kay Mekeni?"

CJ nodded and Leah launched into the much loved story of how Mekeni had unknowingly brought Leah to the love of her life, the boy with the kind eyes who would one day become her husband. And then the father of her children. Mekeni's first long flight away from Leah was the beginning of her love story. The prologue that she didn't realize was there until years and years later.

~

Mekeni took his very last flight in the middle of the night. All of the children were asleep and Leah held Mekeni in her hands as he drew his last weak breath.

Clark wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest. Twenty years together and now Mekeni was gone. He had flown away and left her for good. She always knew it would happen but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"He lived a long and happy life," Clark murmured into her hair as he rubbed her back.

Leah was grateful that CJ wasn't awake to witness this. Claire and Ceres were still too young to understand what was going on, but CJ has been deeply affected by Mekeni's illness. Mekeni was his pet as much as Leah's.

But they couldn't shield CJ from the reality of loss. When he woke up the next morning and saw Mekeni's empty nest, he knew.

Leah held CJ tightly as he cried into her neck, his poor little heart going through its first experience with life and death. She cried for her pet and for the loss of a part of her son's innocence.

They buried Mekeni in the backyard under the tree. Clark made a small tombstone, a little wooden dove affixed to the top of it with its wings spread out. It said:

Mekeni (Pampu) Olivar-Medina
2002 - 2022

Beloved pet of the Olivar-Medina family. Clark and Leah's love story started with you. We love you, our dear Mekeni. May you stretch your wings and fly to heaven.

CJ picked flowers from the backyard and decorated Mekeni's grave beautifully.

Leah couldn't stand how sad he was and briefly contemplated buying another dove in the hopes of cheering CJ up. But she knew that Mekeni could never be replaced. Not for her or for CJ. She didn't want to do Mekeni's memory a disservice by even trying. Perhaps another pet will come into the Medina's lives but she suspected that time was still far away.

It was weeks later when CJ came running into her bedroom just as Leah stepped out of the bathroom in a robe, a towel wrapped around her wet hair.

"Mommy! Mommy!" He cried excitedly.

"Anak, bakit?"

"Napanaginipan ko si Mekeni!"

"Talaga?" She asked, lifting CJ up into her arms. "Kamusta na siya?"

"Masaya, Mommy! He's flying in heaven. Sobrang taas ng lipad niya. Mas mataas pa sa mga ulap."

Tears filled Leah's eyes. "Talaga?"

"Kaya huwag na tayo sad, Mommy. Masaya na po si Mekeni. He's free."

She swallowed hard and kissed her son's head, taking immeasurable comfort in his words. "Salamat, anak."