Jeremiah's POV
"Abel's dead."Ma announced. I swear it felt like my heart had stopped for a second.
"Move! My lil nigga ain't dead."I used all of my might to push her out of the way. I put the stethoscope in my ears and up to Abel's heart. I needed to check for myself.
"Miah,"It felt like all of their voices were echoing in my head but I ignored every single one of them. The last ten years man, I've had my cats for ten years. I remember begging Madre to adopt them like it was yesterday! All of the memories I made with them and it's going to shit...
I shook my head and she handed me a huge, heavy bag of cat food. I pulled the bag over to the cats and opened the cage door for them to come out. I was about to pure the food into the bowls that sat against the wall but they were tearing the bag open. I face palmed myself.
A kitten slowly walked out from the back of the cage, whimpering. I bent down to its level.
"What's wrong little guy?"I asked him.
He just looked at me. He had a scared, pleading look in his eyes.
"Madre! Something is wrong with this cat!"I screamed.
Madre and Molasses looked over at me and the cat before coming over.
"His leg is pretty messed up. He was in a bad accident."Molasses informed.
"What happened to him?"Madre asked her. "His last owner used to abuse him. My team found him tied to a pole with a horrible message attached to him."
"What's his name?"
"Abel."
"Why don't you get him some medical treatments?"
"The shelter isn't making as much money as we used to. We planned to just give all of the animals to another shelter, put Abel to sleep and close it down."
"Put him to sleep? You can't kill him!"I screamed at the old lady.
"We don't have the money to fix his leg."She repeated but I rolled my eyes, annoyed.
"What if Madre buys him?"I suggested.
I could not let this lady put Abel to sleep. Mama told me that animal abuse is a horrible act. To harm an innocent-looking, defenseless animal is a crime, says the law. Bel looked at me with her eyebrows furrowed. "Please Madre! With the right treatments we can nurse him back to health, like you did with me."I tugged at her shirt, trying to convince her to let me take the kitten home with me. She stared at the kitten.
"Molasses, we've got another one."Some man spoke up as he and another guy carried a bag inside of the building.
He sat the bag down on the floor and another kitten walked out of the bag. His face seemed to be bruised. "Oh my gaahd,"Madre whispered.
I covered my eyes in sadness. Animal abuse is a real thing and it needs to stop. I had to get Bel to buy those kittens for me. I could give them a better home.
I could do so much for them.
I remember bringing them home to my parents...
"Mama! I've got a surprise for you!"I dragged the cage into my parents' bedroom.
"Did you get me a dog?"She asked with a huge smile. "No!"I bust her bubble and bent down to open the door to the cage.
"I got you cats!"I smiled.
"Cats?"She asked with a perplexed look.
"Yes. Not one, but two!"
"Wow! That's amazing baby."She cheered, egging on my joy.
I heard the front door open and shut. I took off from my parents room to see my Dad coming in from work.
"Guess what Dad!"
"Wazzam lil man?"
"Madre let me get cats!"I couldn't stop myself from jumping around.
And to hear that he's dead is like a kick to the stomach. I yanked the stethoscope from my ears and stormed out of the house.
"Miah, wait!"Mom yelled but I was already out the door. I stomped my way across the street, wiping my face. I barged into the house; Madre was standing at the oven.
"Hey baby,"She greeted with her back to me. "Notice how I know it's you without even having to look?!"She laughed.
"Madre,"I mumbled, making her turn around to face me. "Abel died." The smile on her face dropped and without another word, she embraced me in a hug.
"I know you're sad and all but I know exactly what will cheer you up."She pulled away from me and went over to her speaker. La Modela, one of my favorite songs Madre featured on started to play.
"Come on, dance with me!"She grabbed my hands and started to say the words as she danced around the kitchen.
"I don't feel like dancing."I whined. She ignored me, continuing to dance.
~~~
"You haven't come down from your room in hours, aren't you hungry?"Jordan peeked in my room. I locked myself in here; I need some time to myself.
"Nah."I replied dryly. I don't want to talk to anyone or have any interaction with the outside world right now.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I just wanna be alone,"
With that, she shut the door. My phone dinged seconds later with a text from Trenton. I haven't talked to him since graduation due to Jordan being down here for the summer.
Trent: hosting party tonight, slide thru?
"Ion wanna party,"I muttered, sitting the phone down without texting back.
"Ooh, whose having a party?"Jordan asked, coming in my room with a plate of fettuccine and a cup of kool-aid.
"Trenton."
"You should go."
"Why?"
"Get your mind off the situation. Have a drink or two. I bought you some food."
"I told you I wasn't hungry."
"Just eat it boy."
I sat up in the bed and took the plate. She sat the drink on my night stand. At first, I just stared at the plate.
"Who cooked this?"I asked.
"Ki. And Madre cut you a piece of the brownies she was making. It's downstairs waiting for you."
I reluctantly started to eat the food, satisfying my stomach. As I ate, I debated on if I wanted to go to the party or stay home. I mean, it could potentially take my mind off of Abel... I texted Trenton back letting him know I was coming. He sent me the details but until then, I laid up under Jordan, playing with her.
"You should start getting ready. Might be some fine girls there."
"Ian worried 'bout no girls."
"Better not be."
"What you gonna do while I'm gon'?"
"Aleja and I have a girls night so I'm going to her house. Drop me off on your way to the party."
"Aight."
I looked through my closet to find something to wear to the party while Jordan cleaned herself up.
I stopped the car in front of Aleja's parents' house. We kissed goodbye then I waited for her to get in the house. Soon as the front door shut, I pulled off.
Notice how Miah still runs to Madre when something in his life goes wrong...Thoughts on Abel's death?
