Author’s notes: So I know it’s been a while. This is…a rather emotionally charged chapter. For me, I’m dealing with the emotional fallout of a close friend coming down with terminal cancer, and the death of my grandfather, and I expect that effected my writing here.
I hope it fits the standards of quality I established for my work earlier in the series, and that it’s enjoyed. Thank you for reading.
Chapter 16:
You are Theo.
Today isn’t a happy day.
You sit outside, under the awning on the porch, and watch the rain pour down. Inside, your fluffies play.
A small sound comes from behind you. A pair of huge, bright green eyes stare from behind the screen door. “Daddeh?”
“Hi Neo…”
“Daddeh am okies?”
“……Yeah”
Your tone of voice doesn’t even convince yourself. Neapolitan nods, and scampers back to the saferoom.
— — — —
You are Neapolitan.
And you can tell something is wrong. As you re-enter the saferoom, your mother and siblings look at you expectantly.
Chocolate is the first to speak.
“How am daddeh, Sissy?”
You sigh.
“Neapowitan think daddeh have big heawt-huwties. Dunno why, but think dat.”
Hazel nods, and seems to think, straining her tiny brain.
Mochi just looks sad, and sniffles.
Your mother speaks at last.
“No know how fix daddeh’s heawt-huwties, but know why he have dem.”
You and your siblings look at her in shock. She knew? How could she have known?
“Daddeh teww Hazew dat his mummah go foweva sweepies, back when you was aww chiwpies.” She says.
It hits you. That was it.
“Poow daddeh……must be wowstest heawt huwties……”
You feel tears welling up in your eyes. You daddy was so good to you all, he loved you so much. The idea of him hurting so badly was horrible.
You turn and run out of the saferoom.
— — — —
You are Theo.
Tiny hooves beat against the screen. “Daddeh! Daddeh Pwease wet Neapowitan out!”
You sigh. Part of you doesn’t want to be disturbed at all. Part of you wants to ignore her, and even yell at her to go away.
But you know you wouldn’t mean it. And more than that, you’d never forgive yourself for it.
Standing, you open the door, and Neapolitan dutifully shuffles outside. You can see Hazel, Mochi, and Chocolate down the hall. You hold the door open for them, and then sit back down.
Neapolitan hugs onto your side, sobbing.
You look at Hazel.
“Figured it out, huh, old girl?” you ask.
“Yus.”
You reach down and pet Neo’s back.
“It’s okay sweetie……I’m sorry if I upset you….”
Mochi speaks, her voice shaking.
“No……No wan daddeh to have wowstest saddies……”
The revelation hits you like a brick.
They’re not upset because you didn’t play with them. They’re not upset you didn’t give them treats or anything of that sort.
The whole brood is on you now, hugging and crying, trying to make you feel better.
You smile down at the chattering, weeping balls of fluff you’ve taken as pets.
They were sad because you were sad.
For a long time, there’s just silence, hugging, crying.
You finally speak again, your voice is rough, and shaky.
“Thank you….”
In spite of how much today hurts, how alone you feel, you realize how lucky you are.
Hazel leans up against you.
“Sowwy about youw mummah……”
You pet her head.
Mochi leans in and hugs against you, snuggling you, trying to “Make the saddies go away.” Chocolate sits next to you, bulked up from muscle, for a fluffy, the little guy is absolutely shredded. “Chocowate dunno what dat feews wike, but know is feews bad.”
You know it’s his way of offering to talk. You stroke his mane. “Thanks, little man.”
The thought now occurs to you that this was exactly what you needed.
