There's Something Missing
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My wife and I have been married for 15.5 years, yet up until this week, I was not the oldest relationship in her life. In fact, the entire time we've been married, we've shared our bed with another.
Pleiades, a petite, black domestic short hair came into Maria's life around the time that we began dating. She came with her sister, Eileen who was born with only 3 paws (get it?). When we were married, Eileen went to live with a friend and it was Maria, me, Pleiades and my big dumb boy cat Rusty. Pleiades was one of a little of 7 sisters, hence the name.
Rusty got sick and a couple of other cats have come and gone, but for 15.5 years, Pleiades has been there with us, and for about a year before that with just Maria. She was always there at bed time, ready for some attention as you were ready to sleep. I'd be trying to close my eyes while Maria read a page or two and Pleiades would get up in between us for Maria to scratch her head a bit (and to swish her tail in my face too, I think)
She'd curl up with Maria whenever she wasn't feeling well. If I came home and Maria was having one of those migraines that drove her to bed with the shades drawn to block out the light, Pleiades would be there, curled up beside her.
Each night, after her head scratching, she'd be there at the end of the bed on Maria's side (although in recent months, she preferred my side). She spent most of her days there as well, curled up in a neat, shiny black circle, nose to tail.
Lately though, things haven't been the same. While she was still there, every night in the bed and she still seemed to get around OK, she wasn't able to eat the hard food anymore and even the canned stuff we bought for her didn't usually stay down. She had a seizure a while back, too, which was a scary moment for us to watch. Who knows if she had any more when we weren't there.
It was clear, the time for hard decisions was coming. Neither she or us could go on this way much longer. This was a decision that Maria had to make, though of course I supported her completely in whatever she decided. So, last Monday, Maria and Pleiades made a trip out, but only Maria returned.
It was lonely that night in the bed. We left on Tuesday for a camping trip and came back tonight. Usually, the cats all come (we had four) to greet us in their own time and Pleiades was usually one of the first, purring and chattering at us, welcoming us home. This time, there was something missing. The welcoming committee was a little slow in coming, and didn't have near as much to say.
And bed time will be missing something again, too.
