SHE FOLLOWED ME HOME ch1

SHE FOLLOWED ME HOME

Mo deas

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Mia was eight years old and on her way home from school. As per normal, she walked with four of her friends. Each lived within a few houses of each other and enjoyed each other's company. The five were solid friends and did as much as possible together. There was never a defined "leader" of their little pack but for a reason Mia didn't understand, her friends always followed her suggestions. "How about if we drop our books at home, then walk to the soda shop. I'd love a cherry coke." Without hesitation, they'd all agree.

Every so often, Mia would mention this to her mother, "Mom, it's as though they have no thoughts of their own. I don't choose to lead them, but they seem to choose to follow me. What's that all about?"

Her mother had no idea but offered a suggestion: "Maybe they just feel that their ideas or suggestions are inadequate compared to yours. I really have no no idea, but just to be sure, be careful of what you might suggest."

On a warm Friday afternoon in the middle of May as the girls walked home from school, Mia noticed a white kitten following them.

"Hey, look behind us. We're being followed by the prettiest kitten I've ever seen. Have any of you ever seen her before?"

The girls turned their heads and stopped walking. Each agreed that they believed the kitten was new to the area.

Amy spoke, "Mia, the cat's a real beauty but how do you it's a girl cat? It could be a boy!"

Mia realized she knew - just knew it was a girl. "Uh, I don't know. Maybe because she has such a pretty face that makes her look like a girl cat."

They approached their street and one by one, each girl entered the gate to the homes. When Mia neared her house, she realized the kitten was still behind her.

She squatted, reached out her hand, and said, "What's the matter, mo deas, you don't have a home? Let's see if we can fix that."

As she stood, she thought to herself, "Mo deas? Where did that come from and what does it mean?"

She walked inside with the cat fast upon her heels. As she made her way to the kitchen, her mother's favorite room she spoke, "Mom, look what followed me home! Can I keep her? I need to keep her! I can't explain it, but Mom, she's mine. I just know it!"

Her mother turned from the stove where she was cooking the diced apples for the turnovers she was making.

"Oh, Mia, what a precious little kitten. But I'm not sure we can keep her. She looks so well cared for, I'm sure she has a family who's already missing ... her? What a minute, it's a her? You picked her up and looked? What have I told you about handling strange animals?"

Mia laughed, "No mom, I just know she's a her, just like I know she's mine. Mom, I can't explain it, but I know she was meant for me."

"All I can promise you, at this time, is that we'll wait for your father to come home and then we'll discuss it. Is that fair?"

Mia hugged her mom and agreed.

Picking up her books, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom and the kitten gladly followed her.

When Brian, Mia's father arrived home from work, Mia all but ran down the stairs with the kitten snuggly in her arms.

"Dad! Dad! Look what followed me home from school. Isn't she pretty? I know you'll let me keep her. Won't you?"

"Whoa! Not so fast. First, where's my 'hello, daddy' kiss?"

Mia kissed her father's cheek, then began explaining about what she hoped would be her pet.

Her father's logic kicked in as he said, "The first thing we need to do is take the kitten to the Vet and make sure she's healthy. Then, we need to place posters around the town seeing if she belongs to anyone. If after one week with no one coming for her, then yes, if your mom agrees, you can keep her. Can you agree with that?"

He looked at his daughter and thought that if she had wings, she'd be flying around the rooms with delight. "Thank God she doesn't have wings!" he thought and yet, felt a hitch in his breath as he heard Mia say to the kitten, "Did you hear that, Mo Deas? I just know you'll be mine. You can feel it too, can't you?"

Her parents looked at each other and her father asked trying to mask his concern, "Mia, what did you just call the cat?"

"Mo Deas, why?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, I don't know, Dad, the words just came to me. Why?"

"Mia, do you know what they mean?"

"Uh, no, I have no idea!"

"Mia, they're Gaelic for 'my pretty'".

Mia's eyes widened, "Dad, I don't know Gaelic."

Brian squatted so his eyes were the same level as Mia's. He looked at the kitten and said, "I have a strange feeling that you do, now."

Mia looked at her father and he saw the confusion in her eyes. He asked, "Mia, tell me again how you found this kitten."

She explained that the kitten was sitting on the steps of the school as if waiting for her to walk through the doors. The kitten hasn't left her side since. Then said, "Dad, it's almost like mo eolach." (Mo Eolach is the Irish phrase for My Familiar.)

He hugged his daughter, looked at his wife and said, "I do believe she is. We'll take her to the the Vet. There's no need to put up posters. Yes, I do believe she's yours."

As Mia ran up the stairs, her mother, Morena hugged her husband, put her head on his shoulders and whispered, "Oh Brian, I just hope she doesn't begin to sprout wings."