SHE FOLLOWED ME HOME - ch 13

SHE FOLLOWED ME HOME – ch 13

Mo deas

^ ^

Mo deas ran, leaped, and hopped through Mia’s garden, enjoying every second of the warm sunshine and the cool breeze that blew off the river. Yet, Mia noticed that every now and then, Mo deas would stop and sniff the ground, but rarely in the same place.

“What is it, Mo deas? What are you smelling? A rodent, maybe? Some little mouse that wants to nibble on my vegetables?” Mia laughed, “I hope you find it and give it a good chase. This patch of veggies will go to the children’s hospital in Dunlavin, providing, that is that our little rodent friend doesn’t eat them, first.” She smiled as she thought, “Can’t wait to ask my dad if he’ll help me expand the area, build me a greenhouse and a root cellar. Oh, my! My poor dad, he has no idea what I have planned. I’m going to keep him so busy. I only hope he has time and doesn’t put off his own work.”

She picked up a small twig and began drawing plans in the dirt. Then, she laughed at herself. “This is silly. As soon as I stand, I’ll squash my design. I’ll wait until I go inside, which I should do since I’m sure supper is almost ready.”

She looked at her pet and called, “Mo deas! Come, my pretty. It’s time to go inside.”

Mo deas gave the small area of the garden a last glaring stare, turned than ran to follow Mia.

“Your instincts are incredible, Mia. Your father should be home in about thirty minutes, and I’m just putting the finishing touches on dinner.”

Mia smiled and said, “I’ll go upstairs and wash up. I’ve put a lot of dirt under my fingernails.” She heard her mother’s phone ring and stopped in her tracks as she listened, but already knew.

“Mom, who, then has gotten hurt. I know it isn’t dad but he’s staying to help, now, isn’t he?”

Morena looked at her daughter. “Mia, what’s with the Irish brogue? You never spoke like that before.”

Mia looked quizzically at her mother. “Mom, I really don’t know. It’s just now and then, it comes out of me. I can’t explain it.”

“Oh well, not to worry. You were bound to pick up some of it since we’ve been living here for five years. Now, to answer your question: Tom O’Dwyer was leaving the office for the day and as he walked across the street, a young man on a motorcycle ran into him. Your dad says he’s not hurt badly but still wants the doctors to look at him. They’ll be taking him to Ballardbeg. You dad said he’d be delayed about an hour.”

“I’ll go wash up, now mom, then I’d like to talk to you about Mo deas. She’s not acting right.”

^^

As Mia set the table and her mother gave the dish a last stirring, Mia said, “Mom, either Mo deas is getting old or there’s something strange going on in my garden, or, maybe, it’s both. She was having a grand time jumping and running just like she always does, but then, she’d stop suddenly, stand as still as a statue, and stare at something I didn’t see. Can I take her to Uncle Ian tomorrow?”

“Of, course, Mia, I think that’s a fine idea. Oh, I think I heard your dad’s car.”

The door opened and as Brian walked in, Mia ran over, threw her arm around his waist and said, “Welcome home, Daddy.” The old sentiment made him laugh.

“M-m-m, Morena, something smells really good and after this afternoon, I’m starved.”

Morena smiled, “Brian, go wash up while I put supper on the table. We’re having shrimp creole.”

As he headed for the stairs, Morena heard him mumble, “I think she’s reading my mind again. I haven’t had creole in ages.” Morena smiled and thought to herself, “Ah, that’s my own little secret, isn’t it?”

Once seated around the table, as Morena dished out the rice and creole, Mia said, “Dad, I’d like to ask you for a very, VERY special favor. But, please, dad, if it isn’t possible, please say so.”

Brian smiled at his daughter. “Mia, there isn’t much you can’t ask me,” and quickly, as if instinct, looked at Mo deas. “Mia, what wrong with Mo deas? Is she sick? I’m getting a bad feeling. What’s wrong.”

Mia explained her pet’s behavior and said that her uncle would examine Mo deas the next day. Then told him her plans for a larger garden.

“Mia, honey, is that the very, VERY special favor? Sweetheart, I can do the landscaping in one day. The greenhouse and root cellar would take a bit longer. I’ll design them first, then I can get a few of my crew here to help me with the manual labor. It shouldn’t take us more than two days to do the greenhouse, but the root cellar will take longer since we need to use concrete.”

Mia jumped from her seat and threw her arms around her father’s neck and screeched, “Oh dad, thank you. Thank you.”

Brian laughed and prying Mia’s arms from his throat, he said, “Mia, honey, I won’t be able to do anything if you strangle me. Uh, what’s going on with Mo deas? She’s never sat and stared at the door before. She’s so still.”

Mia ran to her pet and gently picked her up. Mo deas mewed and nuzzled her head into Mia’s shoulder.

Brian looked at his wife, “Mo, I’m calling Ian. We’re not waiting for tomorrow.”

A few minutes later, Ian sat on the floor with the beautiful white cat in his lap. “Mo deas, tell me. Tell Mia. We’ll help you.”

The cat looked at her ward, then at Ian, then back to Mia. She mewed a bit louder this time, almost as if she knew what was going to happen but knew she had to keep the secret to herself.