SHE FOLLOWED ME HOME ch 2

SHE FOLLOWED ME HOME – ch 2

Mo deas

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“I feel like that old story book rhyme about Mary and her lamb!” Mia said proudly as she turned her head to look at her little white friend. “Mo deas follows me everywhere, well, except when I’m in the bathroom. But even then, she’ll lie on the floor and wait for me to come out. It’s really strange. She seems to know when I need her even before I do.”

Her friend, Charlotte spoke, “Mia, she’s so beautiful and friendly. She always allows us to pet her but at the same time, hardly ever takes her eyes off you. She seems so protective.”

“Yes, Charlotte, she really is. Just the other day, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking. I wanted a snack and as I got too close to the stairs in my house, I almost missed the first step. Mo deas jumped at me and pushed me sideways. If she hadn’t, I know for sure, I would have tumbled down the entire flight and who knows just how badly I might have been hurt!”

She stooped, held out her hand and when Mo deas approached, she gently rubbed the cat’s back. “I love you, Mo deas. I hope you know that.”

Mia then stood, turned, and continued to walk towards school.

Without warning, Mo deas ran in front of Mia causing her to stop short and quickly shift out of the way so she wouldn’t step on her pet or worse, trip over her. Just in time, too, as a boy on a fast-moving skateboard rolled by, almost knocking Mia to the ground.

“Holy cow! Mia!,” Julie said, “Are you okay? Did he hit you?”

“No, Mia, began to sob but I think he hit Mo deas. Look,” she pointed to the ground where the pretty kitten lay.

She knelt and gently stroked the kitten’s side. The young boy ran back. “I’m sorry, so sorry. I shouldn’t have been going that fast but I’m late for school. I’m so sorry. Is your cat okay? That is your cat, right?”

Mia, with tears beginning to stream down her face, looked up and saw the beginning of tears in his eyes. She placed her hand on the kitten’s back and said, “Mo deas, please be ok. Please, you’ve got to be okay.”

The boy knelt alongside Mia and said, “I’m Mickey, by the way. Again, I really am sorry. He’s such a pretty cat. What can I do? I’ll take the day off school, and I can carry your pet to the animal hospital. It’s not far and my dad works there.”

As if by magic, Mo deas took a deep breath and looked up at Mickey. Slowly, she stood. A bit wobbly for few seconds then, carefully walked to were Mickey was kneeling and licked his hand.

Mia spoke, “Mickey, I believe she knows you didn’t mean it. I believe she’s saying she forgives you. But I’m saying please be more careful where you ride. That could have been me or one of my friends. Oh, and my name’s Mia.”

“Wait, Mia? Are your parents Morena and Brian Diehl? And your pet is Mo deas?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“As I said, my dad works at the animal hospital and your parents brought in Mo deas a few weeks ago for a checkup. The owner, Johnny O’Leary took care of her. Your mom said the cat belonged to her daughter, Mia, so I just put two and two together. Please, let me call my dad and have him check Mo deas – just to be sure she’s not hurt.”

Mo deas rubbed her head on Mickey’s shin and rather than agree to leave school, she opted to ask one of the officials to call home and ask her mother to come. Mickey said he’d call his father and explain what happened and promised, “Mia, I promise, my dad’ll take good care of her.”

Thirty minutes later, Mia and Mickey left the principal’s office and headed back to their classrooms and Mo deas was on her way to the Smiling Faces Animal Hospital.

Mia felt completely alone as she walked home from school without her pet. Her friends noticed her melancholy mood and Amy remarked, “Mia, I’m sure Mo deas is fine. She was probably just as startled as we were. I’m also sure that if something were really and truly wrong, you’d feel it. Right?”

Mia gave her friend a half smile and said, “Amy, in my heart I know you’re right, but I still can’t help but worry.”

“Mia, I was wondering,” Charlotte started, “I know Mo deas followed you home, just sort of out-of-the-blue, but do you have any idea how old she is or when her birthday might be?”

“Wow, Charlotte, those are good questions. Mr. O’Leary at the Vet’s office said she was bout three months old but couldn’t be completely sure. He said that while she seemed like a young kitten, she also showed the wisdom and understanding of an older cat. So, he was as confused as my parents. And her birthday? No idea but I was thinking of giving her one. Probably the day she found me.”

“Sounds like a great idea. How about if we celebrate her new birthday every May 16th? We can do that, right?”

Mia smiled and agreed, “But for now, I want to get her something special for putting herself in danger to save me. I just don’t know what, or how to get to a store. I’ll talk it over with my mom when I get home.”

Julie placed her hand on Mia’s shoulder as she noticed a van parked outside Mia’s house. “Uh, Mia, looks like you have company.”

Mia looked and screamed. “Oh no! It’s the van from the animal hospital. Oh, Mo deas!”

And Mia ran the rest of the way home.