In times of great grief and sorrow, AJ Sadira often didn't know what to do with herself. She thought highly of Billy Lee, but her approach to tragedy, total inebriation, was somewhat distasteful. She adored Henry, but his solution, violent work-outs, was a little outside of her means. AJ did herself one better.
AJ, bought a cat.
Muffin, as it came to be christened was a small brown ball of fur with two eyes that indicated it's front end rather than it's back end. It yowled a great deal but all in all turned into quite the lap..... fuzzy bit. Like a slightly large fuzzy that sticks to your clothing, Muffin would cling to AJ anytime she was home from teaching. So far, AJ had taught it two things, she had taught it to go in the litter pan rather than the house plants, and she had taught it to say 'mom.'
Well, rather, she had taught it to mew at her when she came in that she insisted to anyone who would listen sounded just like it was saying 'mom.' This met with various reactions from people. Miles for instanced laughed and agreed. Billy would lift a brow and intone her typical "rrrriiiiiiight." used when ever AJ did something particularly eccentric. Henry would laugh, pat her on the head and say " 'course she did lass. Course she did."
Late at night, just before dawn, she would curl the kitten up agents her, nuzzle it and ask it the long series of 'why's' a child might ask God when praying before bed. 'Why do good people die.' 'Why do good people suffer.' 'Why do they always leave me alone in the end?' Like God, Muffin provided no answers. Muffin did however, provide a little warmth in her large lonely bed. She also provided inspiration.
"I wonder what goes on in that fuzzy little brain of yours sometimes Muffin." Muffin said nothing. "Wouldn't I like a little peek in there someday...." She leaned back in the bed and nuzzled the fluff ball with her cheek. The kitten purred in a way that reminded her of the way her sire spoke. Sometimes, when she was very troubled, Dominic would speak right into her mind. Saying soft low rumbling words that sounded in her mind, like a big cat purring. "I wonder if I could do that..." The kitten did not take the hint and ask her 'do what?' Rather, the kitten licked itself.
AJ sat up and fixed her eyes down on the little ball of hair and thought, hard, very hard. Muffin! She thought at the kitten. I demand you hear me Muffin. Look at the one you love. Muffin! Muffin look at me! Muffin!
After about twenty or thirty minutes of this AJ had a pounding psychosomatic headache. Or perhaps, it was the pounding on the front door. She rose slowly, rubbing her temples and opened the front door. A rather perplexed looking cow girl stood at the door.
"Ah'm here. Ah'm not quite sure why Ah'm here.... Or why I brought these." To it, Billy Lee thrust a sack of Wawa muffins into AJ's hand.
"Huh?" AJ had time to ask as Henry lumbered down the hall, he stopped, put a second bag of muffins (the little mini kind this time) in her hands groaned "I dunno" and marched off.
Somewhere inside the apartment, Miles looked up from his computer game. "I hope their chocolate chip. I hate blueberry."
Written by me, Philomena 2002
