Mommy

I remember that morning .

The snow was covering the land with its beautiful  transparent ice stones.

Those tall  pine and eucalyptus trees, along with the roofs of every single house of that steep little  prarie were also painted in that white.

From the window of the kitchen of our two-floor house, we could appreciate the barn, with some ten or twelve chickens, two cows, the crops and an always absent cat.

- Mom ¡ Have you seen Bill ¿ - I asked my mom, knowing beforehand the answer. 

She certainly will say : no.

- No, she really said.

- He is probably wandering around, as usual. You know he loves to getaway from home, and never comes back

- He comes back whenever he wants – I said.

- That is true! Remember, dear what he did  at the end of last year , vanishing one hot night of summer and showing up a day ago, making us think that he probably was lost  or maybe dead in someplace else.

He just stayed with us whenever there were no food in his hideaway – she concluded, sipping some coffee. 

Yes.

Everything she said was right.

So, that winter morning I took a decision : I will follow the cat.

According to that, I waited till the cat showed up, habitually after breakfast  to get some bread from the table.

When it came, it quickly run away again, but I had no idea of where exactly to..

But, I followed the cat with the clear purpose of , let me say, getting some information about this unique chubby pet.

- He went to the ceiling – I muttered .

However, my twinsomethis, Mark and Jim,  whom were also my neighbors, called me from their window sill

- Let’s plat soccer! 

- Ok, I said without knowing that , that game, would change my life, as I was about to find out – something incredible! 

As the snow was not covering the backyard, we put some pebbles resembling a goal, and limits for the field.

It was an ordinary game.

Nevertheless, during the first half of the game : Mark received a foul during a counterattack, so he was supposed to throw the ball to the goal but he threw it very strongly  so , the soccer ball fell on the roof of my house. 

- And now? , what do we do?

- I will climb to the roof - offered Jim , whom started to go up.

For his surprise his trip was very short as it ended when his feet slipped in the snowy wall.

- Are you ok? – we asked him

- I guess – so he tried to stand up, but he could not do it, as he had twisted his ankle.

In pain, we took him back home, nextdoor, keeping his ankle off the ground.

- Fine boys, thank you for bringing him back home – told us his mother, who was doing the dishes.

Obviously his brother stayed with him and I went back home.

- How about the cat ¿ - I asked to myself, looking up , trying to find some clues or answers to calm myself down.

- Let me be sincere for the very first time in.my short life – I said, sitting near the kitchen door where there were nobody there, as my mom was probably doing the beds before going to the kitchen : the curiosity was killing me.

So, I took the ladder that was thrown in the garden, under the snow, and I climbed to the roof.

Walking carefully and slowly on that old and slippery roof, I looked at the whole place from above.

- It deserves a picture as it is so beautiful - I said, taking a deep breath.

There were some noises coming from the.other side of the roof, near the chimney. 

I went there , because it was probably the cat.

Astonished, I found out three little creatures  meowing: the cat had three little and adorable kittens and they were living on the roof, under an eucalyptus’ tree branch, placed beside the house.

I obviously run to meet them, taking them very carefully as the mother cat was not there.

I put them in the pockets of my jacket.

And very carefully went down.

In the middle , Sqof my journey, my mother was waiting for me, as she missed me from the kitchens door.

- Where have you been? It is cold outside - - she rushed to lead me inside the house.

- Sorry mom , but ne and my friends went to the roof and found something.

And I took the three kitty out from my pocket.

She opened her eyes, in surprise.

- What ¿ - still surprised.

- These are the children of Bill.

- What are talking about? Bill can not have babies, he is Male!

- Well, I think that Bill is not a Male. He is she. That is why the cat disappeared some.nightd from home.

- What are you saying? Are you sure that these are the babies of Bill?

- Totally. Take a look at them : they have the same color, and the same bluish eyes of Bill.

- Let me take s look - and she looked at them, inspecting every single detail. : the hair the tail, the eyes .

- It looks like – she said, going to the kitchen – they are starving in this freezing cold. Let’s feed them while we wait for their mother.

The little ones drunk the milk, desperately 

- Let’s give them more milk. Bring the pan full of hot.milk that is on the stove dear. Watch out with it ¡

The stove had a nice window covered by a cotton flowered curtain.

I took a look from at the window.

And took the pan full.of hot milk from the stove

But, suddenly a dark- four- legged shadow appeared behind the curtain.

Was it Bill? - I thought, opening the curtain.

For my surprise, yes it was ¡!!.

- Comd here, your babies are here. Get in ¡

 At first, the cat did not understand what I was trying to say .

But, when he took a look through that curtain he saw his children, and more than faster, he got into the house. 

The reunion was done.

That morning, I looked for a box, and some old straps yo cover the little ones.

Bill seemed to be cer happy.

We opened a tuna fish can to give to their moggie 

And they devoured it in a minute.

We put the box near the chimney, in the hottest place of the house.

Mommy cat embraced the offspring, and licked one by one, showing some kind of unusual love, or caress.

The night fell, dark and timidly.

 But Mother cat stayed there, for the whole night, together with its , Bill.

- But Bill is not going to be Bill anymore - accurately.observed.mom.

- I think we should give him.another name!

- Yes!

- How about Melissa?

- No, too girlish 

- And , what do you think, mom if we just call her mommy cat ¿ 

My mother stopped blinking in a crear demonstration of mind activity.

- Well, dear, I think it is …well - let me see - tilting gaze 

! For me is just fine! – she smiled hugging me, hugging  Mommy cat and also hugging the kittens, changing my day life forever. 

-

-

-