This is Halloween

“Tienes Todo?” Mama says as they exit the house. The six year old, excited for her friends bounce house party, runs to the car not answering. “Wait! The gift!”, Sara turns back to the pathway in the entrance.

“meow, meow, meow”

Sara hears something and stops. A little black thing with big green eyes is walking towards her. It continues to meow. She has never really interacted with a cat, she only had Tato, a chihuahua that didn’t like anyone, while her grandma owned six different dogs at this time. The kitten, only about 2 months old, rubs up against her leg.

“Mama we have to feed it” she begged.

Mama eventually took a small bowl of Tato’s food and water and placed it outside for the stray. And off they went to Jumping Jamboree Birthday Party.

“What should we name it?” Sara eagerly said. The pair went through names for the black cat. Shadow, Midnight, Bat, Coal.

”How about Halloween?” Mama suggested.

”That’s perfect! Because it’s almost October!” Sara said, as she then started to refer to the cat as Halloween.

Throughout the whole entire birthday, all Sara could talk about was the cat. Her fascinated friends, including the birthday girl, were excited for the new edition in the family. At this age, anything small and tiny was considered adorable. So it was pretty obvious when they saw the pictures, a wave of awws were said. Sara just couldn’t wait to get home and see Halloween.

On the car ride back, Mama explained to Sara that she had told Papa the situation about the cat, and that they were not likely going to keep him. As Sara saw the two empty bowls when she got home, a tear shed when the black cat was no where to be seen. She persistently would go outside every twenty minutes to see if he would appear.

When Papa got home with her brother Miguel, Sara was still in her room glooming about the cat. Papa came and sat with her to talk about it. He suggested that out next door neighbor’s son, Diego was willing to talk him.

“Mi amor, you’ll still have the opportunity to see him at Diego’s house” Papa explained.

Sara, who is a six-year-old didn’t want to go all the way to Diego’s house to visit her new favorite animal. She wanted to keep him. Her Chihuahua Tato was reaching 15 years old at this point, and he bit any finger that tried to pet him. Sara wanted a pet to constantly cuddle with and have purring by her side.

The night was long and sad. No sign of Halloween, and if he were to appear, Sara knew the outcome would be for him to be sent to Diego’s house. Sara’s emotions were confused. Why does she want this dirty stray animal? Why was she sad about losing something she never had? What was the emotional attachment to a random feline that appeared at her doorstep? As an impulsive six-year-old does, she runs away…to her grandmas house that lives five houses down.

“Tesoro de mi vida, mi princesa bonita!” Abuela says as soon as she opened the door and smothers Sara in kisses. Sara appreciates having Abuela close. She was someone who always took her to Mcdonald’s after school, bought her Barbies, and let her have long bubble baths. Sara explained to her the situation about Halloween, and abuela, the animal lover with six dogs, had to handle this herself.

Abuela and I walked back to my house so she could scold at her son.

“Meow, meow, meow”

Sara couldn’t believe it. She gasped as a black shadow appeared from the bushes.

”You came back!” Sara cried. She then started to cheer as she hugged Halloween. The cat purred and quickly got scared when he heard the front door opening.

“Stop hugging the cat, it could be sick!” Papa said. Then, Papa called Diego so he could pick up the cat. While they waited for Diego to get there, Sara held the cat in her arms, admiring every last second her and the stray would have together.

Headlights of a car pull up into the drive way and Diego steps out.

”Oh she’s such a cutie”, Diego chuckles. “He’s a boy!” Sara, who’s never had a problem with Diego in her six years of life, now couldn’t even look at him, with the despicable act he’s about to commit. Sara gives a last big hug to the cat and hands him over to Diego.

Papa sees the quiet tears falling down Sara’s face, while everyone else is excited as Diego just received a new kitten.

”You know what Diego, too late, we are keeping him.”

Papa takes the kitten from his arms and takes Halloween inside.

Sara’s face lights up, she even starts to jump up and down. She couldn’t believe it. A stubborn dog person like papa with a little black cat in his hands? Sara felt like she was dreaming.

Diego was okay with it, the situation was unexpected anyways, he wasn’t even sure if his wife was going to be okay with him bringing a cat home. He left home after saying good night to everyone.

Sara was so excited. “Mama text all my friends moms to tell my friends!” She barged into her brother Miguel’s room to tell him the news. Abuela was so happy she offered to cook that night chicken, rice, and beans. Halloween was the new member in the Moreno household.

“Promise to feed him every morning and night?”

“Yes”

”Promise to clean his liter box every afternoon”

”Yes”

”Promise to give him attention and not forget about him in two months”

”I won’t!”

Papa then, after all the promises, accepted the fact that the cat belonged to the family. Mama then dug through Tato’s supply drawer. She picks up this tacky, red and green glitter collar with a bow tie Tato is forced to wear during the holidays. The collar clicks as it’s placed around Halloweens neck.

From a stray cat in the morning, to a Halloween that’s purring next to them on the couch at night, this new journey of a cat has now set sailed.