The next week seemed to simply fly by. Far too fast for poor Amelia. Before she knew it, it was the day before Kitty was to come and pick her up. For some reason, Amelia didn't want do anything; anything at all. She simply sat inside the Doppler mansion and watched her children play, her expression tender and haunted. Her reverie was broken when her Delbert came into the living room, bearing a book.
"I thought, perhaps, you might like to see this," he said, and handed it to Amelia. It was a fanciful storybook that told the story of Kitty Petro. Amelia read it through several times. She then sighed softly, and laid the book down on the table before her. If this Kitty could bring legendary giants to their knees, she knew she didn't stand a chance. She tried to be brave for her children, but she hadn't even left yet and she already missed them terribly. Her heart ached for them; for what she would miss when they grew up… all without her being there.
As if they could read their troubled mother's mind, her children looked at each other, then her. Without a single word, each of them climbed on to the couch beside their mother, and snuggled close to her. Amelia smiled at their care, and held them all close to her, as if she could absorb a lifetime of their love in just these moments.
Benjamin later grabbed up the book Amelia had been reading and opened it. He and his sisters read it through with her, and after they finished, felt worse and worse about what was happening to their mother every single second. Amelia closed her eyes, unable to stand the looks of sadness in her children's eyes.
Benjamin then acted, and moved on to his mother's lap and wrapped his arms about her. It wasn't long and all of Amelia's daughters were doing the same. Amelia smiled, and kissed each of her children in turn.
"I will miss you all so very much," she told them, pressing her cheek to their sweet heads. She couldn't help herself any longer, and she sniffed, tears appearing in her eyes.
"I know," little Benjamin told her, his love for his mother bright in his eyes. "We're going to all miss you too, Momma."
"Yes, all of us," Amanda told her, her lower lip trembling, her eyes swimming.
"Me too, Momma," blond-haired Beth told her mother most sincerely.
Amelia hugged her children, and silently wept, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Don't cry, Momma," remarked raven-haired Catherine, wiping at her mother's tears. "We'll always be with you," the little girl said, "right here." She pointed one small finger at her mother's heart.
Amelia smiled at her, and then kissed her tenderly, which made Catherine giggle. "Thank you for reminding me, children. You've made your mother very proud. I love you all so very much."
"We love you too, Momma," they proclaimed, all smiles. "Lots and lots!"
Then, a knock was heard at the door. Amelia reluctantly disengaged herserlf from her children, and went to answer the door. Just on the stoop outside, lay a letter. Amelia saw her name upon it, and opened it. It said:
Dear Amelia
If I were you, which I'm not, I would make a visit to your ship. It will be awhile before you see her again. That is… until I bring her to my world. Just a little food for thought…
Kitty Petro
PS: You needn´t worry about your children. You will most definitely see them all again… and soon.
K.P.
Amelia read the letter through again, to make sure she hadn't missed anything.
"Well, my children," Amelia told them, "it seems that you all will be soon be seeing me again quite soon. So, be on your best behavior. And remember…" she said, squatting down to their level. "If you need your Momma, remember---just like Catherine said---I'll be right here." She pointed once over each of their hearts, which made them all giggle happily.
"Delbert!" Amelia then called to her husband. He appeared quickly, and she informed him that she was going to the port to put things in order with the Legacy. A moment later, yet another letter fluttered down from the sky.
Wise choice.
That was all the note said, but Amelia knew from whom it had come: Kitty.
Amelia shivered to think that Kitty and her crew were watching her even now. She looked about, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Accepting the fate she'd been dealt as best she could, she then made her way toward the ferry that would take her to the port, for her last glimpse of her beloved ship.
Once on board the Legacy, she inspected the ship from stem to stern. She eventually ended up in the crow´s nest atop the main mast, where she began to think. She thought about how she was going to miss her friends, and her family especially. She sighed and climbed down. Just before she stepped on to the gangway of her ship to depart, she laid a hand on the wooden railing, and turned back. She blinked, and looked closer about. She could have sworn that someone was watching her, up somewhere high on the main mast. But, as she looked again, no one was there, no one at all.
Amelia, stop this overeacting, she told herself. But, then a thought hit her. Kittys sentence rang out again in her mind. My people and I are watching you.
"Kitty Petro! I know you are up there," Amelia yelled.
At first nothing could be heard. However, soon she heard the soft music from a harmonica… coming from the ship's bridge. Amelia could only sigh, and made her way back to the ferry. As she walked along, she didn't notice the teenage girl and the felinid woman that followed after her, both laughing softly and quietly.