Hello everyone, thank you so much for your reviews. Your comments are very sweet and thoughtful. For anyone asking questions, I don't want to give anything away but, by the end of this story they will be answered. I definitely have a plan in mind. Here is chapter 15. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors. I hope you enjoy.
Saturday February 19th 1983
When the girls arrived at the Isles residence, Maura quickly exited the car, supplies in her right hand and kitten paws poking out of the left pocket.
"Hurry Gia, it's cold outside."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Gia said as she locked her car.
The two entered the house and Maura walked to the kitchen and started the water. She wanted to get it at the right temperature to wash the little kitten. Gia took the shampoo out of the bag that Maura left on the counter, then got a clean towel from the drawer.
"Gia do you think this is okay," Maura asked gesturing to Gia to test the water so she could have second opinion.
Gia ran her hand and wrist underneath the faucet, "Seems about right."
Maura took the kitten from her pocket, the little thing was a yellowish-grey color.
"Okay sweetie, you might not like this but the veterinarian said you needed one." She put the kitten under the streaming water. The kitten started to meow.
"Sorry, sorry," Maura apologized to the kitten.
Gia put some of the shampoo in her hands and then started to work on getting the little kitten clean as Maura held her in her hands.
When they rinsed her off, they saw that her fur was snow white. "Wow, you were really dirty, little one," Gia said. Then she reached for the towel and laid it on the counter. Maura placed the kitten in the center and used the ends to help dry off now shaking kitten. When she finished as best as she could, she wrapped the kitten up in the towel.
"She probably hasn't eaten in..." Maura tried to think. "I don't know how long, she's probably hungry," Maura reached for the kitten formula.
"Uh... Peanut, I haven't forgotten that you were in a dumpster too, so you need to get a shower," Gia reminded.
"But Gia..."
"It will take less than ten minutes, she needs to dry off a little bit more so she can relax and eat, no kitten likes to be cold and wet."
Maura sighed, "Okay."
Maura went up stairs to get a shower and change her clothes. Gia turned up the heat a bit more and sat near a vent blowing warm air. She continued to dry the little white feline, who eventually stopped shaking. Gia's idea was successful and the kitten was completely dry in no time.
Maura came down seven minutes later with a pink baby blanket. "My mom told me that this was the blanket I had when she got me." She walked over to Gia who was now sitting on the couch. "Wow she's completely dry, awesome job Gia!" She took the kitten and wrapped her up in the blanket and handed her back to Gia. "I'm going to make her dinner, you stay here and continue keep her warm.
Maura went to the kitchen to prepare a bottle. Less than five minutes later she returned to the living room. "We should give her a proper name," Gia said as she handed the kitten to Maura.
"Do you have any ideas?" Maura said as she repositioned the kitten so she was resting on her stomach.
"Well, she's small, white, fluffy, and sweet, what about Marshmallow?"
Maura giggled, "Marshmallow, I like it." It took a few attempts but Maura was successful in getting the kitten drink from her bottle. Maura leaned into Gia as she sang a lullaby to Marshmallow in French. Gia smiled, moments like this reminded her how lucky she was to have the little girl in her life.
When the kitten had finished, Gia heard her own stomach grumble. Maura looked up at Gia, "We should probably get some dinner too."
"Pizza?"
"Sure, can we get mushrooms and olives toppers?"
"Toppings, Peanut, and yes we can, because that's the best idea ever." Gia tapped Maura to let her up so could go to the kitchen to make the call for the pizza place.
Maura continued to cuddle the small kitten who she suspected was now sleeping but couldn't be sure because her eyes were still closed. When Gia returned to the living room she smiled. Maura was so cute with little Marshmallow.
"What," Maura said as she looked at Gia smiling at her.
"Oh nothing, it's just that you two look adorable," she sat back down on the couch next to Maura, who leaned against her again. Gia put her arm around Maura, "Peanut and Marshmallow, you're like a little fluffernutter sandwich."
"What's that," Maura looked up at Gia with confusion, hearing a word that sounded like nonsense.
"You know, those sandwiches made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, all of the kids in grade school had them."
"I wouldn't know, my mom would never pack me anything like that. Are they any good?"
"I wouldn't know either... I'm allergic to peanuts," Gia responded.
Maura looked up at Gia, "...But you call me, Peanut."
Gia laughed, "I guess you're the only kind I'm not allergic to."
The two girls relaxed on the couch with Marshmallow until the pizza arrived. When it did they stayed on the couch and ate while watching television, with Marshmallow sitting on Maura's lap.
Maura fed Marshmallow one more time, before they went to bed, she insisted that she sleep with the little kitten.
/
Sunday, February 20th 1983
"Hey Gia, check it out," Maura exclaimed, running into Gia's room waking her.
Gia was startled, "What, what?"
"She opened her eyes, Marshmallow opened her eyes," she put the kitten close to Gia's face, "See?"
Gia rubbed her eyes. "She looks a little more lively today."
"I know. I make a great mom," she turned Marshmallow so that she was now face to face with kitten. "I wonder if her eyes will be blue permanently or if they'll change, they're just like human babies in that respect you know." She held the kitten up next to Gia's face looking at the both of them. "You two have the same color blue eyes."
"We do?"
"Yeah, a dark ocean blue," Maura said. "I hope hers stay this way as I find yours to be quite lovely."
Gia smiled. "Hanging around you is one giant ego boost, Peanut, you always say the nicest things."
Maura shrugged. "I'm just being truthful. Come on, let's get this kitten her breakfast."
Maura fed the kitten while Gia made breakfast for them.
"I'm going to hate to leave her tomorrow while I'm at school," Maura stated.
"Tomorrow is Presidents' Day, Peanut, you have off," Gia reminded her.
"Oh yeah! Good, this will allow me to be more consistent with a feeding schedule."
After Maura finished feeding Marshmallow, she burped the kitten to help her digest. Then she lay Marshmallow in her lap while she ate with Gia.
"Gia, can I ask you a big favor?"
"I don't know if I'll be able to say yes, but you can ask."
"I don't think my mom will let me keep her, so would you be able to take Marshmallow?"
Gia though for a minute, she knew her apartment building allowed pets because the lady, three doors down owned two small dogs. "Yeah, I think I can manage that."
"...And can you bring me over all the time to visit her," Maura asked.
Gia smiled, "Sure thing, Peanut."
The girls spent the rest of their Sunday at the Isles residence as Marshmallow was on a strict eating schedule which Maura adhered to diligently. Constance had called later that night saying that she wouldn't be back until Tuesday morning, Maura was happy that she could keep the kitten at her house for another day.
Maura insisted on sleeping with the kitten as she did the night before. Gia gave them both forehead kisses when she tucked them into bed.
/
Monday February 21st 1983
Gia woke up to the sound of a scream, followed by sobbing coming from Maura's room. She got up immediately and ran to the little girl's bedroom, barely able to catch her breath when she reached the door.
The sight before her was truly heartbreaking.
The little girl looked up at Gia with cascades of tears pouring from her eyes, in her hands was the stiff, lifeless body of the tiny kitten know as Marshmallow.
"She's dead," Maura cried.
Gia walked over to Maura's bed and sat next to her.
"I'm really sorry, Peanut."
"I... I just don't get it, I was careful, I did everything right, why did this happen?"
Gia's eyes began to water, she didn't have an answer that seemed fair to the little girl so she just relied on honesty. "I don't know, Peanut, but you did everything you could, please don't blame yourself. Sometimes despite our best efforts, things still happen that are beyond our control."
Maura wiped the tears from her eyes as the dead kitten lay in her lap. Although Gia's answer was truthful and sincere, Maura had trouble accepting it, because she had trouble with forgiving herself. She tried to distance herself from emotion by going into fact mode. "She must have been dead for over an hour, since she is no longer warm and her body is stiff. We are going to have to decide what to do with her in the next twenty four hours before she begins to decay."
"Well, we can take her to the vet, where she will either be cremated or used for dissections for learning veterinarians, or we can burry her here in the backyard, where you'll be able to visit her and talk to her whenever you want," Gia offered.
Maura weighed her options. "It makes me sad thinking about them burning her so I don't really want her cremated. As much as I support science and learning, the thought of someone cutting her open seems disrespectful. And last idea doesn't make any sense, what's the point in visiting a grave?"
Under different circumstances, Gia would have been offended but she knew that the little girl couldn't possibly understand, this being the first time she experienced death. "Well, it helped me a lot in the beginning. I'd go to the cemetery and talk to them, almost every week until my junior year, then it was about once a month." Gia stopped and thought to herself. "I actually haven't been there in nine months," she frowned.
"I'm sorry Gia," Maura worried that she had insulted the nanny. "I think we should bury her, it seems like the best way to honor her memory."
"Only if that's what you want, Peanut."
"It is."
"Okay then, we'll need a box," Gia said.
Maura got up, finally let go of Marshmallow, placing her on top of the blankets before going under her bed to get something.
Maura grabbed one of her fancy shoe boxes, "Does this work?"
"Yeah, but are you sure, Peanut?"
"It's a pretty box, and Marshmallow deserves it," the little girl asserted. She took the shoes out of the box and placed them back underneath the bed. She then lined the box with the her baby blanket and placed Marshmallow on top.
"She looks so peaceful," Gia stated. "You made her feel loved, Maura, even if it was only for a short time, if it wasn't for you she never would have felt that, you are still a great mom."
Maura's emotions returned, truly touched by what Gia had said. She threw her arms around her nanny in a rib crushing hug. "Thank you, Gia, I don't know if I could get through this without you."
Gia hugged the little girl back, happy that she was able to comfort her. "I'm going to give you a few minutes to say your good byes to Marshmallow, while I get everything ready."
As Gia broke the hug Maura looked concerned. "What do I say, how do I know if she can hear me?"
"Say what comes to your heart, Peanut, and don't worry, she'll be able to hear you." Gia smiled at Maura and squeezed her hand before leaving the room.
After Gia left, Maura sat next to the box and looked a the little kitten. "Hi Marshmallow... I miss you and I love you and I'm sorry." She remained silent just looking at the kitten until Gia returned, twenty minutes later.
"It's all ready, Peanut."
Maura carefully rose to her feet and put the lid on the box. She slowly followed Gia to the backyard, where Gia had dug a hole nearly a foot and a half. At the head of the grave Gia placed a rock with an inscription she wrote with a permanent marker, "Here lies Marshmallow, small, white, fluffy, sweet, and loved." Maura smiled at the inscription, as she gently laid the box in the ditch.
"You wanna say a few words, Peanut?"
Maura shook her head, "She already knows."
"Very well," Gia stated as she started to cover the box with dirt. When she finished, she packed the dirt firmly and stood next to Maura who put her arm around Gia's waist and buried her head in her side. The two stood there in silence for a few minutes before returning inside.
They spent the rest of the day fairly quiet as well. When it was time to go to bed, Maura asked Gia if she could sleep in the guest room with her as it was to painful to spend the night in her room where Marshmallow died. Gia, of course, allowed Maura to do so and Maura held on to Gia tightly as she slept.
Reviews are appreciated as always. Be well and have a splendid day everyone :)