No Greater Love


No Greater Love




She was devoted to her parents and they in turn loved her dearly.

They taught her about life and love and morals to live by. She taught them about fashion and travel and how to use technology. Soon they could post, hashtag and make reels.

In the November, she moved into her first apartment and they were so happy for her. Especially after the heartache of her last relationship.

A cat had started to come by, a Persian type with cloud grey fur. It soothed her and was a companion in the loneliest of days. She called it her own and even let him stay some nights. The real owners must have been out of their minds. She told her parents a cat like that shouldn’t be let out on its own. It was a house cat. Or an apartment cat.

She loved the cat, yet she needed to get away, find herself. She planned a three- month trip to Bali. They were so happy for her. Living life, back to herself. Content again.

To pass the time in her absence, her father, now enjoying his new found technology skills, perused the neighbourhood Facebook page. To his horror the cat was there. Dead on the road. Someone had posted a picture to see if anyone knew who owned it. The comments and crying emojis couldn’t hide his pain and how he would tell her.

They decided not to. She would be home in a week. They would tell her to her face. There was one last video call before coming home and they prayed she wouldn’t ask after the cat.

In her excitement, she didn’t and they thought she had forgotten about it.

Her father collected her from the airport and they were only on the motorway and finished the first round of questions and answers about Bali when she asked, “How is the cat?”

He winced and said, “Oh darling…” She looked at him as he drove.

“What?!”

“The cat is dead.” he told her. Eyes darting from the road and back to her.

She didn’t say anything and then broke down crying uncontrollably.

“I’m sorry,” she said later. They knew the cat was the one thing that had kept her together.

A few days later, she told them never to keep anything from her when she was away like that. They argued that they loved her and didn’t want to upset her holiday. She told them that they all loved each other and have to share things no matter what. They understood.

The next summer she wanted to go away again. Her father left her to the airport. She told him to get that cough looked at. He promised he would.

He did. The news was bleak and he wasn’t sure if he would be around for her return.

After six weeks she texted home asking how was everything.

Her mother, now texting with two thumbs like all of the teenagers, replied to her.

All good. #nodeadcats.

by Conor Lynch

by Conor Lynch

https://conorlynch.weebly.com/





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