June's Heart

"Dear wonderful Heart. Even when you were a kitten and I was only ten, we had all of our adventures together. I'm going to miss you so much!"

The fluffy white cat raised her head, and gazed at the woman with unblinking yellow eyes.

"Since the day I got you, it's always been June and Heart. Do you remember the year we had Miss Graehl, and she let you come to school with me every single day, as a class mascot?"

The cat meowed softly.

"That was when you weren't even a year old. Sneaking you into my backpack on the first day was the smartest thing I ever did in school. I can't believe I'm thirty, and you're twenty. It feels like we have so much to do yet."

The cat yawned, then stretched out. June picked her up, and carried her into the bedroom. "One more night, then after lunch we go see Dr. Patterson. She says twenty is amazing for a cat, but I..."

June's eyes glistened as she gently placed Heart next to her, and laid down.

"Why the sad face, June?" asked a voice in the dark.

June searched for any trace of a shape, but saw nothing. "Because I'm going to lose my best friend tomorrow. My Heart."

The voice rumbled in a deep purr that shook her entire body. "You will never lose your Heart. Such a connection can't be broken, even by moving between worlds. This is something we cats have always known."

June sobbed. "There has to be a way for us to stay together."

The purring continued as the voice rumbled again. "We all have our time, but separation isn't forever. And you'll never truly be alone."

June slept hard after that. When she opened her eyes, Heart was snuggled against her, purring softly. Rain pounded hard on the roof.

She yawned. "I can't take her out in this. I'll reschedule with Dr. Patterson."

No sooner had she said this than the purring got slower and slower, until it eventually stopped.

June cried for what seemed like hours, until she heard a faint meow. She looked up, and saw a small kitten on the windowsill.

She covered Heart with a corner of the quilt, and went over to open the window. The kitten was soaked, and covered in mud and leaves.

"Oh, you poor thing! How long have you been out in the rain?"

The small animal crouched and shivered, meowing again.

June scooped it up in her hands, and went into the kitchen. "Let's get you warm and dry."

After it stopped shivering, she opened the towel and began cleaning off the leaves and mud before they could dry onto the soft fur of what turned out to be a beautiful calico kitten. "What's this, a piece of newspaper? I guess your mom has a good nest of leaves and other things, but you wandered away and got lost? Or did this stuff come from a ditch?"

The kitten began to protest about the cool air, so she wrapped her back up. Then she picked up the little scrap of paper. It had three words on it.

June gasped, then held the wrapped bundle to her chest, rereading the words over and over, "heart and soul. It can't be a coincidence. My Heart sent me my Soul."

She kept her appointment with Dr. Patterson.

The older woman adjusted her stethoscope, and smiled somberly. She's a little thin, but otherwise in good health. I do want to show you something, though."

June frowned. "But you just said she's healthy?"

"Oh, it's nothing like that. Take a look on the inside of her hind leg."

She gently turned Soul onto her back, and looked. "Oh my, that white patch of fur looks exactly like a heart!"

The vet smiled. "You'll have to watch her closely for a while, but she's old enough to start on solid food. I'm so sorry to hear about Heart. But at the same time, I'm glad she passed where she was happiest."

June nodded, and lifted the kitten to her face. "We're going to have a memorial next weekend, if you want to come. It'll be under the huge Oak tree in Greenfield Park. That's where she learned to climb. I thought I'd sprinkle a few of her ashes there...

The vet nodded, then removed her glasses and wiped her eyes. She cleared her throat. "I'll be there."

Next weekend June, Soul, and six of Heart's human friends stood under a massive tree.

June bent over and mixed a few ashes from a small urn into the rich soil, then carefully closed and stashed the urn back in her pocket.

"Have fun, and learn where all the best climbing trees are in Heaven, so you can show us one day?" she whispered.

Soul meowed her agreement.

Cover image made in Canva Pro using their gallery source