I too had a pet..

It was a fine afternoon on April 3rd, 2024 when I left college early. The sun shone bright above my head and the wind was a little chilly. I, along with my girlies, was looking for a rickshaw when mum called in a rather worried yet happy disposition. "VISHU!!", she said, "Vo billi thi na, she had babies, gharr mein!!", she continued. I almost didn't hear her at first as my mind and my heart weren't ready for it. Since I was little, I wasn't allowed to think of having a domestic animal, 'cause in mum's words "main unhe sambhalungi to tumhe kon sambhalega?" or "Tum ho to ghar mein, kutte-billi ki kya zarurat". So in that case, I couldn't come to terms with the fact that it was actually happening! And that too, a cat! as if my wishes were all heard at once. Just then a series of mixed emotions rushed through my heart-- 

- Will I be allowed to keep them? 

- Mum won't allow one cat, let alone 4 (Yeah! she had 3 baby kittens)

- Will I be able to see them? 

- Mum won't send them away, will she?

- Maybe she will

- Who will take care of them?

- Will they be scared of me?

- What if I just steal one of the kittens (*devil*)

- Their mother is the best for them, maybe..

These thoughts were an unlimited supply of uncertainty, assumptions, excitement and restlessness, all that I thought will fade away once I see the little doses of happiness.

On my way back home, mum tried to record a video of those mischievous hellions and send me. They were barely visible but my excitement now, had no bounds. 

Their mum kept them in a cardboard box secured by big pieces of cardboards on all sides leaving a little opening on the lid from where she peeked out and stared at anyone who dared to attempt to see her babies.

Possessive creatures? I say she's just a mother, not so different from humans in the terms of emotions, no?

So we would wait for her to go on her daily rounds, so we could shower some love on the lil ones newly born. We would keep milk for the mother, the only way of our interaction with her. 

People from family and a few friends came and saw the serene soft and mischievous little goons and admire. 

And I?

I avoided seeing them as much as I could for I knew they will leave in a week or so.. once they grow up a little.. and the thought of getting attached scared me.

Then one morning, I was still sleeping when their voices so loud-- "meow", "meow", "meow"-- woke me up! What a melodious morning alarm, wouldn't mind waking up to it everyday,  I thought to myself.

Up until the afternoon their meows increased and we decided to go and ensure if everything is fine or not. So, the 5 of us (me, my brother, my mum, and my cousin sissy and little brother) set out on a mission, walked up to the rooftop room (where their cardboard box was). I was wearing loose slippers and was in the end of the queue trying to figure out what was happening by peeking. Mum removed the upper lid-like cardboard thinking that the cat was not there. Just then, the stairs became a battlefield of constant chaos. With everyone running downstairs as if it were a tiger and not a cat. The cat, scared herself took a huge jump and fell right over me.. unable to find a surface to run her legs on, she danced (presumptuously) a little over my head, making my loose slippers lose their grip, and both of us fell through the stairs; she ran; and I?- sat there in disbelief and laughed on the fact that a cat made me fall on the stairs.. which is still funny to me somehow.

So then ignoring the aches in my body, I once again climbed upto the rooftop where the meows were still as loud and my brother was trying to help one of the baby kittens come out from below a congested place he stuck himself into. The other two making the job tougher continuously as their grown up selves refused to stay restricted in a box double their size. 

The cat growled to come back which is when we decided to back off, thinking she might have it under control.

That evening was the last we gave them milk.

The following morning we searched everywhere if they're still there. But sadly, they weren't. 

I was leaving from college early that day when mum called to inform me that the cats were not there anymore in our home. 

I felt like I was living a dream which was now, over!

So, yeah, I too had a pet, nothing bad happened, but they found a new home, I hope, still hoping to see them again, one day, maybe..!