The Boys

 

He found them, they always said. It was a warm summer night, they were outside bbq'ing when he came strutting up the driveway looking for some food. Both of them instantly fell in love with him. He chomped down eagerly on the steak and shrimp they gave him in a small bowl, in between he would stretch out looking for belly rubs and loving. He definitely came to the right place for that, they spoiled him. 

After that night, he became a regular visitor. Every night he would show up looking for his dinner. His adorable face looking at you, he would always sit with his left paw up looking at us, we melted. He would chase acorns falling from the tree as he waited for dinner to be ready. They would watch laughing, he was so stinking cute. One day after numerous visits she mentioned to him they should give him a name. Out of nowhere a name popped into her head, George...Georgie Porgie. 

Soon enough, Georgie would show up earlier and earlier. He would be waiting in the driveway for one of us to get home. We always gave him belly rubs and food, he was such a happy cat. The weather was starting to get colder, they both worried so much about him. 

They began to leave the front door open on Georgie's visits hoping he would eventually feel safe enough to come in. It was a process, he would peek his head in and run right out for a few days. Each day he would step further into the apartment, sit for a minute paw up than turn and run out. As days went on he would venture further in letting them pet him. They would sit on the floor, him quickly hopping into either of their laps getting comfy.  He would sit with them for quite a while purring up a storm, his purring was so loud Bobby called him a little tiger all the time. 

It didn't take much longer for Georgie to be completely secure with us. He would be waiting for Bobby each day happily following him into the apartment to spend the night. She would come home from work to find them both napping on the couch. Georgie would either be laying on top of his chest or right next to him. 

In the morning when they left for work, Georgie would go out to run the mean streets of East Northport they would joke. He wasn't officially theirs yet nor was he litter box trained so he always wanted to go out after a good night's sleep. They worried though so much while at work about him, they worried he would get hurt chasing acorns or fighting with another cat. One day, he came home to them looking like he had been in a tussle with another cat, it broke their hearts as they tended to his injuries. 

The weather was getting colder, they wanted to have him stay inside permanently. They went to Walmart getting a litter box along with some toys. She had researched to bring some leaves and some dirt into the litter box to mimic the outdoors. Georgie wasn't having it, he refused to use the box so the routine continued with him leaving in the morning until we had a winter storm. 

The morning after the storm she went to let him outside, she opened the front door to several inches of snow. She looked down to Georgie who was already looking at her with this face on him which said I'm not going out there, she laughed to herself. As she was turning to shut the door, he turned towards the hallway jumped right in the litter box and never left them again.  

Georgie was his boy, he waited for Bobby to come home by the door and would walk with him to the door when he left for work. As soon as he walked in from anywhere, Georgie was in his arms giving him head bumps, kisses all the while purring like a little tiger. She would tease him about being jealous of all the loving Georgie got, teasing him how Georgie got all the kisses first when he walked in.  

The next Christmas, Joey gifted them with Nicky,  another rescue, he was such a cutie. Georgie and Nicky bonded instantly, spending their day cuddled up with each other, running around chasing each other.  Nicky was nowhere near as affectionate as Georgie with us. He would allow you to rub his belly for a few seconds before running away but he was Daddy's boy as well. 

She called him the "cat whisperer" he had a way with cats, they were instantly drawn to him. She now has Gracie, she adopted her soon after the day. They always wanted to have George & Gracie yet they decided to wait until they had a house. She knows he lead her to Gracie for more comfort although it hurts her so much Gracie never knew him or was able to be loved by him. 

After the day, it pained her to look at the boys, were they waiting for him, did they know he was gone. That day and every single day afterwards everytime she looks at Georgie she falls apart, tears streaming down her face. She was heartbroken for both of them, she knew in her heart how much Bobby was missing his Georgie and vice versa how much Georgie was missing his dad. 

Georgie doesn't leave her side, he follows her around until she sits and he plops in her lap. At night, he waits for bedtime, he starts meowing to her to lay down so he can snuggle into the crook of her arm for the night. Nicky who never really wanted physical contact now doesn't leave her side, he sits next to her for hours as she rubs his belly. At night, Nicky has taken to sleeping on her chest, all 25lbs of him. 

She knows in her heart it is his doing having the boys surround her to try and offer her comfort since he has been gone. It is both sweet and heartbreaking for her, she loves the boys giving her so much love yet misses so intensly all the love he gave her and the boys. She misses his hugs, his kisses she even misses the snoring... She and the boys miss everything about him. She closes her eyes to sleep with her boys praying he will visit her in her sleep, praying she gets to see his face, hear his voice, feel him in her dreams... She keeps praying he will come to her.