A Gift For Us?

By MARY KUGLER
In loving memory of Julie Rinebold and Samantha Durant.
Stewie and Lonnie were napping in their favorite spots when they heard a familiar sound. “Mom’s home,” purred Lonnie.
“That’s great!” meowed Stewie. “Wonder what she brought us? Hope it’s some new toys. My mouse is kinda beat up.”
“Look at that big box! Wonder what’s in it? Hey, Aunt Samantha is with her!” meowed Lonnie.
As the ladies began taking the packages out of the trunk, Samantha asked, “Julie, are you sure your guys are going to like their gift?”
Julie smiled, “Oh sure, it’ll just take some getting used to.”
“Think I’ll stick around to watch the fire works,” giggled Sammy.
As they entered the house, Julie called for her monsters. “Stewart! Lonnie! Come on guys, I have a surprise for you!”
“Uh-oh!” meowed Stewie. “When Mom uses my full name, I’m in for it! This can’t be good.”
“Well,” meowed Lonnie, “Let’s get it over with.”
As they raced into the kitchen, they came to a screeching halt. Julie put that big box on the floor and said “Say hello to your new sister!”
Just then, a fuzzy, green-eyed face popped out of the box. “Hi, I’m Rosie! Are you my new family?”
“Are you serious?!” thought Stewie. “This is what you disturbed our naps for? This fuzz ball with a tail!”
Julie took Rosie out of the box. “She’s just a baby,” meowed Lonnie. “I don’t care who she is, just keep her away from me, she looks like trouble!” growled Stewart.
Samantha looked at Julie, started giggling and said, “Let the free-for-all begin.”
“Look Lonnie, just look! It’s starting already! Eating out my dish! Some nerve!” Stewie growled.
“Calm down Stewie, she must be very hungry.”
“The next thing you know she will be sleeping in my favorite spot.”
“Just ignore her, it will be fine.”
“That’s fine for you to say, she won’t be biting your ears or tail when she wants to play. You always sleep up high; she can’t climb high yet, to the top of the chairs. So who will she pick on, me, that’s who! And who will get the blame for all the stuff she does? Us! That’s who!”
“If you remember, we weren’t exactly Angels, when we were her age. We drove Mom nuts!”
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that, we had some fun didn’t we?”
“Mom didn’t think it was funny,” purred Lonnie. “Well, at least I didn’t look like my tail was stuck in a light socket.”
“You didn’t? If I remember right…”
“OK, OK, wonder what her story is?”
“I’m going to find out,” Lonnie walked up to a scared little Rosie, rubbed up against her, and softly purred into her ear.
“How did Mom find you?”
With tears in her eyes, the little one purred and told her, “My family couldn’t take care of me anymore. They put me in a box and left me at the mall with a note. I was there for a long time, and I was afraid. Then your Mommy and Aunt saw the box, they picked me up and I was happy.”
With tears in her eyes Lonnie softly purred, “Well, you have a new family now, and we have a good Mommy. She will take care of you. Auntie Sammy is great too!”
“I’m so happy,” cooed Rosie.
As Lonnie walked Rosie around the house, she laid down the rules. “Just one thing kid, or maybe just a few things. First thing, do not eat out of Stewies dish, don’t bite his ears or tail when he’s sleeping, and whatever you do, don’t sleep in his favorite spot, I speak from experience.”
With wide eyes, Rosie purred, “OK , I promise.”
“Good! Then I’ll talk to Stewie.”
“Oh, Thanks!”
“Oh, by the way, don’t do the stuff we used to do, Mom will have a fit!”
With a puzzled look on her fuzzy face, Rosie asked, “What kind of Stuff?”
“Never mind, I’ll tell you when your older,” Lonnie purred.
Mary Kugler writes from Erma.