Vivianne

It has been a bit over 3 months since we lost our Parker.  There are days when it seems like yesterday but overall we are doing OK.  Part of the reason we're surviving is Vivianne; "Cat" as Marty calls her now.  She has helped in ways we never expected.

Parker was here first so he ruled.  They learned to tolerate each other and I believe had a special bond as Parker began to fail.  Vivianne was never far from his side. I think she knew what was coming.  We believe she missed him too.  It was very obvious that she was looking for him those first couple of weeks.

Vivianne has blossomed since she became the Queen of her home.  She talks to us a lot, she's much more playful and her antics helped us laugh, if only for a moment, during those first dark days.  Obviously she has become the center of our world and she knows it.  Don't get me wrong, she can still be as ornery and as solitary as she was before Parker's passing but her personality has definitely changed for the better.

I never thought I'd see Marty 'love' a cat but it's happened and it's been good a good thing for both of them.  He plays with her, talks to her, pets her and pesters her.  They too have developed a special bond.  It's different than the one she and I have.  I hold her (just for a minute) and hug her, brush her, talk to her, let her jump up on my desk (like right now) so she can walk around and see what my fingers are doing.  She sits on my lap when she wants to and occasionally when I want her there!  She's my girl :)

The three of us have weathered a tragedy and survived.  We are starting to come out of the dark.  It's been a rough road and I'm thankful I had Marty and Vivianne to travel that road with me.  We are still family, it's just a slightly different configuration now.