SOPHIE

My sister was dying. I knew she was not going to make it. I knew my visits were all about making her last days precious. She loved many people. She loved all the creaturs great and small. She loved her cats.

I went to her home almost daily to ensure her 'cats' were taken care of. She had two 'babies',as she called them, Sophie and Sebastian. I felt guilt each time I went into her home to water the plants and feed the cats. The cats missed her, I only saw dried, crusty cat food and still water. They were hidden. The cats were hidden, as they patiently waited for their 'Mom' to come home and pamper them. I wasn't that person.

When I went to see my sister she was very focused. She was focused on 'her two babies', her cats. I thought it was tragic that two cats would be more important than 'LIFE'. Lynsey would ask about her cats daily, "are they okay?", "I don't want them to be alone.", "Are you feeding them?"...it was the daily questions. She was dying, they were living, but the questions still existed. ARE THEY OKAY?

I'd go into her home daily. It was a dark time. I missed her, Lynsey's energy. I had to check her mail, her phone messages, the kitty litter..I had to live in HER WORLD. The cats were just 'reminders' that Lynsey was absent. Yes, she was absent and the two cats, siblings, like Lynsey and myself, were left to 'fend' for themselves. I offered wet food, dry food, water and verbal tunes of 'kitty kitty'..but, they were in HER WORLD.

At the hospital I reminded my sister that her 'cats' were loved, cared for, loved and safe. She was not of the same world. She wanted to see them, to touch them, to coddle and hold them...but, she was not permitted to leave the hospital and share her love for her '2' cats.

I told her over and over and over that they were 'safe'...but she pleaded to see them at Christmas...Christmas....who could deny that? The hospital staff told me, "she cannot see her cats..she cannot be tempted by the things she holds dear to her..she cannot SEE THE CATS!"... I felt trapped.
So, on Christmas day, I lied to my dying sister. I told her 'she could not see her babies or I WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE'. Lynsey was and is a tropper..she just said, "I don't want you to get in trouble."...She was BRAVE, she was KIND....she was LYNSEY.

Then she died. She died too soon and the cats were left to my fate. Would they be taken to a shelter or be placed in familiar homes? It was a daunting choice. Her 'babies' were now my responsibility. I had my 'cats' , but there was this amazing bond she had with 'her cats'. What does a brother do?
I took the sister cat. Sophie would jump on my lap whenever I would come to my sister's home to check the phone mail, her plants, the cat food...I just pushed the envelope of LIFE...continue..press 'A' and wait. The wait was fatal. There would be no home for the cats she loved so much.

Lynsey died. She died with a huge heart, an incredible love of animals and friends. She slipped away too soon and the 'cats' , her babies..were still in jeopardy.

Time to do the right thing. Time to 'step it up', time to MATTER. I took Sophie into my world and my step-brother took Sebastion. They were 'in the family'.

Today...I hold her, I love her, I talk to her about...LYNSEY...I tell her how caring and attached her owner was to HER. I tell her she is loved and cared for , not unlike a child. When I hold SOPHIE, I hold my sister in my arms. They are attached and I am with both of them. Sophie is Lynsey, Lynsey is Sophie.