Summer’s over, and grief is complicated. Some days I’ll sit at my desk and think I feel Tim curling up on the back of my chair, behind my neck. I reach back to touch him, but he’s not there. No one will every replace him, but now we have kittens. I’d like to introduce you to three new members of the family: Orion, Ivy, and Patrick.
this is orion. his name is pronounced "OR-ee-un" not "or-EYE-on". not like the constellation, but rather like orion ford, the noank lobsterman for whom he's named. orion appeared as a character in ROCKALL, a graphic novel by Amelia Onorato.
hi ivy! your name was almost mavis, after Richard Shindell's "there goes mavis." and your middle name, therefore, is mavis... but you are such an ivy. who’s that looking over you?
patrick, named for my wonderful friend patrick carson
the whole family, clockwise from upper left: patrick, emelina, ivy, and orion
Here’s a video of Emelina with Ivy. It is so touching to me, bringing memories and echoes of Maisie and Tim. When Emelina and Tim were kittens and I brought them home, Tim loved Maisie on sight and wouldn't stop trying until she accepted him and returned his affection--no, not affection--love.
It's turning out to be like that with Emelina and Ivy. Emelina was really destroyed by Tim's death. They were litter mates and had never been apart. After he died, it broke my heart to watch her searching the house for him, going to his favorite spots, over and over. She actually got sick--very sick--and I wondered if it was from loneliness and missing him.
Then Orion, Ivy, and Patrick came to live with us (adopted from Friends of Old Lyme Animal Control, where there are many other wonderful cats of all ages waiting for homes.)
From the very beginning, Ivy has circled Emelina, inching toward her on the bed, reaching out with her paws. At first Emelina growled and swatted her away. It was pretty clear Ivy wanted a mother, and even though--to me--at 5 years old, Emelina is still my kitten--Ivy was determined.
slowly, this has started happening. Ivy's love and need for closeness is winning Emelina over, just as Tim's did with Maisie.
I feel so lucky and moved to be a witness--again--to what love can do. to feel it healing Emelina--Ivy, too. and, for that matter, me.
emelina and ivy
emelina and ivy