Happy..Father's Day
The vibration of the car. The fragrance of tulips reach me. Its Father's Day, although we don't celebrate like many other families. My Mother looks at me from the steering wheel. "You alright bud?" I give her a slight smile and nod. She leans back as she drives. "Thirteen years now, huh?," she thinks out loud. She looks back at me, reaching a paw to my cheek. " Just you and me now kiddo." She looks back to the road, as I look to the window. I notice children's faces as we drive by. Happy homes, all giggling and smiles. The wives look to their husbands, thankful for the lives they lead.
We turn the corner. A cemetery. We slow to a stop at a row of gravestones. My Mother removes the keys from the ignition and steps out, waiting for me. I remove my seat-belt and gather the tulips from the backseat. As I step out of the vehicle, a strong wind blows, sending my fur flying out of my eyes as we walk down silently to a certain spot. We stop at a heart shaped gravestone. The words written upon it say: "James Banks. Loving spouse and father." I crouch at the base of the grave, laying the white tulips across it. His favorite in life. I turn to my mother, tears in her eyes, matting her fur down. "He would be so proud of you," she murmurs, her voice thick with sadness. I sigh, tears beginning to ebb in my own eyes. I allow them to flood over and fall to the dusty June soil. My Mother wraps her arms around me embracing one another in our sadness. "Lets go home," I mutter. We begin to walk. I silently stop and turn, looking to the grave one last time. And smile.