Chapter Nine

So, life went on much the same in our household until one day one of the cats disappeared.

Her name was Peanut and she was always so fond of me and would spend ages rubbing her head against my face. On day she was there, the next she was not. I saw Boss digging a hole in the garden and putting something into it and we were not allowed outside whilst he was doing this so I was never sure what it was he put in there. I never saw Peanut again. So now there were only six of us animals.

I noticed as the time passed that Bonnie was not as she was. My arrival in the household had spurred her on, given her new energy and a zest for life but she was now an old lady. She did not run with me as she used to and did not want to play much. When we went on our walks she was now very slow and walked behind us but Boss was ever patient with her. I noticed that she started to eat less and sleep a good deal more. The only thing she never gave up on was staring into the pond for hour after hour.

She seemed to get worse and I knew that she was hurting. Then she began even more frequent trips to the vet but they did not seem to make her feel any better. One morning she did something she had never done, she jumped up onto the sofa. It must have hurt her because she yelped. She huddled right into the corner and refused to come down even when Mrs. Boss tried to coax her.

Then Boss and Mrs. Boss had a very long conversation. They both got very upset. The next thing I knew, Bonnie was off to the vets again. I did so hope they could make her feel better.

Boss came back without her. I was not bothered at first because she had been away before and vets do help us animals. This time was different. Boss came in with water running down his face and then Mrs. Boss had water coming down her face and they hugged each other and got more and more upset. I had the feeling that something terrible had happened. Mrs. Boss hugged me and told me that Bonnie had gone on a journey that I could not take for a very long time. I did not really understand her words at that moment.

Later on in the day when I went to have my meal I noticed with shock that Bonnie's bowl had disappeared and when Boss took me out for my walk that evening, there was only one piece of leather hanging up where they used to be two. These pieces of leather were always attached to our necks when we went out.

I knew then that Bonnie would not be coming back. That she had left me just as I had once had to leave my mother and just as Brandy had once had to leave Bonnie. I did not know where she had gone but hoped she was happy and not in pain.

I missed her so much. I could still smell her everywhere. I searched for her in the garden hoping I would see a glimpse of her. The pond did not seem the same without her sitting there. She had been with Boss and Mrs. Boss for over sixteen years.

I had known her all my life except for my first few weeks, she had been my second Mum. Boss and Mrs. Boss were quiet for days and the atmosphere in our home was sad and gloomy. I did my very best to cheer them but I was finding it hard myself. When I saw other dogs playing together in the fields, I missed Bonnie very much.

I still had my cat friends but it was not quite the same. I wondered whether I would always be the only canine in the house or whether, maybe one day, I would have a new friend.

I would have to wait and see.