Bubbles is Missing

Dear Simone,

Middle of the night, I needed to use the bathroom and guess who ran over my foot again? The mouse. It looks like he goes through a little hole by the baseboard heater in the bathroom. He went straight to it this time, like he practiced. My mom taught me this trick to fill in the holes with Play Doh. I bought green. I don’t like green. Not sure why I chose that color. Maybe trying something new.

Lilly Rae’s tortoise, Bubbles, escaped. She thinks through the rip in the screen door. She was gone all day and came home around 5.30pm, the lettuce was untouched, and the screen hole was bigger. She searched everywhere, started crying and finally called my parents around 4.30AM. She didn’t tell me until the next day. I wish she would have said something sooner. Maybe we could’ve found Bubbles. Lilly is distraught, crying all the time and unable to work. Bubbles has been her longest friend. 11 years I believe. She didn’t want me to, but Jeh Nay and I decided to look around her area and in the little forest in the back. Maybe we could find Bubbles. It might be sad to say but at least if she was no longer with us, I would be able to provide Lilly some closure. But we had no luck. My sister feels deeply for animals. I know she’s having a hard year. Her rabbit died and now her oldest friend is gone.

I on the other hand, as a child always had many pets. Lots of hamsters, birds, fish and crabs. As an adult I didn’t want that responsibility, but Jeh Nay really wanted a companion, so we opted for 2 guinea brothers. Armani and Corgi. Armani, who was mine, died in December. I didn’t think about getting another one until April. Jeh Nay and I were at the pet store, and we always look at the guineas but this time, this little black and white with a brown highlight caught my attention. The lady let me hold him and I was sold. I named him Inosuke after an anime character. He is the cutest thing. I try to hold him 3 times a day or whenever I am overwhelmed. When Armani died, I noticed I have not learned to grieve. I was also never given the opportunity to become attached to a pet. Only “things.”

Anyways, hopefully we get some good news soon.

Missing you,