| General Fiction posted December 27, 2024 |
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A Gift For A Friend
Cecilia's Rainbow
by Begin Again
Cecilia sat on the porch steps, her hands resting gently on Kratos's head as he leaned against her. The big, muscular Pitbull had been Angel's partner in crime, and now he seemed lost, too. His deep brown eyes mirrored the sadness Cecilia felt.
Tears stained her cheeks as she fixed her gaze on the distant horizon. Angel's absence, a fresh wound in her heart, made the once lively yard feel desolate.
"I miss her too, Kratos," Cecilia whispered, her voice catching in her throat. She stroked his ears, seeking comfort as much as offering it. "She was my shining light — always so full of life, making me laugh. I don't know how to go on without her."
Kratos whined softly and nuzzled his head into her lap, his tail thumping faintly against the porch floor. He didn't understand why Angel wasn't here anymore, but he could feel Cecilia's sadness and stayed close, a silent pillar of strength.
Cecilia tilted her face to the sky, her tears blurring the pastel hues of the evening. The gentle breeze carried a familiar warmth, wrapping around her like a hug. She closed her eyes, imagining Angel's soft fur, her exuberant tail wagging, and those bright, loving eyes that could chase away even the darkest clouds.
"Angel," she murmured, "I hope you know how much I love you. I hope you're happy wherever you are."
*****
As Cecilia's tears fell silently onto Kratos's fur, far beyond the mortal world, Angel woke up in a meadow unlike anything she had ever known. The grass was soft beneath her paws — the sky shimmered in a way that felt like love's embrace, and a warm breeze carried the scent of all her favorite treats. She wagged her tail tentatively, looking around.
"Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge," said a gentle voice. Angel turned to see a group of dogs approaching her, tails wagging, eyes kind.
One, a golden retriever with a soft smile, stepped forward. "You must be new here. I'm Sunny. What's your name?"
"Angel," she said, her voice a little wobbly. "I — I just got here. My human, Cecilia — she's crying. I've never seen her so upset before. I don't know how to make it better."
Sunny nodded knowingly. "We've all been there. Humans grieve deeply when we leave. They have so much love for us — it's hard for them to say goodbye. Tell us about Cecilia. What was she like?"
Angel's eyes lit up, and for a moment, her sadness softened. "Cecilia is amazing. She laughed every time I got the zoomies, even though I probably knocked over everything in my path. She loved me so much, even when I stole her spot on the couch. She gave me the best life, full of belly rubs, long walks, and love. I don't want her to be sad. I want her to know I'll always love her."
Another dog, a fluffy border collie named Luna, wagged her tail. "You know, Angel, the bond between a dog and their human doesn't end here. You can still watch over her, visit her in her dreams, and nuzzle her heart when she feels lonely. She'll feel you near, even if she doesn't know it's you."
Sunny nodded. "That's right. And when she looks at the stars or feels a breeze that seems to carry your spirit, she'll remember how much you loved her."
Angel tilted her head, her ears perking up. "You mean I can still be close to her?"
"Always," said Luna. "Our humans carry us in their hearts forever, just as we carry their love in ours. You've given her so much joy, and she'll remember you for that every single day."
Angel's tail wagged again, this time with hope. "I think I'd like that. I'll tell her goodbye for now, but only because I'll see her again someday. And in the meantime, I'll stay close to her heart."
*****
Kratos shifted beside Cecilia, his ears perking up as if he'd heard something. Cecilia opened her eyes and followed his gaze.
A colorful rainbow arched across the sky. It seemed to rise out of nowhere, stretching in perfect symmetry above the horizon. The colors shimmered with a radiance that felt almost magical.
Cecilia's breath caught. She wiped her cheeks and stood, staring at the rainbow as her heart filled with a bittersweet ache.
"It's her," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Angel's letting us know she's okay."
Kratos wagged his tail, barking softly, acknowledging the moment.
Cecilia smiled through her tears, placing a hand over her heart. "Thank you, Angel," she said, her voice steadier now. "I'll always love you, and I'll never forget."
As the rainbow faded, the breeze picked up again, carrying a faint, familiar scent that made Cecilia think of puppy kisses and belly rubs. She sat back down beside Kratos, wrapping her arms around him.
"We'll be okay," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else. "She's still with us."
And Cecilia felt a tiny glimmer of peace as the last light of the rainbow melted into the evening sky. Her Angel had found a way to stay close, even from the other side.
*****
Angel tilted her head, looking toward Earth one last time, and barked. "She knows I will always love her and Kratos. I'll never leave her." She thought of Kratos, her big-hearted friend, and wagged her tail. 'Look after her for me,' she whispered, knowing he would.
The other dogs barked in agreement, circling Angel in a welcoming embrace.
As Angel lay down in the soft grass, the first of many rainbows shimmered in the sky. She closed her eyes, imagining Cecilia smiling, and she knew she'd always be her Angel.
Tears stained her cheeks as she fixed her gaze on the distant horizon. Angel's absence, a fresh wound in her heart, made the once lively yard feel desolate.
"I miss her too, Kratos," Cecilia whispered, her voice catching in her throat. She stroked his ears, seeking comfort as much as offering it. "She was my shining light — always so full of life, making me laugh. I don't know how to go on without her."
Kratos whined softly and nuzzled his head into her lap, his tail thumping faintly against the porch floor. He didn't understand why Angel wasn't here anymore, but he could feel Cecilia's sadness and stayed close, a silent pillar of strength.
Cecilia tilted her face to the sky, her tears blurring the pastel hues of the evening. The gentle breeze carried a familiar warmth, wrapping around her like a hug. She closed her eyes, imagining Angel's soft fur, her exuberant tail wagging, and those bright, loving eyes that could chase away even the darkest clouds.
"Angel," she murmured, "I hope you know how much I love you. I hope you're happy wherever you are."
*****
As Cecilia's tears fell silently onto Kratos's fur, far beyond the mortal world, Angel woke up in a meadow unlike anything she had ever known. The grass was soft beneath her paws — the sky shimmered in a way that felt like love's embrace, and a warm breeze carried the scent of all her favorite treats. She wagged her tail tentatively, looking around.
"Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge," said a gentle voice. Angel turned to see a group of dogs approaching her, tails wagging, eyes kind.
One, a golden retriever with a soft smile, stepped forward. "You must be new here. I'm Sunny. What's your name?"
"Angel," she said, her voice a little wobbly. "I — I just got here. My human, Cecilia — she's crying. I've never seen her so upset before. I don't know how to make it better."
Sunny nodded knowingly. "We've all been there. Humans grieve deeply when we leave. They have so much love for us — it's hard for them to say goodbye. Tell us about Cecilia. What was she like?"
Angel's eyes lit up, and for a moment, her sadness softened. "Cecilia is amazing. She laughed every time I got the zoomies, even though I probably knocked over everything in my path. She loved me so much, even when I stole her spot on the couch. She gave me the best life, full of belly rubs, long walks, and love. I don't want her to be sad. I want her to know I'll always love her."
Another dog, a fluffy border collie named Luna, wagged her tail. "You know, Angel, the bond between a dog and their human doesn't end here. You can still watch over her, visit her in her dreams, and nuzzle her heart when she feels lonely. She'll feel you near, even if she doesn't know it's you."
Sunny nodded. "That's right. And when she looks at the stars or feels a breeze that seems to carry your spirit, she'll remember how much you loved her."
Angel tilted her head, her ears perking up. "You mean I can still be close to her?"
"Always," said Luna. "Our humans carry us in their hearts forever, just as we carry their love in ours. You've given her so much joy, and she'll remember you for that every single day."
Angel's tail wagged again, this time with hope. "I think I'd like that. I'll tell her goodbye for now, but only because I'll see her again someday. And in the meantime, I'll stay close to her heart."
*****
Kratos shifted beside Cecilia, his ears perking up as if he'd heard something. Cecilia opened her eyes and followed his gaze.
A colorful rainbow arched across the sky. It seemed to rise out of nowhere, stretching in perfect symmetry above the horizon. The colors shimmered with a radiance that felt almost magical.
Cecilia's breath caught. She wiped her cheeks and stood, staring at the rainbow as her heart filled with a bittersweet ache.
"It's her," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Angel's letting us know she's okay."
Kratos wagged his tail, barking softly, acknowledging the moment.
Cecilia smiled through her tears, placing a hand over her heart. "Thank you, Angel," she said, her voice steadier now. "I'll always love you, and I'll never forget."
As the rainbow faded, the breeze picked up again, carrying a faint, familiar scent that made Cecilia think of puppy kisses and belly rubs. She sat back down beside Kratos, wrapping her arms around him.
"We'll be okay," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else. "She's still with us."
And Cecilia felt a tiny glimmer of peace as the last light of the rainbow melted into the evening sky. Her Angel had found a way to stay close, even from the other side.
*****
Angel tilted her head, looking toward Earth one last time, and barked. "She knows I will always love her and Kratos. I'll never leave her." She thought of Kratos, her big-hearted friend, and wagged her tail. 'Look after her for me,' she whispered, knowing he would.
The other dogs barked in agreement, circling Angel in a welcoming embrace.
As Angel lay down in the soft grass, the first of many rainbows shimmered in the sky. She closed her eyes, imagining Cecilia smiling, and she knew she'd always be her Angel.
 Recognized |
It's not much, but I hope it brings a little peace to Cecilia's heart as she struggles with her grief. Knowing that we care might help ease her pain.
Hugs and more hugs, Carol
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Hugs and more hugs, Carol
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