When you need a cat

March was never a favorite month for Winston.

He didn't enjoy the unpredictable weather, the pervasive dampness in the air, or the days that seemed to go on forever. It carried a dreariness about it that no other months did.

However, Winston adored Rosemary and March shared a special bond.

She spent hours making shamrock garlands, baking Irish soda bread, and softly singing the Prady tune. Her lips twitched into a smile in March, and it didn't go away until the first day of April.

March transported Rosemary back to a more carefree period when only youthful love and pleasure mattered. She should have left the world in the same month that she had come into it, the month that had brought her such joy. Winston, however, felt a great deal of melancholy. March did more than any other month.

It was sorrowful in a way Winston had never felt before. He felt as though he couldn't breathe as a result of Rosemary's death, which had put a tremendous burden on his heart.

Everything in his immediate vicinity appeared to be a painful reminder of what he had lost. The stack of Agatha Christie books on the coffee table, the half-empty jars of Rosemary's favorite Fortnum & Mason tea, her weathered tan gardening gloves, and her old, light blue bicycle that she insisted on keeping despite not riding it for years.

They all had pleasant memories of the times when laughing and joy filled the cottage. Those times seemed so far away on this gloomy March afternoon. Winston watches two raindrops compete for the bottom position as they race down the scratched windowpane. A knock comes from the door as they are going to pummel each other.

Winston immediately moves in its direction but pauses. Another sympathetic neighbor must be dropping by with a hearty casserole and sympathies. Usually, they knock once, and when there is no response, they quickly place their porcelain dishes and a letter on the front step.

As usual, Winston decides to ignore it and restart his game. Three raindrops are racing now in addition to the previous two. The middle drop triumphs over its rivals to grab the lead. A second knock is heard a short while later. Before the knock strikes once more, some time has passed.

This time, an anxious noise is heard, and then a quiet female voice calling, "Mr. Grey, sir, I know you're in there." I noticed you by the window. Only a minute, please. Winston eases himself out of the green velvet recliner and moves around to the door, annoyed but now interested as to who his visitor might be.

On March 4, twenty-one days before to Rosemary's passing, someone had last been in the cottage. Winston hesitates as he approaches the doorway. Why is he let a stranger in? Why is an unknown person at his home? Who could possibly want to see him?

Then, a notion occurs to him. The door would have been opened by Rosemary. She would have smiled and said, "Hello, how are you doing?" to the guest. He then unlocks the door.

A young woman with dark hair, dressed in a drenched dark green raincoat and tall black Wellies, waits impatiently there. She holds a white bakery box in one arm, a large cardboard box in the other, and a stuffed tote bag on her shoulder.

Oh, Mr. Grey, may I enter? The weather is very terrifying!

She enters the room before Winston can answer, washes her dirty boots on the floor, and enters the cottage.

"Your home is beautiful! Mrs. Grey always had such amazing taste. She must be very missed by you.

Winston finds himself muttering, "Every second of every day," to himself. He then understands the circumstance. She is a guest in his home and she is familiar with both him and Rosemary. Or was. The woman approaches Winston's table, sits down, and beckons for him to cross her. Winston sits down and keeps a wary watch on her.

My apologies, but who are you? How did you come to know Rosemary? And me?” The lady chuckles.

Dear Mr. Grey, Lili Pontbridge here. I'm only a short distance away. My eleventh-grade math instructor was Mrs. Grey, also known as Rosemary. Even though we lost touch after I graduated, I just stumbled into her at the local Lost Sheep Cafe. There, they serve the finest shortcake! She gestures toward the bakery box and says, "I've even brought you some.

"Anyway, Rosemary said she was concerned you would be so lonely without her. I brought this since I thought of you when I learned of her death.

Winston furrows his brow in confusion as to what a young woman he has never met could possibly have to console him after losing the love of his life. Lili opens the cardboard box and places it on the table. She reaches inside and carefully pulls a cat out.

"Hello, Oscar."

Oscar is, to put it mildly, a somewhat unusual cat. Long white whiskers, smooth gray fur with lovely patterns, and dark green eyes that seem to look into Winston's soul are his features. I meows briefly and with boredom. Winston trembles.t

“Haha. He enjoys you! Oscar is a little strange, but he enjoys salmon and Downton Abbey, so we get along well. He works at the Longrove animal shelter, where I volunteer twice a week. Oscar approaches Winston from the other side of the table and stops.

My mother is cooking pot roast, and I must not miss it, so I guess I better get going. Oh, you must adore a delicious roast on a chilly day. Okay, here is Oscar's litter box and a bag of litter; refills may be purchased at the nearby Asda. Here is his bowl, which also contains a few salmon cans. We leave these tiny biscuits out for him as an afternoon snack even though he typically only eats twice a day—once in the morning and once at night. Similar to afternoon tea, yes?" Winston believed the speech would go on forever, but Lili finally takes a breath, stopping it.

She leaves the shortcake, Oscar, and his cardboard box on the table, which is now filled with canned salmon and toiletries. Before gathering her tote bag and extending her hand to Winston, she reaches out and gives Oscar one last pat. "Mr. Grey, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you and Oscar wind up being close friends.

After shaking hands, Lili exits the Grey residence by turning around quickly. Winston takes a time to process everything that has just happened while remaining silent. Now that he owns a cat, Both Winston and cats didn't care for each other.

That was all there was to it. Winston got along quite great with dogs, birds, and fish, but he just couldn't stand cats. Look at him now. In his old cottage by himself. It's raining heavily outside. late March. along a cat.

Winston and the cat in question make eye contact while the cat flicks his tail. Neither of them blinks as they both look at each other. The first person to break? Winston pushes away from the table and gets to his feet after what seems like an eternity.

He won't be scared off by a cat. So he enters the kitchen and starts preparing his stir-fried chicken and vegetables for dinner. just one.

Winston cuts vegetables while the only sound in the cottage is the sound of the knife cutting through the bell peppers and carrots. He starts to boil rice as he browns chicken in a skillet and gets into the routine of cooking.

While perched atop the table, Oscar keeps staring at him while his fluffy tail wags. Ever the germophobe, Winston considers transferring the cat and disinfectant-spraying the table's surface to get rid of any bacteria Oscar undoubtedly left behind.

He decides to have as little contact as possible with his new pet, though, and abandons the concept. A short while later, when Winston is preparing his own dinner, Oscar appears next to him. In shock, Winston almost knocks his plate over.

The cat meows loudly and repeatedly. It meows again after a brief delay. Winston places his plate on the table and turns to face Oscar.t

"Okay, so this is how it will go. You won't annoy me, and neither will I bother you. Ok?"

Oscar gets closer to Winston by flicking his tail, then he sits down and meows.

Sighing, Winston. "What are you expecting from me? We're even since although I don't like cats, I can tell you don't either."

Then he thinks of salmon. A can of salmon is quickly poured into the bowl Lili had left and placed in front of Oscar. The cat begins to eat gradually.

Winston beams contentedly. He starts eating his own food once again. He then recalls what else Lili had mentioned, namely Downton. Winston enters the living room and switches on Downton Abbey once Oscar has finished the salmon and is once more glaring at him, waiting for him to take the next step. Although he had not switched it on since Rosemary's passing, he used to watch it with her.

Oscar jumps up on the couch right away and snuggles up next to Winston while purring. Winston now experiences happiness, which he hadn't felt in days.