Your Life Is A Lie

‘Everything that you know about your Mother has been a complete lie.’,the first text said. It puzzled him as he continued to read the three others. Not sure what to make of it. As he didn’t recognize the number at all. Other than the fact that the area code was from South Dakota. The second text read,’She wasn’t the person that she claimed that she was.’

‘You’re not her only child.’,the last one read. Which just felt like someone was out to mess with him. He didn’t know anyone from South Dakota. And last time he checked none of his relatives were living out there. And everyone always told him how he was her only child. Only daughter at the time but who cares. Either way he figured this had to be a wrong number. That this person probably had their own soap opera drama to deal with. Calder quickly deleted all three texts from that number. Not bothering to block them as he muttered,”It’s only a wrong number. There’s nothing to be worried about.”

“You know what Mom was like and everyone told you that you were her only child.”,he scolded himself. Feeling utterly silly for getting so damn worked up over a wrong number text. It felt utterly childish to be so scared. Yet there was something about it that was off. Very off but Calder did his best to ignore it. Softly, he added,”Now get back to what really is important. Our little baby and her health.”

His cat, Scampers, hadn’t been feeling well the past few days. Rarely eating her dry food. Not eating her wet food. And barely drinking water. To the point she was starting to become fur and bones. It was horrifying watching her go from her normal chunky self to this. Looking up at him with her pitiful green eyes. Like she was begging him to help her. And he was going to do that. Earlier that morning he had called a nearby vet clinic to get her squeezed in. The appointment was going to be one in the afternoon. It was eleven-forty-five. Calder quickly started getting ready to take her to the doctor and he stated,”Everything is going to be okay. We’ll get Scampers to the vet, and he’ll give us either medicine or new food.”

“Then Scampers will be back to her usual self.”,Calder promised himself. Smiling nervously as he got the carrier out of the closet. Setting it down on the couch as he called for his cat. Who had become quite skittish since the phone call. Hiding in the same place each time to find some form of comfort. He was guessing. It didn’t take him long to find her in the hallway closet. Curled up on some towels. Looking as worn out as he was starting to feel. His heart sank into his stomach as he picked her up. She wasn’t dead but her body wasn’t feeling as warm as it once had. In fact, she shook a little in his arms. It wasn’t right, it just wasn’t right in the slightest bit. Calder assured,”Don’t worry baby. Daddy’s going to make sure that everything is ok.”

“We’re going to see the doctor and the nice doctor will give you medicine to get better.”,he added. Using the gentlest voice that he could. Not wanting to spook his already stressed-out cat more than he already was. Petting her sides as he walked her to the cat carrier. Soon as he slipped her in, he noticed that she already went back to sleep. Such a short walk somehow had already taken it out of her. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he petted her head. Shutting the carrier, he whispered,”I promise baby. Daddy’s going to make everything right. You’re going to get better, and we’ll have wet food whenever you want.”

“Every day even. Just please get better.”,he added. Picking the carrier up before heading out the door. It was so hard to not weep at how light it was now. How easy it was to carry her to the car and his heart ached. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he remembered the first day that he had gotten Scampers. She was such a tiny thing. Probably weighed no more than she does right now. So young that her eyes weren’t even open yet. And he had waited so long to see if her mother would come back. Putting up a live trap with food.

No mama cat ever came.

And it took him around four weeks or so to get her back on track. Fed the right foods that she needed for proper development. It also took quite a few rounds of antibiotics for her system to get back to normal. Stuff that he had never known that any animal would need. But luckily it fixed what was wrong with his baby. During that time, he hoped they would never have to deal with that situation ever again. That his poor cat would never be that sick or that tired ever again for the rest of her nine lives. Sadly, it seemed that fate wasn’t going to be kind to either of them. Not that it really was to begin with.

Setting Scampers down on the passenger-side seat, he promised,”When she gets better, she’s getting a new bed and tons of wet food.”

“Scampers is even going to get some human food.”,he stated. Looking down at his cat’s carrier, he mentally promised to get her rotisserie chicken. Something that she loved more than anything in the world. A whole one just for her. He would shred up for her and put it in her bowl with gravy. And everything else she found delicious. Scampers was worth everything to him and he wanted to pamper her. Lovingly, he whispered,”You’re going to be okay, baby.”

“Daddy’s going to make sure that you will be.”,Calder reassured. Not sure if he was doing this for the tuxedo cat’s benefit or his own. But it did make him feel somewhat better as he pulled out of his driveway. Being extra careful not to jostle his cat as they drove down the street. Normally he would have put on music to distract himself. Though feared that it would wake the poor sick cat in her carrier. And from what he could tell she needed all the sleep that she could get. Calder elected to drive to the animal clinic in silence. Doing his best to not dwell on the poisonous thoughts that were running through his mind. But no matter how hard he tried to ignore them they wouldn’t leave him alone. They just kept rearing their ugly heads into each train of thought that he tried to have without them. Telling him that his precious cat was going to die. Die and it would be all his fault for not doing this sooner.

For not taking Scampers in sooner when she didn’t eat on day one.

Calder was foolish for not keeping a closer eye on his beloved pet. That she deserved better than such a callous owner. One who was too stupid to see that his cat’s condition was worsening by the day. Despite how hard he tried those thoughts were getting worse and worse. Growing louder in volume. Tears rolled down his cheeks as they finally arrived at the clinic’s parking lot. Pulling up to the nearest space as he bit down on his bottom lip. Trying to keep a sob in when he parked his car and started wiping his face with the side of his fist. As he didn’t want to upset his cat before they got out of the car. Picking the carrier up, Calder assured,”It’s going to be okay baby. We’re at the vet’s now.”

“The doctor is going to make sure of that.”,he added as they walked into the clinic. Doing his best to not look upset as he hurried to the front desk. As Calder didn’t want the nurses to think he was some kind of crazy cat parent or something. Sure, they probably have seen something like that a lot but still. He had some dignity. When he got close to the desk, the nurse smiled at him warmly. In a calm voice, she stated,”Hello, Cal. How Scampers today?”

“Not so good, Cathy. She’s-she’s lost a lot of weight recently and has been sleeping a lot.”,Calder answered. Gently setting the carrier up with her. Cathy carefully opened it to peek in at Scampers. Her smile dropped. As did his stomach as he watched her gently pet his poor baby’s head. In a gentle voice, she asked,”Calder how long has Scampers been losing weight?”

“At least five days or so.”,Calder answered. This wasn’t good. She looked a lot more alarmed than he anticipated she was going to. But at least he knew it wasn’t him being overprotective. Cathy carefully closed the carrier as she stood up from her chair. Looking him in the eye, she stated,”I’ll go tell Doctor Langenkamp about this.”

“I think she’ll want to see Scampers right away.”,Cathy added. On the one hand it was good that the vet was called early. Much earlier than he had anticipated being seen. But on the other hand, it was terrifying knowing why. That Scampers was worse than he thought she was. His guts twisted as he nodded and went to take a seat. Soon as he did, he set the carrier on his lap and held it tight to his chest. Trying hard not to cry as he held tight to her. Softly, he whispered,”It’s going to be okay baby. We’re going to be okay.”

“Doctor Langenkamp is going to take such good care of you and help you get back to normal.”,he added. Keeping his tone as light and cheerful as he could. Despite feeling like he wanted to bawl his eyes out. Scampers needed him to keep it together. If he started crying, then he knew full well that he wouldn’t be able to stop. And causing a huge scene in the waiting room of the vet’s office was the last thing he needed to be doing. Not only would it be humiliating for him to experience but it wouldn’t help anything. Certainly, wouldn’t help Scampers in any meaningful way, that’s for damn sure.

A small voice in the back of his mind whispered this would cost a lot. Judging that Cathy reacted this would cost tons. Maybe a lot more than his own doctor bills would ever be. But he smothered that voice. Money was no object when it came to his poor baby. His pet’s life mattered way more than his own ever could. Even when it meant going without decent food or a meal while his cat ate like a Queen. Scampers was his whole world, and he would be damned if his poor baby didn’t get the care she deserved.

He couldn’t let her die.

It wasn’t long before the Vet came to the waiting room. Doctor Langenkamp walked over to Calder as he held Scampers tight. Carefully jumping to his feet as he smiled up at her. This caused her to stop for a moment before giving him a polite one back. He tried to relax his face into a calmer smile but couldn’t. So, he stopped smiling entirely as he stated,”Hello, Doctor Langenkamp.”

“Hello Mr. Waters. I hear Scampers has lost quite a significant amount of weight?”,Doctor Langenkamp asked. Her tone was gentle. But it was clear she was concerned about his poor tuxedo baby’s health. He guessed that Cathy told her how skinny Scampers had gotten since the last visit they had. How she could feel her little hip bones under her fingertips. Calder answered,”Yes. She’s dropped at least ten pounds and I’ve tried everything that I could think of. I’ve given her new food in case the old one was making her sick.”

“I’ve checked her teeth and gums, but they seem fine. I don’t have any poisonous plants she could have eaten, and she never goes outside.”,he added as they walked past the front desk. Straight towards Doctor Lankencamp’s office. It felt like he did pretty much everything that he could think of. Even looking on Google a few times to figure out what exactly could help. As well as what could possibly help her gain weight. Nothing was working. Calder continued,”She won’t eat or drink. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“Have there been any significant changes to your household in the past few days, Mr. Waters?”,Doctor Lagenkamp questioned as she took the carrier from him. Setting gently down on the examining table nearby as she opened it. Carefully pulling Scampers out with a frown on her face. It took him a second to think this over as he tried to remember. Then he shook his head. They hadn’t changed anything in the past few weeks that could stress her out. Things had been pretty much the same for a good long while now. Calder informed,”No, not that I can think of.”

“We did get new neighbors, but they don’t have any pets that could scare her.”,he insisted. They didn’t have a dog or another cat. Nothing that would scare or make Scampers stop eating for so long. Neither new person even came over to greet them or anything like that. Calder asked,”You don’t think new people in the neighborhood stressed her out this much?”

“No. I don’t think that could stress your cat into not eating.”,Doctor Langenkamp admitted. Which somewhat alleviated his guilt. But equally, frustrated him as he stared down at his cat. If this wasn’t stressing her out, then what was? What else could it be? Doctor Langenkamp gently touched around her mouth and opened it. Peeking into double check what Calder had told her. For a second he was annoyed but shoved it down. Feeling that she would see something that he might have possibly missed. Maybe a tiny lump in her gums that he missed the first time around or something. Letting go of Scampers’s mouth, she stated,”I feel that we should do a few blood tests and a urine test. Need to start an I.V to get her the nutrients that she desperately needs and hydrate her.”

“And to be on the safe side we’re going to need her to stay overnight.”,she added. Gently petting Scampers as she stared down at the tuxedo cat. Who was still thankfully awake and nuzzling into her touch. Which was somewhat good news in his mind. Scampers stayed awake longer than she did at home. It still made him worry as he gently stroked her little forehead. Leaning in, he kissed the top of her head. Calder stated,”Thank you, Doctor Langenkamp. I’ll see you tomorrow, Scampers.”

“I love you, Sweetheart.”,he added. He really didn’t like the idea of just leaving Scampers, but Doctor Langenkamp hadn’t done him wrong before. And she was the only vet that Scampers was comfortable with. So, he did his best to ignore his feelings as he headed out of the office. Heading over to the front desk and paying for this visit before leaving for the parking lot. Barely paying attention to his surroundings as he started heading home. Calder was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed the white van following him. It’d been following him since he pulled out of the vet’s office. Keeping pace with him as he drove down the highway and listening to a podcast on his phone. Nor did he notice it was half a block behind him as he got closer to his apartment building.

Or that it was slowing down when he parked in his spot. In fact, he barely noticed it was there as he headed up the sidewalk to the building. When he was on the first step, he had seen it and thought it looked odd. But didn’t dwell on it before walking inside. Not even giving it a second glance as he walked up the stairs to his floor. If he had then Calder might have called the police. Gone another floor up to avoid the person from knowing what floor he lived on. It just wasn’t something that he really gave much thought to.

He really should have though.