Chubby Cat was a tabby with the weight of an orange cat. She was adopted and lovingly cared for by Mommy when she was still single. For more than four years, they shared everyday moments of eating and sleeping, inseparable and devoted to each other.
Even when Mommy met Daddy, she brought Chubby Cat along when they moved in together. However, when Mommy became pregnant, her future mother-in-law worried that Chubby might harm the baby and asked her to give Chubby away. Mommy negotiated to send Chubby back to her parents' home for care temporarily, planning to reunite with her again once she moved out later.
Unexpectedly, just a few weeks before the wedding and after the baby was born, Chubby Cat suddenly passed away. Mommy's family said that before she left, Chubby even let out a man's voice calling for her. Mommy recalled that four days earlier, when she was about to leave her parents' home, Chubby gave her a special glance. That moment suddenly calmed her, though little did she realize it was their last look.
"I regret not being able to be with her at the last moment. But I'm going to be a bride now, and everyone told me not to cry. So I just have to keep the sadness inside," Mommy said.
Mommy's only hope now is that Chubby might come back as her child again.
"Really? Mommy isn't lying, right? Are you inviting me?" I thought joyfully as I logged on. Chubby first showed me her tail curling and flicking on the ground, then transformed into a little boy. He answered, "This isn't something a cat can guarantee. Mommy, you just gave birth—I don't know if the timing will work out. But as long as you want, Chubby will try his best."
Mommy asked about the man's voice heard before Chubby passed: "Was that you saying goodbye to me?"
Chubby replied, "I don't know it was a man's voice. I just used the last bit of my strength to yell, hoping Mommy far away could hear my pain. Also, an angel came to take me away. I screamed 'No, no, don't do this!' But the angel told me that Mommy had already had a premonition dream, telling her I would be taken. I thought Mommy already knew."
Mommy said that before Chubby passed, she had indeed dreamed three nights in a row that Chubby had died. But she thought the dreams meant the opposite. Still, she was worried enough to call home and ask about Chubby's condition. Her family said everything was fine, so Mommy couldn't understand why such a healthy cat just left.
Chubby seemed to feel Mommy's longing for answers and understood completely. He told Mommy: "I must have been your lucky cat—to help you get married and have a baby." Then he slowly said, "When I returned to heaven, I found out in our last life we were very close. I promised you I would come see you and keep you company when you were feeling loneliest."
"Now that Mommy's life has settled, I should leave, so I won't become a burden to you."
Chubby said that once he understood this reason, saying goodbye to Mommy wasn't as painful.
As we talked, I worried Mommy might be distracted because she was holding her three-month-old baby, who chattered nonstop. I asked if we should pause, but Chubby jumped in:
"Mommy, you carried that baby for so long, yet gave birth to only one. But one is already scary—especially when she cries loudly! I smell that sweet milk on her, and I know my place is shaken. She's so cute that I won't argue and let her be the boss for now. If I come back as Mommy's child, then I'll settle the score with her!"
"This score definitely needs to be settled! I'll be waiting for your return..."
Mommy quickly responded, "But the ashes haven't been buried yet, they're kept indoors. Will that affect you?" She was worried again.
Chubby said, "Although I was once so adorable, now I'm just gray ashes. Hmm! Mommy, do you want to make milk powder out of me?"
This answer was a bit spooky, leaving both Mommy and me stunned.
Then Chubby added with humor, "But I guess it won't taste good!" We understood it as Chubby's way to lighten the mood and tell Mommy that no matter how the ashes are handled, it wouldn't affect him anymore.
