The Story of Leia

When Leia came to live with us,
I prayed that she wouldn't die on my watch as I gave her a bath in the bathroom sink to wash off her waste that got on her fur from the accident in her cat carrier on the way home.

I volunteered to take care of this tiny, sickly kitten as a private nurse for my truck-driving nephew. He found Leia at a truckstop. He called me the day he found her because he rescued her from starvation and she was so little he wanted to know what to do with her.

I recommended that he take the kitten to a shelter after purchasing some kitten food and he did take her to a shelter, but he couldn't get her out of his head. He'd bonded with the kitten.

He called the shelter and took on the cost of her veterinarian care and began seeking someone to foster her until he was done training a new truck driver.

The first foster mom backed out of the agreement after realizing it was for the span of six months. He called and asked if I would be willing to foster her. I said yes. There's a first time for everything.

A photo from the first weeks she was here.

Leia was worse off than I thought she would be. I picked her up frim my nephew at a local truck stop with both eyes infected and practically sealed shut. She had trouble breathing. She'd caught an upper respiratory infection in the shelter.

Leia'a care was intense and she needed medicine frequently. She didn't like sleeping alone because my nephew had let her sleep with him. I tucked her in bed with me and listened to her purr to sleep. I'd move her to her crate before drifting off to sleep myself.

Leia grew strong and healed up well. She was fun, playful, and affectionate. The time came when my nephew came to collect her. I had bonded with her since taking care of her had caused me to invest in her emotionally. It was hard letting go and I grieved a while after she left, but she is beloved of my nephew and the investment was well worth the time and love. I look back at all the photos I took with fondness. Once in a while my nephew posts an updated photo of her and I smile.

This is minute freewrite
using prompt divorce court by @mariannewest

Thank you for reading 📚.