When Tragedy Strikes

Tuli

“Miss D’Amore, I’m sorry,” the doctor said, her voice filled with regret. “We don’t know what went wrong. He was doing okay, and then his heart just...stopped.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as my heart shattered. “He’s…gone?”

She nodded. “I’m truly sorry. I know it’s not much consolation, but we can arrange for his cremation.”

“Will I get his ashes back?” I asked, my voice choked with tears.

“Yes. You should have his ashes by Monday morning.”

I nodded, feeling weak. “Okay.”

She handed me an empty cat carrier and left. I felt Jayce right behind me. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him, my back against his chest.

“I’m sorry, Tuli.”

I didn’t move. I was in denial, tears streaming down my face. “I need to go home, Jayce.”

He turned me around to look into my eyes. After a moment, he said, “You’re pulling away again.”

I stepped back from his hold. “No, I’m just upset about what’s happening.”

“Then let me help—”

“No.” I shook my head. “I need to go home. We’re done. I don’t want you to waste your time on me.”

He growled. “I am not wasting my time on you!”

I sighed, “I don’t want to argue, okay? Just take me back to your house so I can go home.”

He looked defeated as he muttered, “Fine.”

As we were about to leave, a voice called out. “Wait!”

I turned to see the nurse who had taken my ferret. She was holding something in her hands. “This is for you,” she said softly, offering the object to me.

It was a piece of white cardstock with a paw print on it.

I looked at her and she explained, “It’s heartbreaking when a pet dies here. I just started doing this, but I wanted to give you something to remember your ferret by. I put his print on here before he went in for surgery.”

I took it from her. “Thank you. That means a lot to me,” I managed to say.

She gave me a small smile. “I’m sorry we couldn’t save him. Feel free to call us and we can provide you with some resources on grieving.”

I nodded and thanked her again.

The car ride was silent. I didn’t want to talk. I just wanted to go home. I needed to tell Megan.

We would probably have to pay extra for the cremation, and we would need an urn or something to keep his ashes safe.

Jayce broke the silence. “Well, that was nice of her.”

“Yeah.”

“I know it might not make you feel better, but at least he’s not suffering anymore.”

“Yeah.”

“Is that all you’re going to say?”

“I don’t want to talk, Jayce.”

He sighed. “Tuli, I’m just trying to help.”

“I don’t care. I said I don’t want to talk.”

He growled in frustration. “Fine.”

Thankfully, we reached Jayce’s house quickly. I got out of the car as fast as I could and ran up the steps.

I ignored him calling my name as I went to collect my things. Bones and Juneau were following, playfully nipping at my pant legs.

I ignored them too, picking up my keys from the kitchen counter.

I headed to the door as Juneau barked. I turned to see her and Bones looking up at me. I reached down and gently petted their heads.

“Sorry, you two,” I said softly, “but I gotta get going.”

I opened the front door and carefully closed it behind me as I stepped outside. I noticed Jayce was blocking my path. He pleaded with me.

“Tuli, please, at least call me, okay?”

I could see the sadness in his eyes. It made my heart ache. But all I could think about was going home and going to bed. “Maybe.”

I walked past him and got into my car. I buckled up, started the engine, and drove off without looking back.

***

Megan got home around the same time I did. We hugged and cried for a while.

I showed her the paw print. She started talking about her tattoo artist, who had drawn a white lily on her back when her dad died. He had done an amazing job, too.

She suggested we could call him and see if we could get Mr. Biggles’ paw print as tattoos.

When we called, he said he could fit us in tomorrow.

I would rather spend my birthday getting a tattoo of my pet’s paw print than trying to party and be happy.

We went in the next day, along with Daniel. We were lucky Megan’s tattoo artist wasn’t busy. It took about an hour for each of us to get our tattoos.

I got one on the inside of my left wrist and Megan and Daniel got theirs at the base of the back of their necks.

I cried the entire time, but not from the pain. Getting the tattoo hurt a little bit, but I was more upset over losing my ferret.

The tattoo artist probably thought I was crazy at first, but Megan explained the situation.

I headed to the car while Megan was still inside. Daniel followed me with concern and pulled me into a tight hug. “

“It’s okay, Tuli. I know it’s hard now. It’ll get better.”

I nodded as my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and looked at the screen, then unlocked it and read the text.

Jayce

Happy Birthday, baby. I love you.

I frowned and turned my phone off.

I didn’t know how he knew my birthday was today, but I didn’t care right now.

***

^^

^Monday^

^^

If it hadn’t been for Mr. Biggles passing away on Saturday, I’d likely have spent my birthday in a whirl of celebration, and then today, I’d be nursing a hangover instead of being at school.

But neither Megan nor I felt like celebrating yesterday. So, I decided to show up.

I was in Jayce’s class, lost in my notebook doodles. I was so engrossed in my drawing that the whispering of the two girls behind me was barely audible. I would have dismissed it, but then my name floated to my ears.

“Who names their kid Tuli?”

“Must be her parents were idiots.”

“I can’t believe Mr. Mitchell is so into her. You think he’s sleeping with her?”

“Gross. She’s probably using him to pass this class. And she’s so overweight.”

“And she’s into rodents.”

“What kind of rodents?”

“Ferrets.”

“Yuck, those are almost as bad as rats. She probably caught some disease from her ferret.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I bit my lip and stayed silent. A throat cleared, and I looked up to see Jayce shooting a glare at the girls behind me.

“Ladies,” he said, his voice icy, “would you like to share your conversation with the class?”

I turned to look at them. They looked terrified. One of them managed to squeak out, “We were just discussing the homework, Mr. Mitchell.”

He tapped his foot impatiently. “I’m sure. I’d expect more from college students, but it seems you two can’t tell the difference between high school and college.”

He walked back to the front of the room and swung the door open. He gestured for them to leave. “If you’d rather gossip than learn, you can leave my class.”

“Mr. Mitchell—”

“Out! Now!”

They hurriedly gathered their things and shot me a dirty look as they left. Once they were gone, Jayce slammed the door shut.

“If I hear ~any~ chatter, I’ll fail every single one of you. You’re adults. Act like it. I won’t accept anything less!”

The room fell silent. He meant business.

I sat there, shocked.

He finally seemed to relax. “Tuli.”

“Yes,” I managed to say.

“Come to my office after class, please.”

Was I in trouble too?

I followed Jayce to his office after class. Once we were inside, he asked, “How are you holding up?”

I shrugged. “A bit better, I guess.”

He gave a small smile. “I...I miss you.”

“It’s only been a few days.”

“It feels longer,” he said, frowning. “You keep pulling away from me.”

I sighed. “Jayce, why did you want to see me?”

“I just wanted to check on you. And to let you know that if anyone else is talking about you, you can come to me. I might not always be able to punish them, but I’ll listen.”

“It’s okay. I’m just a bit emotional because…”

He nodded, understanding. “Okay.”

“Actually,” I said. “I can’t find my textbook. I’m sure it’s somewhere in my apartment, but could I take a picture of the pages I need for my assignment?”

“Why don’t I just lend you one?” Jayce suggested. “You can return it when you find yours.”

“Thank you.”

He turned to the bookshelf behind him and reached for a textbook. As he did, his sleeve slipped up a bit, revealing a paw print tattoo on the inside of his wrist.