Smug Marrieds: The Kids Come First

As mentioned, I was in Cincinnati visiting BFF Trisha while our girl Lucy had her left front leg amputated. Blair called regularly with updates but Lucy is my cat (she's stubborn and loud and doesn't easily show affection versus Blair's cat Olivia who is quiet and unassuming but a huge lover girl) and I was anxious to get home to her. 

I walked in the door, dropped my bags and walked into my office where Blair had Lucy sequestered. Blair was there combing her. 

"My baby!" I said, reaching for her. I scratched behind her ears. "Mommy's here. It's okay. Mommy's here," I soothed. I rubbed her neck and belly and listened to her purr. "That's my sweet Lucy cat..."

"Hi," said Blair. "I'm fine.  I've been dealing with all of this on my own for 3 days now but, you know, I'm good." 

"I'll get to you," I said. "Right now my baby needs me." 

Fast forward to last night. Lucy hasn't been eating or drinking for almost 2 days and she threw up a bit when we finally forced her pain medication down her. We called the emergency vet who suggested we bring her in for blood work. It was already about 7 pm and the vet is 45 minutes away and Blair, you know, works, so I was the one to pack Lucy in the car and bring her in. 

The clinic was packed as one emergency after another came in the doors -- a bulldog having an allergic reaction, a Pekingese attacked by a larger dog, a dog who appeared to have been poisoned. I suspected a long night in front of me and called Blair. 

"I think I'll be here awhile," I said. "Go ahead and go on to bed." 

"How's Lucy? Have you seen her? What are they doing for her? Did they say how long it would be? Did you tell them she hasn't eaten anything?"

"I'm fine," I said. "Don't worry about me driving home late at night in the dark with my terrible night vision. And me not getting to eat dinner isn't a problem since there's this vending machine here full of wholesome snickers products." 

What can we say? We love our cats, sometimes to the point of being myopic to the needs of each other. The beauty part is, that while either of us may be upset or offended if blown off by each other for different reasons, we don't actually have a problem playing second fiddle to the cats. It's just understood that's the way it is. 

I've heard similar stories about kids, but always assumed those were just rumors. Cats are sooooo much cuter. ;)

Cheers,

Dena