Beyond the moon - 1 : Dreams

13 - THE MYSTERIOUS GIFT

- Well, we will be able to open the gifts! exclaimed my mother as soon as the clock in the dining room rang the twelve strokes of midnight.

The guests took their places in the second living room, near the fireplace. My mother was standing near the tree to play Santa and distribute the gifts. All that was missing was Aunt Emma. But my mother started without her.

Very quickly, it was my turn to open one of my gifts. My mother motioned for my aunt to enter the dining room. She held a big rounded box in her hands and passed it to my mother who put it gently on my lap.

- Go ahead, open! she was impatient, delighted.

The box vibrated on my knees. Something seemed to move inside. Small holes of air had been made on the lid.

I opened with a certain apprehension, not knowing what it contained. I pushed the cover gently and saw a small dark spot at the bottom. The box was filled with hay and a small ball of hair was in the center. Then a tiny little head straightened up, with half-closed eyes and two little straight ears.

The little hairball in question was a kitten barely weaned. He straightened up and stretched himself in his box. I had woken him, obviously. I took this little gray ball in my hands.

- Oh, how cute he is! exclaimed Judith, sitting next to me.

- So, do you like it? asked my mother.

- Yes, I really like it. Thanks Mom. Is it a male or a female?

"A female," replied my mother. She is about a month and a half old.

What was extraordinary was that my mother had hit the nail. I had always dreamed of having a tiger gray cat. I stroked the little ball of hair. She was so sweet. This tiny creature alone was almost in the palm of my hand. She uttered small squeals and tried to suck my finger. She was so small.

- How are you going to call him? Samuel asked me.

- I always said that the day I have a cat like this, I would call Gribouille.

- It's a miracle, you know! said my mother. It was Monsieur Leclerc who found her almost dying in her garden. His mother must have abandoned him. He nursed and nurtured her to save her, but he did not know what to do with it. And when he told me about it, I immediately thought of you.

- You did well. We will have company in this big house.

I handed the kitten to Samuel.

Gribouille's tail gaped and a barely audible throat slipped out. The kitten jumped at full speed from Samuel's hands and fell back on my knees before fleeing under the tree.

- I think I made a new friend! he exclaimed ironically.

"Then, to make you feel sorry, here is a present for you," my mother addressed Samuel. It's from Anya.

He felt the little soft bundle to guess what it was and opened it. He took out a large khaki scarf and put it around his neck immediately.

He inhaled his smell.

- It smells like your perfume! he said to me, astonished.

- Yes, as you gave me yours, I bought you a new one and I carried it a few hours so that you have my smell on it.

He leaned over and kissed me.

- Thank you, he said.

My mother handed out the gifts in turn. From time to time she stopped to open hers.

When my turn came, my mother handed me an envelope and I opened my second gift. It was written on it that it was from him, as well as from my aunt and Judith. Inside was an A4 sheet folded in three. While unfolding it, a large logo caught my eye.