#🧍🏻‍♀️me when the longest post of this decade so far is for a cats funeral

[elderberries-and-honey]

Much to Oscar's relief, but against his father's better judgement, his parents allowed him to stay home from school the following day.

All throughout the morning, he struggled to take his mind off Dr Jekyll. It seemed no matter what he did to distract himself, his thoughts always circled back to his beloved cat.

First, he had tried Beth's puzzles, but quickly became flustered by the many pieces and the way none of them seemed to fit just right. He turned to reading, but found that no matter how hard he tried, he could not make sense of the words on the page.

After recognising that waiting inside the house was going to drive him mad, Oscar went to the garden to look for his father, who had been outside the entire morning.

Once there, he saw his father holding a rather large box in his hands. Curiously, he asked his father what was inside. His father hesitated for several seconds before answering, almost as though he were lost in thought.

Silence fell, then his father asked, "Come see?"

They only went as far as the largest tree in the yard. Except that now, there was a large hole in front of it, and what appeared to be two wooden planks attached by nails.

"Do you know what this is, Son?" His father asked, to which Oscar shook his head no.

His father explained that this was where they would bury his beloved cat, and Oscar listened intently. Oscar's face twisted up in confusion as he looked up at his father. It wasn't until his father explained that this was a grave. But it wasn't until his father told Oscar that he could visit it anytime he wanted, and even talk out loud to Dr Jekyll, that Oscar found it interesting.

Oscar sat in front of the grave marker for a very long time, while his father answered all of his questions. They talked about different funeral practices all over the world, and how different cultures had holidays dedicated to honouring their loved one's like Day of the Dead and Obon.

For the first time, Oscar understood how important his parents' jobs were, and wondered if he might do it someday, too.

But eventually, he worked up the courage to ask the question he'd been wondering the most - if he'd ever see Dr. Jekyll again. His father sighed, and even in his youth, Oscar could that his father struggled to answer."I think so, yes. Someday, many, many years from now, you will be reunited in Heaven."

After a while longer, Oscar picked some flowers and leave them there for Dr Jekyll. He tied them together neatly with a red ribbon, just like the one he wore around his neck. His father told him that people sometimes gave eulogies at a funeral, and Oscar decided it felt right to give one to Dr Jekyll, too.

So, he knelt down in the dirt and clutched the flowers in his hand tightly, not quite ready to part with them yet.

"You were a wonderful cat, no-" Oscar paused for a moment in thought, and corrected himself quickly. "The BEST cat! And I hope there is lots of fish for you in Heaven, like Tuna and Carp...and endless balls of yarn. Someday, we'll see each other there, just like my daddy said. Keep a spot warm for me, Dr Jekyll. I'll miss you..."

Once he finished, his father reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Well done, my boy." His father whispered. "Well done."