The Duo
Kli L.
Gabriella was seven when she first found Mittens. He was a tiny,
scruffy kitten with fur as black as midnight and bright green eyes
that seemed to sparkle with mischief. He had wandered into
Gabriella’s backyard one rainy afternoon, shivering under the old oak
tree.
“Hey there, little guy,” Gabriella whispered, holding out her hand.
Mittens sniffed it, then nudged her finger with his tiny nose. That
was the start of a friendship that would last a lifetime.
From that day on, Mittens was never far from Gabriella’s side. He
followed her to school, waited by the window when she practiced
piano, and purred contentedly whenever she read aloud from her
favorite storybooks.
As the years passed, Gabriella grew taller, her hair longer, her world
bigger. She faced challenges—making friends, learning to ride a bike,
dealing with schoolwork—but Mittens was always there, a comforting
presence in every storm.
When Gabriella had her first heartbreak in middle school, it was
Mittens who curled up on her bed, purring, letting her cry into his
soft fur. When she won her first art competition, it was Mittens who
nudged the ribbon with his paw, as if to share in the joy.
Even as she grew older, navigating teenage dreams and fears,
Mittens stayed the same—watchful, loyal, and endlessly patient. He
taught Gabriella about quiet companionship, unconditional love, and
the small joys in life: the feel of warm sunlight on the floor, the thrill
of chasing a string, the comfort of a familiar purr.
When Gabriella finally moved out for college, Mittens stayed behind,
but the bond didn’t fade. Phone calls, video chats, and visits kept
their connection alive. And when Gabriella returned home during
holidays, Mittens would jump onto her lap immediately, as if no time
had passed at all.
Years later, Gabriella would look back on her childhood and smile,
knowing that growing up alongside Mittens had shaped her in ways
she couldn’t have imagined. He had been her confidant, her
cheerleader, and her silent guardian. And in the quiet moments, she
still felt that same spark of companionship, the unspoken
understanding between a girl and her cat.
Because some friendships, she realized, don’t fade with time—they
grow stronger, just like the people and animals who share them.
