Lisa, close your eyes,” my mom said. I closed them and sat on the floor. All of the sudden something heavy and fluffy was set on my lap and started licking my face. “Happy 4th Birthday!” everyone shouted. I opened my eyes and there she was…it was the start of a new life for me.
My family had just adopted out my yellow lab, Melody, 2 years earlier. We came home from a trip and he was so excited, he pushed me down the stairs. I almost broke my neck. My parents decided a dog 3 times as big as me probably wasn’t a good idea. He was sent to a farm in Maryland, which had much more room than our Virginia townhouse
just outside of Washington, DC.
For my first year with little Genevieve, I had to go to preschool every day. My puppy would sit at the door almost all day, waiting for me to come home. For my next birthday, we accepted another Bichon into the family- Bernadette. I must say that Genevieve wasn’t so happy at first, but the two became best buddies fast.
When I was 6, my brother Joey was born. Genevieve took it upon herself to guard him with her life. She would sleep underneath his crib everytime he took a nap, and when he was playing around, Genevieve wasn’t too far away. Bernadette, seeing the role of watchdog was already taken, decided to become family goofball. She was always nagging on Genevieve, but they still loved each other.
The year after Joey was born, we all packed up and moved to Connecticut. We moved around quite a bit for the first year, but finally found a house. My dogs were always there by my side. I started 2nd grade at the local elementary school. Life went on until May 26, 2000.
I was sitting on the front lawn of the school watching the marching band’s Memorial Day Parade rehearsal with about 600 other students when my mom drove up and waved to me. I ran up to her, thrilled that she had come to watch the parade with me. However, as soon as I got closer, I noticed red, puffy eyes and an unhappy expression. “Lisa,” she said. “Come on home. Genevieve just died.” I started crying and got into the car and we drove home. My mom explained what had happened.
In the morning, my dogs always came in the car with us to drop me off at school. When they got back, Genevieve had yelped jumping out of the car, something she had always done. She didn’t seem interested in anything- food, water, squirrels, or her favorite word, “treat”. She just laid down. My mom took her to the vet, and found out that Genevieve had a stomach tumor, was in extreme pain, and wouldn’t make it the rest of the day. The only humane thing to do would be to put her down. My mom decided that I needed to be there to say goodbye, but on the way, the vet called. Genevieve had just passed away, right in the vet’s lap. My mom took me home and we spent the next few hours crying and looking at photos. That evening, we buried her. Bernadette didn’t know what was happening- she had been anxious when Genevieve was nowhere to be found for a few hours, and now as we said our last goodbyes, she sniffed her and I think she instantly knew what had happened. I made a cross out of small sticks and put it at her grave. I replaced them every month for the next 5 years. My mom still feels bad about scolding her for stealing Joey’s bagel a few days before her death.
My precious baby was only 4.
Bernadette went into depression. She slept in the basement for 3 weeks and came out once or twice a day to go out in the yard. She barely touched her food. Finally, she started coming around and soon she was back in action, taking over Genevieve’s spot as lead dog. She became our spoiled princess, and being an only dog, she got all the attention. Even with Bernadette feeling better, it just wasn’t
the same without another dog.
Shortly after my grandfather died that July, I got 2 guinea pigs, Isabella and Chelsea. One day, Chelsea started leaking blood a lot and her stomach got really big. We made a vet appointment for the next available spot, the next day. That morning, my mom looked into the cage and yelled, “WHO PUT THE HAMSTERS IN THE GUINEA PIG CAGE?!?!?” In short, those were not hamsters, they were baby guinea pigs. Isabella was not a male, she was in fact our second pregnant guinea pigs. Soon we had 9 guinea pigs living in 2 cages. However, as soon as we adopted the last baby out, Isabella and Chelsea started fighting, so we took Chelsea back to the pet store (she went to the store’s groomer), and got one of the babies, Crystal, back. They were great pets but about 3 years later, Isabella started screeching when she squealed. I found her belly-up in her cage one night when I went to change the water. We buried her alongside Genevieve.
On my 10th birthday, I took about 25 girls to a movie and Chinese restaurant. When I blew out the candles, I made a wish: all I wanted was a puppy. Suddenly I heard the other girls squealing and turned around. My friend’s mom was holding a little bundle of fluff tied up with a big red ribbon. I called her Emily. When we brought her home that night, Bernadette took one look and growled at her. It took about a month, but one day we looked up in the yard and caught the two on Genevieve’s favorite lookout rock, licking each other.
Now, I’m 13. We moved back to Virginia in the summer of 2004 and I started 7th grade at a private school. We are currently renting a house walking distance from the one I was born in. We now have a fish, Jack, and a hamster, Coral (Crystal is now with a guinea pig rescue group), as well as our spunky Emily and good old Bernadette. Bernadette may be fading away at 8 years old with arthritis caused by getting hit by a car, constant ear infections, and bad eyes, but she still enjoys a good run chasing squirrels.
Genevieve, I know you’re up there. I know you’re looking down on me. We all miss you, we all love you. Bernadette still recognizes your name every time we say it. I think about you all the time. I know that one day, maybe 100 days from now and maybe 100 years from now,
I’ll see you again.
I never got to say goodbye to you, so here it is:
Bye, girl. See you soon.
Your Lady-In-Waiting forever,
| Genevieve |
| Lisa |