| By: After All | Aug 29, 2017
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The Only Child Who Had A Brother

Brother in the gardenAt about 10 years ago, I decided it was time to leave my parents' house. After all, I was 24 and was ready to endure all the adventures grown-ups face while juggling with endless bills. I must confess I didn't plan my move properly. By the end of the process, I had an empty apartment and nothing to sleep on. But I was excited and super proud of myself.

Well, turns out that 6 months after I moved out, the apartment was looking like a real home. But I didn't feel home somehow. I sort of knew this was going to happen because since the first day I missed having a pet. A house without a dog isn't a happy house. At least this is what I firmly believed back then.

While visiting a friend who has adopted dogs and cats, I fell in love with Nicolino, a gorgeous black cat. I wasn't sure about what to do with the cat, though. Will he scratch me? Will he attack me for no reason? Should we play fetch? I was lost! Nico was the main reason why I decided to adopt my first cat. One of my students had told me about an NGO that rescues cats in São Paulo called "Adote Um Gatinho" (Adopt A Kitten). When I first entered their site, I was stunned by all those beautiful animals that were waiting for a person to choose them.

To make a long story short, it was impossible to pick only one and some people convinced me to adopt two at the same time. I chose my first cat after long hours of indecision. I loved his name, Brother, and he looked exactly as the cat that used to visit my familyTonico when I was a child. I filled out the adoption form and left a note: "I'd like to adopt Brother and one of his friends. I liked Shanti very much, but I'm not sure if they're friends."

Shanti was an elegant - and also black and white - cat. One of the NGO's founders replied to me and we scheduled the adoption. I had the safety nets installed on my windows two weeks before they arrived and I spent my whole salary on toys, scratching poles, beds, treats, litter boxes, hard-sided carriers, blankets, water fountain, bowls, and tons of wet and dry cat food. When the adoption day finally came, I was so anxious I couldn't focus on anything and it was very hard not to cry when I first saw them: it was love at first sight.

It took Bro some time to be the cutest cat on the planet. To be precise, it took him three months to trust me, and he eventually became my best friend, my companion, my assistant while I cooked or taught on Skype, my confidant, my partner in crime.

BrotherWe had been living together for almost 9 years when I noticed there was something wrong with him. I took him to the vet and we discovered he had an aggressive type of lymphoma. He was rapidly losing weight and I did everything I could to make his life not only longer but most importantly happier. I gave him all kinds of treats: from McDonald's burgers to Chinese food. Eating was his second favorite activity since sleeping on my lap was obviously the first.

I'll be forever thankful for everything you brought to my life, Bro. There's no buddy like a Brother, after all.