The Cat Who Waits by the Window

Every evening at six, my grandmother's cat, Mimi, jumps onto the windowsill and looks outside.

She is not watching birds or cars; she is waiting for my grandmother to come home from the shop.

Mimi has done this for three years, and she never gets tired of it.

When my grandmother is late, Mimi walks around the room and makes small sounds.

Last month, my grandmother stayed in the hospital for a week.

Mimi sat by the window day and night, and she did not want to eat.

I tried to play with her, but she only looked at me and turned away.

On the day my grandmother came back, Mimi heard her steps and ran to the door before anyone else.

She rubbed her head against my grandmother's legs and would not stop.

My grandmother cried a little, then laughed.

Now I understand that pets do not just live with us; they feel our absence deeply, and they count the hours until we return.