AMEAL

Nicholas was walking down the family hallway, his face still drying from the tears of his grandmother's passing.

Only yesterday she had been in her room and now she was gone.

It was hard when grandfather had died – but this was different.

Gammy always understood him in a way that mother didn't. She would soothe him with her soft tones and tell him such wonderful stories.

His favorite was the story of Nelly. Nelly was a black cat with white spots, although Gammy swore she was a white cat with black spots! That would always make him laugh…

All of the kids in her town would tease her AND her cat – saying that Nelly was a cow's name. But Gammy would always respond with the same answer – "That's why I named her Nelly – because she has a cow's spots!"

That always made him laugh too.

Nicholas' goat was dying and he knew it. Ameal was his favorite of the six. Every time he said the name he just laughed… "A meal, that's so funny!" It was the sweetest goat he'd ever had as a real friend…

He knew Ameal was mourning grandmother too. He and Ameal were always on the same page.