I lay sprawled,
sinking deep into the smooth leather couch,
pillows suffocating me from every angle.
Frost gently sprinkled across each individual blade of grass out the windows,
snow slowly dancing down from the grayish sky,
blanketing branches with glistening white.
The heat from the fireplace radiating around the room,
the fluffy blanket draped over me,
capturing the stray heat.

Despite the fact that the roaring fire is just behind the glass panel of the fireplace,
my nose is still bitten by the stingingly cold air outside.
I sip the scorching hot chocolate,
the marshmallows gooey,
sticking to my lips,
melting into the rich coco.

I am not alone though,
for on one leg rest a black and white heater,
gently rising up and down with every breath.
A chilly pink nose occasionally nuzzling my slightly exposed foot,
every toe on the paw stretching apart kneading,
like a baker baking mouthwatering bread.
The tail swishing back and forth,
coming just far enough to tap my leg every so often.

Just out of my reach,
another companion lays,
eyes closed,
green slits appearing only when the breeze outside gains enough strength,
rattling the plastic siding.
They beam through,
the sea of black and brown in which engulfs them.
Paws and tail tucked,
forming a round oval on the ottoman.

This is one of those moments that will forever linger in my memory,
one I cannot forget.
My heart,
tightening in my chest,
each time Arthur and Tess appear in my memory.

But even so,
my heart exhausts and strains itself to keep these memories apparent,
until the point it burns too much to go on.
My heart aches at the thought of them,
yet is still longs to keep them with me forever.

Arthur and Tess with me since I was born,
gone when I was ten.

Their leaving closed one door,
allowing me to open another,
to give me something else to adore and cherish,
to make more memories with my new babies.
Lila and Remington cannot replace,
but they can create new memories,
ones that will last,
standing their place,
as irreplaceable.

~I miss you Artie and Tessie, I will always love you