This is my entry for the Monthly SimLit Short Story Challenge , organized by LisabeeSims, a fellow SimLit writer. May’s theme is Mother, Motherhood, Mothering. If you would like to participate, please visit the link above. At the end of the month, readers will vote for their top 3 favorite stories in two categories, Veteran and Novice. This means a total of 6 votes will be cast by each reader. If you would like to take part in that, again, please visit the link for instructions. Please note that you must read ALL the entries before casting your vote.
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Word count: 504
Screenshots: 6
I’ll never forget the day I became a mother.
Okay, so I didn’t give birth to him, thank God, and he’s not even human. Does that really matter? I mean, he’s a little soul who needs someone to take care of him, provide for his needs, and love him unconditionally. Isn’t that what being a mother is all about?
Max was the runt of the litter, so nobody wanted him. I always rooted for the underdog anyway but couldn’t resist his little face when I saw him. I paid the breeder the fee she asked for, scooped him up, and cooed over him like any new mother would.
Once home, I got out his food and water bowls and made sure his bed was all set up. I wanted him to settle in nicely, so I slept on the sofa that first night to keep close and watch over him.
Everyone loved Max. Even my mom called him her Granddog. All was right in my world until Max became very ill. I was beside myself one day when he whimpered in pain and nothing would stay in his stomach for long.
I was a hysterical mess when I found out Max had cancer. There were two choices: I could have him peacefully euthanized or pay a sizable chunk of change to have it treated. There were no guarantees of the treatment being successful, but there was no question in my mind about what to do. My baby deserved a fighting chance, and I would be right there fighting alongside him.
“Honey, are you sure about this?” Mom asked when I sobbed out my sorrow over the phone to her “It might not work, and your heart would be broken all over again.”
“Mom, I have to try! I’m his mommy, and I have to do everything I can for him. You, of all people, should surely understand.”
She heaved a long sigh. “I do, Jessica. Truly, I do. Tell him Grandma loves him.”
I will,” I choked out. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.” I hung up quickly when I heard her start to cry on the other end. Staying on would make me blubber all the more, and I was hanging onto my sanity by only the thinnest of threads.
Nursing Max through his illness made me understand both the happy and dark sides of being a mother. I cried on his bad days and smiled on his good ones. I bought him special food when his regular stuff didn’t agree with him because of the treatments and hand-fed it to him when he was too weak to move. I cradled him in my arms when he seemed extra needy and played with him when he had the energy to chase his ball. My life centered on seeing him well and happy again.
And get well, he did. Max is a warrior and my hero. He’s healthy, happy, and the joy of my heart. What more could a mother want?
OH MY GOSH .. sniff .. this is wonderful
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. ❤️
It was darling!
Thanks! 😄 This was such fun to screenshot. Max is just too cute. I’ll definitely be playing with this save a lot.
I have a little black and white pup like that <3
Awwww. I bet he is adorable. ❤️ Me, I have two Golden Retrievers. 😄
Mine is a chichi … I will post a pic of her in the forum later
Can’t wait to see his pic.😊
I will get that up today <3
Aw…I’m so glad he was happy and healthy again in the end! I hate it when my furry babies get ill. Such a sweet story!
Aww me too. I know what you mean. I’ve been through it myself, but the endings were very different than Max’s. I hate seeing them sick. It breaks my heart. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story. Thank you so much. 😊z
Aw, so happy Max got all better!
Me, too. It’s so sad when they get sick.
I would have been pouring tears but thank goodness you gave us a happy ending! Wonderful story 💜
Oh, I know. I couldn’t bring myself to give a heartbreaking ending. That happens way too often in real life, so we needed a better outcome for this story. Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed my story. ❤️
Omg 😭 I actually just lost my own IRL spaniel so this is truly a smack to the feels. He was more like a brother to me though (got him as a kid), so I especially feel bad about the plight of every fur mama.
Max your battles are loved and appreciated!!
I’m so sorry for the loss of your fur baby. It’s so heartbreaking when they have to leave. They are part of the family, and the loss leaves such a void.
Max is definitely a soldier, and his mama should enjoy a long, happy life with him. 😊
So sweet and cheers to Pet Mama’s. Any of us with fur babies know this sadness.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Yep, Pet Mamas rule, but yes, that sadness is nothing to sneeze at.
Ahhhh….that was a lovely story. I am glad that she gave Max a fighting chance and that he is making it. Just wonderful!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you loved the story. Max has a good Mommy who was desperate to keep him alive. He’s one of the lucky ones who made it, and I’m sure they will have a very happy life together. 🙂
I voted for your story. It was very sweet.
Oh gosh! Thank you so much!!! That really means a lot. I was hoping it got at least one vote. 😄 And I loved your story, too, and the one about Tom Foolery. That was adorable.
This was really sweet! I haven’t had a dog since I was a kid, but you really put me in the shoes of a pet mommy here.
I don’t think I could go without having a dog. They bring such joy and happiness, so life would be so empty without them. Being a pet mama is very fulfilling, and I’d recommend it to any animal lover. 😊
Jessica was right to believe in Max and to give him a chance to live. Miss V did the same if it was Sirius or Mistigriff.
Max was Jessica’s baby, so there was no choice for her. 😊Yep, same here if it were Caleb or Alex.
She could be very negligent and let Max die but Love is stronger than anything ^^ and yes it’s so great to play with pet parents I cannot imagine my game without pets.
I totally agree! Furbabies are part of the family. Pets add so much to the game, and I’m so glad we have them.
Me too I cannot play without them especially I got two awesome stories that happened in my game with dogs ,it’s to cry of joy such they are sweetheart. People who doesn’t play with Pets doesn’t know what they missed.
Awww, your stories sound awesome. I love it when stories include pets, especially dogs. 🙂 I totally agree. People don’t know what they’re missing if they don’t play with pets. Not every family I have (and i have a LOT of saves) has pets but a good portion do. I get rather weepy when my pets die, so I’m always trying to find a way of getting them the Young Again Potion. LOL!
You are right I cried when I killed Sirius by mistakes I was totally down one time I didn’t save and I always got a copy of my sims in case of they die.
I had two wonderful times with dogs one story is when my simself went to the joke favourite place the arcade , it rained and the weather was stormy. Sirius escaped from home he was so frightened he cames until the arcade . He took the underground. He probably searched for my simself his mummy he loves so so much.
The second time it was with Brunelle the dog of Viviane,, she cames to visit my simself and she cares of her ,, she was covered by fleas and she stayed at home 🙂
I was so emotionally amazed by this visit lol.
Pets gives so much love to my simself and even if she’s not a pet friendly she likes caring of them !
I play with cats and dogs both are amazing !!
Oh man! I’ve done that before – accidentally killed a Sim. I usually exit without saving when that happens. I’ve also got backup copies just in case, too.
Awww. those sound like nice and funny stories to read. Pets do unexpected things, but they’re always there to make us laugh and give us fun times. They definitely add so much to the game. Do you ever play with horses? I do on occasion, but it’s been quite a while for me.
I don’t play with horses yet I never did to be honest. Maybe someday if I’ll find the need? I lost those saves with both stories but I kept them in my mind such they are precious. I totally agree with you , pets in the sims are exactly like real life. They brings so much joy !
It’s been a while since I played with horses, but they can be fun. My own dogs go nuts now when they hear a Sim dog barking. LOL. I play mostly with dogs but will sometimes have a cat. Pets just make everything better. 😊
Thank God this had a happy ending. You had me worried there for a few minutes. I understand how she feels the dog is part of the family so you can’t help but feel maternal.
Awww. I couldn’t bring myself to give a sad ending. There are too many of those in real life, so I wanted this one to be happy. I feel the same about my doggies, so yeah, it’s easy to feel maternal for sure.