Maybe it is just fashionable to have Tiara give birth to three babies and the largest and healthiest one would catch my mom’s eye. “This will be mine,” she said and forgot about the last time she made a deal about bringing more animals into the house. “One more of those and I’m the one getting out!”

I didn’t see her packing up anytime soon so Tombo’s added presence into a household of 3 furry animals plus Blue (the daschund) must have made her animal-friendly suddenly.

But that was just mom. You can just imagine how fond we were of all of them.

And Tombo, being the baby of them all, gets almost everyone’s attention. It was a new hoot of Dad’s, “Tombolero!” And Vanessa would jab him in the ribs.

In a span of 10 months, Tombo didn’t last long. Might be worms, flu - whatever. I couldn’t exactly say he died under my watch because I wasn’t there the whole time. Last time I’ve seen the puppy he was tied outside and scratched my leg from all that excitement of seeing me - or anyone for that matter.

“Tombo?! C’mere.”
“Where have you been all this time?”
“Tombo! Quiet! You’ll wake daddy and he’ll find out I snuck out!”
“Good, baby. Kiss, kiss.”
“Tombo?”