Belle the Cat

Read this.
My mom wrote it.

"There are no real secrets to Eve's death. It is a life gone too soon.
Tobacco is an addiction that can kill you, the denial keeps you smoking anyway. Lung cancer is preventable. If that seems a harsh judgment, it comes from my anger that people hurt themselves and end up hurting those who love them by dying of a preventable disease. I feel it about those who don't wear seatbelts or helmets, too.

I had been over to the house on Friday to drop off a book to Eve that [her sister] Mary
had lent me. Eve was on the couch, bald as an egg with her elf ears for all
to see and skin the color of custard. She seemed very tired, but
talkative and hopeful of being able to hear [her daughter] Gracie sing at church on Sunday.
Mary, Gwen and Laura [Mary's daughters] were due in for the weekend for a visit. Grandma
was there and of course, [Eve's husband] James. Grandma seemed very bubbly and happy and thanking the Lord for some kind of coming together of fate, but I didn't enquire too
closely about that. Eve said they were done with the hospital, but I don't
know if that was at the family's instigation or the hospital's realization
that there was no more they could do.

Gwen called me yesterday afternoon at about 4:00 pm saying Eve had died
that morning (Mon.) @ at one. Mary had asked her to call me as she (Mary)
didn't feel able to. Gweny made a remark that there had been a lot of denial
going on and I think she meant Mary and Grandma. Mary because she couldn't
face the possibility and Grandma because it would seem unworthy to doubt God,
perhaps. I think Eve was okay and ready, but still had hopes. The suddenness just caught everyone so off guard. Doesn't really matter--we're never ready.

Yeah, life is hard, but compared to what alternative?"

(names have been changed)

That makes ... three.