The morning air was heavy with emotion. Cubis, the brave little monkey who had been through so much, sat quietly on Dad’s lap, eyes wide and unusually calm. Today wasn’t like the other vet visits. This one felt different. Today was the last surgery—the final step in a long journey filled with hope, pain, healing, and love.
Dad gently stroked Cubis’s soft fur, whispering, “You’ve been so strong, my little warrior.” It was hard to believe how far they had come. From that first day—when Cubis was found injured and trembling—to now, moments before the last procedure that would finally give him full comfort and freedom.
Over the past months, Dad never left Cubis’s side. He held him through recoveries, fed him by hand when he couldn’t eat, stayed up countless nights just watching over him. They built an unbreakable bond. And now, as Cubis prepared for his final surgery, Dad’s heart ached knowing this might be one of the last times he’d cradle him like this.
The vet gently took Cubis in her arms, giving Dad a soft nod. “He’s ready. This one’s going to help him live pain-free.”
Dad bent down, pressing his forehead to Cubis’s. “No more hospitals, okay? You’re going to run, play, and just be a happy monkey again.” His voice cracked slightly. “I love you.”
As the surgery began behind the closed door, Dad sat in the waiting room, fingers tightly clasped, memories flashing—Cubis’s silly dances, his stubborn refusal to take medicine, the way he curled up into Dad’s chest when scared.
And then, finally, the door opened. The vet smiled, “It went perfectly. He’s resting now.”
Dad rushed in, tears brimming as he saw Cubis sleeping peacefully, bandaged but safe. He leaned in and whispered, “This is it, buddy. No more surgeries. Just life. Just us.”
The hardest part was over. The goodbye wasn’t forever—just to the hospital visits, to the pain. What awaited now was healing, love, and a brand new chapter.
