A Pet?

Turns out that wasn't the end of the packaging, their was a clear box shape under opaque plastic and tape that was within the box even under all of what she already took out and cut up. She could clearly feel that whatever was still hidden from view sort of "reacted" to her gentle press with her hands, shifting slightly underneath the pressure of her phalanges, seeming to suggest it was glass. Who could have possibly bought her some kinda animal, and why would they? Alina had a gentle touch, hence her penchant for knitting and crochet, a hobby she had lost a lot of time to and and more since the tragic passing of her husband. She set a whatever type of "arium" she was holding, onto the table as her hands began to shake and spasm softly, she didn't want to drop the unseen creature's habitat, whatever sat inside didn't deserve to die due to her grief induced negligence. Her eyes could be felt moistening before she shook her head and rubbed at her face, this was not an appropriate time for this, this poor creature could have been in the rather large cardboard box that showed up on her door for who knows how long, and it deserved freedom at the very least for all the time it had to go endure in total darkness. Alina had always had a sort of oddly enough "wordless connection" with animals and critters, never once stung, bitten or otherwise attacked, since she had grown up with friends and family who spent a lot of time with animals whether that due to being farmers, having family who owned farms and/or worked at zoos it gave her a lot of time to learn how they worked and acted.

Before the move, she recalled the cherished interactions they had together and how much of a connection she made with the various fauna in her home town human or otherwise, it was something she would always hold near and dear to her heart. In the final week or so, before she had to depart with her family, she had even started developing a silent connection with her with those same kids that allowed her to learn so much, something she appreciated greatly for the times when words failed or weren't good enough to explain how she or they felt. Its not like she hated talking or anything, but it was just a nice thing to share with those she cared about regardless of the amount of legs they had or how far their face protruded out. She had grown to better appreciate actually talking to people when she met some extroverts willing to do things with her and be there for her in her new town, even if she was **** to at first, it helped that she wasn't the only one who had friends she had to leave behind, and by the time she met her beloved husband it was as if she never had an issue with it and once in a while she'd even get chatty thanks to him~. It was after the funeral she had decided to retire her voice, texting everyone of her decision, it helped comfort her in this new and slightly bleaker world that she had to live in without the man that had been able to so easily make it all sparkle and shine.

It was of course no replacement for the one she lost, but it reminded her of simpler and happier times, and besides...she worried if she hadn't taken the vow she might have found herself in a rumination spiral, and she wasn't about to join her husband far before she was meant to, she knew he wouldn't have wanted that. Maybe this tiny blessed beast of nature would be a welcome new roommate? Another friend to tend to and care for and eventually go up to accompany her soul mate whilst he patiently waited for her. The thought made her smile as she took the box cutter again and proceeded to carefully cut off the improvised "packaging" if you could define a box shape of plastic with way to much tape and sort of "packaging".

A.N.: Feel free to really have fun with this one! Even slightly different versions of the same idea, I feel like this is a massive nexus point of a chapter especially compared to most of the chapters for where things could go from here!