As a child my two sisters and I wanted pet. A dog. A cat. Anything. My sister even brought a kitten home but we could not keep it. It was returned to whence it came from within an hour. My mother is a widower and single mother of three girls. She worked fulltime at a school and often worked side jobs to make ends meet. Another mouth to feed and more responsibly was likely too much for our home. To be fair, one time mom did allow a puppy at the home but this was short lived. My sisters and I used up all the dinnerware to feed it and allowed it to pee in our beds. "Cuddles" was rehomed. Tears were shed. Today my sisters and I are grown adults with children and husbands. We have long moved out our family home. My mother watched as each of us moved on with our lives. Slowly each year my sisters and I attended less holidays and trips with mom to visit Nan in St. Mary's. Mom often had to go it alone. My mother eventually retired from work. Some of her coworkers and friends developed health issues. Some died. Her world became smaller. Neighbors came and went. A young family moved next door. A husband, wife and young son. They had a little dog too. They were friendly and helped mom shoveled snow at times. Mom reciprocated by sharing cooked meals. Nemo their dog started visiting our home. She would sneak under the backyard fence over to our home and wait on the patio for attention. She was very affectionate and excited. Treats were shared. Eventually Nemo stayed longer. Nemo spent days with my mother while her owners attended school and work. Sometimes Nemo slept over. Eventually Nemo moved in. The young family could not compete with my mother's cooked treats and freer time to dote on the little dog. Nemo began attending all family events. Nemo ate roast beef and took over my mother's bed. Nemo travelled with my mother across the island. Nemo travelled with my mother across the COUNTRY! And my mom loved it. Nemo's original owners moved to another home but Nemo remained in mom's home. For 10 years Nemo was with my mother. She attended weddings, birthdays and was there every day along for the ride. Nemo knew the entire Southern Shore. If Nemo she could have driven a car she could have taken you from St. John's to exactly to her favorite spots along the Samonier Line. My mother always had company and Unconditional love with Nemo. Watching her youngest daughter move out of the home wasn't so hard because Nemo was there to greet her at the door and tuck her in at night. Especially stormy winter nights that fall on quite Sundays. Mom says Sundays are the hardest days. Nemo was there to comfort my mom as mom watched her own mother pass away at 99 years of age. Nemo was sick. She threw up often on the drive to the memorial services. A couple of weeks later she stopped eating. The vet tried to ease Nemo's pain but nothing could be done. The day Nemo died, just a couple weeks after my grandmother, she paced uncomfortably inside the home despite my mother's efforts to comfort her and make beds anywhere she went. Nemo seemed more relaxed laying in the backyard grass. This day her original owners returned to moms home to spend the last moments of Nemo's life with my mom. We gathered at the back yard fence where Nemo chose to rest, on the path she made between two families. Nemo is gone a year now. Her path under the backyard fence remains. Maybe one day another dog will discover this path to my mom. Thank you Nemo for being there for my mom and to the wonderful family who brought Nemo into my mom's life. Thank you mom and to all those that love creatures great and small. You are not alone. There is a path.   Submitted By: Jennifer Perry