I can’t figure why Kiki smells the way she does. I call it the “powdered baby” smell. Powdered as in Johnson & Johnson's baby powder. But that’s not entirely what it is. She also smells of my mom and grandma. Of bureaus with lifebuoy soaps, vetiver and the morning sun caught in the freshly laundered cotton. I even dragged her to the vet - Is this an infection? Why does she smell of comfort? We came up with nothing.

A friend once described his puppy’s breath as the fragrance of pink grapefruit. I looked at him funny then but I think I know what he was talking about. Kiki smells of Mama- disapproving looks, 10 PM bedtime reminders, 6 AM alarms, a comforting cuddle et al.