Wide-Eyed & Innocent

By Dream Painter

"Hey, Jemi," Etcetera called to her tri-colored friend. "We're all going out tonight—wanna come?" Jemima cast her gaze in the direction of Etcetera and the others. Of course, Pouncival and Tumblebrutus (Cetty's closest friends) were in her company, along with Electra and Asparagus (known as Rag to tell him from his grandfather). Victoria would likely join them a little later.

"I'm not sure," Jemima answered. She was the youngest of the group, though none of them were kittens anymore, but rather, adolescents. Jellylorum, Jemima's aunt, had been a strict parent, resulting in a well-mannered young queen who never got into mischief. The adults loved her—"wide-eyed and innocent" they called her. The kitten whom everyone couldn't help but like, but was nearly always left out because she was so good. It was only because of Etcetera that she'd been invited along this time. The white and silver queen was really fond of Jemima and had taken it upon herself to been an older sister figure to her.

"Oh, come on, Jemi, please?" Cetty begged. "Don't be so sheltered—it'll be fun." Sheltered. It was a term Cetty had picked up from her human. Jemi thought it must be a synonym for "party-pooper" or something of the like . . . something she definitely didn't want to be. However . . . .

"My aunt'd probably say no," the green-eyed queen told her. Etcetera put an arm around her shoulder and took her aside.

"Jemima, listen," she spoke softly so the others couldn't hear. "The others don't even want to invite you to anything anymore. You always do what you're supposed to, you ask your aunt before you do anything, and you never swear or do anything wrong. Everlasting Cat, Jemi—you're perfect . . . and it makes the rest of us look bad. Why don't you just do one thing without asking Jelly's permission? She won't miss you, that is, unless she still tucks you in at night."

"She doesn't," the younger queen defended herself. "She says I'm grown up enough to make my own decisions."

"Great!" Etcetera said loudly. "Then, it's your choice: come with us!"

"Yeah, Jemi, come on!" Pounce and Rag cheered.

"It'll be a blast," added Electra.

"It'd be great to have you along," Tumble smiled and Jemima felt her face grow hot.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll come."

"Alright!" Etcetera exclaimed. "That's my girl! Let's go."

---

Jemi let out a small moan as she slowly gained consciousness. Where am I? she wondered foggily. Oh, she shouldn't have tried the catnip—never, ever again! This isn't my room . . . she thought as she looked about at her darkened surroundings, this isn't even Aunt Jelly's den! She sat up quickly (a big mistake) as the previous evening came flooding back to her mind.

They'd gone to some kind of club. There was loud music and cats were dancing. Everything had made her kind of uncomfortable, but Cetty had been there the whole time to reassure her and introduce her to non-junkyard cats. She'd tried some of the catnip, which was why her head was throbbing right now and Electra had given her something to drink. Tumble had refrained . . . in fact, Tumble had left. Somehow she'd gotten separated from the other Jellicles and she'd gone home with Petey . . . Petey!

"Everlasting Cat!" Jemima cursed softly as her gentle green eyes fell upon the sleeping tom beside her. She was wide awake now as she quietly got up off the pillow and hurried towards the door. Oh, what had she done? Had she even done anything? She couldn't remember. Squinting as the sunlight hit her eyes, she ran home, to the junkyard where she belonged. The junkyard. She should have never left. After what seemed an eternity, she entered through the familiar fence.

"Ah!" she cried as she was yanked behind an old refrigerator door.

"Heaviside, Jemi, where have you been?" Etcetera demanded anxiously.

"What?" Jemima asked dumbly.

"We've been searching for you all night," the older queen whispered harshly. "I haven't seen you since I introduced you to Nigel's cousin. We looked everywhere but we couldn't find you, now where—oh, crap . . . you went home with Peter, didn't you?"

"I . . . I, yes," the tri-colored mewed. "What did you tell my aunt?"

"Nothing!" Etcetera exclaimed. "I couldn't tell Jelly we lost you at a club—we couldn't tell anyone. Jelly would have my head and the rest of us would be banned from everything for the rest of our lives. Well, except Tumble; he's almost as sheltered as you are."

"But he went along."

"He didn't know where we were going. Probably the only reason he stayed so long was because you were there."

"Why would he do that?" Jemi questioned.

"Gosh, what are you—an island?" Etcetera burst. "He's been crazy about you since we were kittens. Look, Jemi, I need to know if you did anything you weren't supposed to—I mean, something that even I wouldn't do."

"You do a lot of things I don't normally do," her friend pointed out.

"Jemi, I want to know if Petey was inappropriate with you."

"Inappropriate?" Jemi echoed. "I, I don't understand what you mean . . ."

"Heaviside, you are sheltered!" the older cat groaned. "Did you and Petey have sex?" The tri-colored turned away, tears stinging her eyes.

"I don't know," she rasped, her throat suddenly dry. "I, I think we did . . . ."

"Damn it," Etcetera whispered, using another human phrase. "Oh, Jemi, I'm sorry—I shouldn't have let you out of my sight."

"What am I gonna do?" Jemi began to cry.

"Nothing, right now—you probably have nothing to worry about. Look at me, Jemi," she took her by the shoulders. "If your aunt asks where you were, you spent the night at my place. We talked about toms all night. I teased you about Tumble, okay?"

"Okay," Jemima nodded. "I'm scared." Etcetera wrapped her in an embrace.

"So am I," she confessed.