Disclaimer: I don't own the song "Loch Lomond". I suggest listening to it when it comes up, it's a really pretty song! I don't have the whole thing, just the first two verses.
A/N: Yes, I know it's been a long wait, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. How will Jenny react to Skimble's offer? Does she feel the same way? Find out by reading on! Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!
Jennyanydots awoke from her deep slumber to start another day. She leisurely stretched her limbs and looked beside her to see her parents curled around each other in their own nest, appearing completely tranquil in each other's hold. The yellow and orange tabby queen silently got up out of bed and tip-toed outside so as not to disturb them.
The refreshing morning breeze carried with it the scent of cleansed earth. Puddles formed from last night's downpour lay scattered about her, gradually evaporating in the presence of the warm sunshine overhead. The sky was once again cloudless, leaving no traces that it had ever rained. Jenny decided breakfast was in order and prowled around the giant tire in the center clearing for any rodents.
She spotted a rat emerging from its crevice in the trash and pounced. The rat had other plans, though. It darted back into its home with a sharp squeak of fear with milliseconds to spare. Jenny hissed in frustration, but whined inwardly as her stomach growled with hunger. She stood up and brushed the dirt off her fur, ears flattened against her head.
"Those rats are smarter than we give them credit for…" The hungry queen glared menacingly at the nook her prey had escaped into. She sighed and scanned the clearing for another potential meal. A few pigeons were strutting about near the fence, pecking at the ground for their own food. Jenny crouched low and stalked the birds for a few minutes. When one had its back turned towards her, she lunged for the unsuspecting bird. She sunk her claws into its back and snapped its neck before it could flee like its partners. Jenny quickly ate the pigeon to satiate her hunger.
When she had wiped the blood and feathers from her mouth, the yellow and orange tabby heard more than one pair of footsteps coming up behind her. Not a second later she heard an all-too familiar voice. "Good morning Jenny! Eating breakfast, I see?" Jellylorum greeted cheerfully as her best friend spun around with a grin. Jenny observed that the second pair of footsteps belonged to Asparagus, Jelly's tomfriend. The brown and black tom dipped his head politely towards Jenny, obscuring his cream-coloured chest for a moment.
"Hey, guys. Yeah, I just finished breakfast. What are you two up to?" Jenny asked casually. She began strolling back in the direction of the center clearing, and her friends followed.
Gus chuckled as he answered before his queenfriend could. "Jelly told me you met a tom down by the train station yesterday. She refused to tell me anything else, though. Care to fill me in on your romantic adventure?" He proposed in his silky, but inquisitive voice. It wasn't hard to see why Jelly had fallen for him. Not only was he a rising star in the theatre industry, he was also the kindest, most timid tom Jenny had ever met. While Jelly was loud and easily excitable, he was reserved and placid. They complimented each other perfectly.
Jenny scoffed and flicked her tail in irritation. Of course Jelly had told Gus about the events of yesterday afternoon. She was surprised the brown and white tabby queen hadn't blabbed out the whole thing; she normally couldn't contain the urge to gossip. "It was hardly romantic. The tom I met was named Skimbleshanks and he took care of Jelly and I after that group of mongrel cats attacked us. Macavity ditched us, and if it wasn't for Skimble and his friend Coilin, we would have been raped and murdered, most likely." Jenny explained unenthusiastically.
Gus nodded with a serious countenance. "Macavity made it back here without you, and he was worried sick all night. His story closely matches yours in regards with those criminals assaulting you two. He's glad you're safe."
Jelly smiled at the news. She and Jenny were also concerned for the young ginger tom, and they were happy he wasn't injured. Jelly nudged her friend and informed Gus, "That's not all that happened, though. Tell Gussy what Skimble said when he dropped us off, Jenny." The brown and white queen acquired a new spring in her step as she walked along.
"Really, Jelly?" The yellow and orange tabby queen groaned, "Do I need to explain to Gus how much of a nervous wreck Skimble was?"
"Skimble wasn't that nervous! Just tell him what he said!" Jellylorum demanded impatiently. Gus pricked his ears in interest. If his queenfriend was this persistent about whatever this tom said, it had to be important.
Jenny crossed her forelegs over her chest and sighed in defeat. "Skimble told me that he enjoyed my company and he wanted me to visit him at the station sometime." She said in the most sarcastic, unexcited voice she could manage.
Gus smirked knowingly and waited for his queenfriend to calm down from her sudden squeal of joy. Once Jelly was quiet enough he remarked, "That sounds to me like an attempt to ask you out on a date."
"I know, right? That's what I said! Jenny was all like, 'No, I don't have time.' So I ribbed her and said, 'Sure, she'd love to!' We're going there today to get Jenny here some alone time with Skimble." Jelly giggled at her friend's scowl.
The yellow and orange tabby queen huffed and shot back, "We are not going back there. This was just a one-time thing. I bet Skimble has forgotten all about me by now."
Gus laughed and said, "Au contraire, Jennyanydots, I believe Skimble has a fancy for you if he asked you to spend time with him. Take it from someone who's been there. The first time I asked Jelly out, I almost-"
"-gagged because he was so nervous, he chocked on his own spit!" Jelly finished, erupting into a fit of giggles.
"I did not gag, Jellylorum. You were so beautiful that I was simply lost for words. You still leave me breathless, mon amour." With Jelly satisfied, the actor resumed, "As I was saying, we went to go see a play my good friend was in, and I couldn't stop thinking about her between the minute I asked her to the actual night of the production. If you think Skimble wasn't serious, you are very wrong." Gus advised, giving his queenfriend a loving nuzzle.
Jenny knew she couldn't argue with her two best friends and win. It was impossible with their experience from their own relationship versus her stubbornness. "Fine, you win. We'll go today at four." She agreed reluctantly. Jelly gave her a quick hug and grabbed her paw.
"We're telling your parents right now that you're going on a date!" The brown and white tabby queen called to her friend as she tugged her along. Asparagus kept pace with them as they jogged to Jenny's den. Once inside, Jenny's parents smiled in greeting from their places at the table.
Jenny's father smirked knowingly as he motioned for the trio to sit down. There were only two available chairs, since the other two were occupied by Jenny's mother and father. Asparagus had no problem standing behind Jelly's chair. "Let me guess: this has something to do with that Skimbleshanks fellow you two mentioned last night." Jenny's father chuckled as he took in his daughter's irritated expression. He knew she got that way whenever either dating or a tom was mentioned. The older pair of cats looked expectantly at the young trio.
"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner." Jenny confirmed sarcastically, "Skimble asked me out and Jelly's forcing me to go against my will. Can you please explain to her that I'm not interested?"
Jenny's mother reached a paw out to her daughter and squeezed it comfortingly. "Why, that's wonderful that a tom asked you to go on a date with him! We can gather he's responsible and kind if he took such good care of you two yesterday. Why don't you want to give the young tom a chance, dear? He seems like a nice boy!" The elder yellow tabby queen furrowed her brow.
"I don't have time because of my studying, Mom. Having a tomfriend will just get in the way, and I'm afraid I'll disappoint you if I fall behind!" Jenny complained exasperatedly.
The yellow tabby queen laughed lightly and shook her head. "I'll understand, don't you worry! If you make time for love, then nursing can wait. I won't get angry with you if you don't spend 24 hours a day with your nose in my notes! Have some fun and take a chance with this tom. It won't hurt you if you just try." She reassured the younger queen, and her mate nodded fervently beside her. Jenny still didn't seem convinced, even with her parents' approval.
Jenny's father could tell from the hesitation in his daughter's eyes that there was more to this than just the worry of falling behind on studying. "That's not the only reason you don't want a tomfriend, is it? Tell us what else is bothering you, honey." He prompted in his gruff voice.
The young queen bit her lip to delay her response. She stared down at the surface of the table as she muttered vehemently, "What if…What if he doesn't like me? What if he finds out that I'm not as good he thought I was?" There was a desperate, pleading essence to her eyes that silenced even the chatty Jellylorum.
"Whatever do you mean, dear? What's not to like about you?" Jenny's mother asked gently.
Jennyanydots clenched her paw into a fist as she replied bitterly, "There are a ton of things about me that could turn him away. I know nothing else besides nursing, so he'll probably find me boring beyond belief. I don't know how to flirt or be confident around toms. I spend so much time studying that I know nothing about the worldly events around me. My social skills are horrible and I'm so shy that I probably won't even be able to talk to Skimble!" Her bottom lip began to quiver by the end of her rant, and Jelly pulled her friend into a comforting hug.
"Don't you dare say those things about yourself, Jenny. You're intelligent, super kind, beautiful, and if Skimble doesn't see those qualities in you, then he's not worth your time. I'm sure he will, though. They're impossible to miss. He'll like you for who you are, trust me!" The brown and white tabby queen beamed.
Jenny managed a tiny smile at her friend's motivational words. She returned the hug gazed around at the cats surrounding her. If her family and friends believed these things to be true, then they had to be. "Thanks everyone, I feel a lot better now. I think I will let Skimble take me out. It's barely noon right now, though. What are we going to do for the next four hours before he gets off work?" She pondered aloud.
Jelly and Gus exchanged knowing smiles. "We'll educate you on the do's and don'ts of dating. That and we have to get you prettied up for tonight." Jelly provided excitedly. She bid farewell to Jenny's parents and the trio set off again, this time in the direction of a secluded clearing. There, Jelly and Gus explained in great detail of how to go about behaving oneself during a date. This was all new to Jenny, since this was actually her first real date. She didn't count the times Tugger had tried and failed to hit on her.
"Okay, first thing you want to do is just be yourself. A tom hates it when queens lie to make themselves seem like someone they're not. Don't make up things about yourself that aren't true because the truth will eventually come out and it won't be pretty." Asparagus advised seriously. Jenny nodded firmly at the tom who sat across from her.
It was Jelly's turn next. "Don't let him kiss you on the first date. Cheek is fine, and in your case paw," she instructed, "but not lips. If he kisses you on the lips, don't go back to him. That's a sign that he just wants to seduce you. Oh, and watch his body language. That's a sure-fire way to determine his emotions, so if he does something stupid, you'll have a reason to pardon him."
The brown and black tom cocked his head at Jelly. "Why did you say paw? Does anyone except us do that anymore?" He queried. Gus liked to be old-fashioned, and he knew his queenfriend found it endearing.
Jelly giggled and whispered in Gus' ear, "Skimble has this thing where he calls Jenny 'Miss Jenny' and he has a habit of kissing her paw, like you do. It's so cute!"
"I can hear you two." Jenny growled at the not-so-secretive pair.
Gus chuckled and pulled away from Jelly to focus on his friend. "Skimble sounds like a classy tom. You don't find many traditional toms like that, Jenny. I approve of this guy." He commented sincerely.
Jenny rolled her eyes, but allowed her friends to resume giving her advice. When the sun indicated it was nearing three o'clock, Jelly rushed her yellow and orange friend into her den to prepare her for the date. On their way, they passed by Macavity. The ginger tom smiled in relief when he saw the two queens he had lost.
"I was so worried about you two! Did those crooks hurt you?" Macavity inquired with his brow furrowed in concern.
Jenny and Jelly shook their heads, and Macavity sighed as if a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders. A few things still remained vague on the subject of Mac's behaviour during the previous afternoon, however. "Mac, why did you ditch us just before the railway toms reached us? We thought the criminals had catnapped you, or something." Jenny recounted with her own worried expression.
Macavity merely shrugged. "They did, and they kept me prisoner for a few hours, but I managed to fight them off and escape back here. They didn't hurt me that much, even if it appeared otherwise." He explained non-chalantly.
"Hold on, I thought you said they were your friends, Mac? Why would they drag you off and hold you captive?" Jelly questioned.
The ginger tom gave her a disbelieving look. "Friends? Why in Heaviside would you think those disgusting mongrels were my friends? They just assaulted us out of nowhere and knocked me out for a bit. I'm really glad those railway toms stepped in when they did. I don't want to think about what those baddies would have done to you if they hadn't come…" His eyes took on a grim essence.
Jenny raised a skeptical eyebrow. She distinctly remembered Macavity saying that he had business he had to take care of first with his so-called "friends" before they could get to the train station. Why was he denying himself? "Yes, Jelly's right. You said they were your friends and you got a package from them. What was in it, anyway?" Jenny backed the brown and white queen up with her own evidence.
Macavity smirked as if he found Jenny's words amusing. "What package?" He answered innocently, "I never received anything from those guys. Are you sure you didn't dream this up after I saw them knock you two out? Those toms attacked us and dragged me off with them before the station fuzz-I mean railway toms-could catch them."
"Are you calling Jenny and Jelly liars, Mac?" Asparagus growled threateningly.
The ginger tom smiled and reassured Gus, "No, no, I would never! I'm just saying they're mistaken, that's all! Plus, you know how queens like to exaggerate things. Well, I must be off. Good afternoon, you three." He dipped his head in farewell and continued on his way, whistling an abstract tune.
After a moment of confounded silence Jenny hissed disapprovingly, "I smell a rat."
Jelly glanced around rapidly as she licked her lips. "Where?" She demanded excitedly.
Jenny rolled her eyes and batted her friend over the ears. "I mean Macavity, you silly goose! Something's up with that tom…" She glowered after the disappearing form of the ginger tom.
"Oh, yeah! Definitely! He's acting really strange…You believe us, right Gussy?" Jelly asked her tomfriend sweetly. Gus nodded fervently in confirmation. The trio walked briskly to Jenny's den to prepare said queen for her date. Asparagus was forced to wait outside while Jelly made the necessary improvements to her best friend's appearance. When she was done, Jenny's fur was groomed to perfection and she was wearing the pearl necklace her mother had given her for her eighteenth birthday. They stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine and Asparagus gasped in delight at Jenny's transformation.
"How do I look?" The yellow and orange tabby queen asked timidly.
"Drop-dead gorgeous." Gus complimented with a wolf-whistle, "Skimbleshanks will be floored when he sees you!"
Jenny blushed at the kind words, and Jelly ushered the two towards the fence. "Yes, yes, you look like a princess! Now stop jabbering and get going! It's almost four and we don't want to make Skimble wait!" She said tersely and climbed over the fence with her friends.
As they walked along Jenny inquired, "What will you guys be doing while I'm on my date with Skimble?"
Gus and Jelly smiled and the former replied, "I'm going to take Jelly out dancing and then maybe we'll have a steamy make-out session in the back room afterwards. We'll let Skimble escort you back home."
Jenny giggled at the actor's shamelessness, but was surprised when Jelly gave him a light whack on his upper foreleg. "What do you mean 'maybe'?" The brown and white queen spat accusingly with narrowed eyes.
Jelly's tomfriend pulled his partner close and corrected himself. "Okay, we will have a steamy make-out session in the back room afterwards. Better?" He purred as Jelly pecked his lips in appreciation. Jenny groaned inwardly at her friends' public display of affection. She averted her gaze as a twinge of envy constricted her heart for a moment. She was quiet for the rest of the trip to the train station.
Upon arriving on the platform of the Riverside London Station, Jenny and Jelly scanned between the legs of the surprisingly few humans for Skimbleshanks.
"What does this guy look like?" Gus asked as he looked around. He could see some toms in waistcoats, some his age and others older, but apparently none were Skimbleshanks.
"We're looking for a tom my age in a waistcoat." Jenny replied, not taking her eyes off her surroundings.
Asparagus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Umm newsflash, they're all wearing waistcoats. What does his coat look like?" He stated the obvious.
"Look for an orange tabby." Jenny advised, not noticing her obliviousness.
After a few more minutes of searching, they still couldn't find Skimble. However, Jenny spotted Coilin, who eagerly waved them over. The white and gray-patched tom smiled as the trio halted in front of him. "I didn't expect you to be back here so soon! How's that ol' noggin of yours?" The Irish tom motioned to Jenny's head.
"It's fine. Have you seen Skimble around?" The yellow and orange queen queried.
Coilin tapped his chin for a moment. He pointed to a train that had humans departing from it in an orderly fashion. "I believe he's helping those people over there with luggage. He couldn't stop blathering about you since he got back yesterday. It's been driving me crazy, but I'm happy for him." He chuckled light-heartedly and gave Jenny a small push in the direction of the train. Jelly and Asparagus stayed by Coilin to give Jenny and Skimble some space.
Jennyanydots took deep breaths to calm her racing heart as she approached the luggage car. She told herself it was silly to be so nervous, but it didn't do much. A small smile graced her lips as a familiar orange tabby tom stepped down from the car and waved the passengers off. He didn't notice Jenny coming up behind him. When the tabby queen tapped his shoulder, he spun around with a start.
Skimble's cheeks flushed a light pink as he recognized the queen who had surprised him. "You gave me a scare there, Miss Jenny. I-I didn't think you'd take m-my offer up so soon. How are you?" The Scottish tom greeted in a rush of words.
Jenny giggled and held her paw out for him, anticipating his next movement. Skimble smiled, gently lifted it up to his lips, and kissed it. He gave it a soft squeeze before letting go.
"Jellylorum can be very persuasive." Jenny commented. At Skimble's disappointed glance she added, "N-Not that I didn't want to come, it's just…you know…"She trailed off, biting her lip. This wasn't how she imagined the date starting out.
"You're very busy, yes?" The orange tabby tom finished for her, albeit dishearteningly.
Jenny nodded reluctantly. "Between my nursing and making sure Jelly doesn't overwhelm her tomfriend, I don't have time for much else." She explained with a light giggle, but it sounded slightly forced.
Skimble's face brightened as this new information caught his attention. "You're a nurse? Where do you work?" He questioned.
At this the yellow and orange queen hesitated. Gus' advice to be herself came to mind, but Skimble was already slightly disappointed in her. He already knew she lived in a junkyard, and it would look even worse if she told him she worked there, too, or that she wasn't actually a full-fledged nurse yet. "Yeah, I work in uhh…the West London Veterinary Hospital. Just like you help out your stationmasters, Jelly and I help out the vets with their patients. It helps a lot when you have someone who understands you by your side." Jenny cringed inwardly as the white lie passed through her lips. She didn't want to lie to Skimble…But what she said wasn't completely untrue. She and Jelly were both nurses, just not professional. They merely didn't work at the first prestigious place that came to Jenny's mind.
"That's impressive. I heard it takes a lot of talent and rigorous training to get in there. You must love what you do." Skimble nodded, a bit more at ease now. Jenny smiled in agreement, just glad that he had believed her. The orange tabby tom glanced past Jenny and noticed Jelly standing by Coilin and an unfamiliar tom. He gestured to the trio and he and Jenny strode over.
Skimble extended a paw to Jelly as he greeted, "Good afternoon, Jellylorum. What brings you and your uhh…friend here?" Once Jelly shook his paw, he let Gus shake it as well.
"My name is Asparagus, but please call me Gus. I'm Jelly's tomfriend. Pleased to meet you, Skimbleshanks." Gus answered for himself.
Skimble's expression became astonished as he realized who he was talking to. "Excuse me for asking lad, but weren't you the tom who acted with Irving for the production of 'Holby City'?" He questioned a tad shyly.
Asparagus nodded humbly. "Yes, that was me. I hate to be so curt, but we really ought to be leaving. Jelly and I are going dancing." He waved his friends farewell and hurried off with his queenfriend.
"I have paperwork to fill out in my office. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone, yeah?" Coilin winked at the pair and disappeared into the thickening crowd of humans. Skimble and Jenny were suddenly left to themselves.
"Well, isn't this my lucky day! I meet two successful nurses and a well-known actor! Not to mention take a bonnie lass out." The orange tabby tom's voice quieted on the last phrase, but Jenny had no problem hearing him. She blushed almost imperceptibly at the compliment.
A look of worry crossed Skimble's countenance as something came up in his mind. "Oh dear, if I knew you were coming, I would have prepared something…But alas, that was not meant to be. Would you mind coming with me to my home? I have to put this waistcoat away." He offered with a shrug. Jenny smiled slightly and followed him. They crossed the tracks and made their way to a run-down shed that was meant to house train cars that were no longer utilized, or being taken apart for scrap. Skimble led Jenny inside the cavernous, wooden shed and into a dilapidated, rusting train car.
"This is my home. This used to be a cargo car before they got new, more modernized ones. The humans parked this one in here and haven't touched it ever since. That was seven years ago, mind you. I've lived in it for about two now. It's nicer inside, don't worry!" Skimble laughed at Jenny's disgusted expression. When he unlocked the heavy, gigantic door, he slid it open just enough so he could slip through. Jenny climbed in as well, and gasped in awe at what she found inside.
The space was dimly lit by a lone light bulb that was connected to a pair of batteries. A thick, purple curtain hung on a rope from the ceiling and separated Skimble's living area from the rest of the train car. There was a dog-sized mattress in one corner that was covered in soft-looking cushions and a couple blankets. A tiny stove was located in the middle of the area, but it had no fire in the furnace under it. A plastic tub of water sat right beside this furnace and a small shelf lined with books was up against the wall near the door. A child's desk and chair was situated beside the bookshelf in the other corner, which had a mess of papers on it.
"It's very luxurious compared to my home…Where did you get all this furniture?" Jenny questioned as she scanned the volumes on the bookshelf. To her surprise, they were all classic novels in immaculate condition. In fact, the whole place didn't have a speck of dust anywhere. Jenny noticed a sort of stick poking out from the bottom shelf. As she crouched to get a better look, she couldn't help but notice a plugged bottle of Scotch and a few glasses on the second-last shelf. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the stick wasn't a stick at all, but the bow for a violin. The violin itself lay beside it.
Skimble shrugged as he unbuttoned his waistcoat and hung it on the back of his chair. "I found the cushions when they were dropped off at the station as garbage, and the rest Coilin and I found by the docks from people who were renovating their ships. It happens more often than you think, lassie. Captains are very picky about how their quarters look." The orange tabby tom explained matter-of-factly. He noticed Jenny admiring his violin and continued, "Beautiful instrument, isn't it? Coilin has been teaching me to play it ever since I was a wee kit."
"Is Coilin your father?" Jenny asked, standing up from her crouched position.
"My father? He looks old enough to be, doesn't he? No, my father passed away before I was born. My mother died shortly after I was born, and Coilin took me in. I've lived and worked at this station all my life. When I turned seventeen, Coilin helped me get my own place, which is what you see here." The orange tabby tom elucidated as he plopped himself down on his bed.
Jenny nodded and mumbled sadly, "I'm sorry…I never thought you'd be an orphan. So that makes you nineteen, then? We're the same age." She ended on a more pleasant note.
Skimble waved the orphan comment off. "Coilin said he knew my parents. My dad was a drunkard who didn't give a damn about my Ma, and my Ma was what you'd call a mated prostitute. I guess you could say they had me by accident. Would you like a drink?" He offered as he walked over and reached past Jenny to pull out the bottle of Scotch and two glasses.
"No thanks, I don't drink alcohol. Are you…disappointed? In your parents, I mean." The yellow and orange queen queried as Skimble poured himself a glass. He strode to the middle of the room with the bottle and downed the glass in one gulp, as if trying to delay his answer. He poured more Scotch into it, but merely swished it around this time, contemplating on how to reply. His gaze remained intent on the glimmering, caramel-coloured liquid as it swirled under the dim light above. A tense silence filled the air, and Jenny felt guilty that she had struck a tender spot.
Skimble brought the glass to his lips and sipped it before finally responding, "Sort of…I mean, if they lived, I would have more than likely hated them. It wouldn't have been a very dignified upbringing either, now would it? On the other paw, it would have been nice to see what my parents looked like…who they were…what they sounded like…but it's alright. I would have probably run away at one point or other if I lived in an abusive family like that." He glanced at Jenny, who wore a sympathetic expression. "Enough talk about me. What's your family like?" He changed the depressing subject.
Jenny shrugged casually. "My mom is a nurse like me, my dad lives at home. I don't have any brothers or sisters. We have a nice home in the Jellicle Junkyard, but it's nothing compared to yours. We're pretty average, I guess. Nothing special."
"Well, I think we're done in here. I can take my violin with me to the pier and play you something, if you like. I hear the river is pretty beautiful at this time of day." The orange tabby tom offered as he brought the violin out. It was worn and obviously used quite a bit. Jenny followed Skimble outside, and the orange tabby tom shut the door of the train car. When the pair emerged back into the sunshine, the sun was much lower in the sky. It wasn't quite sunset, but the river still shimmered like gold as it flowed along. The two made their way to the docks and sat down on a secluded pier, far away from the hustle and bustle of the unloading merchant ships.
Once they were seated, Skimble settled the violin on his shoulder and ran the full length of the bow along the strings to test it. Satisfied, he began to play a tune he knew like the back of his paw. The lilting sound of the violin resembled someone singing, or as close as an instrument could get to it. While Skimble played, he closed his eyes and began to sing softly to himself in a baritone voice that Jenny found herself getting lost in as she listened.
By yon bonnie banks an' by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where me an' my true love will ne-er meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.
O ye'll take the high road, and I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
For me an' my true love will ne-er meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.
Skimble's voice faded away, and he opened his green eyes with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, that was a bit blue…It certainly doesn't fit the current situation."
Jenny shook her head. "I liked it. You're a very good singer, and you play with such passion." She commented, grinning in encouragement.
"Thank you. I'm happy you like my music, but I'm hardly a competent singer." The orange tabby tom shrugged modestly. His expression turned contemplative as he gazed down at his violin for a few moments. Then he glanced back up at Jenny, who was watching him inquisitively. "Would you…Would you like to learn how to play it…?" He queried tentatively. He almost sighed in relief when Jenny nodded. Skimble skirted behind her and placed the instrument on her left shoulder. He placed the bow in her right paw, and lifted it so that it was resting on the strings.
The orange tabby tom held the violin with her and placed his paws over hers. He positioned her fingers so that she was ready to play a certain chord. "Right, now this is called a C chord." He explained softly, resting his chin on her right shoulder. Jenny nodded, and with his foreleg guiding hers, he played the chord with her.
Jenny giggled with delight as the violin produced a clear, smooth tone. With her enthusiasm encouraging him, Skimble taught her some other basic chords. He even taught her how to make a violin's distinctive vibrato by rapidly shifting her paw from side to side to produce the trilling noise. Jenny enjoyed herself thoroughly under the instruction of the Scottish tom, and before she realized how much time had gone by, it was already well past sunset. A cold wind blew up from the river, causing her to nestle herself closer against Skimble's body for warmth.
"You're cold, lassie. The weather isn't in agreement with us anymore, is it? I suppose that's enough for tonight. I'll take you back home, alright?" Skimbleshanks said as he took his violin back and sat beside Jenny once more. The yellow and orange queen whined slightly in protest that the date had to be cut short, but stood up and followed Skimble back to his home. She waited outside the train car so he could put his violin back, and then the pair began the journey back to the junkyard.
While they walked Jenny spoke up, "I had a really fun time with you tonight, Skimbleshanks. I think we should do this again sometime."
"Really? Y-You want to go on an-another date?" Skimble replied with an astonished expression. Inside, his heart leapt at the thought that she wanted to see him again.
"Yeah, maybe we could go out for dinner, or something? I like being around you, Skimble. You're a very patient teacher, and I'd love to learn how to play some songs." The yellow and orange queen smiled.
Skimbleshanks fiddled with his paws for a minute before he said softly, "Umm…I can cook, if you want me to prepare dinner. I'm not a very wealthy tom, so I'm not sure if I could afford to take you out…" He averted his gaze in embarrassment.
Jenny wasn't surprised to hear this, although the fact that Skimble would willingly admit he was poor showed her he wasn't afraid to be honest. "Unlike some queens I know…" She scolded herself mentally. "It doesn't matter. I like a home-cooked meal better than a restaurant one, anyway. It has more heart to it, you know?" She reassured the orange tabby tom.
Skimble gave her a sincere smile, but frowned as the Jellicle Junkyard's fence came into view. The pair halted by the barrier that separated Jenny's home from the street. "I guess this is where we part ways. I enjoyed our time together, Miss Jenny. When will I see you again?" The orange tabby tom asked, his eyes full of hope.
"Today's Friday, right? How about Sunday evening?" Jenny offered politely. She remembered Skimble had weekends off.
The tabby tom nodded firmly and took Jenny's paw, but instead of kissing it, he pulled himself closer and softly pressed his lips to her cheek instead. He pulled away, leaving a slightly stunned queen. "Until then, Miss Jenny. Goodnight." He bowed his head and walked off, disappearing into the shadows.
Jenny came out of her stupor quickly and let a dreamy sigh escape her lips. She hopped over the fence and tip-toed into her den, careful not to wake her sleeping parents. Her dreams were filled with lilting violin music that night.
