Part Twenty-Eight
Jellylorum, Asparagus Junior, Skimbleshanks and Jennyanydots sat around a single round table in the back corner of a quality Italian restaurant. Jellylorum was finishing off a glass of wine, and Asparagus was reaching for the bottle again. Skimble and Jenny were discussing something quietly, and then Jenny nodded. Skimbleshanks turned to his co workers and smiled.
"You two are probably wondering why I asked you to come out on such short notice. Given current circumstances..." Jelly's eyes didn't meet Jenny's, but stayed on the plate of bread in the middle of the table. Asparagus reached under the table and touched Jellylorum's paw gently. He smiled up at Skimbleshanks and motioned for his good friend to continue.
"Well, after the discovery of mine and Jennyanydots's relationship, we've been talking." Jelly took her wine glass and started to take a drink.
"We're engaged." Jenny finished, watching her friend nearly choke at the news. Jellylorum's blue eyes locked with Jenny's green ones, and a slow smile spread across her lips. Taking her napkin, the butter-colored tabby queen dabbed the wine off the corner of her mouth.
"Congratulations, you two." Jelly said with a sly smile. Relief washed over Jenny, and her paw tightened around Skimbeshanks's. Asparagus started to laugh, and stood to raise his glass.
"Definitely congratulations to you. Skimble, took you long enough." Gus grinned and chuckled as he took a long sip of his wine. The orange tabby tom mirrored the grin and raised his glass. He pulled his fiancée close and planted a soft kiss on her lips. Jenny looked into his eyes and smiled gently.
"I love you." He whispered, kissing her again.
"I love you too." Jellylorum looked up as the waiter came over. He was carrying Jelly and Jenny's meals, and when he set them down, he also had a little bag. Handing it to Skimbleshanks, the waiter smiled.
"You said to bring it now, did you not?" He asked, getting a nod from the orange tabby. Jennyanydots took a bite of her mediteranean lasagna and watched Skimbleshanks open the bag. A slow smile spread across his lips as he reached in and pulled out a small cardboard box. Jelly was taking a bite of her liguini, and looked up at Asparagus when he knudged her gently. Bustopher Jones, Alonzo's father and owner of this particular restaurant, came out of the kitchen and spotted the quartet. Grinning from ear to ear, the burly black tuxedo started over to them.
"Hey! Congrats you two!" B.J said with a bellowing laugh. Several others in the restaurant looked over with curiosity as Bustopher pulled a free chair over.
Bustopher Jones was indeed very outgoing. His build was large, but was mostly alot of muscle that he'd developed over the years. His wide, cheerful face was flushed from the heat of the kitchen he worked in, and his mustache was curled slightly at the ends from the humidity. His light green eyes sparkled as he watched Skimbleshanks open the box.
"It's the one you ordered. Helen had it brought in double time for you." Skimbleshanks looked over at the burly owner with a grin.
"And I thank you for this. I really owe you." Bustopher Jones let out another bellowing laugh and clapped the orange tabby on the shoulder.
"No worries! When Helen heard, she was overjoyed." Jennyanydots took another bite of her lasagna as she peered curiously at the black velvet box. Bustopher caught her looks and grinned. Knudging Skimble, Bustopher made a motion with his head.
"Oh yes! Jenny, since I didn't have a ring when I first proposed to you..." Skimbleshanks pushed his chair out and turned Jenny towards him. She grabbed her napkin and wiped a bit of tomatoe sauce off the corner of her lips. The restaurant hushed as Skimbleshanks got down on one knee and took Jennyanydots's paw.
"Will you marry me? With a ring this time?" He asked, opening the small box to reveal a stunning diamond and sapphire ring. Jenny's free paw went over her mouth and a strangled sound escaped her lips. Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes and she nodded.
"Yes. Oh Skimble! It's beautiful. This is beautiful." She sniffed, letting Skimbleshanks put the ring on her paw before she pounced on him with a fierce hug.
"And there's something else..." She whispered, pulling back to look into his eyes. "I'm pregnant."
