Demeter stretched. It was the day after the Jellicle Ball. She frowned, remembering Munkustrap's attitude last night. He'd flirted with Jennyanydots, Rumpleteazer, and countless other queens. *What was he thinking?* she wondered. She shrugged it off and went outside.
Bombalurina was waiting outside. "How are you?" she asked, and Demeter knew that Bomb was asking about Munkustrap's flirting. Bomb was a flirt, but everyone knew it.
"I dunno, it was just....so weird." Demmy went over the whole list of queens he had flirted with last night, including Bomb herself. "I don't understand it," she finished.
"Even after you cleaned his fur after the fight, too," Rina said.
"I talked to Rumpleteazer, and she was asking about his 'activities' last night."
"That evil flirt."
"And I still haven't told him about the kittens."
"WHAT?"
"I know, it's just..." Dem's voice trailed off.
"It's just what?"
"It's just that he's behind you as we speak."
Bombalurina turned around. "Oh, hello Munku. I'd better go." She gave Dem a "Tell him NOW" look and left. Dem nodded and Bomb walked away.
"How are you, Demeter?" Munkustrap asked. His deep voice and handsome face made him the center of attention a lot.
"I'm fine, but I've got something to tell you," Demmy started.
"That's great, I've got something to tell you, too."
"You first."
"I'm seeing Jennyanydots."
"WHAT?" Demeter screamed. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"
"Sorry, honey-"
"Don't you 'honey' me, you cheating, lying, pond scum!" Demeter stalked away. "Oh, and I'm pregnant!" she called.
Munkustrap looked like he'd just been slapped. "What? Are they mine?"
Demeter didn't want to face him, but she did. "Of COURSE they're yours! SOME cats are FAITHFUL to their mates!"
"I'm really sorry, Demeter, it's just-"
"Just what? I'm not good enough for you? I don't flirt with you anymore?"
"I just don't love you anymore, Demeter."
Demeter couldn't face him anymore. She just turned and ran.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter ran into Jennyanaydots. "Demeter, there's something I need to tell you," Jenny began.
"I already know. Munkustrap told me."
"I'm sorry, Demeter. He asked me to go to the tire after the Ball, and....well, it just clicked. You know?"
Demeter sighed. "I know." She knew all too well. She had loved him from the first day she saw him, when she was three months old and he was five months.
"I'm really sorry, Demeter. Can we still be friends?" Jenny asked.
"Okay," Demeter nodded. "I just need some time alone."
Jenny understood.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter finally found Bombalurina. "Hi," she said.
Bombalurina said, "I heard." She burst into tears. "I'm so sorry." She hugged Demeter tightly.
It was too much for Demmy. She sat down and cried with Bomb.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter amd Bombalurina had finished crying. "Oh, Demeter," Bomb said. "At least Tugger and I talk things out before we see other cats."
Dem nodded miserably. "I can't believe him." She had been saying that numbly for quite awhile.
"Me neither," Bombalurina said. "He is so evil."
Demeter frowned. "There's one good thing about all of this, though. I get to date again! I haven't dated in eight months. I thought Munkustrap and I were forever, and I wasn't looking for any other relationships."
Rina perked up. "Yeah. Maybe I could fix you up with Alonzo."
Demeter smiled.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter had a dream that night. She was holding Munkustrap's hand tightly, but he was trying to break out of her hold. Jennyanydots and Bombalurina appeared. Jenny took Munku's other hand and began pulling on him. Rina said only three words, "Let him go." Demeter nodded, and let go of Munkustrap's hand. As she let go, she knew that she had lost a part of Munkustrap, but she realized that she no longer wanted that special bond with Munku.
She had lost a small part of Munkustrap, and gained a bigger part of herself. *An even trade,* she thought wryly.
Epilouge
Demeter smiled, her cheeks rosy with excitement. Alonzo was waiting just outside the sewer for her, with a rose for her. She walked outside, and Lonzy gave her the rose. Dem held it and thanked him. They went to a spot near the junkyard and danced the night away.
Bombalurina was waiting outside. "How are you?" she asked, and Demeter knew that Bomb was asking about Munkustrap's flirting. Bomb was a flirt, but everyone knew it.
"I dunno, it was just....so weird." Demmy went over the whole list of queens he had flirted with last night, including Bomb herself. "I don't understand it," she finished.
"Even after you cleaned his fur after the fight, too," Rina said.
"I talked to Rumpleteazer, and she was asking about his 'activities' last night."
"That evil flirt."
"And I still haven't told him about the kittens."
"WHAT?"
"I know, it's just..." Dem's voice trailed off.
"It's just what?"
"It's just that he's behind you as we speak."
Bombalurina turned around. "Oh, hello Munku. I'd better go." She gave Dem a "Tell him NOW" look and left. Dem nodded and Bomb walked away.
"How are you, Demeter?" Munkustrap asked. His deep voice and handsome face made him the center of attention a lot.
"I'm fine, but I've got something to tell you," Demmy started.
"That's great, I've got something to tell you, too."
"You first."
"I'm seeing Jennyanydots."
"WHAT?" Demeter screamed. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"
"Sorry, honey-"
"Don't you 'honey' me, you cheating, lying, pond scum!" Demeter stalked away. "Oh, and I'm pregnant!" she called.
Munkustrap looked like he'd just been slapped. "What? Are they mine?"
Demeter didn't want to face him, but she did. "Of COURSE they're yours! SOME cats are FAITHFUL to their mates!"
"I'm really sorry, Demeter, it's just-"
"Just what? I'm not good enough for you? I don't flirt with you anymore?"
"I just don't love you anymore, Demeter."
Demeter couldn't face him anymore. She just turned and ran.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter ran into Jennyanaydots. "Demeter, there's something I need to tell you," Jenny began.
"I already know. Munkustrap told me."
"I'm sorry, Demeter. He asked me to go to the tire after the Ball, and....well, it just clicked. You know?"
Demeter sighed. "I know." She knew all too well. She had loved him from the first day she saw him, when she was three months old and he was five months.
"I'm really sorry, Demeter. Can we still be friends?" Jenny asked.
"Okay," Demeter nodded. "I just need some time alone."
Jenny understood.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter finally found Bombalurina. "Hi," she said.
Bombalurina said, "I heard." She burst into tears. "I'm so sorry." She hugged Demeter tightly.
It was too much for Demmy. She sat down and cried with Bomb.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter amd Bombalurina had finished crying. "Oh, Demeter," Bomb said. "At least Tugger and I talk things out before we see other cats."
Dem nodded miserably. "I can't believe him." She had been saying that numbly for quite awhile.
"Me neither," Bombalurina said. "He is so evil."
Demeter frowned. "There's one good thing about all of this, though. I get to date again! I haven't dated in eight months. I thought Munkustrap and I were forever, and I wasn't looking for any other relationships."
Rina perked up. "Yeah. Maybe I could fix you up with Alonzo."
Demeter smiled.
()() ()() ()() ()() ()()
Demeter had a dream that night. She was holding Munkustrap's hand tightly, but he was trying to break out of her hold. Jennyanydots and Bombalurina appeared. Jenny took Munku's other hand and began pulling on him. Rina said only three words, "Let him go." Demeter nodded, and let go of Munkustrap's hand. As she let go, she knew that she had lost a part of Munkustrap, but she realized that she no longer wanted that special bond with Munku.
She had lost a small part of Munkustrap, and gained a bigger part of herself. *An even trade,* she thought wryly.
Epilouge
Demeter smiled, her cheeks rosy with excitement. Alonzo was waiting just outside the sewer for her, with a rose for her. She walked outside, and Lonzy gave her the rose. Dem held it and thanked him. They went to a spot near the junkyard and danced the night away.