Munkustrap was deep in discussion with Bombalurina and Jennyanydots when he noticed Jazzie's marked absence. He looked around distractedly. Where had she snuck off to? He nodded apologetically towards Bombalurina and Jennyanydots. "Excuse me, ladies," he said.
"You are excused!" winked Bombalurina.
She smiled knowingly at Jennyanydots. "She's probably in her lab, Dear," said The Gumbie Cat.
"Thank you."
He crept silently down the stone steps and spotted the Snowshoe sitting on her workbench with her back towards him. As he edged closer he could see that her head was bowed. "Jazz?" he asked tentatively, but the only reaction he got was a small sniff.
Feeling a little confused he eased himself in front of her and crouched down so that he could look up into her face. "What's the matter, Snow Boots?" he asked.
She looked into his eyes, and seeing them so full of sympathy made her steady stream of tears turn into a river. Her lips quivered. She bit them, but this didn't really help. In fact it made things positively worse as the quivering was transferred to her chin and she was so choked up that she only just about managed to stutter a small whisper, "It's n-nearly o-over…"
He slowly straightened up so that his nose brushed against hers. "What is nearly over?" he asked.
Why was she so upset? He had no idea! He carefully sorted through his memories to try to find any misdemeanors on his part, but nothing came up. Was it the argument? Was she worried that he didn't love her anymore? How many times had he been over this? Meanwhile, her shoulders were shaking so much that she simply couldn't answer. "Come here," he said, opening his arms and allowing her to release her trapped sobs into his fur as he stroked her head and softly sang,
"I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
I, feels like fire
I'm so in love with you
Dreams are like angels
They keep bad at bay, bad at bay
Love is the light
Scaring darkness away, yeah
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down
I'll be around with my undying
Death defying love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers and pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushin' in, rushin' inside of me, yeah
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
This time we go sublime
Lovers entwine, divine divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure, the only treasure
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A skyscraping dove
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door.
(The Power of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
You know it murders me to see you looking so sad," he whispered in her ear. "Please, tell me there is something I can do to make you happy again?"
When he didn't receive an answer he gently pushed her backwards, laying her down on the table. Then he proceeded to kiss her neck and nuzzle her collarbone, causing her to utter a tiny whimper as his touch sent shivers through her body. He began to explore further down, making her heart beat faster. Her breaths quickened as her fingers interlaced with his and held them tightly as pleasure gripped her whole body. Suddenly, she arched her back and let out a soft moan. She couldn't stop her lips from smiling, even as teardrops fell from the corners of her eyes and splashed onto the thick oak. Slowly, he made his way back up to find them and kissed her deeply, while she dug her fingers into his fur and wound her legs around his waist. She gathered his body into hers; yearning for him, needing his loving touch and with a collective sigh they came together, their bodies building to a climax before falling against each other, exhausted and breathing hard for a few blissful moments. He lifted his head from where it was nestled in the space at the base of her neck and kissed her again. Then he whispered sternly into her ear. "Right then. Now that that's out of the way you can tell me what is troubling you!"
She caressed his ears and smiled. "Nossing troubles me now!" She whispered and kissed him back.
When they parted his eyes searched hers. She tried to avoid them, but it was difficult seeing as he was right there reading the lies. She sighed. "It is silly reason!" She insisted with an offhand wave of her paw. "Should not be crying over spilt milk…"
"Cats don't cry for no reason, Jazz," he said. "Now out with it or you leave me with no choice but to tickle it out of you!"
"Ok ok!" She braced herself. "If you really must know, I am envious! Zere! I said it!"
"Envious of whom?" He asked.
She sniffed guiltily but said nothing. He rolled his eyes and flexed his fingers. "Who?" He repeated.
"Bombalurina," she admitted.
He raised his eyebrows. "Now, why would you have any reason to be envious of her?" He asked incredulously. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you are both attractive in your own way..."
"Zis has nossing to do wiz looks!" She replied.
"Well, what then?" He demanded.
She pressed her lips shut and looked distinctly embarrassed. He was starting to get impatient. "Jazz!"
"I want...no! It is stupid!"
"What do you want?"
She sounded so young and frightened, when she finally whispered, "A kitten."
He was quiet. His eyebrows knitted together and he appeared to be deep in thought. "Hmmm, I see," he mumbled.
She sighed, "I know. Silly of me, no…?"
He stood up straight and pulled her up with him so that they were face to face. "No, not silly," he said quietly. "Not silly at all."
Then to Jazzie's complete surprise he pointed to her in a vague impression of Mistoffelees and with an overexaggerated dramatic flourish he granted, "Your wish is my command! Kitten, come forth!"
"Munkustrap, is zat supposed to be funny?" She asked, giggling in spite of herself.
"Oh no! Since when am I ever funny?" He replied.
Although his expression remained stoic, his eyes sparkled. Had he gone mad? She looked at him, thoroughly confused. Then her eyes narrowed. "Are you taking ze Mic?" She asked, suspiciously.
His face broke into a knowing smile. "Take a test," he told her.
"What?"
"You heard me. Take a test," he repeated.
"What? Now?" She asked.
He rolled his eyes again. "No, next Jellicle Eve. Of course now, you daft mare!"
"Zey're upstairs-"
"I'll wait here," he said with nod.
She hesitated.
"Go on!" He insisted.
She raced up the stairs and ran to the office, startling Hortenseya. "Jazz, what are you…?"
She raised an eyebrow as her friend ransacked the drawers, clearly searching for something. She seemed to find what she was looking for, grabbed it and turned nervously to the blue Korat. "Sorry Tense! No time to explain!" She said breathlessly and rushed out again, headed into the lavatory and locked the door behind her, while Hortenseya shrugged, pushed her pince nez higher onto her nose and went back to her paperwork.
Presently, Jazzie walked back down to her lab, clutching the white envelope to her chest. "Well?" he asked.
She looked at him with eyes wide and held the package out to him. "I cannot look," she said nervously. "Can you do it?"
He sighed exasperatedly, rolled his eyes yet again and whipped it out of her paw. Then he deftly removed the white strip of paper from the envelope, though not having his specs to hand he had to squint and hold it at arms length to allow his eyes to focus on it. He studied the unassuming strip for quite a long time, but as he did so a smile spread across his face. "Look!" He showed her.
She shook her head. "I can't-"
"Look!" he persisted.
She opened her eyes. At first all she could see was a blurry white line, but slowly her eyes focussed and she saw two yellow lines staring out at her from the card (Red to you and me!) The second line was much fainter than the first, but it was definitely there. "Mon Dieu! Je dois être en train de rêver!" She gasped.*1
"Damn! I love it when she speaks French!" he thought.
Aloud, he said, "No my dear, you are not dreaming. You are however, without a shadow of a doubt, most definitely pregnant."
"No…!"
"Oui! Félicitations mon amour!" *2
She was in complete shock. She didn't know whether to scream for joy or cry. It was more than her brain could handle. "I can't believe it…" she whispered as she leaned against him. "How did you know?"
"Ah!" He knowingly tapped his nose.
"Why? Do I smell different?" She asked.
"Only very slightly. I have to be very close to detect it because it is so faint. I believe they call it the pregnant smell."
"Does zis mean you won't want me anymore?"
"What? No! Jazz! I am never going to stop wanting you, ok! I am yours, now, forever, whenever and wherever!"
He waved his arms in a circular motion to emphasise that the word 'wherever' meant 'wherever'. Then he sighed, suddenly looking rather sad. "But you aren't going to want me," he said.
"Don't be silly, of course I will!" She disagreed, "How could I not...?"
"Trust me you won't," he insisted. "In a few weeks time, maybe even a few days, you won't want me anywhere near you."
He kissed her on the side of her head. "Call this a parting gift."
She slowly shook it. "Why zough?"
"That is how it must be. You body will change and so will your needs. If only it were up to me, but alas. The Everlasting has other plans for us already worked out."
"Zis is so weird! I don't feel any different!"
Jazzie looked down at her abdomen in fascination. Even though she had been pregnant before it was still a phenomenon that she didn't yet fully understand and it never ceased to amaze her. She placed her paw there and giggled, "I can't believe it. To sink zat I have a little Munkustrap growing in zere!"
He placed his paw onto hers. "Or a little Jazzie or five!" he reminded her.
"I know I say it all ze time, Munkustrap but I really do love you!" she said.
"I'll never get tired of hearing it, my love. And I have another surprise for you."
"What is it?" She said excitedly.
"Well, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you now, would it?"
They started to walk up the stairs and returned to the main corridor to find a group of cats waiting for them. Hortenseya was looking very stern indeed with her arms folded over her engorged belly and tapping her foot like a pot bellied black guardian to the gates of Hell. "Are you two going to tell us what's going on? Or do we need to interrogate you?" She demanded.
"Not nosey at all, are you?" Munkustrap shot back. "We were having this thing called 'private time' with emphasis on the word 'private'. Jazzie, you don't have to tell them anything if you think it is too soon."
"What's too soon?" asked Jennyanydots.
Jazzie looked at Munkustrap and smiled. "I'm pregnant!" she announced.
"Oh how lovely!" exclaimed Jennyanydots, reaching for her hanky and blowing her nose loudly. "Jelly and I are going to be so busy!"
"Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for you, lady!" squealed Hortenseya, waddling over to embrace her. "Took you long enough! Hey, you can come to my antenatal class with me now! Won't that be fun? Squeeee!"
They were joined by Bombalurina who placed an arm around Jazzie. "Welcome to the club babe! Now we're officially mummy sisters!"
"I think this calls for a celebratory cup of tea," said Jennyanydots. "Who wants one?"
"Me please!"
"Me too!"
"Yeah I'll have one!"
"Oh, no thanks Jenny, I've gone right off it!" said Bombalurina.
"Can we have celebratory biltong biscuits with that too, please?" asked Munkustrap.
"Hungry, are we?" asked Bombalurina.
"Starving, as it happens."
"I'm not surprised!"
They all laughed at that. Except Munkustrap, who just looked nonplussed.
"Right guys, I'm off to work," Bombalurina announced some time later.
"Look after yourself!" Jennyanydots reminded her. "And for Heaviside sake, take it easy!"
"Yes Marm!" Bombalurina groaned. "See you guys later!" She waved as she walked out of the entrance.
"See you, Bomba!" Munkustrap waved back and finished off his fifth biltong biscuit.
Upon noticing Jennyanydots's raised eyebrows, he asked, "What!?"
"When I said 'help yourself' I didn't mean 'eat them all!'" she explained, exasperatedly.
"Oh. Did I? D'oh!"
He checked the box but all that remained of the crunchy offerings were a few crumbs. Jennyanydots caught Jazzie's eye. "Where does he put it that's what I'd like to know?" she tutted, flinging her arms out to the side in a dramatic shrug.
"I've been working hard!" he vindicated. "And they were very nice biscuits!"
He turned back to Jazzie. "Right, I am going to go and freshen up, and then I shall meet you back here in a few hours, ok?"
"Oui, d'accord! À bientôt!" *3
He planted a quick goodbye kiss on her lips, waved to everyone else and followed Bombalurina out of the door. Jazzie watched him go, a whirlwind of thoughts spinning around her mind. "I need to speak wiz my Mozzer!" she thought.
*1 My God! I must be dreaming!
*2 Congratulations, my love.
*3 Yes OK! See you soon!