Author's Note: OH!! I'm on a role here people!! It's short but I thought it would be a good place to stop….for this chapter :D
Chapter Five: You seem so far away
"Jemima is a perfectly lovely name." Jellylorum said with a sigh. She collapsed onto one of the beds in her den.
"I think it's time for me to go," Jennyanydots said biting her lip, "come along Munkustrap."
Munkustrap nodded and followed Jenny from the den, glancing over his shoulder as he went. There was silence in the den as Bombalurina focused on memorising all the pattern's on Jemima's head. Demeter stared at Jelly who stared at Bombalurina.
"Bomba." Jenny said quietly. "Why have you been hiding this for so long?
Bombalurina shrugged but said nothing.
"I assume there is a story here somewhere." Jelly pushed.
"I haven't thought about this in a long time." Bombalurina said.
"Please dear, tell me." Jelly said.
Bombalurina felt tears spring to her eyes and she took a deep breath, curling protectively around her newborn kitten, something she would not have considered moments ago. Maybe the mere act of touching your child just made you like this. She toyed with a loose thread on the blanket and then glanced up at Jelly and Demeter.
"It was before we came here, when we were, there." Bombalurina began, watching Demeter flinch at the memory of the warehouse.
"He was kind to us, me especially and so we got along and we spent our days together, you know what it's like Jelly." Jelly nodded and Bombalurina continued. "We didn't realise what we had gotten into. Mum had abandoned us, there was no use in looking for father, he didn't want us anyway. It was the first home we had."
"Anyway, he wanted me to be his mate and you know me, and then I was just, pregnant. I was happy, he was happy, we were both happy. He knew and was convinced that the child was a boy, absolutely convinced and I wanted to believe it too, but I hoped for a girl. Then when the kit was born, she was beautiful, golden and she looked so much like him only more beautiful, but he wasn't content. I could see it, he tried to hide it but he wasn't content. And the he did that to Demeter and, I knew we couldn't stay there, but I knew I couldn't take the child with me."
Bombalurina paused and ran her paw through her headfur.
"And then?" Jelly asked.
"One of the other queens accepted to take her away from me. Her kitten had died and she was nursing so it seemed to be a good idea. I don't even know her name. All I know is she's golden and she had my eyes. We left a week after she was born and came here."
Jelly stared wide eyed at Bombalurina. "You had a child with, Macavity?"
Bombalurina nodded slowly and then rested her head on her paws. "Hence why I wanted nothing to do with Jemima."
"But Macavity isn't Jemima's father." Demeter said.
"No, of course not." Bombalurina spat.
"Well then who is?" Jelly asked.
"I'm tired. Please let me sleep." Was all she said.
Bombalurina stayed in the den for three more weeks as Jemima's eyes opened and she began to peer around and discover Jelly's den. She discovered her cousins Bill Bailey and Pouncival, much to her delight and began to discover other things too, like Jenny's knitting and Jelly's medicines. Bombalurina couldn't believe how fast she learned, but also, how small she was and how much her eyes were similar to her father's. She would have to take her out into the Junkyard at some stage, but perhaps not for now.
Three weeks after Jemima's birth, Bombalurina awoke to a crash in the den. She opened her eyes and glanced around.
The Rum Tum Tugger grinned at her sheepishly.
"What do you want?" She growled at him.
"I was uh, looking for Jelly. I needed some um, stuff." He indicated to a broken bottle on the floor. Bombalurina raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you broke it. Clean it up before Jelly gets back and punishes you." She ordered.
Tugger nodded and proceeded to attempt to clean. He paused and looked at Bombalurina.
"So, that's why you've been hiding." He said.
"What?" She snapped.
"The kitten." He peered into Bombalurina's bed where Jemima lay. "She's cute."
"Thanks." Bombalurina ruffled Jemima's headfur. "She is."
"What's her name?"
"Jemima."
"Pretty."
Tugger sat and continued to stare transfixed at the kitten. Jemima yawned and opened her eyes and blinked sleepily at Tugger. He took a step back.
"She has her father's blue eyes." Bombalurina said.
"So she has." Tugger replied. "And might I say very nice blue eyes."
"They always were."
A silence fell across the two as they stared at Jemima who decided she wanted to sleep some more.
"When were you going to tell me?" Tugger whispered.
"I don't know." Bombalurina replied.
Tugger exhaled slowly and ran his paw through his headfur, adjusted his belt and scratched his nose.
"You don't have to do anything." Bombalurina said.
Tugger nodded and bit his lip. "I should go."
"Bye." Bombalurina said and watched him pad slowly out of the den. She glanced down at Jemima and stroked her back gently, smiling as she began to purr louder than should be normal in a kitten her size. "We don't need him sweetie, trust me. You've got me and that's all that matters."
