Chapter Nine: Holding on your rope

Tugger followed Bombalurina into the old car where Bombalurina crawled under the driver's seat. Tugger cocked his head and rubbed the back of the neck.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Just follow!" Bombalurina's voice said from underneath the seat.

Crouching down Tugger crawled under the seat and was surprised to find that the pile of junk the car was resting on had created a cavern underneath the driver's seat after the bottom of the car had rusted away. Bombalurina reclined against an old footstool, her eyes closed with an air of content.

"Never knew this was under here." Tugger said.

"Not many do. Mac showed me this place."

"You don't need to talk about him."

Bombalurina shrugged. "It happened in the past Tugger."

Tugger nodded and rested his head on his paws, closing his eyes. Bombalurina sighed and rolled her eyes, her tail flicking from side to side in annoyance.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Tugger opened one eye and glanced at her. "What?"

"Why was your mother here?"

Tugger groaned and rubbed his eyes with his paws. "Checking in."

"She doesn't think I'm fit to be a mother." Bombalurina said airily.

Tugger nodded slowly. "'Fraid so."

"She thinks we should be mates and that a kitten should grow up with two parents." Bombalurina flicked a piece of fluff on the floor.

"But Jemima will grow up with two parents! I told you that I wasn't going to you know, desert you with her!" Tugger exclaimed.

"Calm down!" Bombalurina growled. "Don't get over excited. I know what you said, I'm just relaying what your mother thinks."

"I know what she thinks. She thinks I haven't grown up." Tugger grumbled.

"You know, you haven't really." Bombalurina grinned.

"Hey!"

"What? You're still as self absorbed and childish as you were when we were kits."

"Great thanks." Tugger sighed.

"I mean that in the nicest way possible."

Tugger raised an eyebrow at Bombalurina but smiled slightly.

"Gosh Bomba! Having a kid has really mellowed you!" Tugger exclaimed.

"Has not!"

"Has too! Where's that feistiness that I fell in love with?"

"What?" Bombalurina's eyes widened.

"Um, what?"

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing! I said nothing! Honest!" Tugger panicked. "I um, have to go. Uh, thanks for the chat!"

Tugger slid from under the seat and scampered away as quick as he could, heart beating against his chest. Bombalurina sat, staring at the opposite wall of the hiding spot, a dazed expression on her face. Tugger? He couldn't? Did he? Did she? What the hell was she thinking? She shook her head as if it would somehow help to clear the thoughts from her head. It didn't. It just gave her a slight headache.

"Why is life so complicated?" She asked herself out loud.

"Probably because if it were simple it wouldn't be half as interesting." Said a silver face poking through the entrance to Bombalurina's hiding spot.

"Is this place not sacred anymore?" Bombalurina asked Munkustrap.

"Nope. Not when you have a little darling looking for mummy outside!" Munkustrap said, winking at her and offering her his paw.

Sighing she took his paw and followed him back outside.

"Miss Jenny made us learned song today." Jemima said as she skipped towards her mother as she made her way towards the tire.

"Really?" Bombalurina asked.

"And daddy camed and everyone playeded a game of tag!" She exclaimed.

Bombalurina grinned and listened to her daughter's jabbering. Tugger was sitting on the other side of the Junkyard, surrounded by some of the kittens. She watched as Cassandra slinked into the Junkyard and circled him, running her tail under his chin. Bombalurina felt the fur on her back stand up as she narrowed her eyes. The two exchanged words resulting in Cassandra sauntering away, blowing Tugger a kiss causing the kittens to burst into giggles. Jemima cocked her head at her mother and blinked.

"Mummy?"

Demeter pushed her sister, causing Bombalurina to fall over sideways.

"Huh?"

"Did you hear what Jemima said?" Demeter prompted.

"Oh what was that sweetie?" Bombalurina asked.

"Auntie Jelly said I has a prettyful voice." Jemima gave her mother a toothy grin.

Bombalurina stroked her daughter's cheek. "Wonderful!"

"Misses Bombalurina!" Squeaked a tiny voice.

Etcetera and Mistoffelees climbed up to the tire.

"Can Jemima come to play?" Misto asked.

"Pwease?" Etcetera asked.

"Mummy pwease!" Jemima begged.

"Oh yeah, sure." Bombalurina said absently.

As Jemima scampered away with her two new friends, Bombalurina sighed and flopped down, resting her head on Demeter's lap.

"Oh god. What's wrong now?" Demeter asked.

"Nothing!" Bombalurina sighed.

"Okay sure. Keep telling yourself that." Demeter said.