"Hey Munkus?" Misto whispered. "How long has Rumpus been pacing and do you have any idea as to why?"
"I'd guess about an hour give or take. As to the 'why' I honestly don't know," replied the silver tabby. "Perhaps we should find out what's wrong before he drives the tribe crazy with all the pacing that he's doing."
"Alright, let's do it. Maybe we can do a bit of matchmaking for the Valentine's Day party."
"Sounds like fun to me, I've haven't done any serious matchmaking since Pounce and Cetty."
With that the two toms jumped off the tire and dragged the pacing tom to a more secluded part of the junkyard.
"We couldn't help but notice that you seem worried over something," Munkus began. "Perhaps you'd like to talk about it."
Moaning, Rumpus started to pace again.
"I knew that someone would ask sooner or later," said the Jellicle hero. "I'll tell you but you have to promise that you won't tell anybody else about this, okay?"
The two tom nod expectantly while waiting for him to continue.
"Well . . . you see . . . um . . . I've . . .," Rumpus stuttered sounding like anything but the hero he was thought to be.
Finally he decided to just blurt it out.
"I sort of fell in love with this queen in the tribe and I want to ask her to the Valentine's Day party but I have no idea if she likes me back and I don't know if I could stand being rejected by her because I love her so much," Rumpus said in one breath, his cheeks a bright red.
"The Great Rumpus Cat? In love? Well now that is a predicament, isn't it?" Misto said with an ear to ear grin. "Who, may we ask, is the lucky lady?"
"Jemima," mumbled Rumpus turning a shade of red that would make a tomato jealous.
"Jemima is it? Well you certainly picked a very nice queen to fall in love with, Rumpus," replied Munkus.
"Nice? Nice!? She isn't just 'nice', Munkustrap, she's perfect!" yelled Rumpus.
Sighing, Rumpus ran his fingers through his hear fur.
"Look, sorry I yelled. I gotta go. Later!" said Rumpus while running off.
Misto grinned mischievously while Munkus chuckled.
"I'll take Rumpus while you take Jemima," Munkus said starting after the love struck tom.
"Don't I always take the queen?" Misto chaffed him.
"Of course! You're the only tom that they confide queen matters to," Munkus replied over his shoulder.
*Later; At Jemima's den*
"So you see, Misto, I really really like Rumpus, in fact I'm in love with him, and I want to go to the Valentine's Day party with him but I don't know if he even knows I exists or not and I don't know what I'll do if he turns me down," Jemima rattled on.
"This is most definitely a problem, isn't it? What do you suggest we do?" Misto asked barely managing to curb his smirk as he telepathically told Munkus what he found out.
"Well, I was hoping that you could talk to him or something to see if he likes me to," Jemima begged giving him her trademark 'Jemima Eyes'.
Mentally he heard Munkus think of getting the two over by the old overturned pickup truck. Sending Munkus another message telling him to get Rumpus there at moonrise he turned his attention back to Jemima.
Smiling he said, "Of course I'll talk with him, 'Mima. It'll take me a while to find anything out so why don't you meet me by the old overturned pickup truck at moonrise."
"Okay! I'll be there, Misto. Oh, thank you so much," Jemima said in a rush as she gave Misto a huge hug before running off much happier.
As Jemima disappeared around a bend, Misto smile deepened and his eyes sparkled brightly; it was all coming together perfectly.
*Moonrise; At the old overturned truck*
Rumpus was pacing nervously in front of the old truck waiting for Munkus to show up. That morning he has said that he would talk with Jemima to se if she liked him. He was walking toward the back of the truck when he ran into someone.
"Heaviside, I sorry! I didn't see you there. I . . .," Rumpus stammered trailing off when he saw just who he had bumped into.
"It . . . its okay, Rumpus, I wasn't exactly watching were I was going either," Jemima whispered.
"What exactly are you doing out here all alone? This is no place for a beautiful young lady such as yourself."
'Heaviside! Did I just say what I think I said!?' Rumpus yelled at himself.
"I had asked Misto to do me a favor and he said that he'd meet me here at moonrise."
"Hum, that's peculiar. I asked Munkus for a favor and he said that he'd meet me here at moonrise."
Suddenly reality hit and they both stood straight and looked each other in the eyes. After a moment they started to smile, and then they started to laugh.
After calming down, Rumpus said, "I think that we've just been set up."
"I agree," Jemima said.
Swallowing hard, Rumpus knelt down in front of Jemima.
'I might as well go the whole nine yards, the worst she can do is say no,' Rumpus thought.
"Jemima, I . . . um . . . I really like you a lot. In fact I love you very deeply and I would be very honored if you would be my mate and go with me to the Valentine's Day party."
Jemima stood rooted to the spot stunned. Had The Great Rumpus Cat just propose to her? Looking deep into his eyes, she saw the truth in them and her face lit up with joy.
"Oh, Rumpus! I've dreamt of you saying that to me for the longest time. I love you too and of course I'll be your mate!" Jemima cried as she pulled him up and threw herself into his arm kissing him deeply.
Rumpus' face beamed with joy as hearing her reply and he kissed her back just as deeply.
*Two days later; At the Valentine's Day party*
"Jemima you are so lucky! I mean to be The Great Rumpus Cat's mate of all things! How did you do it?" Etcetera cried as Electra and Victoria nodded.
"I guess I was just lucky Misto and Munkus are such good matchmakers," Jemima replied grinning as she reclined in her new mates arms; he hadn't left her side since Old Deuteronomy had pronounced them mates at the beginning of the party.
Over on the car boot, Munkustrap and Mistoffelees just smiled at the happy new couple as they congratulated themselves on a job well done.