"Ooh la la!" Miss Kitty laughed at Tanya's description of the siblings' impromptu tumble. "Getting cozy now, aren't we?"
"S-Stop teasing me!" Tanya harrumphed, turning away with a swish of her skirt. "I'm not that kind of girl! It was just an accident!"
"But falling for him wasn't," Miss Kitty intoned, her voice growing more serious.
"No." Tanya sighed, and her eyes misted over as she thought of her beloved brother. "That week when Papa was gone delivering a violin, Fievel saved me from some hoodlums who wanted to tease me. I stopped thinking about the other boys in Green River, and started thinking only about him. I even invited him to dance with me at the saloon. He was fun, a great dancer, and a perfect gentleman."
Her voice trembled, just for a second. "He was everything I wanted in a boy."
Miss Kitty leaned forward and cupped her cheeks in her hands, quietly waiting for the younger female to continue.
"So...we started dating," she said, her previous confession filling her with the courage to continue. "We tried to keep our dates confined to the far end of town, where the other mice didn't know us. Since Fievel was my brother, everything had to be kept a secret, even from Mama and Papa. I was scared, but I looked forward to it every day..."
- - ***** - -
The outskirts of Green River were filled with the sounds of urban development, both from the human population and the mice living in their shadows. With sawblades grinding and wood beams clattering, it was loud and confusing, as the burly mouse workers trudged about carrying supplies for the new outgrowth of town. Fievel and Tanya continued to chat away, however, and did their best to block out the bustling of the workmice that threatened to drown out their conversation. Hand in hand, they walked and talked through the dusty streets, drawing strength from each other's presence and letting the commotion drift over them like water in a rocky stream.
"So your training is still going fine?" Tanya asked, eyeing the wooden "bokuto" sword in Fievel's other hand. "I can't believe you got into Eastern sword fighting, Fievel."
"Yeah, it's really neat Tanya!" Fievel raised his sword up high, and the smooth wood caught the late afternoon sun with a sparkling sheen. "I'm getting stronger every day! And it helps me focus too."
"Well, we all know how much you need focus." Tanya couldn't help but tease him, even as she held his hand. "You keep nodding off in school, and I had to tutor you in English."
"Aw, Tanya!" Fievel moaned in mock-irritation, although he was still smiling.
The two continued to walk down the busy street, trying to remain inconspicuous. It was just a hop, skip and jump to the small coffee shop around the bend, which was being built right under the human coffee shop. Once they arrived, they could cuddle up over a hot chocolate and talk about Fievel's latest exploits in martial arts, or Tanya's newest songs, anything they wanted to. It was those quiet moments that Tanya wanted to share with her new love, now that they were finally together.
Despite all this, Tanya couldn't help but feel a little insecure, and kept turning her head about to look at the other mice, just in case they were watching the two of them. Though she had seen many romantic plays in New York City, it was so different being in an actual romantic relationship, and with her own brother at that. In her mind, she compared herself and Fievel to Bridget and Tony, who seemed to be living an idyllic life where they could love each other without reservation. Fievel didn't seem to mind the extra pressure, but Tanya wondered if they could both hold strong in the fierce currents of time.
As they continued down the street, the desert winds picked up again, flinging about the loose nails and tools that hadn't been tied down. Fievel and Tanya huddled together in order to brave the brutal gusts, hoping they wouldn't be snatched away and tossed asunder. Their clothes were certainly tossed being asunder, with Fievel holding his hat against his head, and Tanya holding her skirt down with one hand. Indeed, Tanya's skirt was flying high on the drifting currents, showing a lot of her legs and forcing the girl to fight hard to keep from showing anything more.
"No!" Tanya cried as she continued to struggle with her flying skirt, stopping dead in her tracks. She let go of Fievel's hand for the moment, and held down her skirt with both hands, praying that nobody else was looking at her.
"Tanya?" Fievel gasped at his sister's distress, as his wooden sword slipped from of his grip. But he quickly sprang into action, reaching out to grab Tanya's skirt and help pull it down, as his Russian cap flew off his head and into a small trash pile a few feet away from them. Both Tanya and Fievel kept a death grip on the mouse girl's skirt, bracing themselves against the sandstorm as if standing against the wrath of an angry god. Finally, it subsided, and Tanya's skirt fell back to her lower calves, protecting her modesty once more.
"Thank you, Fievel," Tanya said, happy that her brother had rescued her again. "Sorry about your cap."
"I'll go get it!" he said, waving off her comment with a laugh.
"Haw haw, your babysitter sure is cute," a rough voice called out from one of the construction sites. Tanya and Fievel whirled around to find three teen-aged worker mice standing in a broken circle at the edge of the half-constructed barber shop, with hands on their hips and toothpicks in their mouths. "Real nice gams, ain't they?" the first workmouse crowed, while turning to his friends in order to garner their approval.
"Sure are!" the others agreed, causing Tanya to blush in humiliation at their uncouth remarks towards her.
"Hey, don't talk like that in front of her!" Fievel growled, as he stepped in front of Tanya to shield her from the leers of the workmice.
"Whatcha gonna do, pipsqueak?" A skinny workmouse taunted Fievel, folding his arms. "Hit us with your toy sword?"
"It's my training sword!" the boy mouse shot back, ands clenched his fists at his side. "I'm practicing to become an honorable warrior!" The workmice just laughed at his retort, sneering and chewing on their toothpicks.
This rankled Tanya, who frowned at the confrontation between Fievel and the sleazy teen mice. A few months ago, she would've teased Fievel about such things too, thinking it was just another game he was playing at. However, she knew Fievel had a goal, to become the best man he could be, and to protect her with his life. Even now, he was protecting her, standing in front and taking all the abuse on himself.
Was she really going to let him stand alone?
"Hey darlin', why don't you ditch the brat and come hang out with a real mouse," the first workmouse was saying, as he straightened up in a matter that made his bulbous gut seem a little smaller. "We'll show ya a good time."
"Yeah, come have some fun with us, little darlin'," another one of the workmice said, pumping his arm to show a tiny bicep.
Fievel grit his teeth, and picked up his wooden sword from where it lay on the ground, ready to leap to Tanya defense. And at that moment, Tanya had finally had enough.
"I have a real mouse," Tanya addressed the gang of ruffians, stepping forward and putting her hands on her hips. "He's sweet, brave, and treats me like a lady. He had goals and works hard to reach them, and never gives up. That's what a real mouse is."
She turned away from the worker mice, tossing a single withering look behind her. "And some mice I know could learn a few things from him," she said, and looked back over at her brother/boyfriend. "Let's go, dear."
With that, Tanya took Fievel's hand again and led him away from the stymied workmice, who hadn't a word to say in response. Dumbfounded by the girl's passionate rebuttal of their taunts, they let the two go without pursuing them, and before long Tanya and Fievel had left them behind like so much refuse in the world. Back on track, they started heading towards the coffee house once more, not bothering to look back and keeping their heads up high. En route, they found Fievel's cap sitting on the pile of trash, and the boy scooped it up and placed it back on his head, taking the opportunity to tip the cap winsomely at his girl.
"Gosh, Tanya," Fievel finally said, when they had cleared a good distance between themselves and the workmice. "You sure are brave now!"
"I think I'm getting stronger too." A sudden warmth filled Tanya as she realized this fact, and she smiled down at her brother. "Just like you."
"Thanks for standin' up for me," Fievel said. "I know I still look like a kid compared to all the bigger mice."
"Well, those mice deserved it," Tanya replied, allowing a touch of haughtiness to enter her voice. "They need to learn some manners before they're half as good as you are."
Fievel grinned up at her. "Know what?" he said, his eyes shining with love. "I'm happy you're my girl!"
Fievel punctuated the statement with a boyish wink, causing Tanya to blush again. But this time, the blush was not from shame, but from sheer pleasure. "I'm happy, too," she said, and squeezed his fingers with her own. She had never felt more proud of herself and her brother, and more than ever, she felt that falling in love with him was the way it had to be.
- - ***** - -
"So...it's kind of like that." Tanya finished up her story with a deep sigh, the long confession taking a lot out of her. "We had a few more dates at the edge of town, then you and Tiger found us. I was worried we would be exposed, but I didn't feel guilty about it at all. What do you think, Miss Kitty?"
"What do I think?" Miss Kitty looked at Tanya like she was crazy. "I think you've already made up your mind, honey. You're absolutely gaga for this guy, aren't you? It glows from you like the lights of the El Purrocco club."
"Oh Miss Kitty, he makes my heart flutter!" Tanya exclaimed, clasping her fingers together. "I've never felt like this for anyone, even Clint Mousewood!" Tears fell from her eyes as the words tumbled out of her like an avalanche. "I love him more than anything in the world! Even more than music!"
The curvaceous cat grinned at her. "Nothin's more beautiful that a young girl in love," she told the teen-aged mouse, a single sharp tooth showing at the corner of her mouth. "Even this old cat can see that."
"So I can keep doing what I'm doing?" Tanya's voice filled with precious hope, and she took a few steps toward Miss Kitty. "I can be in love with Fievel?"
Miss Kitty sighed. "I can't tell you how to feel, Tanya," she said, a certain resigned honesty emanating from her voice. "A lot of mice won't like what you're doin', in America at least. But then, a lot of cats don't like what I'm doin' either. Not eating mice, I mean."
"I like it," Tanya said, cringing a bit afterwards at how self-evident the statement was.
"I didn't like seeing the fear in their eyes when I was on the hunt," the cat admitted, her eyes growing distant. "Never liked the taste, either. Pastrami sandwiches, now that's a different story..."
"As long as it's not mice!" Tanya couldn't help but giggle at the way the conversation was going.
Miss Kitty knelt down, and tipped up the mouse girl's chin with her claw. "That's the smile I want to see," Miss Kitty said. "If you're going to do this, you gotta keep a tough attitude and a song in your heart. You gotta grit your teeth, look life straight in the eye, and say 'this is the way it's gonna be, and the heck with everyone else!' Otherwise you and Fievel won't survive the stares of a cruel, judgmental world."
Tanya stared at Miss Kitty, the strong words striking a chord deep within her heart. Then, she clenched her fists, furrowed her brow, and met Miss Kitty's challenge head on. "I'll do it!" she barked, her voice going surprisingly deep for such a young mouse.
Miss Kitty laughed, and took her claw off Tanya's chin. "That's my gal!" he said, as she started to stand back up.
"Oh, but Miss Kitty?" Tanya piped up, stepping forward and grabbing onto the cat's paw. "I need to ask you something."
"Ask away, honey." Miss Kitty said.
"You still work at the saloon, right?" Tanya said, clenching Miss Kitty's finger almost subconsciously. "I really want to sing a song with Fievel, the song that kept our hearts together back when we were separated. Even if I can't let anyone know about us, I want to sing my heart out, just for him. Can you help me, please?"
Warmth and kindness radiated from Miss Kitty's feline face. "You got it, honey." she said, and tossed the young girl a wink.
"Oh, thank you!" Tanya said, clapping her hands with glee.
Suddenly, a loud clanging and a pair of screams sounded out from just outside the alley, causing Tanya and Miss Kitty to turn around and face the commotion. The trash can at the entrance of the alley had been knocked over, revealing two curious characters hiding behind it. Tiger and Fievel were standing conspicuously together, grinning like the cat (and mouse) that caught the canary. "Uh...dinner, my sweet?" Tiger said, picking up a fallen banana peel and offering it to Miss Kitty.
"Tiger?!" Miss Kitty let out a classic, cat-like hiss. "You two were eavesdropping the whole time?!"
"Not the whole time." Tiger tried to explain, waving his hands erratically as if warding off evil spirits. "Just the last five minutes."
"Fievel!" Tanya put her hands on her hips and scowled at her boyfriend.
"Sorry, Tanya." Fievel rubbed the back of his head, blushing. "You were taking a long time, so we got worried about'cha. What's this about singing a song, though?"
Tanya and Miss Kitty turned back towards each other, saying nothing for a moment. Then, they started giggling, putting their hands to their mouths to stifle their laughs. Both Fievel and Tiger had matured a lot since they had arrived in Green River, but they were still straight-forward and heartfelt. The two brave liberators of Green River, whom their woman had grown to love more than anything in the world.
- - ***** - -
"Ready, Tanya?" Fievel asked his sister, as he stood alongside her backstage.
"I-I don't know if I can do this," Tanya stammered, as her heart pounded in her chest. "I'm getting cold feet! And I'm not even wearing my makeup, or my dancing dress, or..."
"Don't worry about it." Fievel took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "I'm with ya!"
Tanya stared at him, trying to draw all the reassurance she could from his cute face. "You promise?" she asked, feeling like they were talking about more than just the song.
Fievel cemented his resolve with one word. "Forever."
She looked into Fievel's deep blue eyes, seeing all the kindness, bravery, and love within his soul. Then she smiled, and turned back towards the maroon curtains, preparing to walk onto the stage with her brother for the first time.
As the curtains parted to either side like the Red Sea of Egypt, Tanya and Fievel strode onto the saloon stage, a cacophony of cheering coming from the crowd that had gathered here tonight. Tiger and Miss Kitty were watching from the back, with Tiger whooping and hollering and Miss Kitty waving a handkerchief in their honor. Tony and Bridget were there as well, clapping their hands and smiling with unchecked affection for their young friends. As for Papa and Mama Mousekewitz, they had a front row seat, together with baby Yasha, showing all the boundless enthusiasm they had for the two.
"Go for it, my wonderful children!" Papa crowed, thrusting his fist in the air.
"Remember to hit the high notes, Tanya dear!" Mama called out from cupped hands, though the siblings could tell she was smiling.
Tanya waved at her parents, then turned backed to Fievel, who was smiling that sweet smile of his, touched with newfound strength. The music from the mice orchestra was starting to play, and it filled her heart with old love and new passion. It was much more classy than the barroom song she had sung for the cats, a much sweeter, emotional song. And somehow, she could feel a touch of romance in the song that she never knew existed, as she stood side by side with the boy she had come to cherish so deeply.
Maybe they could never reveal their love to the outside world, but that didn't matter. Tonight, Fievel was on stage with her, and they were about to sing the song that meant so much to them. Even though the other mice didn't know they had fallen in love, Tanya and Fievel knew, and that was enough for them. And as Fievel prepared to sing the first verse with Fievel, she realized, truly, she was singing just for him.
"Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight, Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight."
As she joined Fievel in song, she felt several images flash by in her mind's eye. Their life in Russia, their time separated, and their emotional estrangement as they grew older. These were replaced with more images of Tanya and Fievel reaching maturity, rediscovering their bond, and finally, confessing their love for each other. And then, there was one new vision, a vision of Tanya dressed in all white, and Fievel decked out in his finest tuxedo, kissing her and binding them together as one.
This was the vision that Tanya Mousekewitz would carry in her heart the rest of her days, as the two immortalized their love in a song for the ages.
"Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer, That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there."
