THE WEDDING

Even though she wished Cad would participate a little more in their wedding preparations, Feral eagerly tended to them alone, often taking one of her favorite cats, Tom, along with her for company. So thankful for a chance at a new and happier life, Feral had convinced herself that Cad’s seeming indifference to the wedding could be easily understood as typical human male behavior. It’s not that he wasn’t romantic. He had, after all, proposed to her on just their fourth real date! The proposal had come as both a welcome surprise and a comfort to Feral since it had been just a few short months since she’d lost her dear mother Kitty, to a long lingering illness.

Feral glowed now at the memory of the countless, selfless hours Cad had spent with her going over the tedious details of the living trust set up for her and the cats by her mother. She recalled the urgency with which he advised and coached her into immediately investing most of the money with a small bank in the Cayman Islands, where they would soon build their dream home on a bluff overlooking the sea. Cad convinced Feral to sell the huge home and all the apartment units since they wouldn’t be needing them, and she gratefully allowed him to manage the entire estate. With Cad helping to tie up the loose ends, she could concentrate on the frills of their wedding plans.

Feral had never needed the services of an attorney before Mommy died, and before meeting Cad, she’d always considered them to be a bit arrogant and aloof. Cad, however, was the exception to the rule, even if Mommy didn’t think so. Handsome and exceedingly charming for an older guy, he was everything she’d ever dreamed of. The fact that this was all happening so fast didn’t seem to faze her, it just helped to keep her mind off the ominous threat her mother made just before she passed away.

Cad fumbled for his inhaler as he excitedly thought about his plan. This innocent, trusting woman-child was about to go from rags to riches and back to rags again in a matter of months. But that wasn’t his problem. That witch of a mother of hers had double-crossed him years ago after embezzling a huge amount of money from his law firm after he refused to make her a partner. When confronted, she’d produced a packaged videotape of one of their many trysts addressed to his wife. Now that both his wife and Feral’s mother were long dead, it would soon be payday plus interest! All he had to do now was get Feral to sign a few more papers and off she’d be to the Caymans. Unfortunately for her though, none of her money was really there. Cad would be heading down to Argentina with his paralegal, instead of Feral, just as he’d planned.

When Cad finally arrived at Feral’s house, it was much later in the evening than he’d planned. He preferred to visit her earlier in the day because she usually kept all those nasty cats outside during the day, and she wouldn’t have time to get any romantic ideas. But he was determined to get these papers signed tonight. He sneezed violently as he headed up the walkway toward the massive front doors. He cursed to himself, stumbled and sneezed again as several cats skittered across his path almost tripping him (was that laughter he heard?).

Before he could even knock on the doors, they slowly creaked open to reveal a magnificent Feral standing dead center in the marble foyer, dressed in a luminous white gown bathed yellow by the flickering of hundreds of candles. In her arms was Tom, piercing green eyes glowing hypnotically as she stroked his black fur and smiled at Cad. The image of Feral and Tom was so breathtaking that Cad dropped his papers. When he stooped down to gather them up, Tom swiftly leaped from Feral’s arms and onto Cad’s back sinking his teeth into the exposed flesh just above Cad’s collar. The wet red of his mouth gaped open, Cad attempted to scream but could not catch his breath. While he lay there writhing on the floor, Feral stood over him chanting and dripping candle wax while Tom stood on his chest sucking up any vestiges of air from his straining lungs.

When the ceremony was over Feral helped him up from the floor and kissed him passionately. Yes! He’d made a fine husband after all, Mommy. And Cad knew to never try to domesticate Feral, because if he did, he’d get his eyes scratched right out!