Meowiage

By Elise Gilmore

The whole drive home, Austin’s mind had been spinning, attempting to process the eventful day. The softball game at the company picnic. The tears on his co-worker’s face as she limped off the field because of his error. The apology daisies he had taken over to her house. His confession regarding his true feelings. The exciting realization that she felt the same way. With the warmth of that thought, Austin opened his car door and walked through the chilled September air to the porch. When he opened his front door, his Balinese cat, Aaron, met him.

“Where have you been?” Aaron mewed as he snaked between Austin’s legs. “I’ve been worried sick.”

Austin reached down and rubbed behind his cat’s ears. “Nothing to worry about, buddy. There was someone I needed to see.”

Aaron batted at Austin’s shoelaces as they walked to the kitchen. “Riley? The girl from work? Please tell me you finally told her how you feel.”

Austin nodded as he opened a can of cat food at the counter. “Man, I thought I liked her before, but after tonight, I'm pretty sure I’m done for.”

Aaron purred in agreement. After all, he had been listening to Austin pine after Riley since the day he sat down at the desk across from her.

“Can you handle a big secret?” Austin asked as he set the plate of food down on the floor. “Two, actually.” Aaron looked up at him and nodded before diving into his dinner. Austin ran his hand through his hair. “One. I’m pretty sure her cat Hank–a Russian Blue–can talk, just like you. And two. I think I just had dinner with the girl I’m going to marry.”

One Year Later…

Riley took a few deep breaths relishing the quiet that had descended upon the room. This was the first moment she had had to herself all day. Between the hair stylist, make-up artist, and her two sisters who were bridesmaids, she had been the center of attention since getting out of bed this morning. Thankfully, everyone had stepped out without asking any questions when she had requested a moment to herself.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. The understated taffeta gown she had chosen at the bridal shop hugged her curves in all the right places and had pockets. What more could a girl ask for on her wedding day? She spun around to face her cat, Hank, who was resting on a couch cushion.

“So, what do you think?” she asked. Hank lifted his gaze from his toy and froze. Riley smiled. Hank was rarely speechless, so she must look as great as she felt.

“You look…fine,” he purred. He went back to pawing a newspaper squeaky toy.

“Fine? No, it’s better than fine.” Riley wiggled her eyebrows at Hank.

He looked at her with what could only be interpreted as side-eye. “Austin will be very happy,” he conceded, as he shook his head. “Though it doesn’t seem like the appropriate time to quote Runaway Bride.”

Riley laughed. “It’s always the appropriate time to quote my favorite movie.”

Hank stretched and changed the subject. “Must Austin and Aaron move in with us? It will certainly be an inconvenience to share the best couch cushion with that frolicking feline.”

She giggled. “Hank, I refuse to live in a house separate from my husband, and since you come with me and Aaron comes with him, you’ll have to deal with it. Maybe you’ll even enjoy it.”

“Hmph.” Hank kneaded the cushion before resituating himself so that his back was facing Riley. “We never should have let him in on our secret.”

“I think you’re forgetting the fact that he had it all figured out before we even told him.”

“Blast that know-it-all and his chatty cat,” he hissed.

Riley walked over to the couch, sat beside him, and began petting his blue-grey fur. “I know you don’t like change or inconveniences or sappy emotions, but I promise I’ll always love you.”

Hank nuzzled into her hand and purred. “I know,” he mewed quietly.

They both startled when someone knocked on the door. “It’s time, Ri!” her older sister squealed.

“We’re coming!” Riley called to her sister before looking over at Hank and adjusting his miniature bowtie. “Remember, no talking while we’re out there,” she warned.

He stood up, jumped off the couch, and stalked toward the door. “Got it. I’m ready when you are.”

Riley returned to the mirror to ensure everything was still perfect. It was. She grinned. She still couldn’t believe an error, at least something that would be considered an error in baseball, was what had led to the happiest day of her life.

A few minutes later, the two of them were standing behind the closed double doors at the back of the church. Her bridesmaids had already walked down the aisle and now it was Hank’s turn. Riley pulled one door open just enough for him to slip through. He held his tail high and began strutting down the aisle. When he reached the front, he greeted Austin by rubbing against one of his legs. Hank was picky about his humans, but he had liked Austin right away. Aaron, always eager for attention, batted playfully at Hank’s tail.

Hank whipped his head toward him. “Cut that out,” Hank hissed quietly. “We are supposed to be dignified today. After all this is over, maybe I’ll share my newspaper toy with you.”

Aaron froze, unsure he had heard Hank correctly. “You’re going to share… with me?”

Hank looked at the younger cat. “Yes. But only if you behave. We have to support our humans today, and we need to do that by acting respectable.”

Immediately, Aaron sat down and smoothed the fur on his face down with his paw. “How do I look, brother?” he asked.

Hank was surprised when a feeling of camaraderie shot through him at being called ‘brother’. He had expected to feel annoyed, but apparently, it seemed he might actually like the idea of sharing his space with another cat. Maybe Riley had been right. Perhaps this change wasn’t going to be so bad. “You look great. Now hush. Riley’s coming.”

The double doors at the back of the church opened simultaneously to reveal Riley. There was a collective gasp as the wedding attendees all stood. While she walked down the aisle, she had to force down a giggle when she saw Aaron sitting at Austin’s feet flicking his tail with pent up excitement. Hank, on the other hand, was sitting as still as a statue watching as she approached the front of the church. She felt herself blush as her gaze swept over Austin in his navy suit which had been tailored to perfection. Finally, her gaze locked with his as she finished her walk down the aisle. She couldn’t wait to start her life with this little family–just a boy, a girl, and their two talking cats.

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Elise Gilmore writes flash fiction and short stories in the sweet romance genre. She has had her work published by Micromance Magazine and Spark Flash Fiction, and her story, “The Error”, was nominated for The Pushcart Prize. She has also had her work included in two sweet romance anthologies: Summer Sweethearts and Recipes for Romance. She currently lives in South Carolina with her husband and two boys. When she isn't writing or reading, you might find her drinking tea or kombucha, obsessing about Pride and Prejudice, or singing and dancing around her house.