Free The Cats that Stalked a Ghost by Karen Anne Golden

guests cooed and awed at the sight of Abra in her lace cape.  Still clutching the jeweler’s box in her jaws, she approached Jake, rubbing the side of her face against his leg.  Abra was in her element, loving every second of attention until the judge’s cell phone rang an annoying Sci-fi themed ringtone.
    “Oh, no,” Katherine whispered to Jake, recalling the first time she laid eyes on Abra.  It was during a Hocus Pocus magic act in Chicago where the cat had launched off the stage and into the audience to seek out an obnoxious cell phone. Clearly the past doesn’t repeat itself , she hoped. 
    Abra stood up on her hind legs in a meerkat pose.  Her head remained motionless, but her ears swiveled back and forth trying to pinpoint where the phone was located.  She dropped the ring box at Jake’s feet, then ran into the parlor where the judge’s purse was lying on the floor.  She pounced on it like it was “something good for dinner.”  Scout joined her and engaged in a tug-of-war; Scout clutched the strap, while Abra clawed the bag. 
    The judge, not being a cat person, didn’t know what to do.  She looked at Katherine for a hint.  Katherine mouthed the words, “Wait just a second.”  The judge nodded.
    Elsa launched into cat-wrangling mode and made a mad dash for the Siamese.  She grabbed Abra, then reached for Scout, but the errant Siamese bit her, and then trotted over to Katherine.  Lilac and Abby were positioned on the parlor window valance, craning their necks to get a better view of the Scout and Abra fiasco.  “Me-yowl,” Lilac cried gleefully.  “Chirp,” Abby cried softly.
    Katherine snatched Scout.  “Sweet girl,” she said affectionately.  She kissed the Siamese on the head, and held her close while Jake removed the ring from her collar.  Jake took the ring and handed it to the judge.  He then picked up the jeweler’s box, and handed that to her, as well. 
    Katherine motioned Tommy to take Scout to the carrier in the next room.  Tommy, in his rented tuxedo, looked very dapper, and older than his twelve years of age.  He took Scout from Katherine’s arms, draped Scout unceremoniously over one shoulder, and disappeared around the corner. Scout protested the entire way. Tommy spoke very quietly to calm her down.  “You’re such a cutie,” he said.
    Elsa was busy.  Struggling to maneuver in her high-heeled sandals — worn only to impress the wedding photographer — she’d already jogged with Abra into the next room, and put her in the carrier.  Now she had to find Miss Siam.
    First, she looked behind the Eastlake hall tree.  No Iris.  Then, she caught the flick of a pencil-thin tail nearby, thumping on the floor.  Iris was hunkered underneath Cokey’s chair, and with her delicate brown paw, was extracting his wallet out of his back pocket.  Cokey didn’t have a clue what was going on, but sat whispering to Margie about how hungry he was, and that he couldn’t wait for the reception. 
    Elsa swooped down, snatched Iris, and held the Siamese in her arms.  Iris protested with loud caterwauling the entire way upstairs to the playroom.  Elsa thought she needed double pay for her services, but giggled at how clever Katz’s cats were. She wasn’t out of deep water yet; somehow she had to get the other two down from the valance.  She lamented, That’s just what Katz needs right now, for me to put up a ladder.
    The judge cleared her throat, then said to Jake and Katherine, “These rings mark the beginning of a journey filled with wonder, surprises, tears, laughter, grief, and joy.  May these rings glow with the warmth and life that flows through their wearers today.”  She placed Jake’s ring in Katz’s hand. 
    Katherine turned to Jake and lovingly looked into his brown eyes.  “With this ring, I give you my heart.  From this day forward, you shall not walk alone.  May my heart be your shelter, may my arms be your home.”
    The judge handed Jake