A Cat Called Kat

Chapter Four - The Wedding

So the next morning, Terri and I went to talk to Zi'Anna.

She was up in the room with Master, of course, and was busy with her knitting but she put it to one side when she saw that we wanted to talk. I sat on the bed, next to him, but Terri knelt at Zi'Anna's feet and the old lady's hand slipped automatically to my sister's hair.

"Zi'Anna," Terri began slightly formally, "I believe it is time for me to marry Dr Anielo..."

The old woman was quiet for a moment and then nodded.

"But due to the dreadful murder of my Nonno, I have nobody to walk me down the aisle."

"Perhaps your Uncle Alfredo..."

"I would prefer to have someone who can represent my Nonno... and the only person who can do that is you."

"But it has to be a member of the true Family!" Zi'Anna insisted.

"Zi'Anna," Terri said, taking the old woman's hand and looking into her eyes. "I can't do this on my own. I need someone to tell me when I am doing something stupid or..." she smiled across at me... "inappropriate. I need someone to talk to me with my Nonno's voice. Will you do that for me?"

The old lady looked down at her and nodded.

"In that case... well... up until today, I have called you Zi'Anna out of love but, from now on, I will need even more from you and so I am naming you Zia [aunt]. So please would you, as a member of the inner family, walk me down the aisle in Nonno's place?"

And, for once, Zi'Anna was at a loss for words. She sat and stared down at her brand new niece as a single tear ran down her cheek.

"Will you do this for me, Zia Anna?"

"Si, mia nipote"

Terri knelt up and embraced her new aunt and I moved across to join the two of them in a big family hug.

And, with the state of Master and everything, it was all a bit too much for me and I had to scurry off downstairs to get on with my lettuce polishing duties before I completely lost it.

So, for the next few days, we were extra busy because we had a wedding to get ready for. It didn't seem like a good idea to go flashing huge piles of cash around so we decided to sort everything out for ourselves

At least catering wasn't a problem! Aunt Giovanna and Uncle Alfredo were busy preparing a spectacular wedding feast... and, whenever the kitchen was free, Zi'Anna was busy in there with Angelica and Angelina, on some major sort of baking project. I was stupidly curious, of course, but I was a good kitten and didn't quiz them on it. The twins were doing such a good job of keeping it secret and I didn't want to spoil the surprise for Terri - or for them, I suppose!

Giovanna hunted out her old wedding dress. I mean... I'd been a bit surprised when someone suggested the idea, given that Giovanna was now... well... basically ball shaped. But, in fact, it only needed a little bit of adjustment which, I guess, shows the dangers of living in a pizza restaurant! The suit that Uncle Alfredo found for Dr Nil to wear needed much more major adjustment because the good doctor was quite small and, in spite of all the wood chopping, very skinny!

And somebody had even found me a pretty dress to wear.

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and sunny - not that much of a surprise in that particular corner of southern Italy - and we ladies gathered in Master's room to get ourselves ready. It was really the only room with enough space and it meant we could keep an eye on him as we fussed and faffed around Terri and put on our makeup - or, in fact, had Zi'Anna put it on for us.