Part 6

The wedding itself had been quite a large affair. After all, Bustopher Jones was rich and a gourmet. He had bought expensive alcohol and food, lots of flowers and the best band he could afford. All the queens wore pretty flower garlands and the toms had even gotten coats. The ceremony had been pretty, romantic and warm. Old Deuteronomy had been the one to wed the pair himself and Alonzo and Bombalurina had stood as Besttom and Maid of Honour. Asparagus and Victoria had been groomstom and bridesmaid. Admetus had been given the role as flower-kit… because the kitten who was supposed to do it had gotten ill.

Alonzo had spent most of the day making sure Munkustrap didn't turn into a nervous wreck. He had never seen the silver tabby so nervous and skittish. Munkustrap had never been this nervous before. Everyone would be looking at him, but not to listen to him, but to see him marry the love of his life. Alonzo's presence by his side calmed most of his nerves and when Demeter and her father had arrived all the nerves left him and things just… fitted together perfectly. He took Demeter's paw in his. Looked into her eyes. Smiled at her, cried when he saw how beautiful she looked when she smiled back. Said I do. Gave her his vows and then sealed it with a kiss. The cats in attendance cheered loudly.

The dinner had been going on for a while. They ate all of their favourites. Bustopher Jones spared no expenses. After all, Bustopher Jones was not skin and bones. In fact he was remarkably… fat. He never hunted pubs, he had eight or nine clubs. For he was the St. James' Street cat. He's the cat they all greet as he walks down the street in his coat of fastidious black. No common-place mousers have such well-cut trousers or such an impeccable back. He had brought in food from all the places he usually went to so there was curry from the Siamese or the Glutton, and the lunch had been brought from the Tomb. It was cabbage, rice pudding and mutton. He laughed merrily and looked around at the assembled cats. He was a 25 pounder and he's putting on weight every day. According to himself he was:

"So well preserved because I've observed all my life a routine and I'd say: 'I am still in my prime, I shall last out my time!'"

"That's the word from this stoutest of cats", some queens called.

"It must and it shall be spring in Pall Mall while Bustopher Jones wears white spats", the soldiers called and everyone started cheering for the host. Alonzo got up from his seat and walked over to a side table. There he looked at the drinks. He felt a paw on his shoulder and smiled at Asparagus and Admetus. He smiled at them, but they only looked at him with sadness in their eyes. He smiled and shook his head. He then turned and looked at Munkustrap and Demeter.

"I see this life, like a swinging vine", he told them and felt Admetus' arm around his shoulders. "Swing my heart across the line and in my face is flashing signs... seek it out and ye shall find. Old, but I'm not that old. Young, but I'm not that bold, and I don't think the world is sold on just doing what we're told. I feel something so right doing the wrong thing and I feel something so wrong doing the right thing. I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie everything that kills me makes me feel alive."

"Oh Lonz", Asparagus sighed but Alonzo just smiled at him.

"Lately, I've been… I've been losing sleep dreaming about the things that we could be. But, I've been, I've been praying hard said no more counting tears we'll be counting stars."

"You gonna be okay?" Admetus asked softly.

"You know me guys", Alonzo said and plastered on a fake smile. "I always land on my feet." Then he turned around and walked towards the table where he, the boys and the bridesmaids had been sitting. Bustopher had just finished his speech about Munkustrap becoming part of the family, to loud cheers.

"Alright, alright", Alonzo cut in. "That's what I'm talkin' about!" The soldiers around the room laughed. Alonzo walked over to Bombalurina and handed her a glass. "Now everyone give it up for the maid of honour, Bombalurina!" The scarlet queen smiled at him and got up. She moved to the middle of the floor so that everyone could see her. She pulled Victoria with her.

"A toast to the groom!" Bombalurina said.

"To the groom", the toms echoed.

"To the bride!"

"To the bride", the queens echoed.

"From your sister, who is always by your side. To your union…"

"To your union!" the queens echoed.

"To the revolution", all the toms added. Bomba noticed her youngest sister sneer at some of them.

"And the hope that you provide", Bomba continued. "May you always be satisfied." Just as she said it, it felt as if the room suddenly froze around her. Everything became dark and she was alone in the darkness. She looked into her glass and saw the reflection of herself.

"I remember that night, I just might regret that night for the rest of my days", she whispered to herself. "I remember those soldier boys tripping over themselves to win our praise. I remember that dreamlike candlelight like a dream that you can't quite place, but Munkustrap, I'll never forget the first time I saw your face." She would never forget it. She had walked into her father's ballroom and across from her she had seen him. He was a silver tabby, tall and broad shouldered. Intelligent eyes in a hunger-pang frame. Their eyes had met across the floor and she had felt drawn to him and him to her. They had started moving towards each other across the floor. She knew she would never be the same again. She had felt someone moving in from behind her, but the silver tabby had stopped whoever it was and took their place.

"Hi", he had said and smiled at her and for a second she had forgotten her dang name! She felt her heart set aflame, ev'ry part aflame, this was not a game.

"You strike me as a queen who has never been satisfied", he had told her.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean", she had replied. "You forget yourself."

"You're like me. I'm never satisfied."

"Is that right?"

"I have never been satisfied." He had taken her paw and had kissed it.

"My name is Bombalurina Jones."

"My name is Munkustrap."

"Where's your fam'ly from?"

"Unimportant. There's a million things I haven't done but just you wait, just you wait…" With that he had left her to join some of his friends. She had been lost in her own thoughts for a while.

"So this is what it feels like to match wits with someone at your level!" she had thought. "What the hell is the catch? It's the feeling of freedom, of seein' the light, it's Ben Franklin with a key and a kite! You see it, right?" Their conversation had lasted two minutes, maybe three minutes, everything they'd said in total agreement. It had been a dream and it had been a bit of a dance, a bit of a posture, it had been a bit of a stance. He'd been a bit of a flirt, but she'd have been about to give it a chance. When she had asked about his family his hands had started fidgeting, he's looked askance. He was penniless, he's flying by the seat of his pants. Handsome, boy, did he know it! Sharp clawed and he didn't need to show it. She had wanted to take him away from that place, but then she had turned and had seen her sister's face and she had been… Demeter had been helpless. Smitten. A small part of Bomba had hoped it was with one of the other toms Munkustrap had been standing with. She had hurried over to her sister and had gotten in her way. She'd taken a glass offered to her and had turned to Demeter.

"Seen anything you like?" she had asked.

"Well…" Demeter had blushed and turned away from her.

"How about that Macavity?" it had been her wish for that to eb true.

"Huh?" by the shocked look on her sister's face she had realized it was not him. She had had to know though. So she had turned and pointed.

"Macavity. You know that ginger cat", she had. "He's very tall and thin. You'd know him if you saw him for his eyes are sunken in. His brow is deeply lined in thought, his head is highly domed. His coat is always in good shape, his whiskers are always combed. He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake and when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake!" Demeter and Victoria had squeaked in delight as Bombalurina had teased them. They had looked across the room at Macavity who had been talking to that white and black patched tom Alonzo.

"There's no one like Macavity", Bomba had continued with a grin. "He's a bug in feline shape, a monster of immorality. He's outwardly respectable, but I know he cheats at cards. You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square but when an argument's discovered then Macavity's not there!" Her sisters had giggled. "So?"

"No", Demeter had giggled. "Not him."

"Good choice", Bomba had said. She had felt her heart drop and had decided to take a chance. With her eyes firmly set on Munkustrap she had said:

"Ooh he looks interesting." Her sister had sighed and she had turned to face her. "Deme?" Demeter had gripped her sister's arm.

"Yo, this one's mine", she had whispered. Bombalurina had looked between the pair. Then she had smiled her most gentle smile. She had realized three fundamental truths at the exact same time. She had walked across the room and had taken Munkustrap by the arm, leading him away from his friends.

"Where are you taking me?" he had asked her.

"I'm about to change your life", she had replied, smiling but inwardly she had been crying.

"Then by all means, lead the way."

The first truth she had realized was that she was a queen in a world in which her only job is to marry rich. Her father had no sons so she was the one who has to social climb. For one she was the oldest and the wittiest and the gossip in this city is insidious, and Munkustrap was penniless. But that didn't mean she wanted him any less. They had made their way to her sister and she had curtsied just like Jennyanydots had taught them.

"Demeter Jones", she had said as introduction. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Jones", Munkustrap had asked and had then turned to Bomba.

"My sister", she had explained with a fake smile on her lips. The second truth she had realized was that he had been after her because she was a Jones sister and that would elevate his statues. She'd have had to be naïve to set that aside. Maybe that was why she had introduce him to Demeter, now that's his bride.

"Nice going, Bombalurina", she had thought. "He was right, you will never be satisfied."

"Thank you for all your service", her sister had said. He'd taken her paw and had kissed it while he said:

"If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it."

"I'll leave you to it", Bombalurina had said before fleeing. She had thought of the third truth she had learned. She knew her sister like she knew her own mind and you would never find anyone as trusting or as kind.

Bombalurina looked back into her glass as the shadows of these past weeks and months faded away. She was alone in darkness again. She looked at her sad eyes in the glass. If she had told Demeter that she loved him she would have be silently resigned, he'd be hers. She would have said:

"I'm fine." She would have been lying.

"But when I fantasize at night it's Munkustrap's eyes", she whispered to her reflection. "As I romanticize what might have been if I hadn't sized him up so quickly. At least my dear Demeter's his wife; at least I keep his eyes in my life…" Suddenly she was back in her own body and own time. Alonzo walked up to her, holding out a glass to her. She got up and started her speech.

"A toast to the groom!" she said.

"To the groom", the soldiers echoed.

"To the bride!"

"To the bride", the queens echoed.

"From your sister, who is always by your side." She put her arm around Victoria. "To your union."

"To your union."

"To the revolution", the toms added.

"And the hope that you provide", Bombalurina continued. "May you always be satisfied." She held her paw out to Demeter. Demeter walked over and took it, kissing first Bombalurina's cheek and then Victoria's. And Bombalurina knew that Demeter would be happy as his bride. And she knew he would never be satisfied and that she herself would never be satisfied.

TBC

Okay here is the cast so far:

Hamilton - Munkustrap

Burr - Macavity

Mulligan - Admetus

Lafayette - Asparagus Jr.

Laurens - Alonzo

King George - Growltiger

Angelica - Bombalurina

Eliza - Demeter

Peggy - Victoria

Philip Schuyler - Bustopher Jones

George Washington - Old Deuteronomy