Chapter 2: Marriage

"It's so cool!" Kat screamed, excitedly pulling her sister into a hug. "Can you believe you're going to have your own brother-in-law? I'm getting married. I'm getting married!"

Bianca was beaming at the news. "You will let me pick out your wedding dress, wont you?"

"No." Kat replied bluntly "I'm the bride. My tastes."

Bianca rolled her eyes.

"Do you want the guy to change his mind the second you walk down the aisle? You do remember the dress you were going to buy for Prom, don't you?"

"What dress?" Kat said indifferently, starting to flip through a Wedding Vows book.

"The one that made you look like an 18th century mime?" Bianca said.

The answer made Kat eye her with serious consideration.

"Ok we'll go shopping. But on one condition."

"What?"

"No pink!"

"But…"

"No pink."

"Oh fine then."

On the Big Day, Kat was fixing her veil by the mirror in her room when a knock was heard on the door.

"Patrick, I already told it is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding ceremony!" Kat called irritably, nerves getting to her.

"It's your potential husband's honorable best man sweetie." Her father's voice came.

"Right. Well. You can come in I guess." She called, twirling with her fingers. "I'm not superstitious; I've been shooting twaddle all morning. Probably movie lines I'm regurgitating".

Stop that! You just spent 20 bloody bucks on a manicure! She instructed herself as her father entered. She was going to bite her nails, which for once actually looked feminine.

"Look like someone's getting cold feet." Walter commented.

"You wish." She retorted, checking her make-up one last time. "Actually it's called the nervous system. Something everyone experiences during the night of their wedding. Surely you've heard of it."

"What's that supposed to mean 'you wish'?" He retorted, starting to gussy up in his tuxedo. "I'm in this penguin suite for you. Aren't I? And I eventually gave you my blessing."

"Not eventually, reluctantly!" Kat corrected him.

"What else were you to expect?" he sighed "I do not trust the man. It would be a lie to tell you that I do. He's an alcoholic…"

"He's working on becoming sober and I'll be there to assist him!"

"He broke your heart once…"

"Unintentionally."

"I wouldn't put it past him to be a druggie."

Kat twirled around, eyeing her parent with hurt.

"You're referring to my fiancé and to-be husband in a matter of an hour." She said training to maintain a calm voice "If it weren't for the current circumstances-"

She inhaled deeply.

"Look. Patrick and I have had our differences, but we've compromised. If we didn't it wouldn't be a healthy relationship. I need not remind you that everyone makes mistakes every now and then. But one learns from them. Patrick is no exception. In fact the more you come to realize that our love has prevailed after facing all those obstacles, the more it comes to show we are destined to be together."

"The only reason I yielded Katarina," her father said, eyeing his eldest daughter he's about to give away with sadness "is because you're both in love. The guy is affectionate towards you."

"You got that right!" Kat said quirking up some mirth.

"But think about it… is love always enough?"

Someone cleared their throat at the door.

"Bianca precious!" Walter said, eyeing his daughter with astonishment "I didn't recognize you! I mistook you for an angel a minute back there."

"Kat." Bianca said hastily, "I just thought I'd inform you that Mrs. Verona called to let you know that the guests are starting to arrive. So we should try to hurry up."

"Look," Kat replied in frustration "I am about to become a wife. A house-sitter and I am about to present a few vows in front of all these people without screwing up and look gorgeous simultaneously. I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Do not come here making things worse with your bad news, please!"

"Well forgive me for being kind enough to play messenger-girl." Bianca yelled back "I'm only the maid of honor after all."

"I'll leave you two to it," Walter said, hurriedly leaving the room. "Kat, don't kill her. It's supposed to be the day you become a bride, not an official murderer."

Bianca eyed her sister pityingly.

"You added a layer of magenta over the lilac I applied for you didn't you." Bianca accused, grabbing some lipstick. "Use your common sense: they don't go together, as much as you think you'd like them to! Oh what the heck here let me help you!"

An hour later…

Kat stood on the dais, anticipation overriding her. In books she read, the bride felt blissful, gazing into her fiancé's eyes as the minister read the vows. So why didn't she feel that way? Something was not right.

With the corner of her eyes she saw Georgina (Patrick's mother), grinning as the minister spoke. Despite her attempted resistance, Kat felt a hint of a tear prickle in her eye.

All my life I've picture celebrating this day with Mum…

"Do you Katarina Stratford," the minister's voice cut through her train of thought "take thee Patrick Verona? To be your lawful wedded husband, to love him, to cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, and for as long as you both shall live?"

Kat felt a wonderful sensation as the beach breeze trickled her; as if encouraging her to reply "yes". But there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind. A voice that belonged to her Dad. Is love enough?

She finally bought herself to look at Patrick. Memories flooded through her. She wanted more of those memories. A lifetime of them.

"I do." She said softly. Looks like love will have to be enough.

It was a beautiful wedding. Kat had arrived on the beach via a white horse. The sight that greeted her, which was Patrick and the minister standing with their backs to the sea, made her feel as if she was floating on air.

And even until now, Kat hadn't shot a genuine glance at the guests. She didn't even know half of them anyway. They didn't care much either. Too absorbed eating from the grilled barbeque buffet or dancing. The kind enough ones whom she hasn't seen for almost a decade congratulated her and complimented her on her looks, "Just like her mother! Isn't she?"

Kat was currently in the arms of the man she felt absolutely safe with, swaying with him to ballad. For the first time in such a while she had felt content. He'd protect her. His muscles weren't the only guarantee, his conviction was as well.

Walter interrupted everyone by clearing his throat, obviously intending to start a speech.

"And now for the traditional dowry." He began. "Well, Mrs. Katarina Verona... Have to get used to that name now…"

Slight laughter.

"I shall no longer be there to protect you at all time as I had done all your life; which never quite appeased you, if I'm not mistaken. Which I'm sure I'm not. But I can however, rest assured that you shall be safe even without my presence, due to this present I am about to present you with. A house. A house not far away from home that I have bought you, which you can reside in for as long as you please. So that I can rest assured knowing that you're in a secure environment."

He held up some keys.

Kat, silent, took the keys with trembling hands and pulled her father into a great hug. A hug unlike any other she'd given him before. Not even when he permitted her to attend Sarah Lawrence abroad.

The crowd clapped at the sentimental situation.

"She's out of character," Bianca whispered to Kevin, her date. "She'll snap out of it and go back to her bitchy self once all this over. You'll see."

For a brief moment Kevin secretly looked at his date with disgust, and with all his might tried to suppress his contempt. The girl's been winging since the start of the wedding as opposed to being supportive of her sister's most important and probably the happiest day of her life…

"So," Kat told her Dad with a grin as Patrick came and kissed her. "Finally put your life long worries to sleep that I'll get impregnated before marriage?"

"I have. On your part. However, there's always your sister to think about unfortunately." He said casually, gesturing at Bianca who was trying to snuggle up to her date.

In response, Kat smirked at his 'unusual' concern.

"So you'll finally get to be a Grandpa." Patrick said conversely.

"That soon Patrick?" Kat asked, slightly slugging him.

"Sooner." He replied, smiling and slugging her back suggestively.

"Ah, we'll have little half-Australian, half-American tykes running about the place…" Georgina joined in, approaching them.

Kat laughed softly, during a moment of reminiscence.

-Flashback-

The door opens and Miss Perky escorts Patrick out

MISS PERKY: "You're completely demented."

PATRICK (cheery): "See you next week!"

Kat stands and Patrick sees her, causing Miss Perky to watch in horror

MISS PERKY: "You two know each other?"

PATRICK/KAT: "Yeah/No."

Miss Perky grabs Kat and shoves her into her office.

MISS PERKY (to Patrick): "Dear God, stay away from her. If you two ever decided to breed, evil would truly walk the earth."

Patrick gives Kat one last look before the door shuts, then smiles-

-End of Flashback-

Patrick caught her eye, conspiracy shining through them. Clearly he was recalling the same incident.

Any doubts Kat had flew away. If he can sense her thoughts, then he's obviously her soul mate. And she thought she didn't even believe in those.

gygygy

Come on people review. Otherwise no new chapter!