Laughter erupted, a wave of relief and delight washing over the guests as they realized what had happened. Ryan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, a smile breaking across his face. Emily, too, began to laugh, bending down to scoop up the unexpected intruder.

“Well, it looks like we have a little wedding crasher,” Emily said, cradling the kitten in her arms. The guests chuckled, their laughter a musical accompaniment to the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze.