Mastering Wren

Ch.33 Tickled Pink

Theo's POV

Tickled Pink

Wren is being interrogated by my parents and I can't help but sit back and enjoy the sight of her blushing as her nervous tongue attempts to answer all their questions perfectly. They are both interested in her schooling, her family and her education.

I knew my father came across as harsh, however he was quite soft when you got to know him better and with every passing moment he loved her more and more. My mother was also welcoming of Wren. However, she could be deceivingly sweet at first but easy to trigger if you spoke out of line. In general, both my parents were strict but they were kind.

Now I'm proud that they are giving Wren a shot. I know it is because I have stood by her and they can see she makes me happy. I had been more stressed with Cynthia. I had thought, foolishly, that she had fit my life so well.

It was only now I recognised how wrong I was. There was no real passion with us, no real deep thought. She would talk about her fashion brand all day long and be busy going to fitness and beauty appointments.

In contrast, Wren would be at home, wearing clothes covered in cat fur, doing yoga, writing in cafes on her lonesome, driving a 'guys' car that didn't suit her at all, with her mind on what is best for her cat. Money didn't seem to be important to her in the slightest and being around her filled my heart with warmth. She had an open kindness, a genuine quality hard to find in most.

"I-I like to bake sponge cake, actually," Wren speaks nervously to my mother, who has now changed the topic to food, "My mother taught me to cook almost anything and I follow recipes well."

"Theo loves any form of cake," my mother claps her hands together while giving me a sly smile, hoping to embarrass me.

"Sponge certainly isn't my favourite," I decide to add, simply to see Wren cringe.

When she does, her shoulders don't just hunch but her bottom lip quivers and her eyes sadden. I'm filled with guilt instantly, but at the same time my heart warms with delight at her purity.

I tried, hard, to see if there was anything ever fake or half-feigned by Wren. But every day, it became clearer to me that she wore her heart on her sleeve. I admit... teasing her vulnerability towards the surface was sadistically intriguing.

I liked to assess how she worked.

"Do you have any cats or dogs?" Wren asks, out of the blue and I can see she is hoping to change the subject.

"We love animals," Gaia confirms.

"They relieve anxiety and keep the kids company as they grow up, of course we have both cats and dogs," Alex adds, "How old are you, Wren?"

"Twenty two! Oh, no... sorry, twenty three, twenty three. I forgot, for a m-moment –"

"Young!" my father slaps his hand down on the table, grinning, "Already working in such a good position at a young age, I like you more and more. How is your Greek?" he asks, furthering the chat.

"I don't know any, sorry!" Wren exclaims, blushing hard and glancing at me only for a moment. When she sees my sparkling eyes she becomes even more flustered and has to look away, "I wish I did."

"Have you had any other boyfriends before, dear?" Gaia asks her, this time a bit sheepishly because it's an awkward question but there was no other way to really phrase it.

"Um, no," Wren answers meekly, embarrassed even further. For a moment, she half smiles and her eyes light up, which is what happens every time before she is about to blurt something out, "I actually was asked a relationship question at the job interview and I answered it right! I used my... argh, pet," I try not to smirk as she now realises how absurd this is sounding but she tries to finish the sentence anyway, "My pet cat, Mr. Fox. We have a good bond, like a relati – never mind, ha ha ha!" she forces herself to smile and my dad chuckles.