Ending of the Weekend

“Did they charge him?” Talon asked.

“Yes, but he got out on bail the next day. A week later, he was gone,” Wren replied emotionlessly.

“Did they find him?”

Wren shook her head. “No. He is still out there. Still free.”

She fell silent, and Talon reached out, gently pulling her back into him.

She was a survivor. So much about her was falling into place for him.

Wren allowed him to pull her back into his arms as she finished her story.

“I moved away. Got a good job and made contact with my family again. I had been with him for only two years, but it was long enough for him to cut me off completely,” Wren said sarcastically.

“When I was pulled into the trial, my family decided they wanted nothing to do with it or me.”

“Trial?”

“Even though he was not there in person, they still tried and found him guilty of murder. I was the main witness.”

Wren shuddered at just the thought of the long hours of bearing everything she had done to a jury of her peers.

It had been humiliating and humbling.

“Just after the trial, Mr. Lee found me and brought me here. I have not spoken to them since,” she said.

Wren lay there, wrapped in Talon’s warmth.

Should she tell him the last bit? Did she have the courage to tell him?

Would he still accept her after everything else?

She took a deep breath. He would find out eventually. He should at least hear it from her.

“There is a bit more,” she spoke softly.

“I am listening,” Talon said, hearing the hesitation in her voice.

“I got pregnant,” Wren whispered, tears coming to her eyes.

Talon frowned. ~Is there a child out there too?~ No, if there was, it would be here with Wren. He was sure of it.

“What happened?”

“He beat me so badly I miscarried. Then he did what he could to make sure I would never carry another child,” Wren held her breath, waiting for the rejection.

It always came.

“The only thing that matters to me is that you are here and in my arms,” Talon told her quietly before falling silent.

She could not have children? They would need to discuss this later, but now was not the time.

“We should head to the house. Supper will be done soon, and I have things that must be done for tomorrow.”

Talon stood. “I know. Shall I cook or you? My week is officially up,” he said.

He smiled at her and helped her to her feet.

Talon finally felt at peace, and Wren felt a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Her friend was the only other person to know about the child. She had thought Talon would reject her for it, but he had accepted it.

But did he judge her for it? She did not feel any judgment from him, though.

She smiled at him and kept hold of his hand as they headed for the door.

“Come on, we will cook supper together,” she said.

Talon followed her, coming up with a plan to get her to fall in love with him.

He knew why she did not trust others and kept herself isolated. She had felt unwanted all her life, and to have that bastard do something like that to her was unacceptable.

Now, how was he going to help her break free from the bonds she still had around her?

“What are you thinking?” Wren asked as they headed toward the house.

She had felt a flash of anger, then determination, before a murderous intent had taken hold.

“Nothing. Why?” he replied.

“I am getting a murderous vibe from you. Who are you going to kill now?”

Talon started. He had forgotten she could feel his emotions now.

He would have to hide them better.

“No one… Okay…maybe that jerk,” he admitted as she sent him a look, telling him she knew he was lying to her.

***

“So when are you moving the piano?” Emerald blurted out as soon as they entered the kitchen.

Lily had already prepared supper, and the others were gathered around waiting for them to appear.

“Emerald!” Evan sent her a glare.

“I am sorry. Were you waiting for us? I guess it is later than we realized,” Wren said, ignoring Emerald’s comment.

“We are just glad you made it back safely,” Lily said.

“Wren…” Emerald pressed.

Wren sighed and turned to Emerald. “I am not. It would be disruptive to others,” she said.

“No, it would not,” Emerald insisted.

“Will you say that when I woke you up at two in the morning, because I decided to practice, because I could not sleep?” Wren asked.

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“I would and I have. It is better where it is. I will not disturb your sleep.”

“What if we put a second one in your room so you could practice in either place?” Evan spoke up.

“Not you, too.” Wren shook her head. “I am not a fan of others listening. I do not play, I practice. It can get ugly. Sometimes I play the same two notes over and over for an hour.”

Carrie waved Wren’s excuses away. “We do not care about that. If it is something that is important to you, then it shall be done. I have already spoken to the director, and the piano is on its way. There will be no more excuses. You do not have to play it, but it will be there for your convenience, not ours.”

Wren had not expected them to be for it.

She figured they would have appreciated her thoughtfulness, but instead, they were upset she had kept it from them.

She thought about it for a moment and decided it was all right for them to put one in her room.

After all, she did not have to use it.

“I know what you are thinking,” Carrie said, looking at her. “We will make sure you practice on the one in your room.”

~Damn, she figured it out.~ Wren shook her head and gave them a grin.

“We will see how long you will be insisting that before you beg me to please take it somewhere else.”

“Why would we do that? We want to hear you play.”

“No, you do not.”

“How can you say that?” Emerald asked, outraged.

Wren shrugged her shoulders. “Everyone does it in the end.”

Talon watched the interaction between them with a deep sense of rightness.

It was good to see the relationships between Wren and the others.

She was building herself a home and family here.

She just might need help seeing it, and he was just the person who could do that.

If she would let him in.

“Are you going to eat, or are you going back to refusing to dine with us?” Eric asked Talon.

Talon realized everyone had turned to look at him, where he was still standing at the counter.

He shrugged and took a step toward the table.

“Why would I eat alone?” he asked innocently. “When I can sit here and put up with a beating from all of you?”

“What!” Emerald exclaimed. “We do not beat up on you. Playfully hit, yes, beat up, no. I cannot imagine anyone being able to beat you up.”

Talon pointed to Wren. “She can.”

Emerald rolled her eyes. “Besides her. We all know she can put you in your place. Duh.”

Talon smiled.

It was good to be with family.

***

Later that night, Talon lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

He rolled to his side and punched his pillow, trying to get comfortable as he wondered if Wren was also still awake.

***

Wren tried to get comfortable, but it was no use. She wondered if it was because of everything that had happened today.

Just this morning, she had been ready to murder Talon. Now she had never felt more connected to a person.

Had it been only this morning?

So much had happened today that she should be sound asleep, dead to the world, but now she was wide awake, Talon on her mind.

When had he become so important to her?

***

Lily met Wren in the kitchen. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Ready for your first day of work?”

“Sure…I think.” Wren started in on breakfast as the others filed in.

She was not sure how she would get there and back, but she was sure something was already set up for her.

Michael spoke from behind his paper as Talon entered the room. “So…Talon.”

“Yes?” Talon could tell something was up with Michael this morning. It was in his voice.

“Are you ready for Wren to be working with you?”

“Why would it bother me?”

Wren stopped for a second over her breakfast. Did he just…dismiss her? He would not dare.

Talon could feel her hackles come up. He was tired this morning.

Every time he’d tried to fall asleep, she had appeared in his dreams. Yesterday had drained him, emotionally and physically.

“I was just curious how you felt about working with your partner. Most of us would love to be in your situation, getting to ride to work together, eating lunch together, coming home together, etc.,” Michael said.

“Not happening,” came the quick response.

Everyone stopped their activities and looked at Talon.

“What?” Carrie finally asked.

“We will not be doing any of those things together. As far as anyone at school will know, we only work in the same place.”

So that was how it was, Wren thought to herself. She knew where she stood.

What had she been thinking yesterday, telling him those things and thinking it would change their relationship? She obviously didn’t learn quickly enough.

He was just like all the others; he just had not shown his disgust at her right away. It always ended the same, though.

Repulsion.

“But Talon…”

“Do not worry about it,” Wren interrupted Lily’s outburst.

“Leave him be. If that is what he wants, then we should do what we can to accommodate him.”

She stood, put her dishes in the sink, and headed for the door. “Have a good day.”