Page 148 of The Nightmare Before Kissmas
She puts a stack of paper on Dad’s desk. “Invoices to sign. What’s this meeting about?”
My lips part. “I—”
“A matter between my son and me,” Dad says. “Not your concern.”
Wren touches something on her screen. “The letters to a few of the other Holidays, yes?”
Dad flips a look up at her. “Excuse me?”
Her demeanor is cool and calm, nothing changes, but my whole body has gone stiff.
What? How did she know?
Wren sees Dad’s confusion and frowns. “You told me, sir. You asked me to review and send the letters Nicholas was due to write. See?” She shows him something on her tablet. “Invitations rescinded, correct? Everything was in order. They went out yesterday.”
Again,WHAT?
Dad’s eyes swing to mine in question.
And Wren gives me the briefest, fastest look ofplay along.
What the hell.
“Yeah.” I shrug “Wren read them over. Sent them. Said they were fine. It’s done.”
Dad’s suspicion sharpens, but Wren is already typing away on her tablet again.
“Wedding preparations have thrown everything into tumult. I am happy to remove any other items from your to-do list if needed?”
Dad shakes his head, and I blow out a breath at the look on his face. A look ofmaybe I did ask her to read those letters.Because if it was a simple cover of rescinding invitations, it would have been something he could have asked her to do. And, more, he trusts Wren.
“Thank you,” he says, still a bit uncertain, but he clears his throat and focuses on the invoices she gave him. “Boys. You may go.”
Kris grabs my wrist and has to haul me out of the office. We get maybe two yards away, enough that Dad can’t see us from his desk, and we swing on each other and simultaneously mouthWHAT THE FUCK.
Kris points back at the open office door.Did you talk to Wren?
No!I mouth back.Did you?
Why would I have?
What the HELL was THAT then?
I DON’T KNOW.
I punch his shoulder.DON’T YELL AT ME.
He hits me back.YOU YELLED FIRST.
All of this is entirely silent until Wren slips out of Dad’s office and we both shut up.
She closes the door and walks towards us, focused on her tablet. “I told you,” she says to the screen. “You are not as alone as you might think.”
And she flashes me a smile.
“Wha—why?” is all I can get out.
Wren pulls the tablet to her chest, arms folded. She seems to be contemplating something, her eyes scrunching in thought, before she drops her gaze to the side.
