The CEO's Painted Skin

The following day...

The winged creature arrived early in the cave. As he watched her mother still sleeping soundly in her makeshift bed, he was pondering how to convince her to leave this place. She's gotten used to her surrounding already and it's hard to change her mind.

Then Catherine's eyes opened, the first thing her eyes saw was the tiny angel hovering above her head. She smiled at him.

The winged creature was ecstatic to see her mom finally smiled at him for the first time. Her eyes were compassionate and he can feel the motherly vibe emanating from her.

He was anxious at first that she might not like to see his presence inside the cave early in the morning. She had been irritable the moment he first arrived into this cave. He got the impression that he could never get his mother to like him. Will she's going to throw stones at him again today? Hopefully not...

"Good morning, Mother!" he cheerfully greeted her.

Catherine smiled at the angel. "Good morning...little one!"

The winged creature was overjoyed upon seeing her mother in an agreeable mood today. "How are you feeling, Mother?" he tried to start a pleasant conversation with her.

"I feel great waking up to a bright new day!" she answered enthusiastically. Her eyes darted to the cave's entrance way up there. She can see the outline of the trees and the swaying of the branches serenaded by the winds invisible music.

The winged creature followed his mother's gaze that was fixed outside the cave's entrance.

"You wanna go out, Mother? I can take you there!" the angel's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Catherine tore her gaze away from the cave's entrance. "How can you take me up there? I'm way bigger and heavier than you, you will carry me out?" she asked amused by his eagerness to take her out of the cave.

"No. Mother, you have to do it yourself, you just have to concentrate and you will be out of here in just a matter of minutes," he replied.

Catherine shook her head. "It would be impossible for me to get out here, I can't even find a rope that can help me to climb up and reach the cave's entrance," she retorted.

"You can do it, Mother. With just the power of your mind, you can make everything here disappear," he said, trying to awaken his mother's sleeping consciousness.

"You are spouting nonsense, little one! Come here let me see how tiny you are," she summoned him to lie down on her palm.

The winged creature obliged to her mother's request and lie down eagerly on her welcoming palm.

The moment the angel's tiny fluffy body landed on her palm, her face brightens up, delighted by how his weight seems to be non-existent. 'Oh my, he is so light like a feather! she murmured to herself.

"Wow! You're so tiny! But you have a cherubic face, your arms and thighs are so fat!" she began squeezing and pinching his body parts.

"Because you eat a lot, Mother, that's why I grow fatter inside your tummy!" he responded.

Catherine continues pinching his cute small arms and thighs.

"Ouch Mother! Stop, pinching my butt!" he complained.

Catherine grinned. "So, you'd rather want to be tickled instead?" then she began tickling both his sides.

The winged creature began laughing hysterically, the melodious merry sound of his voice echoed inside the cave.

Catherine's face broke into a wide grin and then she continues tickling his sides, a few moments later she found herself laughing animatedly along with the angel. The cave that used to be filled with silence was now overflowing with their rumbustious laughter.

The angel suddenly spreads his wings and fly away after he can no longer stomach her mother's continuous tickling.

"Oh, come back here little one! I'm still not done with you yet!" she called after him still laughing, her eyes alight with amazement. For the first time since she started living inside the cave, she finally realized that it wasn't that bad having a companion inside her imaginary world. She was now willing to accommodate the winged creature's presence inside the cave to keep her company.

"I will rest a bit, Mother. You drained my strength with your continuous tickling of my sides. My voice is hoarse now with too much laughing. But don't be sad Mother, I will be back, I will just breath fresh air outside the cave," then he flew upward and disappeared from her sight.

Catherine was left alone inside the cave, feeling a little bit sad, her face turns gloomy. She suddenly missed the winged creature's bright presence inside the cave.

She looked around at the enchanted lake and the colorful flowers around her, they were the only beautiful thing that she can see inside the cave. When she first arrived in this cave, everywhere she looked around her was dark and ugly. Then she began dreaming of a pristine lake, green grasses, trees, bushes, and colorful flowers when she wakes up one day to her surprise a beautiful garden and the most breathtaking lake appeared inside the cave creating an instant paradise for her. The lake so calm and beautiful, the lush greenery complemented well with the striking colorful flowers which spread out all over the entire cave.

This cave became a stunning and fabulous paradise for her, it became her refuge and her home.

A few hours later, she heard a whizzing of wings, her mouth twitched into a radiant smile. "You come back!" she giggled and opened her palm, the winged creature landed on her palm smiling at her.

"Did you missed me, Mother?" he asked.

"Yes, I do! I missed tickling your sides, I miss hearing your laughter and miss pinching your fat arms and thighs!" then she starts tickling the winged creature's side to her heart's content.

The inside of the cave was filled again with their lively and gleeful laughter that lasted throughout the day.

Mother and son, bonded, finally!