Chapter 126

Aria’s POV

As we sat on the airplane, the kids were both looking out the window. I thought they’d be afraid, as this was their first time up in the sky, but instead they were both ecstatic and excited, seeing this more as a fun adventure than something to fear.

I was glad for it, truly. So much that I was even a little bit jealous. I wished I could relax about this trip, but I was worried for Cathy. Though I was confident that I could cure her, I still hated that my friend had to go through this at all. The rest of my feelings were tied up in a nervous tangle.

It had been five years since leaving Nightfall pack. How much had changed? How much was the same? Who would recognize me? Who did I even want to see?

Who did I want to see me?

From my purse, I withdraw my Dr. A mask. I still hadn’t decided which version of me should be the one to make this trip. In Moonglow pack, Dr. A and Aria were synonymous. I saw no reason to uphold the double life there. Nightfall was an entirely different matter, however.

As Aria, I had her own reputation here. Former Luna, an orphan, generally disliked while I was with Lucian but more liked after Sheila’s true personality came to light.

As Dr. A, my reputation here was overwhelmingly positive. So much so that I doubted even if I were to reveal the truth, that the people here would believe it. They might not hate Aria so much anymore, but compared to Dr. A? Aria was nothing.

“You brought the mask,” Piper said from beside me. “I thought you might have left it behind this time.”

“Old habits are hard to break,” I said. “Besides, in Moonglow, no one particularly cared if I was Aria or Dr. A. They had no basis for comparison, not knowing my past.”

It had been freeing, to finally combine both aspects of myself, and let myself simply be Dr. Aria. Going back to Nightfall, I felt like I needed to split myself again, for the protection of myself and my children. It felt vital, yet it also felt like I was tearing my own heart in two.

“Do you really need to hide?” Piper said. “I know why you did in the past, but… can’t this time be different?”

The children see something in the distance and excited point it out to each other.

If I was the only one that would be effected by revealing the truth, perhaps I could be brave enough to do so this time. But with my children here, I couldn’t risk it, not even if I wanted to.

Despite what Silas had said, Lucian couldn’t know about the children. If he knew Dr. A and Aria were the same person, and knowing Dr. A was pregnant, he might start to ask questions… Questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

This trip was just like a work vacation. The kids and Piper could have their fun while I worked. But then, when Cathy was cured, the trip would be over. We could all go back to Moonglow and I could return to being my full self.

Until that time, I had to take up the mask of Dr. A once more.

Lucian couldn’t learn the truth. If he did, he would want us to stay. I wasn’t ready to give over my freedom and the life I built. My kids, too, were happy in Moonglow.

None of us needed Lucian.

“If that’s true,” whispered Luna, my wolf, “Then why does it still hurt so much to think of him…”

“I’ll support whatever you decide to do,” Piper said. She offered me a small smile. “I just want you to be happy, Aria. And in Moonglow, you seemed happy…”

I was happy in Moonglow.

“Except for one thing,” Luna said. “You always felt like something… someone… was missing.”

I couldn’t hide anything from my wolf, though I could hide it from Piper. So I returned her smile. “Thank you, Piper. But for now, I think we need to pretend that both Dr. A and Aria have made this trip.”

When the plane lands and we depart, Piper gave each of the kids and me a quick hug before she rushed off to find her family. They were hard to miss. The whole lot of them came: her parents, her cousins, aunts and uncles… All of them holdings signs and banners and even balloons. Piper was immediately swallowed by the crowd of loving family.

I glanced around, looking for Cathy. Despite my offer to simply take a taxi to her place, she had insisted on greeting us at the airport.

I looked over a frail-appearing woman twice before I realized that frail woman was approaching us with a familiar smile.

“Cathy?”

The disease had already changed her so much. She was thinner than she’d been, with gaunt cheeks and tired eyes. She walked with a cane now but her smile was the same. It was the smile I recognized before anything else.

Holding in my own heartbreak at seeing her this way, I ushered the kids forward.

“Luke. Jean. This is Aunt Cathy,” I told them.

Cathy’s eyes immediately brightened. “Little Luke and Jean. It is so very nice to finally meet you in person.”

The kids seemed unsure at first, just looking at Cathy, but the minute she opened her mouth and they heard her familiar voice, they perked up. They rushed forward to hug her.

“Aunt Cathy!”

Cathy was overjoyed, eagerly returning the hugs.

“Thank you for the action figures for Christmas!” Luke said.

“And the dolls!” Jean added.

“They always look forward to your care packages,” I said, as I stepped closer.

As the kids stepped aside, I came in for the next hug. I hated that I felt Cathy’s ribs as I embraced her.

“Is it so shocking?” Cathy asked, as we ended our hug. “The way I look.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, realizing I was staring. “But you should be at home, resting. We could have taken a cab…”

“I refuse to be some sick patient trapped in a bed. I’m not going to roll over and give up,” Cathy said with confidence and determination. “Now that Dr. A is on the case, I know I’m going to be cured.”

She was putting so much faith in me. I couldn’t let her down.

“The Healers at the hospital probably won’t be happy to see me,” I said.

“Are you kidding? You’ve improved all their reputations tenfold just by working there,” Cathy said. “They’d be thrilled to have you back on campus.”

That was a bit of a relief. I had worried I might face some familiar hostility among the old Healers who used to resent me.

Maybe things really had changed around here. It had been five years, after all.

Though I wasn’t entirely ready to believe that yet.

Luke yawned and Jean leaned into him, drooping somewhat. They’d been so excited on the plane, but they were running out of energy now.

“Would you mind looking after the children while they napped?” I asked Cathy. “I eager to start working right away.”

Cathy had waited long enough for her cure. Now it was time to get her one.