Chapter 28

Aria’s POV

To my surprise, as I exited the office with Piper, still disguised as Dr. A, and suggested going down to see Caleb in the coma ward, Jasper was the one who agreed the readiest. The others, Caleb family, seemed confused at my needing to be involved beyond this point.

“I just want to keep her on task,” I said. “I’m still trying to plead her case.”

“Maybe you all should just head home for the night,” Jasper suggested. “Dr. A likely isn’t going to make a hasty decision in this case, even after looking over your dad.”

I looked at him with suspicion and confusion, be he just smiled at me.

“Time is of the essence,” Montgomery said.

“I cannot be rushed,” Piper said, playing her role earnestly.

Montgomery’s jaw clenched. Christie sneered with dissatisfaction. These people were not the type who were accustomed to waiting.

They would have to learn. Dr. A, whether as Piper or myself, would not be making special accommodations for them as others might have. Here, under my watch, all patients were treated the same – even those who are war heroes.

“We would be willing to pay to expedite this process,” Montgomery added. “A blank check, even.”

With that, I could escape the pack, yet it didn’t feel right to give Caleb the treatment just so I could get the money.

Piper glanced at me. Subtly, I twitched my head left and right, indicating that would not be acceptable.

“I cannot be rushed,” she said again, even more firmly than before.

I had thought my slight movement had gone unnoticed by everyone in the room except for the person it had been intended for. Yet, when I looked at all the visitors in the waiting area, I found Jasper staring straight at me.

A cold shock zipped down my spine. He looked at me as if he could see straight through me. Maybe he had. He must have had many questions for me. If I didn’t start coming up with answers, he might make his own conclusions.

He was clever, so I worried over what conclusions he might draw.

Maybe he’d already drawn them.

With Jasper’s encouragement, the family stayed behind in the office while Piper and I went down to the coma ward. With other Healers around, I thought it best to exercise caution and let Piper take the lead on the examination.

Through Caleb’s chart, we could see how many pain killers he was on. A list that long didn’t bode well. The medicine that extended life would keep him alive, but his quality of life would not improve. Likely, he would stay here in this coma being pumped full of these painkillers.

I needed to interrogate his personal Healers to be sure. Unfortunately, the ones who regularly tended to Caleb and his family had left for the night.

“There’s nothing more we can do,” I told Piper.

“What are you going to do?” Piper asked me. “Will you give him the medicine or not?”

“I don’t know yet,” I admitted. Fortunately, though Caleb’s health had taken a turn, he was still stable enough to give me some time to decide. There wasn’t a lot of time, I would need to decide sooner rather than later. But some time was better than none at all. I wasn’t going to make this decision impulsively.

Explaining that to Caleb’s family was difficult, especially as it had to be conveyed through Piper. I vowed to look into what she was being paid and to see if I could facilitate a raise.

Caleb’s family was frustrated, but eventually they left.

“I think you should go home as well, Dr. A,” I told Piper, conscious of Jasper still in the room. “Maybe come in late tomorrow.”

Dr. A nodded.

Cathy was glaring at Jasper. “I can take you home, Aria,” she said.

“I think I’d better go with Jasper,” I told her. “He’s been patiently waiting all this time.” And we needed to talk.

At Cathy’s nod, I turned away and walked with Jasper down to his car. Once we were safely inside, he started the engine, turned to me, and asked, “How in the world has Lucian not found out?”

So he did know. Closing my eyes, I exhaled deeply. “You can’t tell him. Or anyone.” Opening my eyes again, I stared at him, hoping he could see the seriousness in this – the severity if I were to be found out. Caleb’s family was just one of many who would do anything to get the medicine I developed.

If the truth were to get out, my entire life would be upheaved.

“I won’t say anything,” Jasper said.

“You swear?”

“I do,” he replied and drew an invisible cross using his finger over his heart.

I didn’t know why, but I believed him. Relaxing slightly in my passenger seat, I sighed.

“What are you going to do, though?” Jasper asked. Returning his attention to driving, he put the car in reverse to back out of the parking spot. Then, in drive, he pulled forward. “Are you going to give Caleb the medicine?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “From the outside, he doesn’t appear to be in good shape, but as he’s not awake, he can’t advocate for himself.” It was a tough case made tougher by Caleb’s inability to respond.

“You don’t have to give him the medicine if you don’t want to,” Jasper said. “Since it’s your medicine, you are the one who gets to make the choice.”

“I don’t know how I’ll live with myself if I make the wrong one,” I said. “I hate having to make these choices. There’s never easy answers, and sometimes there’s regrets…”

“Don’t let the family bully you,” Jasper said. “We all know they just want to keep their dad alive so they can continue to use his reputation for their own financial gain. I’m not sure they’re considering the guy’s feelings at all.”

“If I keep him alive, perhaps a cure could be found for what is truly wrong with him in that time. If we could bring him out of his coma, he might have a few more years of enjoyable life left.”

Even as I said the words, I kept imagining the man who had spoken to Lucian three years before. He’d wanted to see his wife again, even then. Was it right to keep him alive now?

A headache formed in my brow. Rubbing at it did little good to ease the throbbing pain.

This had been an exceptionally long day. I wanted to go home, go to bed, and not worry about anything again until the morning.

Jasper pulled his car up to the sidewalk in front of Cathy’s house. Cathy wasn’t back yet, but the front porch light was on as was the one in the living room. She’d likely wanted to have light waiting for her when she returned.

“Thank you for the ride,” I said. “And for your promise to keep things quiet.”

Jasper grinned. “Of course. Maybe being a good boy could earn me another date?”

Rolling my eyes, I opened the car door and stepped out.

“I don’t hear a no!” Jasper called after me.

“Goodnight, Jasper,” I said and slammed the door.

As he drove off down the street, I approached the front door of the house. Nearing it, I noticed a folded scrap of paper tucked in near the doorknob.

Grabbing it, I flipped it open and read the words written within.

This was Caleb’s handwriting.

Aria—

I’m not giving up yet. I refuse to go along with the divorce.