"Moonsglow"
Arya felt she was going to regret saying it out loud. She knew her aunt hated the mere mention of it.
"What?" Kimberly asked slowly. All her positive vibe had rushed down the drains as she wanted to know whether she heard it correctly. "What did you say?"
"Moon..." "NO Arya. You are not going to that cursed place under any circumstance; do you understand me!" Kimberly's eyes were wide, her voice was heavy with fright. Yes, fear. Arya was taken aback by her aunt's anger.
"But aunt Kim..." "Promise me Arya, you will Never Ever go to that place! You won't even say it's name!"
"I don't have a choice!" Arya shouted jumping off the stool. "If I don't go and check on Becca and help her conclude her project, Mr Mathew won't be financing our next field project; My project!"
Arya wondered why her aunt Kimberly couldn't see that one decision could make or break her career and future. Out of seven major institutions, this project fell on the lap of Wingfield Institute Of Animal Research (WIAR)
Her best friend was out there and the name WIAR was at stake. Even her reputation was at stake. She desperately wanted the Sabre cat project in her hands, as she had always been fascinated with the smilodon.
"Don't you shout at me, Bobo. You will go there over my dead body..."
"Who's going where?" Pete asked, as he came in the kitchen. He was wearing his police uniform and was clearly on a break.
"She wants to go back there!"
"I just have to," Arya said.
"Where?" Concern laced Pete's voice.
"Moonsglow," Both women said together.
Pete raised his eyebrows in shock, but then instantly calmed down. "Arya, tell me what's going on!"
Arya took her time explaining everything to Pete. About the project, Rebecca, her disappearance, Mr Mathew and his condition... everything. Pete listened, nodding, shaking his head, raising his eye brows, but never once interrupted.
"And that is the reason I have to go, uncle Pete, because if I don't, I'll lose the biggest project in line, and will never forgive myself for not checking on my friend," Arya finally finished her side.
"Kim?" Pete turned to face his wife.
"Pete you know why..." "Yes, but does she know?" Pete gestured to Arya, without breaking eye contact with Kimberly.
Arya wondered what they were talking about. What does she know? Or rather not know? But she knew better then to interrupt her uncle when he was talking. He was a very gentle and well mannered person, but he does not tolerate people interrupting him when he's talking. At work, he's the 'bad cop'.
"Pete...I... I"
"Arya, why don't you go home, get changed, and rest; then meet us here at say 2.30pm for lunch. Your aunt has something very important to share with you," he said, finally looking at the confused girl.
Arya nodded, looked at the time, then at her aunt, then left without asking anything.
It was already 12.30 pm, and she walked the longest and slowest she could, to her home.
Her mind was exploding with questions. She had known that her parents had died in a car crash, while her father was rushing her heavily pregnant mother to the hospital. The car had swerved off the road when a puppy accidently ran on the road and her father tried saving it.
Arya was seven, and her grandfather's health declined afterwards, and when she was ten, her aunt and uncle showed up out of the blue one day and just bought her here with them.
She was told that grandpa was too old to take care of her, and she needed a female figure in her life; whatever that meant.
Eversince that day, no matter how hard she tried, they never took her back. She never got to visit her grandpa, not even once in 15 years.
She sent letters every week, and Chrisman cards every year, but no reply ever came. Over the years, she just stopped and 'moved on', but she never forgot the old man who helped raise her.
Was there something more she was unaware of?
She jumped into the shower and took a long, cool bath, and changed into shorts and crop top.
Her stomach growled loudly, making her realize how hungry she was. She didn't have breakfast and didn't even remember to drink coffee. All thanks to Marcus.
Arya grabbed an apple from the basket on the counter top and gobbled it up, then she made some lemon tea, and sat on the chair in her balcony to enjoy the warm breeze and her tea.
Was there something about her past in Moonsglow that was hidden from her? Her mind darted back to the questions. She played with the chain around her neck, the only thing she inherited from her mother.
She closed her eyes, not knowing when she drifted off to sleep.
Her phone rang at exactly 2.30pm. Hearing the annoying ringtone, which she had to keep due to a dare, she got up and took it out of her purse, and saw it was Pete. Taking the call, she said, "Hey I'm on my way." As she rushed out with her keys and walked as fast as she could without drawing attention to herself.
The door opened before she could even knock. The table was set with lunch and plates were set out. Kimberly looked like she had been crying this whole time, while Pete had changed and sat beside his wife, comforting her.
No one spoke, as they didn't know how to start the conversation.
All three had served themselves the pasta with meatballs, but none ate.
Arya was twirling her fork on her plate, when she noticed something, Natalie and Marcus hadn't joined them for lunch. "Where's Marcus and Natalie?" Arya asked, finally breaking the awkward silence between them.
"They're gone," Pete said. "They had to return back."
"What? When?"
"This morning, around eleven."
Arya was disappointed, as she had wanted to spend some more time with them both. And they hadn't even said goodbye.
"Anyways, you know why we are all here," Pete said, looking at her. "Tell, us what do you want to know about Moonsglow."
Arya looked at them both, before saying, "Everything."