Vlad's NY apartment

I looked at his mother and smiled. "I am a veternarian. I have a clinic in the city." i say to her, moving Devin so she can be comfortable.

Mum had a stoney face for a moment... Then she smiled. "Good. I see. Well, it is a good thing I pulled him from camp for his education. Tell me, who is your parent?"

"Hecate, goddess of magic and magicians." i said. I heard her say that she took him out of camp, but i held my tounge, not wanting to make this worse. "My father was Danial Turner." i held Devin tightly and grubbed her back.

I froze panicked. "Mum..." I whispered, my face pure shock. I dropped my own mug of coffee and ran to my bathroom, slamming the door and leaning against it.

"What? Was it something I said," Mum asked.

i sigh. "He told me that he had left for other reasons." I sit down, making sure Devin didnt sense the sad tone in my voice.

I look around and sigh. "Maybe i should go." i whisper.

Vlad's mother shook her head. "No. No. I can't imagine why he'd tell you anything diferent. You see, I wanted my boy to make soemthing of his life, no matter who he was. I didn't want to see him end up like I did. I am not sleeping here tonight. I've got reservations at a nearby hotel. Since I let him be taken away twenty years ago, I felt, why not visit my son. I've been emailing and phoning him every week since I sent him a letter at Camp. I was so relieved to ehar that he had a girlfriend, and by the looks of it, other friends, too. I got married when Vlad was fifteen. My husband has yet to meet my son."

I smile, still holding my tounge, though it eas getting hard to do by this point. "Really?"

"Yes. He didn't want to come. Never told me why but he went really quiet. Never spoke to anyone. I never saw him smile more than five seconds," Mum said.

I came out of the bathroom, my face wet and my hands shaking. I didn't look at anyone. I just looked at the floor.

I looked up and saw Vlad. "Maybe i should come by another time." i say as i get up.

"No..." I said. I looked up at her. "Aria, Mum. Wait here. Ally, come with me?"

I gestured to my room. "I need to explain."

I follow after giving Devin back to Aria. "Please do." i say not even looking at him.

I led her to my room, locking the door and sitting on my bed, looking at Ally. "Mum had cancer."

I freeze. "Cancer?. I say as i sit next to him.

I nodded. "I... I wanted to tell you but... But mum needed me. And... And when she got better, you were already gone from camp..."

I stared at the floor and shiver. "But why did you tell something else?" i looked at him.

I looked down. "I... I just... I couldn't... I can't..."

I couldn't finish a sentence. "I didn't want to let you see how much I had crumbled..."

I grabbed his face. "I told you, id be with you through the good and the bad."

I breathed. "She's my mum..."

I looked into her eyes. "My mum... who I never saw so weak in my whole life. Even though I haven't seen her in like twenty years in person. Ally, if your father were stil here... would you want me to see how hurt you were?"

I winced and stayed silent. I let go and looked down. "I... I dont know..."

"Yes you do. You'd hate me to see you so hurt."

My hands turned into a fist, but dont look up. "Id never hate you. But if you did see me, id tell you." i said, tears streaming down, face hidden by my hair.