Fins (Transformations: Book 2)

20

"You're wearing your ring," Dr. Grey observed as he approached Freya. "I hope that means you like it and you're not just trying to be polite."

She laughed at the remark. "I love it. Don't worry." She held out a thin package. "This is for you."

"For me?" He took it with a surprised expression, opening it to find a children's book on the goddess, Freya.

"I thought it might help you remember."

He gave a brief laugh at that. "I will read it tonight."

She smiled, noting that he actually seemed to be happy about the gift. "You're certainly an odd one, Dr. Grey."

"So, I've been told," he said. "Repeatedly."

"Well, I didn't say it was a bad thing," she assured him. "I don't think I'd want you any other way, to be honest."

Her words were rewarded with a blank stare. "You don't think I'm too distant or distracted."

"I think you're passionate about what you love and you let that passion overrule you sometimes. That's not necessarily a bad thing. As long as you're not hurting anybody, why should anyone be bothered?"

He continued to stare at her for a minute. "You are truly, a fascinating person."

"So, I've been told," she said with a smile. "Repeatedly." She spotted Aria coming in and figured she should go check on her, so she wished Dr. Grey a merry Christmas and headed over. "You could, at least, try to look like you're having fun and not carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Aria gave her a distracted smile. "Sorry. There's a lot on my mind."

"I'm well-aware of that," Freya assured her. "Even so, this is a Christmas party. Tomorrow is Christmas eve. Let your worries wait until after the holiday. I promise they will still be there."

"That's not exactly comforting," Aria informed her.

Freya just shrugged. "Do you want me to lie and pretend everything's going to be fixed after Christmas."

Aria considered that for a moment. "Only if you can sound convincing."

Freya smiled at that. "Alright, then. Christmas is a magical time and no great problems can survive it. By the time the holiday is over, the necklace will have appeared somewhere perfectly obvious and you will find it. The Glemoran royals will then believe you had nothing to do with the theft. They will feel so guilty about accusing you that they will listen to everything you have to say and you will be able to correct their ruling errors. After that, nobody will be mean to anybody ever again and Kai will be free to marry whomever he wishes. After all, the world is fair and decent people always win out in the end."

Aria stared at her for a few seconds after the explanation before replying, "Liar."

Freya laughed and took her hands. "For tonight, we will believe it because it is Christmas."

Aria relented and gave a brief nod. "Because it's Christmas."

"Are you alright?" Dr. Grey asked when he found his intern, standing alone on the edge of the party.

Eric was surprised that the doctor had even noticed, but he put on a smile, certain it would fool the man. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem distracted."

Eric almost laughed at that. "You're one to talk." The words slipped out before he could stop them and he immediately felt his cheeks go red. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."

Frederick offered him a kind smile. "I think you did and I can't really argue, can I? Even so, if something is bothering you, I'd like to be able to help."