Twins

I hear voices all around me and my head is spinning. I try opening my eyes but it's really hard to, considering my now ringing headache that I feel. I can hear my moms voice in the backround. She sounds scared, anxious. I'm finally able to open my eyes all the way and l look up at the ceiling and my other surroundings. It seems as though I have been moved to the living room and I'm laying on the couch.

Just then someone knocks on the door and my mother runs to the door open it and in comes a male doctor holding some kind of briefcase. "Juniper, can you hear me?" he asks. just then my headache became more painful and I placed my hand over my forehead and cringe at the pain. I nod slowly at the doctor and then he gets to work with all his doctor stuff. After 10 minutes, he tells my mom that I'm fine and that I need to put ice on the bump that's now on the back of my head. She sighs with relief and thanks him while he let's himself out of the house. She walks over to me and sits next to me on the couch. "Juni, are you okay? You gave me a good scare! Now what the hell happened, how did you fall?" Ugh, too many questions and my head hurts.

'I'm sorry mom' was all I could say. She gave me a sweet smile and then kissed my cheek. and then that's when the stranger appeared behind her. My eyes went wide open and my breathing suddenly quickened. My mom looked at me concerned. "What's the matter?" She looked behind her to see the stranger I couldn't take my eyes off of. She looked back at me confused. "Does he scare you?" She asked. It's not that he scares me mom, it's just something about his face that seems off...

"Daddy?" I say softly. "Is that you?" My headache starts pounding against my skull harder and my mom is frozen. She turns away from me and stares at the fireplace, not moving a muscle. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep, dreaming about my dad.

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I wake up. It's the the morning time from what it looks like through my bedroom window. Just then I remembered all of the events that happened last night and I bolt straight up from my bed and rush into the living room. I see my mom reading a newspaper and drinking a glass of orange juice. She looks up at me and smiles and stands up to give me a hug asking me if I'm feeling better today. I tell her that I am but now I'm in shock again. "Mom.. that guy that came last night, the guy that you're seeing, he looks exactly like Dad." I look at her, waiting for an answer but she stares at me and it's almost as if she's scared or guilty like she's been caught stealing a cookie from a cookie jar. She sighs and looks down at her hands then looks back up at me. "I know, he does doesn't he..." she stops talking and then all of a sudden she's crying and I hug her and try to comfort her. "So much for moving on huh?" I say, trying to lighten the mood. She gives me a dirty look with watery eyes but then smiles at me and giggles, shaking her head at me. I smile at the thought and at the fact that I really fainted because of that. Thinking about it in my head, I still can't believe how much of the resemblance of that man's face had of my dads. It was kind of creepy if you think about it.

I tell her that it's okay and I apologize for giving her a big scare yesterday I was in complete shock. But I think I'm going to be okay now I just have to get used to this so I tell her to invite him again tonight and to tell him that I promise not to fall on the stairs again. I text Edith and Carter about what happened last night and they are both texting back rapidly in all caps asking me if I'm okay, if I saw doctor, if they need to come over to my house. As matter of fact I think it's a good idea if they come over I need some company anyway in case I start getting all creeped out again between Mom, dad's twin, and I. I don't know if it's good that I call him twin but that's just what I'm going to call him for now.

Late this evening, my two best friends arrived and I decide to just wear jeans and a blouse instead of a dress. When Edith and Carter show up I lead them up to my room and we close the door for privacy until 'twin' arrives. We talked a little bit about the event that happened last night, then we started talking about school and what we think it's going to be like since we only have a week left of summer. "Do you think the boys will get cuter this year?" asks Edith. I look down at her from my bed. "Who cares about boys honestly." Edith smirks at me. "Well, Ms. Juni, maybe its because you haven't found the right one yet and maybe this is the year you'll get yourself a boyfriend." Carter winks at me and agrees. "Yeah June, I mean you're very pretty and I've seen plenty of guys show you attention." I roll my eyes. "Yeah right, and when was this hmm?" Carter opens her mouth in dismay. "Um, that kid from last year, Jason, he had blonde hair and like the prettiest blue eyes.." "And those juicey lips", Edith cuts in, making a babyish voice. I laugh and throw my pillow at her. "Hey, its true though, he used to talk to me about you all the time" says Carter. I look back up at the ceiling. "I mean yeah I've seen cute boys around but like I've never really felt a connection with them or felt really interested really. I honestly just wanna to finish highschool." Edith looks at me skeptically. "Wait a minute, are you lesbian?" she asks, shocked. I stare back at Edith. "The truth is Edith, I've wanted you all along this whole time." I smile at her but I couldn't stop from laughing. "JUNIPER!" She screams at me and throws the pillow at my face. Carter chuckles at the both of us and then suddenly tells us to shush. We're all quiet and looking at Carter, confused. "Looks like the mystery man is here." she says quietly My heart races. I hear my mom's voice talking to someone else and she calls the three of us downstairs. I look at Edith, a little nervous. "It's okay" she says, trying to calm me down. She takes my hand and Carter's and we head out of my bedroom to the stairs. "Just don't fall down this time."

All three of us walk into the dining room area and there we meet 'twin' and my mother. Twin looks at me and smiles. "Hey, I'm sorry about what happened yesterday, you feelin' better?" he asks. I stare at him, hopefully not in a creepy way but I was just mesmerized with how much resemblance he had of my dad. Then I realized I haven't answered his question. "Oh, uh yeah, I'm fine now, thanks, no need to apologize.. I'm Juniper, nice to meet you." Great, now I'm blabbering thoee commercials with the people who talk fast at the end. He smiles at me and introduces himself as Christian and holds out his hand to shake mine. Christian. Not bad. I take his hand and it's a slighty firm grip but soft and gentle at the same time. Carter introduces her self next and then Edith. We all sit down at the table and mom's smile is all broad and wide. Couldn't be less weird, mother. My mom brings out two bowls of fettuccini and glasses for us to pour drinks in. We all dig in the bowls of pasta and soon we all start talking. Edith kicks me slightly under the table and I look up at her from my plate. She mouths the words "he's hot" and I mouth back "shut up hoe". She winks at me and continues eating and looking up at him every so often. Twin starts to tell jokes and stories about stuff that has happened to him at his work. Then he talks more about himself and his hobbies and what he likes to do.

So far I learned that his parents died, but he does have a brother named Richard, Ricky for short. He was married once but got a divorce 3 years ago. He is a professor for some science major at some college, I forgot the name and he gets paid really well for it because he's super smart. He also loves dogs and going to art museums and traveling. Throughout the night, he kept asking me questions. I can tell he's trying to get to know me more and I think I'm really starting to warm up to him. Guess this twin might not be so bad after all.

After the night is over, I walk Carter to her car. Edith had to leave for early for a family emergency and she gave me another wink and looked back at twin before she left the table. Carter gives me a hug before entering her car and drives off. I walk back inside the house and see twin getting coat from the couch. He walks over to me and asks me if he could talk to me or a telly outside. I walk outside again and wait for him to put his jacket before he starts talking. "I had a really great time tonight, I know about why you fell yesterday and I just wanted you to know I had no idea." I look down and frown a little. So even mom didn't mention why she was so interested in you. I look up at him and give him a 'ai dont know what to tell you' look. "I think you're great" I say. "I also think..." I can't believe I'm about to say this.. "...you're a great fit for my mom." He let's out a small breathe and smiles with all white teeth. He has a nice smile too, did I mention that? "That's great to hear and I just want you to like me, so I hope this means we can be friends?" I nod my head and decide to give him a hug. "Yeah, sure thing, well drive home safe okay?" "Will do" He responds back and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

I was startled by this and I think he noticed that I flinched a little, but didn't seem to make it obvious and walked across the street to his car. My mom comes outside and stands next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder. we watch him drive off and evading bye to the both of us before disappearing down the street. "Christian is a nice name." I say out of the blue. "Thanks Juni, for tonight. It means alot." She responds. "No problem mom, he seems like a good guy." She rubs my shoulder and we both walk back inside the house. As I head upstairs to get ready for bed my mom stops to tell me about my new therapist I'll be seeing Monday on the first day of school. "Her name is Marilyn and she's got good reviews I promise you'll love her." I nod my head at her. "Sounds good mom, goodnight." I close the door and change into my pajamas.

Seems like a successful night. My friends came over, all of us had a good time and twin wasn't so bad after all. Christian wasn't so bad. Now all I have to deal with is the first day school and the rest of the year until I don't have to deal with highschool anymore. I sigh and lay down on my bed, pulling the covers up to my cheek. At least I have a top rated female therapist to help me along the way, I dont see what could go wrong.