Complicated Things

Three| Face of Deception

Nothing would have prepared me for what she does next.

She walks to the bedside, her gaze never leaving mine. I open my mouth to speak but closes it as her hand reaches my cheeks. Her fingertips graze my skin, I'm so focused on her cold fingers that I don't notice she's crying.

It starts as a sob, then a full blown bawl.She loses her  composure by grabbing my face in both hands, crying even louder. In between the tears, I hear her mutter words like "missed you", " Taylor" and "almost lost you."  I watch her with curiosity silent, as she blows her nose into a handkerchief.

When her tears subside, I ask her the question that has been plaguing my mind the entire morning.

" Who are you? " I ask, my eyes never leaving hers.

She stares at me for a second, like I'm the confused one. Her eyebrows furrow in confusion, her teeth biting into her maroon painted lips. Tears fall silently, her voice barely a whisper "You don't remember?"

It's my turn to look confused, my eyes silently questioning her. I rack my memory furiously, trying to recall any connection with her. I don't remember not a thing,not in the slightest.

I shake my head in denial, my eyes mirroring my answer. She subtly gasps, her hand over her mouth immediately. The tears streaming down her face non stop, her make up ruining.

"Taylor..." Her voice is shaky, her hand over quivering." I am your...mother."

My mind becomes a sudden blur, the room spinning. Her eyes are still fixed on me, searching for for a sign that I can understand her words.

I can't.

My mind can't register anything,almost as if she was speaking a foreign language.

"You are ..not. I'm not Ta. ... Taylor." I say, my voice exasperated.

" No honey. I really am. Maybe it's all confusing and you have lost your memory but I really am your mother" Her hands find their way to my cheek,stroking it gently.

"I'm not! I'm not Taylor. You are crazy. I'm Allison and I remember everything. My mom's dead and not you"  I yell, trying to get as far away from her as  possible.  There's not much space between her and the bed so I scoot over to the other end.

"It's okay,honey. We'll figure everything out. Me,your sisters,your dad,the entire family. We will be by your side" She cooes, her voice gentle. The twins return back, staring at me with curiosity.

As if  I'm the crazy one.

"You all are  crazy. My name is Allison Dermont not Taylor. I'm a senior at Lincoln High. Best friend Cearra. My mom died yesterday,before I was hit by a car. I live at hm.." My lips suddenly become numb, my eyes blurry as the nurse turns to the woman. I didn't realize when she walked in.

"She'll be fine. It's the effects of the accident.." Her voice fades into the background, the world a blurry colorful mess. Before everything goes black.

*******
I stretch my limbs,trying to get comfortable. After I regained consciousness,no one has come to trouble with their claims that I'm Taylor.

Did I fall in alternate universe?

Or maybe another dimension?

I shake my mind off those thoughts, focusing my gaze on my door. I could escape, my eyes darting from the door to the drip on my hand.
Gathering courage, I tear it off the back of my hand, setting my feet on the floor.

My legs feel different, almost like they aren't mine anymore. I try to stand on my feet, falling immediately as I do so. Crawling, I hold the side of the bed, trying to get back on my two feet.