Kaleidoscope

Chapter Fifty-Five

Danny knew it was time. He had to broach the subject of Kim and her resemblance to Theresa. He went to the kitchen to find Theresa and his mom sharing a cup of tea, enjoying the quiet that had fallen on the house.

"We need to talk," he began and then realized how foreboding that sounded. "It's all good," he said, watching their faces relax.

"It's about Kim. You know I'm crazy about her. But, it took me a long time to realize it. I shied away from her the whole time I was up at school."

"Why?" Theresa asked, her face covered with a frown.

Here goes nothing, he thought. "You know how they say that everybody has a double somewhere in this world? A doppelganger. Well, Theresa, Kim is your double. I was freaked out when I saw her for the first time. She has your hair and your eyes and even your dimples."

He paused, letting this sink in.

"Oh, she can't be that similar," said Rose.

"You'd be amazed. For months, I couldn't look at her because all I saw was you, Sis."
"Only she was walking, right?" said Theresa with a hush in her voice, knowing what everyone was thinking and were too afraid to say.

"I didn't want to say that, but yeah. Walking. It was too much for me, so I was very rude to her, but she kept persisting. She invited me to sit with her family at Parents' Weekend at the football game and even gave me her number when I ran into her at the mall at Christmas. I finally gave in and called her, but her face haunted me. It took me a long time to see her and not you whenever we were in the same room."

A hush fell over the kitchen as Theresa and Rose digested what Danny had just told them. Rose realized for the first time that they had never even gone up for Parents' Weekend. She never knew Tom had gone briefly.

"I'll put the ball in your court, Theresa," he said. "If you don't want to meet her that's fine. But, I know you're going to like her."

"I'm a big girl now, Danny and I can handle it. I would love to meet your girlfriend. Who knows, maybe we'll become BFF's." The old Theresa personality was shining through.

Rose faltered a bit before speaking. She paused to stare at the dust motes visible in the kitchen sunlight while she thought.

"If it's okay with your sister, then, yes, let's meet Kim. I feel sorry that you already know her family and we're just learning about her. Anytime you want to bring her over, we'll be glad to welcome her."

Danny's chest slumped with relief. Of course, saying and doing were two entirely different things. There could still be some fallout. But, he could now go to Kim and prepare HER for seeing her twin.

The day was hazy and hot, the heat index up to 95 degrees when Danny went out to play soccer. He hadn't been able to reach Kim yet with the news. He hoped she would be ready to meet his screwed-up family. What little she knew about them wasn't favorable, and he wished he hadn't painted such a bleak picture for her. But, that was when things were terrible for him. She knew now that they had been in family therapy-yes, he had told her the entire story when he revealed his drug abuse to her-and had been surprised at her acceptance. She couldn't relate at all, but she was so compassionate, he cared for her even more deeply then.

His phone jangled just as he kicked the ball into the goal. He saw that it was Kim and he answered breathlessly.

"Kim, good news. I told my family, or at least Theresa and my mom all about you and they would like to meet you. Is this enough time for you if we plan it tonight? I want to do this while I have the nerve."