Double Life

Chapter 10

"Mom! Could you pick the kids up from school for me?"

Jill's mother heard panic in her voice.

"What's happened?" Her mother wailed.

"It's Tom's mom ...she is in the hospital and we are on our way there right now. We don't know what is wrong with her as yet."

"Oh dear. Well please call me as soon as you know something. Don't worry about the kids I will look after them."

Jill spoke to Tom, "We should get some flowers for her on the way."

"Isn't there a gift shop at that hospital? We can get some when we arrive there."

Jill was becoming exasperated, "Yes but in the interest of time we should get them at the corner store. But please no carnations."

"But mother loves carnations." Tom spouted.

Jill looked at him with piercing eyes.

"Why that look?" Tom asked.

"Just don't buy carnations!" Jill said emphatically. "How many times have you given her carnations?"

"All the time." Tom replied innocently.

"And what was her response?"

"It's the thought that counts."

Jill answered, "Not that she doesn't appreciate it but she would rather have something else."

"But she never said anything negative about it before."

"Well that is what mothers do best not wanting to hurt the feelings of their sons. Please hurry and get her some roses. White if they have them. It's her favourite."

"How do you know that?" Tom was shocked.

"Have you ever spent any time looking at her garden? You should and you would learn a lot more about your mother." Jill spoke softly.

"Thanks for sharing that tip with me." Tom said sincerely.

Tom entered the store and selected the most beautiful bouquet of white roses for his mother.

"I should get something for us to drink."

He made his way to the back of the store to get some drinks for him and Jill. "This is a convenience store." He mumbled. "So why are the drinks so conveniently put at the back of the store." He was feeling hurried and frustrated.

As he stood in front of the coolers,"What should I get for Jill?" he wondered.

Suddenly he heard a voice from behind,"Dad is that you?"

Tom looked to his right and then his left and he was the only father figure standing there. Out of curiosity he turned around.

"Dad is that you?" The boy repeated.

Tom saw a young boy standing behind him with the exact face of his son and the voice of a stranger.

Tom had no idea how to respond....the boy looked like his son but he didn't sound like son.

"Junior what's the matter with your voice and what are you doing here? You should be at school."

Tom was confused and the boy was confused as well.

"Why are you asking me about my voice? It's the same voice I had this morning."

"You sound so different."

"Where is your sister?"

"I don't have a sister."

"What do you mean you don't have a sister?" Tom now spoke to himself, "Am I in the Twilight Zone?"

"What's the Twilight Zone?"

Things were quickly getting out of control.

"What's taking him so long?" Jill was asking herself. "How long does it take to pick a bouquet of flowers? Maybe there weren't any roses and he's going to buy carnations."

She stormed out of the car and slammed the door hard and stomped to the front door of the store and ripped it open hearing the door chime.

"Oh I hate those door chimes." She said in anger. She began franticly looking for Tom as she didn't see him at first glance. Making her way to the back of the store she spotted him. She could see his head above the shelves and thought he looked so bizarre just staring at something almost comatose. As she turned the corner she got the shock of her life because she almost slammed into her son's double and she froze. She looked at Tom and he numbly looked at her then they both looked at the boy and back at each other again. Then she asked the question she was longing to ask for days now, "So..." pointing at the boy and looking at Tom,"....how do you explain this?"

Tom said, "Unless there is a parallel universe I don't have an answer."

The boy looked at Jill and wiggled his fingers and said, "Hi, again."

Jill said, "Hey."

Tom exploded, "You know each other?How do you know each other?"

Jill said sarcastically, "We've met."

Tom was in shock and confused, "What's going on here?!"

Jill said, "I have no idea! All I know is we HAVE TO get to the hospital right now!"

Tom shakes his head rapidly in an attempt to clear it. "You are right, let's go." He grabbed her hand and they moved quickly to the cashier to pay for the flowers and they were out the door in a flash leaving the boy standing in their wake.

Scratching his head the boy asked out loud, "I wonder if Mom knows Dad's having an affair?"