They sat face to face in ‘Addiction’, their favourite coffee shop. Usually, the place oozed with contagious excitement. It felt different today. Both of them did not feel like grabbing their comforting cup of cappuccino.
“I will talk to him Emily! You can’t procrastinate this anymore!” Meg spoke, opening her arms wide like the wings of an eagle.
Emily sat silently drawing invisible circles on the table. “He will never know that I am impersonating you,” she spoke with infinite reassurance. Laughing at the stone faced expression of her twin, “Remember, identical twins do not need mirrors Emily. Except our parents, only a handful of people are able to distinguish between us. It will take others years to match our faces to our names!”
An identical twin sister is more than just a sister. She is almost a part of your body. Toffee brown twisted curls, flawlessly white skin, almost the colour of plain yogurt, sea green eyes and dimpled smiles; that’s all they had in common, really! The world begged to differ though. The fact that they were identical twins did not mean that they could read each other’s minds. Surely, there were many people who thought they did not need mirrors in their home.
Meg’s argument seemed extremely logical. Jeff would probably get fooled. She had been trying to make him see their relationship with a fresh pair of eyes, but he was having a hard time seeing it. Emily had always been the one with the ice cream heart, melting at the first rays of emotion. Jeff was her closest friend. It hurt her to see him hurt. But she had to tell him firmly that this wasn’t working out!
Meg on the other hand mastered the art of talking to people in an iron tone. Nobody messed with her. That’s exactly why she was the perfect person to bell the cat.
“Text him and ask him to meet you now, right here,” said Meg, tapping the table with finality. Nodding meekly, Emily obeyed. “Wait! Too crowded in here,” said Meg, holding her hand out like a traffic policeman. Scanning the packed tables and loud chatter of people clustered like bunches of grapes, “the top floor of this cafe would be perfect! It has a quiet, pretty, lounge” she smiled confidently.
“Take care,” said Emily her eyes buried on the screen of her phone, her fingers moving like rabbits as she texted him. She stood up to leave. “I am good at this sis!” assured Meg, hugging her loosely. Meg moved to the elevator. A smooth buttery grin appeared on her face. Settling down on the emerald green cushion of the cane chair, she typed her heart out on her phone.
When I hold your hand
time flies like wind in the sand
with you I feel life is grand
forever looking into your eyes, I could stand
If only I had a magic wand
till eternity we would stay, hand in hand.
She had recently discovered that she was falling in love with Jeff. She bumped into him so often because her twin and he spent a lot of time together. Their brief exchange of words when he came home to meet Emily turned into long, interesting conversations. She instantly felt a magnetic attraction towards him. But when she learnt that he had proposed to Emily, she kept her emotions locked inside. She was heartbroken but made sure she never let it show. She loved her twin sister more than anything else in the world. Unexpectedly, life had given her a second chance.
Shiny gold hair, defined cheekbones, sea-rover blue eyes with a deep throated voice, he could sweep any woman off her feet. Musky perfume floated in the air. He was here. Meg turned around to see him walking towards her. She raised her hand excitedly to wave, feeling stupid about it immediately. Emily had texted him the exact spot for the meeting.
A soft smile danced on his lips as they exchanged a quick hug. “I thought we were meeting tomorrow sweetie,” he said coming to the point quicker than she had expected. Her heart pounded as she wondered if he had recognized her already. Meg had played this game before. And she had always won. “I want to say something really important. It can’t wait till tomorrow Jeff,” she said the words rushing out of her mouth like a car speeding on a race track. Covering her palm with his, he knitted his eyebrows together. Nodding his head, he urged her to continue. “I know I have been talking about ending our relationship” she said in an earnest voice, holding his artistic fingers in her manicured hands. “I was wrong. No one can keep you happier than me. I am in love with you!” she sighed with relief as she finished.
Her eyes gleamed as she spoke. Her cheeks flushed candy pink. After an uncomfortable silence, Jeff cleared his throat. Their eyes met. Meg was disturbed to see a dead pan expression on his face.
Releasing his hand from her gentle grip, he stood up. “Nice try Meg! I was always in love” he said, his eyes piercing through her heart. “With Emily” he finished and turned his back to leave. Muffled sobs followed him. We look the same and yet we are so different, thought Meg as watched him walk away briskly.
–END–
