Page 126 of A Shade of Myself
“Enjoy your last moments of this reality,” I said.
“What are you talking about?” Gigi bobbed her head between her sister and me like a bird.
Giselle opened her mouth like she was going to say something, then she gave a choked moan and dropped her head into her hands in an identical move to her twin.
The women’s eyes were closed, their faces contorted in pain, but at the same moment, they reached out for each other and tightly clasped hands.
Time spun out, each strike of the second hand on the wall clock beating deep in my heart.
I was helpless, unable to do anything except watch this illusion fall painfully away. No wait, there was a blanket on one of the shelves. They put blankets on people in shock, didn’t they?
Emmett grabbed it from me and wrapped it around himself. “This is harsh,” he muttered.
The real Giselle took a ragged breath, her eyes now open and glistening wetly. “Rory.” She hugged her twin, but my former client remained stiff in her embrace.
The real Aurora screwed up her face. “I took your pendant,” she said in a voice thick with self-loathing.
I decided to keep calling the real Giselle Gigi, but I’d now call her twin, my ex-client, Rory.
“No, you didn’t.” Gigi brushed a strand of hair away from her sister’s face. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Rory looked at her, puzzled. “For what?”
“Pushing you to do this.”
At this bombshell, I dropped like a stone back onto the massage table. “Say what?”
“Plot twist.” Emmett leaned forward, an avid gleam in his eyes, the blanket now fallen to the floor.
Rory gaped at her sister. “This isn’t my fault? I didn’t ruin your life?”
Gigi shook her head. “I hated dancing. You knew that. But…” She twisted her fingers until they turned white.
Rory gently pried them apart. “Mom.”
I picked up the blanket and refolded it, rapt like my cousin Goldie folding laundry during her soaps.
“Yeah,” Gigi said. “She wanted me to dance professionally and she didn’t care what toll it took. I was sure that this was the best solution. You could have my place and I could disappear.”
“I thought I’d done this.” Rory shook her head, bewildered. “And even knowing that, I didn’t want to give it up.”
“It’s okay.” Gigi smiled at her. “You always loved dancing more than anything.”
“But I shouldn’t have loved it more than you.” Rory unclasped the pendant and held the necklace out.
“You didn’t. This was exactly what I wanted.” Gigi took the necklace with a smile. “Though I do want this.”
“I remember now,” Rory said slowly. “You found the demon and came up with the plan, but I told him I wanted your life. We were in this together.”
I’d been largely forgotten, which was fine because my head was reeling. The only bad guy was the demon, not either twin, though I’d never have guessed that in a million years. Was the same thing possible regarding my parents?
I exhaled, drawing the attention of the women.
“Let her remain Giselle,” Gigi said to me. “No one has to know otherwise.”
“It’s not that easy,” I said sadly. “The illusion is broken now. Anyone who forgot you, no longer will. And they can tell you apart by your birthmark.”
“I’ll get it removed and Rory can say she did the same before joining the company. No one will care. We can do this and I can finally figure out what I want to do with my life. No one outside this room ever has to know.” She looked so excited.
