Who am I? by Sara Hansen (people reading books TXT) 📖

and had twin boys age 9. He was a computer specialist and she was a stay at home mom who did the entire PTA mom stuff. Her husband had just come home and found the boys outside playing and that is when she had come out. “Well I am not sure what is real anymore and every time I close my eyes I end up switching so what should I do?” she spoke so utterly confused searching for any answer he could give. “I don’t know my love we need to try not to worry the boys so I will take time off to help you get through this. I know I have saved some vacation time and if need be I have sick time, we will get through this we get through everything.” He said with determination almost trying to convince himself as much as her. “I should let you get some rest it is late and we have a lot to do tomorrow to make this look like everything is ok.” She said hoping not to sound like she wanted to get away just tired. “I agree you need rest as well, are you going to be ok? Do you want me to make sure you don’t vanish or something?” he asked almost lost as to what he might witness. “I never thought of that but if you want you can stay in the room to make sure I am ok.” She answered knowing he needed to feel helpful. “I will sleep in the arm chair in the corner so if something strange happens there is someone to remember it if you don’t.” he stated finally satisfied he could help.

After he gathered up the blanket and pillow he was using they both headed to the room she woke up in. She returned to her spot in bed and he lay out on the chair like he said. “Where did that blanket come from?” she asked before they both dosed off. “This one was made by your mother and the one you have on top is the one you made.” He said in a kind voice and rolled to one side. “Thank you.” She said as she rolled over as well. She stared at the wall for a while not sure she wanted to try to sleep. “Will I wake up in my office again? Has Sandra noticed I am gone? Do I have two bodies and one mind? How does this work?” she had so many questions and no answers. Sleep took over and there was nothing, silence, darkness, sleep.

When the sun came through the window, it woke her from this deep sleep. She looked around to find she was still in the home she fell asleep in. Her husband must have awoken earlier; he had already folded his blanket and left the room. She sat up trying to decide if it was better to stay here or chance a visit with the twins. Her husband decided for her reentering the room with a tray of food. “Here is something to eat and drink for breakfast, I told the boys you were sick so when their home they will not bother you.” He said as if he read her mind. “They are heading out for the bus I told them they could peek in to say goodbye, I hope that is ok.” He said setting the tray on the bed next to her. “Yes that is fine I would love to say goodbye.” She replied looking over the tray he set down with hungry eyes. He walked to the door and simply said “Alright boys time to go come say bye to your mother now.” And they both ran down the hall toward her room. “Good bye mother, feel better soon.” They both said at the same time as they waved and ran back to the front door slamming it on their way out. “They are so much alike it is strange but familiar.” She said not wanting to be weird. “They are a handful; sometimes I don’t see how you do it every day.” He replied as he started to leave the room. “Thank you for the food and letting me see them, will you be home all day today?” she spoke between bites of toast. “Yes unless we need something I must go out for.” He replied and smiled at her. He left her to eat and went to clean the kitchen, or at least that is what it sounded like. She ate her food and drank her juice thinking “Could I really be this lucky to have two children and a husband as kind as Jim?” After eating she went through her room looking for some clothes to change into. “I thought you might like to look through all our old things to see if you remember anything so I pulled all the memory boxes from the shed.” Jim popped his head in a few minutes later motioning to join him when she was ready. “Oh Jim thank you, that is just what I need to help me.” She looked at him and smiled as she walked over to the door holding the clothes she picked out. “Where is the bathroom again?” she looked confused again. “Just down there, be careful the hot handle is a little tricky.” He motioned like he was wiggling the handle. She smiled again and walked to the door for the restroom. “Strange why I would have woke up in the room when I said I was coming here?” she pondered as she freshened up. True the rooms are not that far apart but still made her wonder.

After a day of going through all the photos and everything she ever kept of their lives she still felt no closer to her answers. They ate dinner without her to keep up the allusion of her being ill. She ate in her room still thinking of what she should do next. That night they slept the same and Jim stayed awake staring at Alex, wondering why this was happening. The next morning she woke up feeling stiff and sore like she had slept wrong. Then she realized “I’m at the desk again crap.”

Which me is the real me?

Realizing she was never going to stop jumping from one reality to the other without figuring out which one was the real reality, she sighed with frustration. It was still daylight out and she could still hear noise coming from downstairs so she had not been gone for long. 

"Sandra?" Alex called out as she headed out of the room towards the stairs. 

"Yes dear?" "I'm in the kitchen but I can come up if you need me to." She replied while still moving things around in the kitchen.  

Alex came through the swinging kitchen door with a frustrated look on her face. “It just happened again, how long have I been upstairs?" She asked Sandra.  "Only 20 minutes or so, lunch is just about done."

They sat on the patio, overlooking a grand yard full of flowers, trees, little stone pathways, and a pond with a fountain at its center. It definitely matched the big house in grandeur and old worldliness. Sandra had made finger sandwiches and a veggie plate with iced tea to drink. They both nibbled and watched the birds chase the squirrels around the garden. It was nice to sit in silence for a moment and relax, however Alex could not shake the feeling something else was happening to her that neither reality was showing her.

“Sandra? Do you think I could have been hurt and my real body is laying in a hospital bed in a coma?” Alex was not sure how Sandra would respond but how would she figure it out if she did not try everything that came to mind?

“I suppose it could be possible but then what am I and this place we are in? She asked back as if the thought had crossed her mind as well but sounded too wild to believe. “I just wish I could be sure where the real me should be.” Alex sighed with frustration again. They both started to gather the dishes and head to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. “Who could that be?” Sandra asked out loud as they set the dirty things on the counter to be sorted. “I will get it this time” Alex said as she walked to the hall leading to the front entrance.

The door opened with a slight creak like old thing do, and on the other side was Jim the man she first encountered when her amnesia started. “Hello” he said with a smile. “Good afternoon to you” she replied as she stepped aside to let him in the door. “What brings you by today?” she asked as he pulled his coat off and hung it by the door. “Well to tell the truth I have been worried about you ever since I left you at the hospital. I had to drop by to check how you are today and ask for a new business meeting if you are up to it.” She was not sure she should tell him about the jump to another life and not knowing which was real. Would he think her crazy and try to have her locked up? “I am still not sure what I remember and things just seem so off I cannot put my finger on what it is.” She finally blurted after what seemed like to long of a silence. The sounds of Sandra in the kitchen cleaning up made Jim smile as he walked towards the sound. “Is that you Sandra? I was hoping you where home and we could discuss last night.” He said as he entered the room and Sandra greeted him with a smile.

Jim walked over to Sandra planting a kiss on her cheek as she hugged him like well-known friends. Sandra seeing the confusion in Alex’s eyes explained, “Jim was a long time acquaintance of your father which is why you were both meeting last night. We have spent many long weekends with your father going over business details and such.” “How have you been Sandra?” Jim asked genuinely interested. “Well busy as one woman can be I suppose.” She answered with a sigh and a smile. “Well I was going to reschedule our meeting but is seems you are still not feeling quite yourself. We can put it off for now it is not a pressing matter.” Jim spoke to Alex now with concern. “Thank you, it has been a strange couple of days and I am not sure of anything right now.” Alex smiled awkwardly. The conversation kept on for a few hours with Jim and Sandra regaling Alex with stories of her father from the last ten years. Sandra went on explaining that until her father had passed she was overseas working as a consultant for a corporation. Although her father said they spoke often Alex was too busy to visit and they just spent those years apart, Sandra explained. Jim went on talking of dinner parties her father would throw or attend that they would have fun playing pranks on the other guests. Once