Chapter Ninety-one

So shocking was the news that it shook both of them, they had no one in the world already, now mother?. So all the smiles of acclaimed understanding were all fake and a bracing for her last days on earth, Rea went into early labour out of shock, she was rushed to the hospital, it was a really tough one. Ella was at loss, one would take her for a deranged person as she continued pacing around. Rea had not the strength to push the baby as she was weak already, the odds themselves were risky so a cesarean section was proposed. Ella prayed that day, something she had not done in her days of defiance, something she abandoned. She hoped and made promises to the Almighty, hoping for the best results. It took a while and she was tensed already and over eager to when the doctor accompanied by a nurse stepped out. He bore good and bad news, the good news was that the baby had been delivered and would be incubated for sometime, but they lost her sister. She screamed and fainted. When she came to, she realized that she was alone in this vast world, she had lost everything and everyone she cared about. She walked in the see the baby, the girl looked so promising, she could not abandon her. This child needed her, so she decided to be a mother to this child. The ante-natal and everything for her sister was registered in her name, in fact, everyone thought she was the pregnant one, thus, she decided to be Rea for the time being. Her image was already ruined, she could not pull from the debris, she was already at the crossroads. 

Entering her sisters ward, she began packing up her things, that's when she saw the missed calls on her sisters phone, it was an unknown number. She redialed and from the other end came a voice already forlorn, Clarkson was back. The heavens were trying to reward her or something, for a long time she had loved him but had to pull back when she noticed her sisters desire to have him, so she had to seize the opportunity. She told him that Ella was dead from childbirth, she lied for an opportunity to be with him, how selfish. She could feel how torn apart he was when he heard that his best friend was dead, and immediately, she began feeling guilty but they say, sometimes, men are controlled by their own desires, she was ruled by hers. He was even more surprised when she told him how Ella had a baby, for he never knew his best friend was dating but he just believed. He came down and gave her his whole support, something did not sit well, but neither could place their fingers on it. He walked her through the stages of mourning and he was more than a shoulder to lean on to her, she wished it was her name he was calling, not her sisters. For months they courted, she became Rea and buried Ella, the baby was named Bella by Clarkson, to always keep his best friend alive. One thing led to another, and they decided to take it to the altar, life was beginning to seem reasonable and she silently would thank her late twin sister for offering her her life. She had a family, a great job and all the love she could wish for. She got rid of her past properties, saving only some memories in the box she asked Bella to bring. 

Everything was just too perfect that she did not notice the doubts in Clarkson's eyes. They saw, no matter how identical, the original would always remain the original. She was pregnant at the time and few months gone when he started doubting but then he dismissed them as baseless. She gave birth to his son and the family rejoiced, that's when he started keeping late nights and drinking. He could not bring himself to ask her questions, so he began seeking for an opportunity. The opportunity came some years later, Bella had taken ill and he took her to the hospital as his wife was at work. He remembered the zeal at which his Rea had chased her career, and her little fascination with photography, he compared with her new found interested in nature and photography, something was not right somewhere. He began watching for habits and no matter how good she tried to play her game, he could tell she was fake. So that day, he had his friend take blood samples from Bella and himself. He requested that a paternity test be conducted, he was going to be rid of this confusion, once and for all. 

They say, curiosity takes us to places, so I think it is better to stay yourself or someone curious enough would dig out secrets buried even in the Bermuda triangle.