Awaken

The life she knew was not her own. It was like the kiss that broke Sleeping Beauty’s curse, except Caitlyn wasn’t awakening in awe. She was living a nightmare. Her emotions ran the gamut since she found out. She was raw and had moved into a state of seething pain and rage.

For hours, she stared at Vincent sleeping. She wondered how he could sleep so easily. Caitlyn teetered along the edge of the bed. She glimpsed at their wedding photo and a tear escaped the corner of her eye. She furiously erased the remnant away. There would be no tears, not for him.

The alarm clock blared jump starting a new day. It was time to put things in motion. Caitlyn closed her eyes, swallowed her emotions and took a deep breath as her husband stirred. A smile plastered to her lips as she turned to meet his gaze.

“Good morning, beautiful” Vincent yawned, “How’s my angel?”

“I told you; I’m no angel, but I’m alright.”

Vincent grinned as he went to reach for Caitlyn. Just like a wisp of air, she was out of bed and out of his reach. She jokingly wagged a finger at him. “Oh, no you don’t. You got a long day ahead of you, doctor,” she teased.

“But even a doctor requires a little more loving,” he flashed another devilish smile patting the bed for her return.

His smile made her recoil and a chorus of “bastard” echoed in her head.

“Later. Right now, it’s shower time for you while I go make breakfast.”

Just as she turned, Vincent lassoed her into an embrace. He inhaled her scent and sighed.

“You’re the best. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” Vincent kissed her forehead.

The mere gesture attempted to crack her veneer, but Caitlyn didn’t waiver.

“You saved my life; I’m the lucky one.” She retorted and coaxed him towards the shower. Vincent pouted as he disappeared into the bathroom. Caitlyn ventured downstairs.

Caitlyn watched Vincent as she sipped her coffee. Her train of thoughts over shadowed everything he was saying. She snapped out of it as Vincent gave the usual goodbye. Again, she mustered a smile.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he kissed her on the cheek.

Vincent grabbed his keys and waved good bye. One thing was for sure. He would never forget this day.

Three years ago…

Everything was a blur coming slowly into focus. The ventilator hissed in the background. Caitlyn’s eyes grew frantic as she stared down at the various tubes branched from her arm. Her head rang out in pain as she swiftly sat up. It was then she noticed the bandage gauze adorn around her head.

“Sweet Jesus! I’m glad you’re awake,” a voice from the door exclaimed. “You shouldn’t be moving so fast.” The nurse gingerly fluffed her pillow and eased Caitlyn back down.

“Why am I here? And where exactly am I?” Caitlyn asked.

“Ms. Jones. you don’t remember the accident?” Caitlyn shook her head. The nurse’s face furrowed with sadness.

“They found you unconscious near a truck stop about 20 miles away. If you had stayed out there, you would have died. Thank God for Dr. Myers. He found you and rushed you to the hospital. You’ve been under his care ever since. It’s just a miracle to see you finally open your eyes.”

“How long have I been out?”

“It’s been a year, Ms. Jones.” Caitlyn’s heart sank at the notion of being in a coma for so long. “Now that you’re awake, we can contact your family,” the nurse continued.

“I can’t.”

“Well why not, darling? I’m sure they’ll be so relieved to know—”

“I don’t remember if I have family,” Caitlyn’s voice cracked.

The rest of the day, Caitlyn tried to remember, but everything was hazy. It frustrated her to the point of tears. A knock at the door interrupted her trance.

“Come in,” she beckoned.

A man in a white coat entered. His frame was tall and brooding, but his smile gave an air of welcome and comfort. “Good afternoon, Ms. Jones. I’m Dr. Myers. It’s good to see you finally awake.” He pulled a chair close to Caitlyn’s bedside for further examination.

“Aside from the head trauma and bruising, it’s a miracle that you survived. The nurse informed me that you are suffering memory lost. I can’t say I’m not surprised considering the damage incurred, but it’s not impossible for you to regain back those memories in time.”

Caitlyn touched the bandage and winced. “I wished I knew what happened to me. I guess I owe you thanks,” Caitlyn gave a small smile. “I’d probably be dead.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” he returned the smile. “I’d like to keep you for further observation. If things progress smoothly, you could be discharged in about a week or two.”

Dr. Myers gave Caitlyn a reassuring pat on her hand. Over time, Caitlyn began to slowly recover thanks to Vincent’s care. In that time, she bonded with him. He spent time with her after work. Though she had hoped to remember, nothing resurfaced. Vincent became a friend and the shoulder to rely and cry on. She had no one and by the time Caitlyn was discharged, she felt isolated with no where to go. Knowing this, Vincent offered his home to Caitlyn until she was on her feet again. After almost two years, they fell in love. Vincent and Caitlyn married, and he vowed to always make her happy and she would always be home…

It was almost noon. Caitlyn packed her belongings. She went through the house double checking nothing was forgotten. Once everything was packed, she took them downstairs. Caitlyn glanced down at her wedding ring and frowned. The band served as reminder of severed emotions as she took it off. Stay focused, she chided.

Caitlyn proceeded to the bedroom closet. She pushed aside the clothes and kneeled to unearth the hidden box and duffle bag. She brought both to the bed. Unzipping the duffle bag, she emptied the stashed $20,000. She packed the money at the bottom of her last bag and covered it with the rest of her clothes. The black box loomed on the bed like Pandora’s box. A shiver gripped Caitlyn as she ran her fingers along the box’s crease. She opened it and stared at the contents that were damning evidence of the lie that was her life. She removed the burner phone, a black journal, a news clipping and lastly, an ornate locket, which she secured around her neck.

Caitlyn squeezed the heart of the locket like a totem seeking strength and guidance. She repacked the contents along with some additional items into a gift box. Just a few more hours until she would be free.

Three months ago…

Caitlyn met Lydia DeMoore for lunch. Being married to Vincent became a waning pleasure and even though he seemed tethered to her, she still felt alone. She had few joys and meeting Lydia was a rare treat. Lydia was a sage with no filter on life and had lived the way she wanted without regrets. It was never a dull moment in her company. It was over lunch that Lydia couldn’t stop staring at Caitlyn. Caitlyn blushed as she shook her head.

“I know your mama taught you not to stare, but I’m sure that even young Lydia had a quip for that,” Caitlyn mused.

Lydia smiled and laughed. “Right you are, darling,” she drawled, “It’s all about context. Some people stare out of awe of something so damn beautiful while some might stare out of dismay,” Lydia playfully fanned herself while clutching her imaginary pearls.

“So, I take it you’re staring at me because I’m breathtaking hmm?” Caitlyn played along batting her lashes and giving a model’s pouty lip pose.

“Oh, there’s no denying that,” Lydia chuckled. “This stare is more scrutiny.”

“How so?”

“From the moment I met you, there’s something about you.”

“Everyone supposedly has a doppelganger. I doubt that I’m a twin though.”

“I know, but it’s still uncanny because I met a woman that’s a dead ringer,” Lydia sighed. “It’s a shame what Monica endured.”

A tingle danced along her arm at the sound of the name.

“Why? What happened to her?”

“I knew Monica’s mother for a while. When she passed, it was just Monica and her sister, Elena. They stuck together even more. Then about… I want to say three years ago, Monica lost her sister, too.” Lydia sucked her teeth in shame. “Apparently, Elena was driving home, lost control and careened into the bay. They found the car but strangely, no body.”

Caitlyn sat gaping with a growing gnawing sensation as Lydia continued. “Anyway, Monica became heiress and a mom to her sister’s children. It’s been quite the struggle, but she makes it look effortless.”

Lydia went to retrieve one of her many books to share. “After her sister’s death, she seemed to disconnect. I still keep an eye on her and keep a scrapbook of memories.” Lydia placed the book in front of Caitlyn. “You should have a look while I clear the table. The resemblance is really extraordinary.”

As she flipped through the pages, Caitlyn became paralyzed at the sight. It was a picture of identical women that looked exactly like her. Lydia was right. She turned the page and what she thought was a surreal impossibility became a startling possibility as she stared at a picture of the twin sisters embracing. One sister had a distinctive birthmark on her right hand. Caitlyn looked down at her own hand and back at the mirror image. Her heart pulsed in a fast tempo. Her mouth felt dry, but she had to ask.

“You’re right, Lydia. This is something else. I see one of the girls has a birthmark on her hand. Did they both share the same mark?”

“You must be talking about Elena. It used to drive Monica nuts because she didn’t have the mark…”

Lydia’s voice drifted. This couldn’t be happening. Caitlyn feverishly skimmed through the pages. Everything went dark as her gaze fell upon a news clipping and picture. It was an obituary for Elena C. Roberts’ death and a picture of the surviving family: Monica Roberts, two sons of the deceased and a man consoling Monica, which was undoubtedly Vincent.

Caitlyn was flooded with anger and confusion. Lydia returned and with a tight smile, Caitlyn excused herself to leave for a forgotten appointment.

“Aww…darling, I hate to see you go, but I understand,” Lydia kissed Caitlyn on the cheeks.

“Lydia, would you mind if I took this with me? I didn’t --”

A spark glinted in Lydia’s eye and she smiled as she interjected. “Sure thing, darling. Return it whenever.”

So many questions raced through Caitlyn’s mind. With eerie certainty, Caitlyn knew all answers were at home. By the time Vincent returned home, Caitlyn had only scratched the surface. She opted not tell Vincent what she knew. She was going to bid her time and the truth would unfold. The truth was way more than she bargained. The more she learned, the more repulsed she became and the harder to maintain the façade...

Vincent cradled the numbing concoction as he was faced with the gravity of his sins. His day went sideways ending with his dismissal from the hospital until further investigations into new allegations and now this box. The objects plagued him. At the bottom of the box, Caitlyn’s ring laid atop a copy of his marriage license to Monica Roberts pinned to a divorce creed. The pounding at the door and her final note resounded his scheme had unraveled. He gulped the last of his freedom and crumpled the note.

Caitlyn watched from afar as Vincent was led away in cuffs. His smirk reeked of arrogance and privilege. She’d make sure they pay and stripped of everything just like her. One down, one to go…