by Karen Klyne
Her thin lips widened into a sinister smile. “I’ll keep to my end of the bargain, as long as I never see your impish face again.”
Faz shrugged. “I know you love me, really.” At that, Faz pulled Alex to one side whilst Winnie Mist led Gemma back to the cottage.
“Okay, make the call.”
Alex pressed Reece’s number in her contact list. God, what if she was in the middle of pulling someone’s tooth out? No, she remembered Reece saying she’d be home just after four.
Reece answered. “You just caught me, I was about to shut up shop and come home. What’s up?”
“I want you to come and meet me, Reece. I––”
“Christ. Is something wrong? Are you all right?”
“Yes. I’m fine, I promise you. And the kids are fine, your mum and dad are picking them up from school. Listen, Reece, I’m going to send directions to your phone, and I’ll meet you there. It’s important, okay? I’ll explain when you get here.”
“Okay.” Her voice sounded panicky.
Alex sent the directions. Waiting for Reece would be the longest fifteen minutes of her life.
***
Reece put her foot down hard on the accelerator. Gemma may have said there was nothing wrong, but she sensed there was. She took the corner into the road at the side of the golf club too quickly and had to slow down. She breathed in deeply several times as she tried to calm her rapid heartbeat. She took a left and could see Gemma and Faz in the distance. She pulled up, turned the engine off, and jumped out. “What’s happened?” She looked around. “What are we doing here?”
Gemma touched Reece’s arm. “I have to prove to you that I’m who I said I was. My name is Alex Gambol.”
Reece stepped back and turned her palms upwards. “What the hell?” She should have known it was too good to be true. “I do have my doubts, I admit, but there’s no way you can prove it conclusively. It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.” Gemma held her hand out and Reece took it. “We need to go inside.” Gemma bit her bottom lip and stared at Reece. “This is going to be a massive shock, and I don’t think I can prepare you for it…you’ll just have to see for yourself.”
Reece couldn’t imagine for the life of her what was going on. Faz, silent and watchful, led the way and opened the door. It was dark inside, but she could see a wizened old lady sitting by the fireside. She hadn’t got the friendliest of faces, and when she smiled, her lips peeled back to reveal decaying black teeth. Reece didn’t think she’d seen a dentist in her life. Faz introduced them to each other, and the old lady just nodded. Reece refused a seat and said she’d prefer to stand.
Faz nudged Winnie Mist. “Tell her.”
Winnie Mist stared at the fire as she spoke. “I arrange for people to exchange lives and swap identities, particularly people who have a double. It makes it so much easier. And that’s what I did with Gemma and Alex.”
Faz nudged her again. “Speak up. We can’t hear you.”
Winnie Mist looked up. “Your wife, Gemma Tennant, came to me and I performed my magic. She exchanged lives with this woman here, Alex Gambol.”
Reece rolled her eyes. She knew Gemma wanted to prove her point, but she didn’t realise she’d go to these extremes. She’d even got poor Faz involved. And the old woman was such a bad actor. Mind you, the atmosphere was realistic.
Suddenly, a woman walked in from a room at the side. Yes, it was dark, but she knew straight away that it was Gemma. She gasped and staggered backwards.
Faz took her arm. “You’d better sit down.”
Reece shook her head and placed her hands on the back of a chair to steady herself. Her muscles stiffened, and for a moment she thought she was going to collapse. She looked from one Gemma to the other. She squeezed her eyes shut, opened them, and did a double take. They were still there, both of them. And yet, there were subtle differences. The way they stood, their posture, and their expressions. She recognized both from two different periods in her life. “Is this some sort of sick joke?”
The woman who’d stepped from the other room came nearer. “Reece, it’s me. I’m the real Gemma. I swapped lives with Alex.” She held up her hands in a plea. “I swear I didn’t know she hadn’t agreed to the exchange. I didn’t realize it would be so hard on you and the kids. It was supposed to be seamless.”
Reece spoke quietly. “I don’t understand. This is crazy. This is some sort of trickery.”
Gemma took a shaky breath. “It’s not. It’s real. I had to get away. I was no good to you or the children. I was lost, and I was going down a dark path there was no way off.”
Reece stared at her, trying to figure out what to say. “Why didn’t you just ask for a divorce?”
Gemma’s shoulders dropped, and she pointed to Winnie Mist. “I was a coward and couldn’t face you and the children, and if I’d gone off on my own, it still would have been me, the only thing I couldn’t escape.” She gave Reece a sad smile. “She made me an offer. I thought it was for the best, and it wouldn’t leave you without someone by your side.”
Reece looked at the woman she’d been living with for the past months. Alex. She saw the sympathy in her eyes, and it made her strong. She turned back to Gemma. “You weren’t in the slightest bit bothered that you ruined this poor woman’s life, or that you simply abandoned me and the children?” She began to cry. “You left us, and you trusted a total stranger to be in our house.”
“I’ve tried to make up for it. I’ve––”
“I don’t want to hear any more,” Reece said. “And yes, we’re far better off without you. A stranger has brought more happiness to our family than you ever did. I don’t understand the particulars, but I don’t need to. You go be happy. We’ll be fine.”
Gemma banged her fist on the door frame. “I was ill.”
“But you never told me anything about your mental health problems. You let us go on like everything was okay.” Reece closed her eyes. “You were drowning, but you never asked for a life preserver. And because of that, you were taking the kids and me down with you.”
Gemma covered her head with her hands and slumped forward.
Faz coughed. “I think we’ve heard enough.”
“Yes, I have. We’re done. I never want to see you again.” Reece pushed herself up and walked to the door. “I need some air.” She went outside.
Alex followed her and put an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Reece.”
Reece wiped away some tears and stared into Alex’s eyes. “You have nothing to be sorry about. Nobody believed you. And her…” She waved her arm at the door. “I can’t believe she’d do such a thing.”
Alex shrugged. “C’est la vie. The truth is, she made a mistake. A bad one, yeah, but she also didn’t know it would end up as badly as it did.”
Reece gave a small laugh. “I can’t believe you’re saying that after all you’ve been through.” She rubbed her temple, afraid to ask but needing to know. “Are you going back?”
Alex took her hand. “No, I thought I’d stick around if you’re up for that? You know, see what the future holds and stuff.” She smiled shyly. “Turns out, I like having a family, and Gemma is happy where she is too. It could work for all of us.” She hesitated. “If that’s okay?”
Reece couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt a sudden lightness. “Yes. Yes, that’s definitely okay.” She looked at the cottage and shivered. “I don’t want to go back in there. There’s no point.”
“No. Go and sit in the car. I’ll drive us home. Give me a minute, okay?”
Reece nodded and walked to the car. She got in the passenger seat and lay her head back on the headrest. Was this a dream? It was no dream, but it would take her a long time to come to terms with what had happened. If she felt like this, how the hell did Gemma feel? No…Alex. Gemma was someone else, someone who didn’t matter anymore.
A few minutes later, Alex got in the driver’s seat. She sighed. “I’ve left Faz to deal with it.�
��
“Who is Faz? I mean, is Faz, Faz?”
“I’ll tell you later. It’s best explained with sugar.”
They drove back to the house in a subdued silence. Reece had so many questions she didn’t know which to voice first. And she didn’t question her happiness that Alex had decided to stay. That was one thing she could simply accept.
When they got back, Alex parked up, and they slowly walked back into the house.
Reece went straight to the cabinet, pulled out the brandy bottle and two glasses. “God, I need this.”
Alex laughed. “I remember when I arrived, you did exactly the same.”
“I must be a creature of habit.” She handed a glass to Alex, and they sat down on the sofa. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Words aren’t really necessary. I know it was a massive shock. I’ve had to live with it and come to terms with it, but I had to prove it to you, so you knew it was me and not her. Can you understand that?”
“I’d have done the same. I seriously had my doubts. I even made a list of the differences. I scoured the internet for similar cases. I wanted to believe, but I couldn’t come up with a definitive explanation. It was all hypothesis.” Reece took a swig of her brandy. “There’s no way I can comprehend what happened there, but I saw what I saw. I don’t ever want to experience anything like that again.”
Alex tilted her head. “Do you think you’ll ever forgive her?”
Reece sighed and cradled the glass between her hands. “I can’t forgive her for walking out on Callum and Mattie. She should have had the guts to ask for a divorce. And to do what she did to you was unpardonable. But…well, I suppose desperate people do desperate things, and she had the guts to face me today. And I suppose she’ll always be the mother of my children, technically.” She sighed. “So, can you forgive her?”
“I doubt if I ever will, for the same reasons. But––”
“But, you like having a family.” Reece smiled.
“Yeah.” She entwined her fingers with Reece’s. “And even though the circumstances are crazy, I can’t help but feel we kind of belong together.”
Reece felt the same, though it was scary to admit that to someone she now understood was a stranger. “Tell me about Faz? About all of this?”
Alex explained as much as she could, particularly how Faz had helped her through all of it and turned up at the perfect moment. “You have to understand, Reece, I don’t fully understand all this, either. It’s surreal, and I can’t imagine all these worlds with their magic, and imps, and doorways.”
Reece took another drink. “But it happened. I saw it with my own eyes. I wish that stupid psychiatrist had been there to witness it too.”
“Phuh. He’d have still come up with some fucking stupid theory.”
Reece laughed. “Yes, profanity was on my mental list of differences.”
Alex grinned. “Sorry. I’ll try to curb it. It’s building site talk.”
“Will we tell the children and my parents? How do we explain your name change?”
Alex laughed. “I think the kids would be ecstatic to know witches and imps and magic exist, but maybe we’ll wait until they’re older. And we could tell your parents that I’ve decided to change my name to go with the new person I’m trying to be. I think they’ll accept it.”
Reece squeezed Alex’s fingers. “It doesn’t seem fair. After all you’ve been through, with everyone thinking you’d had a mental breakdown.”
“If you relate that story, they’ll think you’ve had one too.”
“God, you’re taking this so well.”
“All I wanted to do was confront her and prove to you that I wasn’t lying or insane. I wanted you to see me for me, not as someone you used to know and had problems with.”
Reece laughed. “Well you’ve certainly done that.”
“Good. In that case, can we carry on as before, but with the knowledge that I actually am a different person entirely?”
“Yes. Most of all I want to thank you for putting yourself through all of that. Will you tell me more about yourself though? I’d like to know the real you.”
Alex’s smile could have lit the room. “Of course. We’ll date, and I’ll get to know you too.” She looked down at their hands. “Do you want me to move out though? I mean, I am a stranger.”
It was the same thought Reece had, but the thought of Alex being away made her sad. “No. The kids would be confused and hurt. Like you said, we’ll date, and keep moving forward.”
Reece wanted life to continue as it had been. She had strong feelings for Alex, and surely her decision to stay in this new life was a good sign. But how did it compare to her old life? Was anything missing? She didn’t want to go down a road again where her partner became unhappy with the routine of family life. She got up to pour another drink, and she handed Alex the sugar tin.
“How about a lesson?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Faz didn’t return. She messaged Alex, saying she’d be in touch soon, and Alex thanked her for all she’d done. She still had a hard time thinking of her as an imp, but it did sort of suit her.
She’d made her decision, and there was no going back. She lay in bed contemplating. What was it about this new life that fascinated her and had made her stay? She knew. It was Reece; beautiful Reece, with her big eyes, open heart, and total devotion to her kids. And Callum and Mattie had stolen her heart as sure as the sun would rise. She’d made the right decision for herself, but now she had to hope that Reece could give her a chance, not as an obligation, but as someone new who wanted to be by her side. She was plagued by dreams of witches and imps flying around her room, but the following day, she awoke fresh and bright. Reece had wanted to take the day off, but she was working in the hospital, and there were people who relied on Reece to change their lives. She’d already changed hers.
All in all, it seemed like a good day for having a sort out, since she no longer had to keep Gemma’s stuff around. She’d already replaced much of the wardrobe, and the rest she put in a box to giveaway. She turned her attention to the sock drawer. She emptied them onto the bed and put the unopened packs of trainer socks to one side. She placed all the others in a bag, but there was a pair of thick walking socks with something stuffed inside them. She put her hand in and withdrew a bulky envelope. She opened it, and her eyes widened. There was a rolled-up wad of money. She took the elastic band off and counted out seven hundred and fifty pounds. It must have been something Gemma stashed away for emergency. What was she supposed to do with it? Hand it over to Reece? She was sure Reece would say it was hers and to keep it. It did solve one small problem. She’d been thinking about a birthday gift for Reece. She knew she could use her card, but it would be nice to buy her something that didn’t show up on the statements, something Reece didn’t technically pay for. Before, she’d had money in her bank account, and savings, and a portfolio. That was in the past, and that’s where it should stay. There was no point in being bitter, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t make some changes now. She peeled off a few hundred and put the rest aside. She’d open her own bank account with it and go from there. She’d already asked Callum and Mattie if they needed help with choosing a gift for their mum, but apparently Val and Keith had already taken care of that. She supposed they knew their daughter better than her.
She knew exactly what she wanted to buy Reece. She only needed half of the money she’d taken, so when she got home from shopping, she put the rest back in the pile. It was amazing, the simple freedom of having her own money provided. She wouldn’t take that for granted again.
The rest of the week flew by like the migrating birds as the days grew colder and shorter.
On Saturday morning, Alex, Callum, and Mattie let Reece have a lie-in. They prepared a small breakfast with some cereal, toast, and marmalade and then took it to her room on a tray.
Mattie crept in and stared at her mum. “I think she’s still asleep,” she whispered. Not content with th
at knowledge, she touched her mum’s eyelid and prized it open. “Hello. Is anybody there?”
Alex stifled a laugh and imagined she would be after having one’s eye almost poked out.
Reece opened her eyes and smiled. “What a lovely sight to wake up to.”
It looked like she was prepared for this, as if it happened every year. Alex wondered how to make things new when there was still so much past to deal with.
They all burst out into the happy birthday song. Reece sat up. She had a T-shirt on, so Alex didn’t have to avert her eyes, though she didn’t miss the way the material pulled tight over Reece’s breasts.
Callum placed the tray on her lap. “You’ve got extras this year. Mummy put a flower in a vase. Doesn’t it look nice?”
Reece looked up at Alex. “That’s a lovely thought, Alex, thank you.”
Alex’s cheeks burned. She wished Callum hadn’t made a thing of it. It was only from a bunch of mini red roses she’d bought.
Callum frowned. “You called her the wrong name.”
“We’ve decided I’m going to use a new name now. New name, new me after the hospital visit, right?” Alex smiled down at him.
He looked at her for a moment. “Okay.” He turned back to Reece and pushed the tray closer.
Alex nodded. Kids were so much easier than adults.
Mattie clapped her hands. “Hurry up and eat it, Mum, so we can get onto the cards and presents.”
Reece obliged, and the kids played with Alex on the bed until Reece was done. “Okay. What’s next?”
The three of them dashed away and came back with a pile of cards and presents. They placed them on the bed.
Reece patted the bed. “Come and sit next to me. There’s so many.”
Callum and Mattie ran around to the other side of the bed and jumped up beside Reece. Alex took the chair at the side of the bed.
Reece undid all the envelopes. There were at least fifteen cards, and that was before the postman had arrived. Alex couldn’t help but think how popular she was, and she fully understood why.