Endings. Barbara Bergin

maker.

      “Well, thanks, but I do hate to put you to this trouble. No one else will drink this coffee, I’m sure.”

      “Do not even worry. It is no problem, I assure you.” The decaffeinated coffee was already brewing. Soon the smell wafted over to her. She loved the smell of coffee even more than the taste. She was looking forward to the brew. They had little half-and-halfs sitting out. They would be room temperature instead of cold, which is the best because it doesn’t cool off the coffee. She fixed it the usual way. Raghu gave no indication that her manner of fixing the coffee was at all out of the ordinary. She thanked him profusely for his trouble and he again reassured her that it was no trouble at all.

      “Wake up call for six again, Doctor.”

      “Yes, please Raghu. Goodnight.” She went up to her room. It was later than she thought and she was very tired. Looking forward to a good night sleep. She took a warm bath and got into bed.

      She had not forgotten about them during the day, and they were there with her thoughts now. Some vision, some day in that past life. Tonight it was a birthday. Birthdays were special for twins simply because there were two of them. Things were always special because there were two of them. They looked so much alike, acted so differently, but were connected beyond the usual sibling bonds. Their cake was half pink and half blue. They stood on their respective sides and each blew out four candles. Vic was laughing and sort of spat on his side of the cake while blowing. They cut pieces from the pink side.

      Sometime in the middle of the party Leslie went to sleep and appeared to dream. Her eyes darted back and forth under closed lids. She occasionally gritted her teeth and the corners of her mouth wiggled into a half smile. She was in the middle of REM sleep when her cell phone rang.

      The phone was across the room. She really hadn’t expected any callers so had forgotten to put it at her bedside. She flew out of bed, cleared her throat so she could sound awake and poked at the CALL button.

      “Hey, Doc, Hal Hawley here. You awake?” She looked across the room at the clock and could see it was almost two in the morning. It would be admitting sleeplessness to say yes.