"Whether you want to go back or you want to stay here is entirely up to you. You can think about it while waiting for the contract to be completed." She stood up and went to the kitchen. "Water?"
I turned around to see her holding a pitcher of water. She seemed to be more at home in 'my' house than I was and I found that amusing. "I'm good. Thanks."
I looked around while she was busy fixing something in the kitchen.
The house was only a 1-story house but it was spacious enough to house an entire family. The living room had a semicircular leather sofa set that could probably accommodate at least eight people, 70-inch smart television with a complete surround sound system, and a minifridge to the far right.
The kitchen and the dining room were separated from the living room by the counter of the minibar that had different kinds of liquors.
"Does Arthur like drinking?" It felt weird to ask her about the other me. But if I have to stay here for some time, I have to know as much as I could about him to avoid suspicion.
She offered me a drink in a wine glass from the other side of the minibar. I took it from her out of courtesy and she smiled. "Don't worry, I know that you don't drink. That's just water with lemon."
"Thanks." I muttered, feeling touched.
She poured the same drink on her glass. "Arthur liked drinking and he had a really high tolerance. But a year before his accident, he suddenly abstained from alcohol and contented himself with just collecting them."
I took a sip of the lemon water then chuckled when I remembered what the elders used to say to each other when I was a kid. "I guess it's true after all. People who suddenly change would suddenly die as well. What's the reason for that change of heart?"
She traced her slender and fair finger on the brim of her glass. "Zeanne. She asked him to cut down on drinking after he got crazy drunk at their engagement party."
My lips parted in astonishment. "And he actually stopped drinking for her?"
"He actually stopped drinking for her." She was smiling while staring blankly at the glass.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Why do you sound so proud that he followed her?"
"Of course, I'm proud of him." She took a sip from the glass and her face contorted with a soft cough. "Blegh! Ugh, that's awful. It's one of the few good things that he did when he was alive."
"Was he that bad?" I frowned down at the glass in my hand. "Do I also have to act like a jerk around Zeanne here?"
"Just be yourself." She picked up a slice of lemon and sucked on it while making a sour face. "You were in an accident. You had amnesia. And it was a life and death event. No one would really question you if you were to suddenly change."
"Are you sure about that?" I asked and also picked up a lemon out of curiosity. Then I also squeezed the juice in my mouth which instantly made my entire body shiver. "Ugh! Why are you eating this?"
"It's a lot better than that one with water." She picked up another slice after sucking the last one dry. "And yes, I'm sure about it. We've had a few people who crossed over from other dimensions before. And memory loss has always worked as an excuse."
"There were other people?"
She was about to answer when the landline started ringing from the living room. "Answer it."
I pointed at myself. "Me?"
"Who else do you expect to answer that? Me?" She nodded her head to signal me to go and answer the phone.
I reluctantly dragged myself to answer the phone then before picking it up, I turned back to her one last time for rescue. "What if it's that mother? Or that sister?"
She shook her head. "Don't worry. They're not the type to call you out of the blue. It's most probably your father checking up on you."
"Father? My Dad?" I asked in surprise and I felt a little excited to be able to talk to someone that I might be familiar with. I stopped hesitating and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Arthur?" It was indeed my father's voice.
"Hey, Dad! How are you? I just got out from the hospital today." I greeted him with excitement and Xes looked at me in bewilderment so I silently mouthed at her. "What?"
She hit her face with her palm and shook her head.
'What's wrong with her?'
"I'm glad that you sound okay." There was something weird with the way my Dad was talking but I quickly brushed it off.
"I'm great. I just have to go back every now and then for check-up."
There was a long pause on the line then he cleared his throat before speaking. "Your mother told me that you were suffering from memory loss?"
My jaw dropped in horror and I could not answer my father without stuttering. "Y-yeah. I could only remember a few people and a few things. The doctor said that this could be temporary."
That was when it made sense. I looked back at Xes and she now had a wry smile on her face with her arms crossed over her chest.
I messed up. Big time.
I was supposed to have amnesia.
"That's good to hear. When do you think you will be able to start working again?"
"W-work?" I turned on Xes again and she made an X with her fingers. "I… I'll check with my doctor next week if I'm fit enough to start reporting in the hospital again."
Xes shook her head really fast which made her long hair flow side to side.
"Hospital?" My father asked with a tinge of surprise in his voice. "You want to work in the hospital?"
I frowned. Did I make another mistake? Was Arthur not working in the hospital?