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Standing back from the door, I checked to see if I had to be buzzed up or anything, but since the door was unlocked, I went ahead and let myself inside. The walk up led to several businesses behind wooden doors, and I found Mrs. Hastings’s office easily between an attorney’s office and a massage therapist.
I poised my hand to knock only to have the door open in my face. A woman stood before me, a woman with long, dark hair and sparkling blue eyes and I nearly said something to her until a literal doppelganger came in beside her.
I swore to God I saw double, two of Lena Hastings staring at me. One wore yoga pants with stars and galaxies on them, her top nothing but a workout bra. She’d opened the door and had a coat in her hands, staring at me with wide eyes, while the other Mrs. Hastings wore something a little less casual. Her suit made her look like a working professional, her dark hair up, and widening the door, Professional Mrs. Hastings came around to see what the holdup was. Seeing me, she smiled, placing hands on her doppelganger’s shoulders.
“December, hello,” Mrs. Hastings said, the one in the suit, not the yoga gear. Her grin widened. “Why, how nice of you to visit.”
I panned between the two women, mirror images of each other. After my initial shock of finding two when I’d meant to meet one, I obviously concluded these women were twins. Uncanny. I’d seen twins before but never so ridiculously gorgeous. The women looked like they should be walking down a runway together, and I remembered holding similar thoughts when meeting Mrs. Hastings originally. She was simply stunning then, and her sister was now.
Her sister, the other Mrs. Hastings in the yoga gear, glanced between Mrs. Hastings and me. “December?” she asked, looking back at me. “December… Lindquist?”
I blanched but professional-looking Mrs. Hasting chuckled. “Yes, Daisy, and doesn’t she look so much like her sister?” The woman’s laughter again resembled wind chimes. “You’ll have to forgive my darling twin. Her memory seems to escape her that one of my favorite students had a sister. Well, this is her, Daisy. December?”
They both knew my sister? My gaze shifted between the two, but the yoga Mrs. Hastings, or I guess Daisy, didn’t. She stared right at me, full on.
“Right,” Daisy said, her smile small before completely lighting up her eyes. She nodded. “You do look so much like her.”
Silence between us all before Daisy covered her mouth. She laughed a bit before facing her twin. “Sorry. It’s just… I didn’t expect her. Why didn’t you tell me you’d be seeing her?”
“I didn’t know.” Mrs. Hastings said this with nothing more than her warm smile. “But it’s such a delight, though.”
“Yes.” Daisy’s attention shifted to me. “And sorry. We both knew your sister. I used to volunteer at the school. Help Lena out. Lena was the…”
“Prep team coordinator, yes,” Mrs. Hastings confirmed. She squeezed Daisy’s arms. “And my sister graciously helped me out. Your sister was a part of the program freshman year.”
I recalled that picture, being surprised that my tomboy sister would be a part of something so social. Mrs. Hastings had been in that picture, but no doppelganger, no Daisy.
Swallowing hard, Daisy pushed hair out of her face before hugging her sister. “I have to go I’m afraid. I shouldn’t have been here as long as I was.”
She didn’t say why she was here but that wasn’t any of my business. She probably just came to visit her sister or something.
Mrs. Hastings squeezed her in return, kissing her cheek before framing her face. “Anytime, my love.”
Daisy smiled, the expression a bit stiff. I quickly got out of her way so she could pass me, and though she did, she stopped in the hallway.
She lifted a hand. “It was so nice to see you, meet you, December.”
“And you,” I said, hugging the journal to my chest. “Any friend really I could meet of my sister’s.”
Smile tight again, Daisy gave me a wave before pushing her arms through her coat. She placed it on as she headed down the hall, and Mrs. Hastings widened the door for me.
“Well, come in,” she urged, and I did, angling around her into an office that let in so much light. She had windows literally in the formation of rays of sunshine, perfect to let just the light in and not the chill of the season. Her office was professional but homey, couches and armchairs in one section while her desk and a couple other chairs were on the opposite side of the room. She also had a dance floor, and I eyed it.
More of that wind chime laughter in my direction when she noticed my attention on it. She pushed hair behind her ear. “I do music and dance therapy too. I guess you could call me a jack-of-all-trades.”
I guess so, and when she reached for my coat, I took it off and gave it to her.
“Can I get you a drink or anything?” she asked, hanging my coat on a vintage coat hook. She grinned. “I have water. Soda?”
I passed on both, but if I changed my mind, I’d ask. I took a seat on a chaise lounge, and she joined me by sitting on the chair across from it.
She crossed her legs. “Now, to what do I owe this surprising, yet delightful visit from you? Have you decided to take me up on sessions? Therapy? I have some spots open next week…”
“Oh, no,” I started, but closed my lips.
Do better.
Immediately reverting, I waved my hand. “I mean, I’m more so here to just talk about my sister in general. Stories about her and her life here before I arrived. You know, for now?”
