Page 24 of Until Forever

“I want a snack. Do you have a dollar?” the kid pries while playing with his action figure.

“What do you need a dollar for?” Nurse Crystal types away then sits back to observe him, her arms slumping over the armrests.

“To get chips from the vending machine. Yeh,” he sounds out while making his toy do what I assume is some fighting motion.

“No. Your mom said no snacks tonight. You’ll ruin your dinner.”

He sucks his teeth, and she smirks before returning to her work. The kid continues to play, his lips poked out. My smile drops when I finally see his face. I nearly lose my grip on the water but manage to pull it together.

My breath lodges in my throat as I take in the boy that is a carbon copy of myself. Eyes the same sky blue as my own, and a nose with the same structure is all I see. Because of the melanin in his skin, he’s naturally tanned, but I can see myself in him. He’s still playing while I inch closer, sitting the pitcher on the counter.

Crystal doesn’t notice me, and it takes a moment for the miniature version of me to look up. When he does, he stares at me, a blank expression on his mug. He smiles first, but soon that becomes a confused frown.

“Uh.” He gives me the side-eye. “Hi.” The kid drops his gaze and continues playing, though he sneaks glances at me.

“Hi.”

He peers at me through squinted eyes and turns a little to block my view. I can’t even think about how creepy I must appear to him.

What the fuck?I think after getting a better look at him. I was right. He could be my twin. My mind races, all sorts of thoughts flooding me all at once.

“Why does he look like me?” I mutter.

“Huh?” he asks, even though I said it in a whisper.

“Let me guess, you’re the doctor on duty tonight?” I joke to lighten the confusion running through me.

“No, silly. I’m just a kid. My mommy works here.”

I glance around and rest my forearm on the cold surface. “Oh yeah?”

“Yup. My Maw Maw always drops me off here when my mom is going to be off.”

I nod, even though he doesn’t see it. My skin grows hot with a mixture of emotions. It can’t be. I’d know if I had a kid out there. We were safe; always, there’s no way this is what I’m thinking. It’s purely coincidental. It has to be. She’d have told me? Right?

“Who’s your mom?” I ask, though the deepest part of me already knows the answer.

He knocks something over, gathering Nurse Crystal’s attention.

“What are you doing, JJ?” she singsongs.

“It was an accident. Batman was trying to save Gotham City.”

“Oh really,” she says with a laugh.

“Yes. Joker needs to go down, but Harley Quinn got away.”

“You better go catch her then,” Nurse Crystal plays along.

JJ smiles and returns to his action figures. “She’s gone.”

“Hey, JJ?”

He glances up at me while making Batman do a kick to Joker’s gut.

“Ooo,” I coo, and he grins wider. “How old are you?”

He stares at me, and sweat forms along my brow as I wait for his answer. JJ shoots his head in Nurse Crystal’s direction, and when she doesn’t seem to notice, he turns back to me.

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