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It has been a long time since Gloria talked with Linda, her once best friend. They used to be close that they couldn't survive 8 hours without hearing each other's voice.
But for the past week, they hadn't talked on the phone talk less about seeing each other.
It was so weird how Linda pulled away. She stopped taking her calls; she avoided seeing her at all costs.
She didn't understand why Linda just suddenly pulled away.
It couldn't be because of the questions; besides, Gloria stopped asking when she saw it was making Linda uneasy.
Linda started using makeup, which she never used, and still looked pale and drained.
For more than a month Gloria pestered her to know what was wrong as she suspected Linda was sick or passing through something. But Linda didn't bulge so she stopped.
After a long day at work, Linda came back home. She noticed the red beep from her home cell.
Who could it be? It was 1:30am in the morning. She picked up the phone.
Then she played the mail.
It was Linda—“Ummm, ugh, I don't really know where to start. I don't need to tell you I love you, you silly little Billy rabbit—" Linda sounded obviously drunk.
The message continued "I’m leaving, but I won’t really be gone. I don't want to go…‘sob’"
Gloria knew Linda was drunk but something felt off. The drunkenness couldn't cover up the pain and fear in her voice. The message was chilling and it scared Gloria. She didn't care anymore she was going to go to Linda's house first thing tomorrow morning and check on her.
Gloria rushed over to Linda's house the next morning. She rang the doorbell as her heart raced. Many thoughts ran through her mind—was Linda sick, was she in danger?
The door was answered, but it wasn't Linda. Gloria’s heart skipped a bit—why is her mother here? Did something happen already?
But she thought again—no, Linda's mother didn't look anything sad; in fact, she had a huge smile across her face.
Linda's mom recognized Gloria. “Oh, Gloria. What a coincidence, we just arrived a few minutes ago," she said as she hugged Gloria and ushered her in.
‘We? it wasn't only Linda's mom that came all the way from London? What the hell is going on?’ Gloria was confused.
As the sight of the full house and the nice aroma hit her, then the realization hit her: ‘This was a celebration.’ Gloria became even more puzzled. She was speechless.
She walked to the dining table where Linda's extended family were all jollying.
“Hey," the voice from behind sounded familiar, it was Linda's, but for some reason, it sounded strange and gave Gloria the chills.
Gloria turned and was surprised, it was Linda but she looked different. She didn't have any makeup like before. But the change was significant—she was almost chubby, she had wider hips overnight, and her cheeks flushed red—Linda was almost as pale as a ghost a few days ago!
“Aren't you happy to see me?" Linda said as she hugged Gloria.
“No, I am just shocked, that's all," Gloria said with an awkward smile.
"Come on, the feast is about to start,” Linda gave Gloria a seat.
Gloria sat quietly and watched everyone as they ate, laughed, and were all jolly.
But her eyes stayed on Linda, she saw the cracks.
The little things that were different, the family couldn't notice because they had been away for a very long time, so they probably didn't know Linda anymore.
But Gloria knew Linda like the back of her palm.
Then the little mistake was made—Linda found out a few weeks after meeting Gloria that she was allergic to raspberries, and Gloria was who took her to the hospital.
But now she had taken a handful before realizing she was allergic to the berries, and she wasn't the only one; Gloria did too.
Gloria's suspicion increased. And her watchful eyes on Linda intensified.
Linda, noticing her mistake, excused herself to the kitchen, and Gloria followed her.
Linda was standing in front of the cabinet when Gloria stood at the door and asked her with courage, “Who are you?"
Linda acted puzzled. “What do you mean?"
“You know what I mean? You have changed so much; it's not just possible,” Gloria tried to hide the fear in her voice.
"Stop being crazy, people change,” Linda brushed off the question and turned around to leave the kitchen.
But as she reached Gloria's side, Gloria held her hand and tightened the grip. "That is not an explanation,”
"Let go of me,” Linda withdrew her hand with immense strength and almost flung Gloria across the kitchen floor.
Just then, it hit Gloria: ‘This was no spring surprise. This was something unnatural, something impossible.’ she could no longer hide her fear.
She stumbled backward till she reached the cabinet. She was now sure it wasn't Linda; it could be an imposter, an alien, or even a ghost, but it wasn't Linda. Linda couldn't even lift a kitchen stool without groaning.
Linda stopped and stood backing Gloria. She lowered her head as she smiled “I guess now you must surely know,"
Gloria's blood turned ice cold. Linda, or whatever was in place of Linda, turned around to look at Gloria. She still had a smile on her face but Gloria could see the sadness in the smile.
“You aren't Linda,"
The room fell silent.
The imposter calmly sat down beside Gloria. “She told me you will be the only problem,"
Gloria, trembling, asked, “Where is Linda? What have you done to her?"
The imposter answered as tears rolled down her eyes "You are late, Linda is gone already,”
Gloria's voice shook "What do you mean she is gone?”
There was another silence before the imposter revealed the truth to Gloria.
A few months ago, Linda found what was impossible. She saw someone who looked exactly like her. They were amazed to meet each other. When they considered the possibility of being twins they took a test and found out it was no magic. They were indeed identical twins.
Katie, Linda’s secret twin. Sold at birth, only recently reunited with her dying sister.
Linda, knowing her illness would soon take her, made Katie promise to take her place so their parents wouldn’t lose their ‘only’ daughter.
Katie agreed out of love, and now she is living the life Linda left behind.
Gloria couldn't believe it but it was the only reasonable explanation. That meant no one except her and Katie knew Linda was gone.
“It's not fair, they are all in the dark. They should know about Linda. They should know the truth,” Gloria said.
“Well, it was her last wish; I can only give her that," Katie stood up. She paused at the door “I am not stopping you from exposing me, but I made a promise, and I will keep it," then she left.
Gloria sat down there. She had so many mixed emotions. She was sad, surprised, and in a moral dilemma.
She wanted to expose the lie, but… what good would it do?
The parents are happy. Linda is gone, but Katie is keeping her memory alive.
Gloria goes home later and stays curled up in her bed—realizing she never got to say a real goodbye to her best friend.
The voicemail played again in her head: "I won’t really be gone..."
And yet, she was.
