woke, it was dark outside and it took her a while to realise that she was lying on the long three seater couch that was in Cayd’s consultation room. A single lamp was lit in the corner and as she sat up, she realised that the doctor was still there, sitting in his chair working on his laptop.
“Oh, you’re awake,” he mentioned quietly. “Can I get you a glass of water?”
Mia simply nodded, her mind still reeling over all of the information she had been given over her predicament. She had a twin?
Gratefully, she accepted the water that Cayd offered her, closing her eyes momentarily as he placed a cool hand on her forehead, an expression of concern on his beautiful face.
“You have very lovely eyes,” she whispered suddenly, overcome with the need to tell him.
Smiling, he laughed a little through his nose and thanked her. “How are you feeling?”
“I really don’t know. This all seems so unreal,” Mia murmured, sitting up properly.
“I understand,” Cayd told her, resting his hand on hers reassuringly.
“You do?”
“Yes, you’ve had a big shock. Were you even aware that you were adopted?”
“I’m adopted!?” she burst out, almost choking on her water.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“Of course I’m adopted… My parents never told me. I guess it makes sense,” she reasoned. “I don’t look that much like them, and they were so much older than everyone else’s parents…” she trailed off as her mind started piecing together sections of her life. “They’re dead now though.”
“Who? Your parents?”
“Yes, they died in a car accident a few years back – when I was nineteen. So they never told me, I wonder if they were ever going to…”
Cayd smiled at her kindly, not having the words to help her right now. He felt that if her parents were going to tell her she was adopted they would have told her long before now or at least provided some way of her finding out in the event of their death.
“I’m sorry Mia,” he said quietly.
“I can’t go home can I? I mean, I don’t know what to do… What if she’s there? Is she stable? Oh god, this is madness,” Mia said, raking her hands over her head.
“Listen, it’s already late, why don’t you just stay here for tonight, try to mull things over and then we can perhaps figure this out in the morning.”
“Stay here? In your office?”
“No, in my home. I live here as well.”
“Do you think that’s appropriate? I mean, you’re a doctor.”
Cayd let out a chuckle, “I’m not your doctor Mia, and there’s nothing happening to you that requires a psychiatrist’s help. Although, I would very much like to help you as a friend, if you’ll let me.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Well, it’s not every day that you meet someone who’s long lost twin has resurfaced and tried to insinuate herself into the other's life. If you don’t mind I would like to be there and see this one through.”
“Is that the only reason?” she asked, staring into his eyes as he sat in front of her, staring straight back. Electricity sparked in the air between them, drawing them toward each other until they were no more than a hair’s breadth apart. Suddenly Mia’s breath hitched and she turned her head, fighting the pull that was forcing them together. “I can’t do this, I have a boyfriend,” she gasped out, breathing heavily, her head swimming from his nearness.
“I’m sorry,” Cayd said, pulling back from her, “I shouldn’t have done that – I just…”
“I know, I’m sorry too. I really am, I feel this…. pull around you. But I’m supposed to be with Eric.”
“Of course you are. It won’t happen again,” he said, clearing his throat and lifting himself off the table to standing. “Come on, you can take the guest bedroom.”
“Are you sure that’s wise? I mean after we almost – ”
“It won’t happen again Mia. I assure you, you can go home if you’d prefer but the offer still stands – you can