Crystal (Orphans 2)

"A pair of twins? Isn't that something? Girls?"

"Yes, Rea and Zoe. They're very nice."

"Rea? Where did I hear that name before? Rea?

Oh, yes, Yesterday's Children. Rea was Lindsey's lost

sister."

"This Rea is real, Mom. I can call her on the

phone and speak with her. I can go places with her. I

can study with her. I can touch her. She's real." Thelma stared at me as if I had lost my mind.

"That's nice, dear. Oh, I better get started on dinner.

Would you like to set the table?"

"Of course," I said, feeling frustrated. When Karl came home, he asked me many

more questions about school. In fact, we had one of the longest conversations we had had since I arrived. Every once in a while, both of us would look at

Thelma. She would simply smile.

"It's so nice to have real family conversations

around the dinner table," she finally said.

Karl beamed and then winked at me. I felt as if

he and I were co-conspirators.

Right after dinner, the phone rang and Karl

called to me. "It's for you," he said.

"Oh, good," Thelma said. "She's making friends

quickly."

I couldn't imagine who it could be. I hoped it

wasn't Helga.

"Hello," I said hesitantly.

"I got my new slides today, cross sections of

human heart tissue. I thought you might be

interested," Bernie said without saying hello. "Yes, I would be interested," I replied. "Can you come over?"

"Now?"

He didn't answer.

"I suppose so," I said. I held my hand over the