Mirror Image Read online

  Mirror Image

  by Edna Curry

  Copyright 2001 by Edna Curry

  First published by Diskus Publishing in 2001 as Angel Wings

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  This is a work of fiction. All names and events in this story are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

  No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the author, except for short excerpts for reviews.

  Chapter 1

  Laurie Johnson stripped off the heavy makeup she wore when modeling in front of the camera and replaced it with her own lighter makeup. She grabbed a silk blouse and a pair of slacks from her closet and slipped into them.

  Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside her dressing room as she fastened the last button. She answered the knock on her door, startled only momentarily at the mirror image standing in the doorway.

  “LaRae! It’s so good to see you again.”

  LaRae returned her warm hug, then leaned back and looked at her. “It’s good to see you, too!”

  They burst out laughing as they realized they had chosen identical outfits: white silk blouses and black slacks.

  Laurie put her arm around LaRae and turned her to the long mirror on the wall. Identical tall, willowy figures looked back at them from oval faces. Their hazel eyes met in the glass.

  “Just like old times, eh, Sis?”

  LaRae nodded. “We look exactly alike. When did you let your hair grow out?”

  “Right after you sent those snapshots last year. I happened to show them to a client, and she decided that was just the look she wanted for her commercials.”

  “I love it. I’ll bet we could still fool anybody we wanted to! Remember the fun we used to have doing that?”

  Laurie grinned. “Amazing how we think alike, even when we’re thousands of miles apart.” She turned LaRae around and lifted her long blond hair to uncover the tag at the neck of her blouse. “Even the same brand! Telepathy is working.”

  “Telepathy, my foot,” LaRae objected. “I’ve been buying this California brand of clothes ever since you gave me a couple of pieces for Christmas two years ago. No mystery about that. Macy’s carries it in their downtown Minneapolis store.”

  Laurie nodded. LaRae’s mention of Christmas brought up painful memories. Her own last few Christmases had been spent here in California, lonely, dreary ordeals. LaRae’s Christmases, of course, must have been ideal. Laurie imagined LaRae sitting on the floor beside a beautifully decorated tree on Christmas morning, opening presents with her husband and daughter. Jass would be sitting beside her, dressed in a red plaid robe, with Susie on his lap while he helped her open her gifts. LaRae was so lucky!

  Laurie pushed the mental images away and sat on the sofa, waving LaRae to the blue upholstered chair. “How are Jass and Susie?”

  “Susie is thrilled with kindergarten. Jass is boringly happy with his job, as usual. I swear that man loves his office more than me.”

  Laurie stared at LaRae, surprised at the bitterness in her sister’s voice. “You sound as though you’ve been fighting.”

  LaRae grimaced. “You could say that. He thought I should take Susie with me on this vacation. Can you imagine? A whiny five-year-old on a plane trip clear to California, when she has a perfectly competent nanny at home?”

  Laurie’s voice grew wistful. “I would’ve loved to have you bring her. She’s such a sweet thing, and I’ve only seen her three times since she was a baby....”

  “You sound just like Jass,” LaRae said with a frown. “But I managed to convince him that I needed a break from the Mommy routine. Come on, didn’t you say you’d made lunch reservations? Let’s get going.”

  “Sure.” Laurie rose and slipped on her jacket. “We can stop by my apartment to drop off your luggage. It’s only a few blocks from here.”

  “Okay. I can’t wait to hit the shops. I brought my credit cards, and I intend to max them all out, whether Jass likes it or not!”

  Laurie raised an eyebrow and smiled as they walked to the elevator. In that respect, she and LaRae were not alike. She was good at managing money while LaRae loved to spend it. “So, money is the problem?”

  LaRae nodded. “He thinks it should be saved. I like to spend it.”

  They dropped off LaRae’s luggage at Laurie’s apartment. As they headed back downstairs, LaRae eyed a tall young man who got off the elevator. “Hello, there,” she said, giving him a big smile.

  Laurie stared at her, openmouthed. The elevator door closed, and she admonished, “Honestly, LaRae, this is San Francisco, not rural Minnesota. You don’t flirt with strangers.”

  “No harm,” LaRae shrugged. “He was just a nice young man with cute buns. We’re in a ritzy apartment building, for cripe’s sakes, with a doorman and everything.” When they stepped out into the lobby, she gave the doorman a dazzling smile to emphasize her point.

  “Yeah, and look at the hitch-hikers right on the beach across the street.” Laurie waved an arm at the young people sprawled on the grass boulevard, back-packs strewn on the ground around them. Some bicycles nearby belied her assumption that they were all afoot. All of them seemed to be enjoying the early April sunshine. “You have to use caution in a big city.”

  LaRae laughed as they walked to the mid-size red Chevrolet she’d rented. “Honey, don’t be such a prude. Minneapolis is a big city, too, and I only live fifty miles out, so I do get there once in a while. You drive, Laurie, you know the way.” She tossed the keys to Laurie and got in the passenger seat.

  Starting the car, Laurie pulled out into traffic. She glanced at her sister, then frowned. “Hey, fasten your seat belt, LaRae!”

  “No way. I never wear a seat belt. It wrinkles my clothes.”

  “But it’s the law! And the traffic’s terrible! Every truck in the country must be delivering something here today.” When LaRae said nothing, Laurie sighed and changed the subject, not wanting to start an argument on the first day of their visit.

  LaRae went on, “I intend to have a little fun while I’m out from under my dear hubby’s thumb.”

  “Under his thumb?”

  “Honestly, he’d have me staying home with the kid all the time if I didn’t object,” LaRae said with a shudder. “I really won’t put up with this kind of life! Since we moved out to that house on the lake, it’s worse. I’m so far away from my friends at the club now.”

  Laurie concentrated on traffic. She didn’t want to hear this. LaRae had never mentioned marital troubles in her letters or on the phone. But then, they didn’t talk very often, since hearing about LaRae’s happiness only made Laurie feel more lonely. What did she mean by not putting up with that kind of life?

  She didn’t understand LaRae. How could she object to a beautiful new home away from the noise and pollution of the city?

  LaRae went on, “I’m filing for a divorce when I get back."

  “Oh no! Really?”

  “Yes, really. I’m through putting up with being the good wife and mother and I’ve had it with the guilt trips. I’ve hinted about getting my freedom before, and Jass said I’d be hurting Susie. But she’s so little, she’ll recover in no time anyway.”

  “But....”

  “No buts, Laurie. I’ve made up my mind.”

  Laurie sighed and changed the subject. “I thought we’d have lunch at the new restaurant at the Sheraton, so we won’t have to worry about parking. We can leave the car there while we shop.”

  “Wherever you like. Did you make a beauty salon appointment? My nails are a mess.” LaRae held up a hand to show that her red polish was chipped.

  Laurie nodded. “Two o’clock. Darcy�
�s Salon. It’s in the next block.”

  She parked in the hotel parking lot, and they walked up the cement steps side by side, like the best friends they had been in childhood. The hush of luxurious carpeting and soft music surrounded them as they walked through the elegant lobby to the restaurant. They followed the hostess up a few steps to a table overlooking the lobby, sat down and picked up oversized menus.

  Laurie studied hers a while. “What are you having?”

  “Just a salad. I’ve gained five pounds.” LaRae laid the menu down with a sigh. “You’ve no idea how having a child changes your life. I’ll bet you never have to worry about your weight!”

  Laurie’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “All the time. The camera adds pounds, you know. But you look the same as you always have.”

  Their salads arrived and they chatted non-stop as they devoured them.

  Over coffee, LaRae said, “It’s so good talking like this again! I’ve missed you, Sis! Now that Susie’s not a baby anymore, we’ve got to get together more often.”

  “I’ve missed you, too,” Laurie said, past the lump in her throat. But she made no promises. How could she admit that it wasn’t only work that had kept her from visiting these past years, it was also the pain of seeing LaRae happy with a family, while she was still looking for the man of her dreams? And now she’d learned that LaRae wasn’t happy.

  On the way to their salon appointment, LaRae said, “Let’s see if your stylist can tell us apart.” She sent Laurie a sly grin. She slipped off her diamond engagement and wedding rings and dropped them into her purse. “Remember how much fun it always was to fool people?” She gave Laurie a hug.

  When they walked into the exclusive salon, Laurie’s usual stylist, Darcy, greeted her. Then she saw LaRae and stared. “My God, you’re twins!”

  The sisters exchanged grins and Laurie said, “I told you she was my sister.”

  “But you never said you were identical twins! How do I know who’s who?”

  Laurie laughed. “Who cares, Darcy? Just do both of our hair and nails alike, and the one that pays is me, Laurie. It’s my treat today.”

  Two hours later, they were happily shopping. By five o’clock, they were back in the hotel restaurant having a much needed cup of coffee and dinner.

  Laurie said, “I’m dead on my feet. Let’s quit for today, okay?”

  “But I haven’t even gotten anything for Susie! I’ve decided I want that white plush teddy bear we saw after all. Let’s go back and get it. That store’s open until nine.”

  “Tomorrow, LaRae, tomorrow. I’ve had it for today.” She slipped off a shoe and rubbed her sore foot. “I’ve got an early appointment in the morning. You can sleep in, then drive downtown. We’ll have lunch again, and you can make another attempt to max out your credit card, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  They climbed into the car to go back to Laurie’s apartment.

  “That was fun!” LaRae said with a yawn. She slid down in her seat and leaned back, rubbing the muscles along the back of her neck. “You’re right. We’ll finish shopping tomorrow. I’m tired, too. Let’s turn in early tonight, okay?”

  “Sound’s fine to me,” Laurie said, pulling out into traffic. “Tell me about Susie.”

  “What’s to tell? She’s growing like one of the weeds in Aunt Martha’s garden. Remember when we were kids and Aunt Martha always made us weed her flowerbeds when we stayed with her?”

  “I remember. She had the most beautiful flowers around. I especially loved the King Alfred daffodils in the spring. Oh, and remember her Peace roses?”

  “Whatever. You always liked the yellow flowers best, didn’t you? I never could tell one from the other. She’d yell at me for pulling up the wrong thing all the time. ‘Those are petunias, LaRae! Can’t you see that?’” she mimicked.

  Laurie laughed and glanced at her sister. “I think you only pretended you couldn’t tell the weeds from the flowers, so she’d let you get out of doing the weeding.”

  “Well, it worked, didn’t it? Hey, look out!”

  “Oh, my God!” A black van cut into her lane ahead of her. They were much too close. Laurie slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. There was nowhere to go except into it.

  The noise of glass shattering and metal grinding against metal blended with their screams as they hurtled forward. Their airbags exploded in front of them. A split second later, a semi-truck slammed into their car from the rear.

  Laurie couldn’t breathe.

  Tires screeched as the traffic came to a halt around the accident. Laurie heard car doors slamming and feet pounding on pavement as people jumped from their cars, running to help.

  “Are they alive?”

  “Anybody got a cell phone? Call the police!”

  “Get an ambulance!”

  “Call 911!

  “I think it’s too late.”

  In the distance, Laurie heard sirens wail.

  Then she heard a roaring sound in her ears as everything went black.

  ***

  Laurie was sailing along a dark tunnel, LaRae beside her. She tried to reach out to take LaRae’s hand. She couldn’t reach her, yet she felt no distress.

  Ahead she saw a beautiful garden, bright with sunshine. There were her parents! It didn’t seem strange at all to see them coming to meet her, smiles of welcome on their shining faces. Laughing and calling to them, she and LaRae hurried forward into their waiting arms.

  Others who’d gone ahead were there, too: her friend Jodi who’d died in a plane crash two years ago and Ginny, the cousin they’d lost to pneumonia at twelve. Joyfully they all hugged each other. A wonderful warm feeling of love surrounded her.

  Oh! There was Emy, her friend who’d been murdered on a nearby farm when Laurie was five. Now Emy looked healthy and beautiful. She was talking earnestly to LaRae. That was odd. Laurie didn’t remember that LaRae and Emy were especially good friends. LaRae was shaking her head and Emy was frowning. Laurie watched LaRae turn her back and drift off toward their parents.

  Laurie glided over to talk to Emy, determined to learn the truth of what had happened to her so long ago. Emy seemed to know immediately what Laurie wanted to ask, and didn’t seem at all disturbed to explain the awful circumstances of her death.

  “It was Harvey who came to my bedroom that night. He said not to be afraid, we were just going to play a game, then he’d bring me back.” She shrugged. “I knew him, after all. I didn’t think he’d hurt me. So I let him carry me outside. He took me to the woods and raped me. I cried and he kept saying, ‘Shut up, somebody’ll hear you!’ I kept on crying and then he got mad and choked me ‘til I blacked out. That’s all I remember.”

  Laurie nodded. They seemed to be supported by soft, wooly clouds without actually standing on them. Sweet, lilting music swelled around them, its pleasant strains in sharp contrast to the ugliness of the story Emy had told her.

  “I thought so,” Laurie said. “But no one would ever explain what happened, just that you were dead. I heard lots of whispering, but no one would talk to me about it. I was only a little girl, and not supposed to know about those things.”

  Emy nodded. “So, now my job is to try to prevent that from happening to others like me. We all have a purpose here, you see. I’m sure you’ll learn yours later.”

  “You mean, you’re an angel?”

  Emy shrugged. “I haven’t earned my angel wings, yet. I’m a helper, for now. You will be, too, now that you no longer live on earth.”

  “And your job is, that is . . . You’re to prevent men like Harvey from raping children?”

  Emy nodded eagerly. “Yes. To try, anyway. Especially little girls. Like LaRae’s Susie.”

  A chill slid over Laurie in spite of the warm glow of light that surrounded them. LaRae and Jass’s beautiful daughter! Her own little niece! “Susie’s in danger?”

  “Not immediately. But there is an aura of danger around her, and now there’s no one to protect her who understands that
kind of danger. I was trying to convince LaRae to return. But I can only suggest and try to persuade. She won’t go back.”

  “Why not?”

  Emy shook her head. “I’m afraid LaRae didn’t especially like being a mother.”

  “But she must go back if Susie needs her!”

  “LaRae says Jass has a good job and can hire plenty of people to care for her.”

  “But those people don’t love Susie. They won’t be careful enough. Maybe I or my parents can make LaRae do it.”

  Emy shook her head sadly. “No. LaRae must want to go back. You see, love must be very strong to help her get back. It’s not easy to cross over.”

  Laurie’s voice grew desperate. “But Susie will be hurt, maybe killed like you were, Emy! Jass . . . Jass is still back there. He loves her, I know he does. We just have to make him understand the danger. He’ll protect his daughter.”

  Emy shook her head. “He’s at work most of the time.”

  “There must be something we can do, some way we can warn Jass.”

  “We?” Emy looked at her speculatively. “No. We can’t talk to him or interfere. If LaRae won’t go back immediately, there’s nothing I can do. It’ll be too late. Unless—”

  “What? What? Tell me, Emy.”

  “Well—”

  “Tell me. I’ll do it. I’ll do anything—”

  “You could do it for LaRae.”

  “But, how?”

  “Take her place.”

  “You mean, go back as LaRae?” She swallowed. “Live in Minnesota as Susie’s mother? As Jass’s wife? Have a real family of my own? That would be a dream come true.” She laughed nervously, staring at Emy. “Of course, that’s impossible. Isn’t it?”

  Emy stared back at her for a long minute. “You can’t change into LaRae. If you want to try saving Susie, you’d have to remain Laurie and figure out some way to do it on your own. Maybe you could make Jass fall in love with you.”