I woke up the next morning and set my mind to brainstorm where to start searching for something that could be almost anything. It's not every day you find out your dad duplicated you and a mini you is out there waiting for rescue. I was freaked out as to whether or not this would warp me, well, her. And had to admit the new me was already screwed because I had no idea how to raise a baby. I'd had 22 years of two deeply devoted parents, and everything done for me. What was I going to offer this baby?

I could offer her love and a safe place to live, and a life free of testing and being a lab rat.  The house we lived in was already paid for.  We celebrated the day my mom made the last payment with pizza and a movie.  Her and dad went out for celebratory dancing and Agnes had come over and snuck me ice cream with hot fudge sauce in her purse.  Agnes and I made a picture of the four of us on the lawn in crayon as a gift to my parents.  That I remembered it like it was yesterday.  The memories were warm and happy and I was glad to just wait there for a moment and remember the good times.

With the insurance money and life insurance money I could raise her until she went to school and I could go to college.  It would be hard work, like Val and her daughter, it would be a struggle but my dad always said 'things you have to work at make you stronger, and they're usually the things that end up most important.'  Usually he would say that about physical therapy and chest therapy, but the lesson was the same, it would be worth it to save that baby.  Maybe she was the whole reason the one person who should have died in that crash ended up living, to save a piece of herself that was connected to them all.

I wished my mom was here. She would know what to do and how to handle everything. But she wasn't. I couldn't call my mom to get me out of this jam. I was the grown up, and I needed to act like one.

I rummaged through every box and bin and paper and box my dad owned. I even trudged up to the attic, a place I'd never been and searched from floor to rafter. Everything related to work or projects I threw in a box for Kyle to dig through.  Everything personal I put back.

When I stopped for lunch I typed the words genetic clone in the computer and glanced through articles trying to understand what it would be like to raise myself. Would she realize she was me?  Would other people?  How much of what I felt and thought and believed would she already have planted inside her because of my genes?

Turns out science is just as confused as I am, no one knows how clones end up developing, or what the statistics are of clones having  health problems or 'glitches' because it's illegal to clone another person and no one has ever done it. I absolutely knew that bit wasn't true, my dad was awesome but he wasn't a super genius. If he had figured it out others had too, it was just covered up.

How he got his information and how he ended up making a living breathing copy of me I may never know, but the fact is I believed he had. Kyle may have given me the information, but the last memories I have of my dad proved it. Somewhere was a baby he was supposed to raise and love and protect with his wife.

I roamed the hallway letting the information swirl and noticed the blinking messages on the machine read 64. I didn't want to hear them. I'd purposely ignored them all. Hearing how sorry people were and asking how I was, it was more than I wanted to handle. I felt like there was a gaping hole inside my chest, and every time I was reminded of how much I lost it hurt so bad I was afraid it would swallow me whole, but that blinking button would just keep blinking on and on until it was take care of. Grabbing a notebook and pen I and sat down poised to take notes.

Aunt Agnus was the first five messages. Calling to see how I was getting on and to invite me to Sunday dinner. The next few were various companies wanting information to clear up "delicate matters". I wrote those down and stared them. Something could be a clue. Several were my mother's friends calling to see if she was okay because she hadn't called or shown up to an appointment or meeting. These ended at day two, when I'm assuming everyone found out about the wreck, and her death.

But the one that stopped me from writing was Virginia Blue from Kennel Care asking when my father would be making his care package delivery for the new puppy. The call was chipper and vague and didn't say 'come get your new puppy it's ready' it said my father would be delivering a care package for his new puppy.  Which he didn't have, and wasn't planning on.

I know this because he worked ten hours a day six days a week and felt guilty about every minute he was away and said it all the time. And also because he had a sick, dying daughter that ate time away from the family.  But mostly, because my mother said she would keep Buster if he swore never to bring another animal home as long as she was alive. And she meant it. My mother hated animals. She hated caring for them and cleaning up after them, and being 'a slave to an animal'.

He went from bringing home strays to straight up not even looking in pet store windows. Buster was the last animal he had brought home and the only reason he ended up staying was because he had taken to being by my side at all times, nothing else ever crossed the threshold.

The person on the machine didn't sound like she was speaking in messages or codes. Maybe she was my dad's friend. That's all I could hope. I picked up the phone to call Kyle but realized I couldn't call him for every suspicion. As much as I wanted to see him and hear his voice, I needed to be a participant in this.  I wasn't the sick little girl who had to watch from the sidelines anymore, and this was no game.  I wrote down the number and put Buster's leash on him.

If GenTech was really the bad guy I wouldn't be using my own phone. It was time to pay aunt Agnes a visit, and maybe I would find a spare minute to use her phone.  After all those messages she was probably upset that I hadn't talked to her in a few days. I could pick up some pastry on the way. There's nothing she loved more than company and something sweet. If felt good to have a plan, and when I called the cab I was confident and proud of taking action.

Putting Buster in a cab would now be easy, thanks to his "working support dog" vest which gave him the same powers as a superhero. No one could  question what he did or where he was allowed and I had to admit, He really was emotional support.

When I walked out to the curb to make sure Buster did his business before the cab came, Kyle's truck was coming around the corner. My heart sped up and I wondered how long it would before I became normal and stopped paying attention to its rhythm.

"Hey pretty lady, going for a walk?  Want some company?"

I smirked at him for the delivery of such a corny line making him blush in return.

"Actually I'm waiting for a cab, I've been scrounging around the house all day and thought I'd give Agnes a visit. You're out early today!"

He got out of the truck and scratched Buster on the head making his tail thump against my legs at warp speed.

"Dad's getting his stuff in order to leave and I ducked out of the way.  I thought we could hang out. Rain check?  Unless you want some company?"

His eyes sparkled and his shy grin with the deep set dimple put the nail in my coffin. I couldn't just leave him on the curb. We waited for the cab to arrive making small talk, and when it did I gave the driver a tip and sent him off alone. Kyle seemed to be my magnet and having him around made me feel like part of a team.  The former feeling of bravery was replaced by giddiness, as I realized he really did want to spend time with me. 

In the car his hand lingered between the console and mine, and I sucked in my fear and placed mine over his.  He didn't take his eyes from the road, but the crinkles on the sides increased and I felt myself blush.  I wasn't immature enough to pretend this was love, I barely knew him, but there was a connection, and it felt wonderful.  Just a touch of his hand on mine made me lighter, and I secretly wished the drive were further. 

As we drove down Agnes's street the first thing I noticed were police cars and an ambulance.  Kyle's hand clenched mine, and his posture went rigid.  My eyes frantically scanned the scene until Agnes came into view, sitting on the porch with a man in a uniform kneeling in front of her. A small group of neighbors stood standing on the sidewalk whispering and pointing. Two police cars were in the driveway and an ambulance was out front. A cold feeling flooded out the warmth that Kyle's hand had brought and my thoughts refused to come.  I could hear Kyle's words telling me that he was going to go check out what was happening and to stay in the car, but my muscles moved and I bolted from the truck before it fully stopped and ran to her side. 

*****************************
What a mess!  Not even poor aunt Agnes is safe. Or is she?  Maybe she stumbled. You'll have to wait to find out. And Cassie may have the answer to the why of the baby, if only she knew the where. Let me know what you're thinking! I'm so excited I can't wait!!  Thanks for being here.

Ps- I am working from three drafts here and I spent all weekend on twitter and worked today so I hope I grabbed the most edited. If I didn't shout it and I'll fix it tomorrow 😂💕