The rest of the day passed by in a blur. I barely had time to explore her body.
By the time I laid Alvin down for a nap, the sun was already low in the sky. Rob would be home soon.
And then dinner at Amy's. I wasn't prepared for this. I had no idea what Maggie's relationship with her sister was like, what inside jokes they shared, what history they had together.
I checked my phone again, scrolling through texts between Maggie and Amy. They seemed close, texting almost daily about everything from baby milestones to TV shows to complaints about their mother. I tried to absorb as much information as I could, piecing together their dynamic.
Mom's recipe. What recipe? I searched through Maggie's phone, looking for any clues. Finally, I found a note titled "Mom's Spinach Dip" with a list of ingredients and instructions. I quickly skimmed it, hoping I wouldn't be expected to recreate it from memory.
I heard Rob's car pull into the driveway. My heart rate doubled instantly. I'd managed to get through the day somehow, bumbling through feedings and diaper changes, but another human adult would be harder to fool. Especially her husband.
I smoothed my hair—Maggie's hair—and tried to look normal, whatever that meant.
The front door opened, and Rob appeared, his tie loosened, briefcase in hand.
"Hey," he said, smiling at me, "How was your day?"
"Good," I replied, the word sounding stiff and formal, "Just, you know, the usual."
He set his briefcase down and crossed the room to me. Before I could react, he leaned in for a kiss. I froze, caught between the instinct to pull away and the knowledge that this would seem strange to him. I managed to return the kiss briefly before pulling back.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just tired," I said, forcing a smile, hoping it would be enough to convince him.
He studied my face for a moment, and I felt myself tensing under his gaze. Did he know? Could he tell something was different about his wife?
"You do look exhausted," he said finally, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
His fingers were gentle, familiar with this body in ways I wasn't, "Maybe we should skip dinner at Amy's tonight."
Part of me leapt at the excuse, the reprieve from having to pretend in front of more people. But another part knew that canceling might raise questions, might make things more complicated later.
"No, we should go," I said, trying to sound casual, "Amy's expecting us. And I... I want to see her."
Rob nodded, seemingly satisfied, "Alright. I'm going to go get changed. Then we can head out."
He kissed me again, softer this time, then headed upstairs.
I took a deep breath. I could do this. I'd gotten through the day. I could get through dinner. I'd just have to be careful, watchful, act like I belonged. Maybe by some miracle, I'd wake up tomorrow and be Alan again.
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