Lauren arrived at the condo that she had been calling home for the last two nights around six that evening she had taken the long way back tonight. She was having a difficult time coming to grips with the fact that the face in the mirror was no longer her. The changes to her hair and face made it hard for her to recognize herself whenever she caught a glimpse now and again.
She had lost years of her life because of a stupid fight that she had gotten into with her then-teacher. The teacher to all purposes she had become. Everyone at work saw her as her former teacher in all but name. She was now living in Lonna’s condo wearing her clothes, sleeping in her bed, and doing her job. Why had no one noticed that an 18-year-old was now teaching the class that she had not graduated from? Well, she had been 18 before she had lost eight years of her life to this thing.
She thought back over the last three days she had not only been living Lonna’s life at work, she had even been doing it with Lonna’s family thinking back to the encounter with Aunt Nguyên on Monday night. How had it been possible that the woman who had raised her not realized that this was not her niece but someone she had never met before? Once again Lauren had to concentrate that the woman she had met on Monday was not her Aunt she was Lonna’s Aunt.
It was getting harder and harder for her to tell what was her life and what was Lonna’s life anymore. As had become her habit over the last few days she settled in front of the TV to watch the news. Lauren knew that this was a habit that she had gained from Lonna but it wasn’t that bad to watch the news instead of the soaps that she normally watched.
For some reason, she felt more tired than the last two nights tonight and got herself ready for bed earlier than usual.
Around 8.30 she climbed into Lonna’s bed, she must remember that it was not hers it was Lonna Tran’s. She was Lauren Rodriguez no matter what was happening she was and always would be Lauren Rodriguez. She set the alarm for the morning and went to sleep. About half an hour later she was fast asleep.
She found herself dreaming about her days at university. She knew her mother would have been so proud of her graduating as a teacher she only wished she and her father could have been there to see it. She remembered the day in Hanoi that she had met her Aunt Nguyên her father's sister. Looking back on those events now she felt sorry for her Aunt who had to be the one to tell the poor little eight-year-old that she would never see her mother and father again.
Lauren didn’t understand then why. It took a long time for her to understand. At least she had her Aunt to look after her. She suddenly found herself at high school in a new country where she met Mrs Gibson who would be her teacher for most of her time at the school. She remembered the day of her funeral and how sad she was. This woman inspired her so much that she decided at the age of 18 that she would become a teacher in her memory. She was missed almost as much as her mother and father were at the graduation ceremony. The only member of the family was her Aunt Nguyên who was mouthing something softly from the side of the stage.
Whatever she was saying was so quiet that Lauren could not make it out. The next thing she knew she was standing in front of the older woman. “What was that Aunt Nguyên? I can’t hear you,” Lauren said to her.
Once again the woman mouthed something that Lauren could not hear. “No, I still can’t hear you. Let us go somewhere with not so much noise.” She said to her Aunt.
“Can you hear me now? Nguyên asked her. Lauren nodded. Good. Good . I have something for you. Congratulations Lauren, on your graduating you are now the person you have been for so long now you are now Lauren Tran.” Nguyên told her reaching into her bag pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Lauren. Lauren took the paper and read it out loud, “With the receipt of this document the woman formerly known as Lauren Rodriguez will hereby and forever more be Lauren Tran.”
With that statement, Lauren woke up with a start. “It must have been a nightmare.” She said to whoever could hear her as she looked at the time and it was just a little before 6 am, whatever that dreamthat was it lasted all night she thought. She stood up and headed into the shower as she realized there was no point in going back to sleep.
(Edited as I should never post anything I write late night without checking it first)
