Two Much Alike

by Pamela Bauer

  When Arlene offered to do the dishes so that Emma and Alex could spend time with Ted, who was putting everything together, Frannie didn’t protest. She sent the twins into the living room, where they huddled with Ted around the monitor.

  “I think Luke is feeling a bit left out. Maybe we should take him to the park,” Arlene suggested as she dried the last of the dishes.

  Frannie knew that once Luke heard the word park, there would be no changing their plans. He ran to the door to grab his shoes, his eyes wide.

  “I think the park’s a great idea,” Frannie said, draping her wet dish towel over the back of a chair.

  Although Frannie often complained to Lois about the size of her house and yard, she’d always appreciated its location. Around the corner was a park that had a small wading pool for the kids in the summer and an ice rink in the winter. As well as a baseball diamond and a basketball court, it had playground equipment that Luke loved. He’d climb and jump and run to his heart’s content.

  This evening was no different. While he played with several other toddlers from the neighborhood, Frannie and Arlene sat on a park bench just a few feet away. Frannie suspected her mother-in-law had suggested they come to the park so they could talk privately. She was right, only the questions weren’t about Joe, but her boyfriend.

  “So what do you think of Ted?”

  “He seems very nice,” Frannie answered honestly.

  “Oh, he is. And he’s smart.”

  “Does he live in Boise?”

  “Uh-huh. But here’s another coincidence. He’s been thinking about moving to the Midwest because his children are here.”

  “He has children?”

  She nodded. “Two sons. One’s in Chicago, the other one’s here in Roseville. So you don’t need to worry about putting us up while we’re here. We’re going to stay at his son’s place.”

  “I’m hearing an awful lot of ‘we’s’ when you talk about him,” Frannie commented.

  “It just seems so natural. I know to you it probably seems as if it happened really fast, but we never should have broken up all those years ago.” She waved at Luke as he ran past, then said in a reflective voice, “We almost got engaged our senior year in high school, but then his dad had a job transfer and he moved away, and next thing you know…” She sighed. “Well, there’s no use crying over spilled milk, is there.”

  “No, there isn’t.”

  “Isn’t it strange how things turn out? I never thought I’d see him again and now…” She had a dreamy look on her face.

  “I hope it works out for you, Arlene,” Frannie said sincerely.

  “I do, too. It would mean I’d be part of a family again.”

  Frannie reached out to cover her hand. “You’re a part of our family.”

  She smiled and patted Frannie’s hand. “I know I am, and I love my grandchildren, but…”

  “We remind you of Dennis,” Frannie said quietly.

  “Yes, but in a good way.” She sighed. “When I’m with Ted and I hear him talk about his sons, it reminds me of what I’ve lost. I have an adult son and I don’t even have a relationship with him,” she said sadly.

  “That’s true,” Frannie said, thinking not of Dennis but of Joe.

  “But that’s the way it is. I can’t make him want to be a part of my life,” she continued.

  Frannie knew that what she said applied to Joe, too. He didn’t want to be a part of Arlene’s life. Seeing the sadness that always came into Arlene’s eyes when she talked about Dennis, Frannie made the decision to go against Joe’s wishes and tell Arlene the truth. After all, she had a right to know.

  “Arlene, there’s something I have to tell you.”

  “And what is that?”

  Frannie searched for the right words. “When Alex first found Joe Smith, he looked so much like Dennis that Alex refused to believe he wasn’t his father.”

  “I can understand that,” Arlene told her. “I have to admit, I did a double take when I saw him the first time. It’s amazing how much he looks like Dennis. If I didn’t know better, I would think they were related.”

  “Maybe they are.” Frannie spoke so softly, she wasn’t sure Arlene even heard her.

  “What? You think he’s a long lost cousin or something?”

  “Actually I know he’s related to Dennis. Because Alex refused to believe Joe wasn’t his father, we had a paternity test done,” Frannie stated carefully.

  “And it showed that they were related? I didn’t realize they tell those kinds of things with DNA. I mean, I knew you could tell if someone was a father to a child, but cousins?”

  “He’s not a cousin, Arlene.”

  Her face wrinkled in confusion. “Then, I don’t understand.”

  She shifted uneasily. “Wasn’t Dennis born in a naval hospital on Guam?”

  “Yes. We were stationed there while his dad was in the Navy. Why are you asking that?”

  “And you said he was a twin but that his twin brother died.”

  Arlene leaned away from her, regarding her suspiciously. “Why are you asking me these questions?”

  Frannie knew there was no easy way to tell her.

  “Because according to the results from the DNA lab, Joe is Dennis’s identical twin.”

  Arlene turned so pale, Frannie thought she was going to faint. She started to shake her head vigorously.

  “No. He can’t be. My baby died. I held him in my arms and he was gone.”

  Frannie put her arm around Arlene’s trembling shoulders. “Maybe that baby you thought was your son belonged to somebody else.”

  “It’s not possible. I gave birth to him…to both of them.”

  “Arlene, DNA results are accurate ninety-nine percent of the time. And if you don’t believe them, just look at Joe Smith.”

  “Are you saying that someone made a mistake and gave me the wrong baby?” Her mouth was wide open at the possibility.

  Frannie explained her theory about the babies being switched at the hospital. She also told her Joe’s reaction to the information. “So you see, it’s a complicated situation.”

  “Yes, it is,” Arlene agreed.

  “Then, you understand why we need to be careful how we investigate this.”

  Arlene nodded. “Of course.”

  “And you’re okay with not pursuing this?” Frannie asked cautiously.

  “I most certainly am not,” she declared, rising to her feet.

  Apprehensive, Frannie asked, “Please don’t make any trouble for Joe.”

  “I’m not going to make any trouble. I’m going to pay him a visit.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  JOE RETURNED to Grand Marais feeling just as uneasy as he had when he’d left. Not only had he not ended his relationship with Frannie, but his reluctance to say goodbye to her had resulted in his meeting Arlene Harper. He wondered how long Nature’s Hideaway would continue to be a safe harbor for him and his father.

  The following morning, news came from the hospital that should have eased some of the tension knotting Joe’s muscles. His father could come home because all the tests indicated his condition hadn’t deteriorated since his last checkup. As relieved as Joe was to hear the doctor’s report, he knew that his father faced another threat—an investigation into his past.

  That night, while his father slept peacefully in his own bed, Joe tossed and turned, wondering if he had convinced Frannie not to search for answers as to what happened thirty-three years ago in a naval hospital in Guam. Needing to know for sure, he decided to call her first thing in the morning.

  She wasn’t home. A few hours later he learned why. She was in Grand Marais and she wasn’t alone. She called from a pay phone to ask if he’d meet her and Arlene at one of the local cafés so the three of them could talk.

  Joe knew Arlene wouldn’t have come to Grand Marais if she didn’t know about the DNA testing. Realizing that discussing the paternity test results was probably inevitable, Joe invited Frannie and Arlene to the l
ake, where there would be no danger of anyone overhearing them.

  He waited outside for them, trying not to feel as if Frannie had let him down. He didn’t want to make the assumption that she’d told her mother-in-law about the results of the DNA testing, yet other than her sister Lois, there was no one who knew the outcome. But he couldn’t forget how she’d pleaded with him not to turn his back on the information.

  As usual, the sight of Frannie unleashed a longing he was forced to keep at bay. As she climbed out of the car, he saw that she wore jeans and a red sweatshirt, reflecting the coolness of the late summer weather.

  “Hi.” She gave him a guarded smile.

  “Hi. Where are the kids?”

  “With Ted back at the lodge,” she answered.

  “You’re staying overnight?”

  She nodded. “Arlene wanted to bring the kids to the North Shore for Labor Day weekend. We’re at a lodge near Lutsen.”

  “You’re lucky you caught me at home. This is usually a busy weekend,” he said, wishing the sight of her didn’t make him feel so good inside.

  “Arlene talked to the Admiral. He told us you’d be home.”

  He looked for the first time at the older woman. “You spoke to my dad?”

  Some of his displeasure must have shown on his face, for she said, “I only asked him if it might be all right if we visited. That’s all I said.”

  Joe knew that she could have said much more. It was in her tone.

  “Arlene’s going back to New Jersey next week, Joe. She needed to talk to you before she left.”

  Frannie gave him a look that was a plea for understanding. He interpreted it as a sign that his assumption was correct. She’d told her mother-in-law the results of the DNA testing.

  “Why don’t we go inside?” he suggested, leading them toward the house. With one hand he held open the door, with the other he motioned for the two of them to go ahead of him.

  “Would you like something to drink?” he asked as he showed them in to the living room.

  “Not right now, thank you,” Arlene replied politely, sitting down on the leather sofa. Frannie sat next to her, shaking her head in response to his offer.

  Joe wondered what their reaction would be if he poured himself a good stiff drink. He could use one, but he resisted the urge. He glanced out the window. With a gray sky overhead and white caps rolling across the water, the lake looked as he felt—cold and irritated.

  “I guess there’s no point in pretending that I don’t know why you’re here,” he said, trying not to sound uncivil.

  Frannie sat with her hands folded in her lap, her back stiff. She was the one who began. “Arlene knows about the DNA test results, Joe.”

  “You told her.” He knew his eyes were full of accusation. Hers were defensive.

  “She would have found out sooner or later,” Frannie argued.

  “You know my reasons for wanting it to be later,” he snapped at her.

  “Don’t be angry at Frannie.” Arlene came to her defense. “She just did what she thought was the right thing.”

  Joe was angry. For two years he’d fought to keep a tight control on the events in his life. Now it was as if fate had yanked the reins right out of his hands. He hadn’t asked for anyone to come looking for him, yet here was this woman sitting across from him full of questions he didn’t want to answer.

  “This isn’t easy for any of us, Joe—” she said in a surprisingly calm voice.

  But what was even more amazing was that it sounded comforting to Joe.

  “You have my word. I would never do anything to jeopardize your father’s health.”

  Again Joe looked at Frannie. “You told her about my dad?”

  She nodded. “She understands he’s frail.”

  Joe could feel both women’s eyes on him.

  Arlene said, “You look just like my son Dennis. And you have a way of tipping your head to one side just like he always did. And you have some of the same facial expressions. Alex told me—” She broke off as if suddenly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. This isn’t getting us to the point, is it.”

  “And what is the point?” Joe asked, knowing perfectly well what the answer was.

  She appeared to be calm, but when he looked at her hands he saw that she clutched her purse so tightly her knuckles were white. When his eyes met hers, she asked, “Do you believe the DNA report?”

  He knew this was his chance to refute the lab results. All he had to do was pull out his driver’s license and show her his date of birth. Neither she nor Frannie would know that it had been falsified. He didn’t need to corroborate any of the information she’d told him.

  He stared at the pale face of the woman sitting across from him. He could see the hope in her eyes—eyes that were the same chocolate brown as his. She was a stranger, yet she was familiar.

  “I’ve talked with several different people at the lab and they all assured me that the report is accurate,” he said quietly. He took a deep breath, aware that if he told them everything he knew about the night he was born, he would be no longer be able to contend that the DNA lab had made a mistake.

  He paused, debating whether to admit he had the same suspicions as they did about his being Dennis’s brother.

  You strike me as the kind of man who puts truth at the top of the list. Frannie’s words echoed in his head. Yes, the truth was important, but so was his father’s safety. Did he have to sacrifice one for the other? Was he willing to risk finding out?

  “Maybe you should tell me what you remember from the night your sons were born,” he suggested, sure that he was slipping into muddy waters.

  Arlene told him there had been a typhoon, the power had gone out for a short time, there’d been a rush of deliveries—more than they’d ever had in a single night.

  When she’d finished, he knew the moment had come. He could tell her he was born in November as his driver’s license said, that there’d been no storms. But he looked at Frannie, whose eyes gazed at him with hope and compassion. Then he looked at Arlene and saw the desperation of a mother needing the truth.

  So he said, “My father told me a similar story.”

  “There’d been a typhoon?”

  He nodded.

  “You were born at the naval hospital on Guam?”

  Again he nodded.

  “And the power had gone out?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then—” she broke off, choked with emotion.

  “If we are to believe what the DNA report tells us, I’m Dennis’s twin brother.”

  “Oh, my goodness!” She pulled a tissue out of her purse to dab at the tears falling down her cheeks. Frannie leaned over to put an arm around her shoulder, but from the look on her face Joe could see that she thought he should be the one to comfort her.

  Joe wasn’t sure he was ready to embrace this strange woman. He went to her side, crouched at her feet. “Arlene?”

  She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

  “I know this is a shock for you,” he said to her. “It is for me, too.”

  She reached for him then, wrapping her arms around him. “You’re my son…all those years I could have had you and…” Hiccups and sobs drowned out the remainder of her words.

  Joe let her cry, finding an unfamiliar but not unwelcome comfort in the warmth of the arms wrapped tight around his shoulders. Finally, when she’d finished crying, she pushed him away and stared at him.

  “You’re so handsome. Isn’t he handsome?” she asked Frannie, who Joe noticed agreed with a smile. Arlene dabbed at her eyes again, saying, “I’m sorry. I promised Frannie I wouldn’t make a scene, and here I am.”

  “It’s all right,” Joe soothed.

  “Is it really going to be all right?” she asked him.

  That he couldn’t answer.

  She moved over on the sofa, patting the spot between her and Frannie, indicating he should sit there. “Tell me about your mother. Frannie told me she’d passed on, Joe.
I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes full of compassion.

  He acknowledged her sympathy with a nod.

  “She was a good woman. A schoolteacher, actually, although once she had me she gave up teaching, but she was always doing some type of volunteer work.” He went on to talk a little bit about his childhood, answering all Arlene’s questions patiently.

  “She must not have known that you weren’t the baby she’d delivered that night,” Arlene commented.

  Joe shook his head. “I’m sure she didn’t.”

  “But, Joe, what about your birthday?” Frannie asked, then added for Arlene’s benefit, “Joe was born on the seventeenth of November, not December as Dennis was.”

  Joe knew he needed to come up with an explanation that would satisfy them, yet keep anyone from discovering his ID had been faked. “Actually, my birthday is the seventeenth of December,” he admitted. “When I applied for my Minnesota license, there was a typographical error when it came and I never bothered to have it corrected. It didn’t seem important.”

  He thought Frannie eyed him suspiciously, then realized he hadn’t imagined it when she said, “You didn’t mention that to me when you showed me your license that day after the storm.”

  “You didn’t tell me when Dennis’s birthday was, and I never imagined that we’d be even remotely close,” he said, realizing that the tightrope he walked was a very unsteady one.

  Arlene slowly shook her head. “I still can’t believe there could have been a mix-up, but it would explain why Daniel weighed so much more than Dennis.”

  Another reason to believe it had to be true, Joe realized. He, too, had been a small baby. “I remember my father teasing me when I was a teenager. He’d say, ‘For a such a scrawny baby you sure turned out to be a big guy.”’

  “Dennis weighed just under five pounds,” Arlene reported.

  “Me, too,” Joe admitted. “It still doesn’t seem possible. Don’t they tag babies when they’re born? I remember my mother kept the little plastic thingy they had around my ankle in my baby book.”

  “My kids had them, too, but the question is, when were they put on?” Frannie interjected. “And if there were more babies arriving than they had hands to take care of…and if the power went out before the tags were on…it’s possible they mistook one baby for another.”