“What do you mean our relationship has become vapid?” Thomas questioned the statement his partner just made.
“You may not want to accept it. Heck, you may not even want to agree with me but you know it's the truth.” Vee responded.
“I honestly do not know what you want me to do Vee. We basically do every single thing on this green earth together. What else would you like me to do?”
“Spice things up!” Vee retorted.
“And by ‘spice things up’, what are you insinuating?”
Vee walked up to the centre table, picked up a brown envelope that had laid there for over two weeks and waved it in the air.
“Oh come on!” Thomas bellowed. “We've been over this already.”
“And that is the problem Thomas. You outrightly said no without seeking my input. I want to go on this vacation and I want you there with me!”
“You don't expect me to accept an invitation to a parallel universe darling and definitely not an invitation from a bastardly-rich cousin I haven't seen or heard from in over two decades.”
“That makes this even more fun. You get to spend the late days of summer catching up with your cousin while I embark on a once in a lifetime journey. It's a win-win situation babe.” Vee squealed like a genius who just solved a case.
“How about we go on a vacation to any location you pick here in the cosmos universe?”
“It wouldn't be the same thing” Vee muttered, assuming a defensive posture.
“Okay. Let me think about it.”
“Yeah of course. Just have it in mind that you have less than twenty-four hours to do so. The day of the invitation is tomorrow.”
“No way!” Thomas exclaimed.
“Yes way, babes. And while you think, I will graciously pack your bags.” Vee said with a slight grin of victory.
Thomas rolled his eyes and rested his back on the sofa. The idea of taking a vacation to a parallel universe was ludicrous enough and now he had to put up with his cousin's unnecessary banter and eccentricity.
Thomas picked up the brown envelope which vee has hastily returned to the centre table. The invitation read:
“Hey Cousin,
This is an invitation to a parallel universe. Pickup station is outside New Haven by 2:00pm this Saturday.
Excited to see you there.
Best,
Alvarez.
Alvarez was one weird fellow.
Saturday came with the speed of light and so did all the events of the day. Vee woke up awfully excited and all I could think about was the fact that she talked me into embarking on this journey.
By exactly 12:pm, Vee was already descending the flight of stairs with her bags; bags that she never carried by herself whenever I was around. I picked up the small travelling bag that fit all the necessities for the trip and descended behind Vee. We stuffed the boot of our range rover with our luggages and began the one hour journey to New Haven.
On arrival, we were directed into a room that housed lots of machines.
“Welcome Mr. Thomas. We have been expecting you and you alone” the man stressed the last part as he looked in Vee's direction.
“Oh, this is Vee, my partner and she would be travelling with me.”
The man looked at Vee's for a few seconds before returning his gaze to Thomas.
“Alright then. I am Marky and would be your guide to the parallel universe”.
Thomas slightly nodded in assertion. The next thirty minutes were spent receiving information, directives, do’s and don'ts from Marky. For one, Thomas always thought that one only had to literally jump and could find themselves in an alternative universe. He never thought that lots of calculations and instructions were needed.
“Do you understand everything I just explained or would you like me to go over it again” Marky asked.
Go over again? For another thirty minutes? Definitely not Thomas thought but somehow managed to say..
“There would be no need for that” with a light smile.”
“Great. Whenever you're ready for your quantum jump, just say the word.” Marky said.
“What do you think babes?” Thomas asked Vee.
“I think I don't like Marky's aura,” Vee whispered to only Thomas's hearing, “but we're all set.” Her voice audible enough this time around.Thomas giggled lightly.
“We're all set, Marky.” He said.
Marky motioned for them to step into one of the heavy metal machines.
“Have a safe trip” were the last words Marky said before clicking a few buttons.
The parallel universe didn't look so different. Aside from the fact that grasses were blue and skies were green. It looked like their very own Cosmos but with misplaced colours.
“And there is my favourite cousin!” A voice said from behind. A voice that could only belong to Alvarez.
“Hey man,” Thomas said as he shook Alvarez’s hands and then pulled in for a shoulder hug, “you haven't aged a second!” He complimented.
“Now I know you're just pulling my legs.” Alvarez replied, smiling. “And , who is the damsel you came with?” He asked.
“Oh, meet Vee. She’s my partner.”
Alvarez shook Vee's hand cordially.
“You both are welcome to Palm City. It's going to be the best or probably the worst vacation you've ever been on.”
“What do you mean “probably the worst”?” Thomas inquired.
“Oh, nothing much. It's just that ever since I came over to this universe, I made it a point of duty to gather all the doppelgangers of my family members. Hence, you may come across yours or that of the rest of the family. The trick to differentiating the doppelgangers however, is their attitude. They are the direct opposites!” Alvarez squealed in satisfaction.
“Wait a minute, you mean I would see someone who looks exactly like me?”
“Well, the Thomas in this universe is better looking.” Alvarez said with all seriousness. “Any further questions?”
Thomas swallowed hard before shaking his head horizontally.
“Great! Let me take you guys to my home.” Alvarez merely clapped his hands when a floating vehicle appeared.
“Hop in,” he said.
“And the vehicles float.” Thomas said, nonplussed.
He led Vee into the vehicle right after Alvarez stepped in. Like his cousin said, this was either going to be the best or the worst vacation of his life and there was only one way to find out.
“All set,” Thomas said as he sat relaxed. The engines fired up, so did his heart rate.
In less than ten minutes, they had arrived at Alvarez's mansion and there seemed to be a party going on. As the three of them stepped in, everyone seemed to stand still, gawking at Thomas and Vee, before Thomas's mom broke the silence.
“There is my baby and his baby!” she said, hugging both of them.
“Hey mom. You didn't tell me you were coming.”
“Neither did I expect to be here. Anyways, I'm glad I am because the people here are all amazing.”
“You mean the dopplegangers?”
“Don't call them that. Come, let me introduce you to your doppelganger. He's so handsome.” Thomas rolled his eyes as he walked behind his mother. They finally stopped at a table flooded with ladies who surrounded his doppelganger.
“Hey hunny, this is Thomas” his mom introduced.
The doppelganger did a quick assessment before extending his hands.
“It's nice to meet you Thomas. I guess I'm you but a better version.” The doppelganger said. His hands were firm and his cheekbones, sharp. Thomas could barely approach a lady and there was his doppelganger, swamped by ladies.
“He is a tad bit more handsome but with an attitude.” Thomas finally admitted to himself.
He was going to spend a week here and somehow he knew it was going to be a memorable vacation.
Love🤍