Chapter 5 -- Role Playing and a Very Sexy Challenge
Taylor held onto my left arm as we walked down the concourse after disembarking from the plane. We each had our carry-on over our other shoulder. I thought she was the hottest looking woman in the airport, even with her backpack and carrying her winter coat over her arm. We walked out through security, and there was a crowd of greeters.
Taylor said, "Stay close to me and don't speak."
We walked with purpose towards another young woman about Taylor's age with the same color hair and stature. The closer we got, the more I saw the resemblance. Face, hair, and eyeglasses were like the old Taylor, and it was hard to tell the rest given the heavy winter coat. The fundamental facial features were identical. I did a near double-take.
The woman kept looking past us, trying to scan the exit gate for her party -- for us. She wasn't seeing who she expected and kept straining to look past us.
We stopped right beside her, and she still hadn't really seen us.
Taylor tapped her on the shoulder. "Charlotte, hello!"
Charlotte turned, looked up and down at her sharply dressed sister, and screamed. 'OH, MY GOD, IT'S YOU!" About fifty people looked at the three of us. She was turning bright red in embarrassment and started to jump up and down with joy at realizing her sister was right beside her. The pair hugged and didn't let go. I stood by.
Loudly, she went on, "I ... I didn't recognize you. What'd you do? You look spectacular. Where are your glasses? And, you look so ... so ... well dressed ... and chic -- and even sexy. Your hair is gorgeous, and you have nail polish, and ... you seem so self-assured. Oh, God, sis, you've been away so long and obviously done some great things."
The sisters hugged and kissed, and studied each other.
Taylor finally gestured at me. "Charlotte this is my boyfriend, Josh." I reached out and took her hand, and then gently pulled her to me for a hug and a kiss on her cheek, the best I could do with a backpack and winter coat over one arm.
"Wow, Taylor, you have really done very well for yourself," Charlotte exclaimed as I released her. She was staring at me, grinning, and then would flash her sister a brief look. I felt that she approved of me. Little did she know that I was only 'temporary'. I tried to smile back warmly at Charlotte.
Charlotte seemed to be the 'before' version of Taylor, that is, before she asked me to be her temporary boyfriend and to shape her up to be my kind of girlfriend material.
Looking at the two of them, I started to see more and more similarities: eyes, nose, hair color, chin, bust, gestures, word choice and speaking pace and style, and more.
I finally asked, "Charlotte, you're younger than Taylor, but the similarities are striking."
She laughed, "I am younger, but only by about five minutes, according to mom. We're identical twins, not only sisters. Taylor used to lord it over me that she was so much older." She laughed.
"Ah, that explains so much of what I'm seeing and hearing from you both. She didn't share the 'twins' moniker with me."
Charlotte led us out the door to the short-term parking area. We stowed out bags in the back of her SUV, and then started driving. I was assigned shotgun because of my long legs.
Taylor asked, "Do you think mom or dad will be angry for the way I'm dressed or my new 'look'?"
Charlotte shook her head, "Not a bit. They'll be shocked, yes, but there are women in the city here that look like you do, but they are rare. You're definitely a big city girl and so sophisticated, and they probably expected as much when you went off to Boston."
Boston had yet to see snow that season, so I was happy to see the white stuff as we carefully drove towards the Reeve's home. Charlotte was a slow and cautious driver, which was fine with me.
We arrived just at six o'clock. I carried our two bags and followed the sisters into the house from where Charlotte parked. I heard the squeals of joy from her mother before I got to the open front door. The chants were much like what her sister had said to Taylor about her new 'look'.
I came in the door and shut it behind me; no sense heating the rest of the city. I stomped off the snow on my shoes in the small vestibule. Taylor was in the arms of an older woman alternately hugging her and then holding her at arms' length to take a closer look at her. In a far doorway, a man I assumed was Taylor's father looked on and studied his pretty daughter. We briefly had eye contact and nodded at each other, and at least he smiled slightly. He knew, more or less, who I was. My arrival at their home was expected and not a secret.
After about two minutes, I suddenly found myself in the spotlight. Taylor announced, "Mom and Dad, this is Josh, my boyfriend. We also work together."
I kind of bowed to the older couple and voiced my gratitude for them including me in their holiday celebration. I tried to exude politeness and kindness. Don threaded his way past the women and shook my hand. He pulled me into their living room, and the next I knew I had a local beer in my hand. The women were all talking at once, with obvious perfect comprehension of each other.
Don and I made small talk about our trip, what the airports had been like, and how lightly we traveled. He then dropped a bomb on me.
"Josh, since you and Taylor are boyfriend and girlfriend, we know what that's like these days, so we put you two in the same bedroom. If that's not all right, you let us know." He was smiling and obviously trying to be accommodating, and he gestured upstairs.