Lutece
By StarkTek
"Do you find it strange that –"
"- We finish each others sentences."
"Exactly."
"I would find it stranger if we didn't."
Rosalind Lutece sat quietly in her office. Across from her sat a man in a light brown suit much like her own. A light blue bow tie crossed his neck and was twisted, slightly cocked, to the right. Her own the same. She double, then triple checked her white blouse while the man across from her copied. He was no stalker, admirer, or copycat. On paper Dr. Lutece had a brother and this was he.
"So… Robert." Although this was copied by an exact replica off 'so… Rosalind', Ms. Lutece continued. "Our stories make sense to the people and therefore they believe. The great physicist has a twin. We must try everything in our power to keep our true relations secret." There was a deafening silence. "Are we clear?"
"Crystal."
The two stood simultaneously and began to extend their hands, Ms. Lutece her left, and Mr. his right. Noticing that they cannot shake opposite hands both lowered their arms in exchange for the other. They sighed, frustrated. They nodded and Robert departed to the next room. Rosalind sat and went through her notes.
Hours passed before the bright shine from under her laboratory door signaled her to greet Robert. She walked from her desk to the door and missed the knob as the door was opened from the other side.
"Rosalind, you must see this." Robert's eyes were frantic. He held out a hand and gestured for her to take it. Tentatively she took it but was half walked, half dragged, into the next room. It would have been completely dark, had it not been for a silver light that shone from the middle of the lab atop a quartz pedestal. At the base of the light was a phonograph Robert ran over and turned it on, still holding Rosalind's hand tightly.
A slow tune started that she had never heard before, she identified the notes individually by habit. An E, an F followed by a B. The strangest part was the instrument. It sounded mechanical yet beautiful.
She enjoyed the music for a minute before asking, "What is it?"
"Their universe calls it Pop. This is one of their slower romance songs. Do you like it?"
"I do enjoy it. Save the disc in the files over there. We must not leave the machine running this long."
"Oh yes, I was just thinking that." Robert ran to a red switch on the wall and flipped it to the off position. The silver light disappeared and the lab lights came on. "Can we listen to it a little longer?"
"I suppose we can."
"Would you like to dance?" He laughed. "Of course you do, after all, so do I."
They both got into position and began a slow walk around the open area of the lab. It was quiet and Rosalind rested her head on Robert's chest. She actively tried to stay quiet but Robert was not completely like her.
"Rosalind, how long can we tell the people our lie before we need to tell them the truth?"
She had thought the same thought before. "I don't know," was the only answer she could manage.
"I like having someone who understands me." He continued. "I was just surprised to pass through and find that I was not exactly me." They both exchanged laughs at the memory of their first encounter. They never accounted for gender change when looking for each other.
"We are so much alike, yet so different. I think that's what makes us such a good team." Rosalind noted the height difference, even in heels she barely met Robert's chin. He smelled lightly of oranges while she much preferred the scent of strawberries in her wash. All the same, they preferred the same color and professionalism in clothing. They were both physicist of high stature, bullied as children, lost their mother and father. They went looking for themselves, and found each other.
"We are so much alike –"
"- Yet so different."
Rosalind paused, she thought hard for a moment. "Robert?"
"Yes?"
"Do you find it strange that –"
"- We finish each others sentences."
"Exactly."
"I would find it stranger if we didn't."