[This exchange occurs immediately after the end of Guardian Knight: Twice.]
Michael knocked on the doorframe to Devon's office. Devon looked up from his desk and smiled, waving Michael in.
"How is Melissa doing?"
"Sound asleep in the passenger seat. Kitt's keeping an eye on her. I'll carry her back to medical in a bit."
"That was an inspired idea, by the way."
"Thanks." Michael paused, then went over to the sideboard and grabbed a bottle of beer. "Can I get you something?"
"I'll have a whiskey. Two fingers, if you please."
Michael poured a glass and handed it over to Devon. The two men sat on the sofa. Devon looked at Michael for a moment.
"You have the look of a man with a question."
"Why?"
"A question that has perplexed philosophers for millennia, I'm afraid."
Michael took a long swig of his beer. "Maybe more of a how, then. How did Melissa know I wasn't Garthe? I mean, we look and sound the same . . ."
"Yes and no." Devon knew Michael was still unsettled at learning he shared another man's face, and rightly so. "A man is the sum of his life experiences: upbringing, education, choices. You and Garthe have the same faces, but your body language, posture, and facial expressions are different from his. You and Garthe have the same voices, but your word choice, intonation, and emphasis are different from his."
"Yes, but –"
"After you and I learned you were Melissa's guardian, she and I had a chat. I asked how she felt about Wilton's change to his will. She asked me how long it taken for me to see you as Michael instead of Garthe. I will tell you the same thing I told her: I have always seen you as Michael."
"Melissa was drifting in and out of consciousness as Kitt drove us back from that house. She was cold, in pain, and feverish. And yet whenever she fussed, she settled down almost immediately when I spoke to her."
Kitt chimed in unexpectedly. "Michael, there is also your smell."
"Hey, now, Kitt. I took a shower."
"Which is precisely my point, Michael. Every human has a unique scent, which is created not just from their natural body odor but also their choice of personal care products, laundry detergent, and even whether their clothing is made from natural fibers or from synthetic polymers."
Michael said, reluctantly, "I guess."
"There is one more way Melissa knew you weren't Garthe," said Devon.
"Oh?"
Devon smiled at Michael. "You asked the question how she knew it was you. To which I will counter with the question: How many times do you think Garthe has ever hugged Melissa in her life?"
Michael opened his mouth, and then closed it without saying anything. Devon toasted him with his glass. Michael raised his bottle, and then drained it.