Chapter 3

I held her close in my arms. I was feeling that warm happy/fuzzy postcoital sensation. Softly Rebecca asked, “Do you remember how much I hated that Barbie?”

My brain wasn’t working, so I answered, “I went right out and got you big girl jewelry.”

I felt her stiffen, and realized my mistake. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to pretend everything was ok.

“Adam, how do you know that?” she asked.

I started to answer, then reached out, and put her to sleep. Then I put her in a conjuring slot. I grabbed my phone off the dresser with my power, and dialed Nora.

“Adam, what’s wrong?” one of them answered.

“I screwed up. Rebecca just asked me about something I shouldn’t know about, and I answered.”

“Where is she?”

“I panicked, I put her to sleep, then stuck her in storage.”

“Adam! I don’t. Nevermind, what’s the plan now?”

“Call you, obviously!” I said heatedly.

“Alright, it’s ok. Was it just after sex?”

“Yes, that’s why I answered.”

“Then she already suspected, and used that moment of weakness against you. Naughty Rebecca. Can you conjure her back exactly into the same position she was?”

“Probably, but she’s asleep. I can wake her and pretend it was just a dream.”

“She’s too smart for that, Adam. It’s part of why you love her so much.”

“But what do I do?”

“Do you have a copy of us in storage?” she asked.

“Maybe.”

“That means you do. How old of a copy?”

“Five minutes before I left.”

“We didn’t notice.”

“You don’t, there is no sensation, you’d only notice if you were watching a clock with hundredths of a second, or something was moving really fast nearby.”

“Explain everything that happened.”

“I called her, asked to take her to dinner, or offered to get delivery. She said she would meet me at the apartment. I freshened the place up, got delivery, and then she arrived.

“We fell into each other’s arms almost immediately, I gave her a tour, leaving the bedroom last. In the bedroom she dropped her clothes, she came from someplace really well dressed, she said that it was a boring party and she had just arrived when I called.

“Anyway, we undressed, and rolled into the bed. I had pulled the sheets down, so we ended up under the blankets cause she was cold from being outside. We had wonderful sex, and while we were cuddling together she hit me with a question.

“She asked if I remember how much she hated a Barbie I bought her for her birthday. At the time she had decided she was a big girl, and didn’t need dolls anymore, but no one told me. Anyway, I said ‘I went right out and got you big girl jewelry,’ when I felt her stiffen I knew I’d screwed up.

“Then very calmly she asked me, ‘Adam, how do you know that?’ and I put her to sleep. Then I stored her, and called you,” I finally finished, feeling out of breath. The rising panic didn’t help.

“Alright, here is your plan. You’re going to put the phone back, conjure her back into the exact spot, release the sleep hold, and kiss her awake, then you are going to say, ‘what did you ask me before we fell asleep?’

“If she asks the second question again, ask her a question in return. If she asks the first question, answer the same way again. When she asks ‘how do you know that,’ the question you are going to ask is, ‘haven’t you figured it out?’ Then let her explain what she knows. If you need to convince her, do something like holding her in the air to demonstrate your power.

“If that doesn’t work, conjure one of us and explain the situation. Tell her that you are bringing me from Zurich to explain, and that’s why I don’t know what’s happened.

“Can you do that Adam?” she asked, worry in her voice.

“Yeah I can do that,” I said with a glimmer of confidence.

“If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to absorb her as energy, and try again. If you have to try again, then pretend you don’t know anything. It’ll make her mad, just endure it. Better to have to endure an angry Rebecca, that can someday forgive you, instead of one that has had her suspicions confirmed, but wants nothing to do with you.”

“What about the third you?”

“Guess she’s Dora, I can stand having a third me around. Just keep her out, then store her when you fly back. She can’t stay in New York with Rebecca.”

“You’re naked, remember?” I said.

“Further proof that you just transferred me. Do you have my clothes?”

“I’ve got a copy of everything we own.”

“Really?”

“I have 32 slots now, the largest is over 1000 metric tons now. It’ll be over a million tons by the end of the month.”

“You are amazing Adam.”

“Thanks. So any last words of advice?”

“We love you. Rebecca loves you. Make sure you show her how much you love her.”

“Thank you, I’ll call and let you know later what happened.”

“Just text, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Goodnight Adam.”

“Goodnight my loves,” I said, unsure which of the two I was speaking with, and hung up.

I put my phone back where it was, laid back into bed, and shifted till it felt like she was the right shape to fit. I conjured. Then I woke her with kisses.

“Sweetheart, what did you ask before we fell asleep?” I said.

“How do you know that?” she asked again, not believing she had fallen asleep, but not understanding what had happened either.

“Haven’t you figured it out?”

“No I haven’t. Why don’t you tell me what I might have figured out.”

“Little Becky, always so smart. Nora thought you’d figure it out.”

She pulled back, then peered back closely. “Who are you?”

“Legally, I’m Adam H Barkley Junior. Who am I? I’m a man who has fallen in love with a fun, smart, beautiful, kind, powerful, sexy woman.”