When Eloise finds her husband Ben’s twin brother in their bed, it’s a shocking shock that sets off a chain of events that reveal long-hidden family ties and unspoken bonds. As she deals with this new reality, will it make her relationships stronger or cause problems she didn’t expect?
My name is Eloise and I work as a nurse in a hospital. There are night and day shifts for me, which can be tiring, but I love my job.
Ben and I have been married for two years. Our paths crossed at a college health fair where we were both volunteering. He was nice and had a great energy that drew me in. We hit it off right away and haven’t been apart since.
Ben is an EMT, so he knows more than anyone else about what I do for a living. Through the late nights and strange hours, we’ve always been there for each other. I can’t picture my life without him; he’s my rock.
It’s okay that our plans are crazy, but we share a small apartment close to the city. The times we spend together are full of love, fun, and date nights when we can find the time.
I got home around 11 p.m. last night after a long, hard shift. I was so tired that all I wanted to do was go to bed. I opened the bedroom door and turned on the light. Ben was already asleep there.
He was meant to be on the night shift, so I was shocked. I quickly turned off the light because I didn’t want to wake him up.
“Ben?” It was a whisper, but he didn’t move. I said to myself, “I guess your shift got canceled,” and was glad to see him home.
I got out of the shower and made a sandwich because I was hungry. Then I watched some YouTube movies to relax. I finally went to bed because the stress of the day was getting to me.
I gave Ben a soft kiss on the cheek, whispered “goodnight,” and fell asleep almost right away.
Someone yelled, “What the HELL is going on?” around 5 a.m. that woke me up.
I had a hard time opening my eyes because I was tired and lost. Ben was standing at the door to the bedroom and looked very angry.
“WHY ARE YOU YELLING?” I was able to ask, but my voice was sleepy.
“Are you crazy to ask me?! Why does he need to be here?” Ben yelled and pointed behind me.
She turned her head, and I felt a chill go through me. Ben was lying next to me, also wide awake at this point. That’s not possible. At the same time, Ben was in the bed and at the door. This made my mind race.
The man in the bed moved and opened his eyes, just like I was. It looked like seeing two things at once. As the truth of the situation set in, panic took over my heart. It wasn’t Ben. It was someone who looked just like him.
“Who are you?” I begged, my voice shaking with fear and confusion.
The man got up and rubbed his eyes. Slowly, he said, “My name is Tom.” He looked just as confused as I did. “Ben’s brother.”
My jaw dropped. Did Ben have a twin brother? This was something he had never said before. It brought back a lot of memories. Ben had said something about his brother coming to visit, but I had forgotten all about it because I was so busy with work.
“I left you a message about Tom coming,” Ben said, less angry and more worn out. “But I guess your phone’s battery died, and you never got it.”
I got my phone off the desk and turned it on with shaking hands. The sign for the battery flashed red. As it turned out, there were several missed messages from Ben describing what was going on.
I slowly got over my shock as I thought about what had happened. Tom, Ben’s twin brother who lives in Australia, came to see us. Because I was so tired, I thought he was Ben even though I had never met him before.
I told her, “I’m so sorry,” feeling both relieved and embarrassed. “I had no idea.”
Tom also looked like he was sorry. “I’m sorry for making a fuss. I went straight to bed after my flight because I was so tired.
Ben sighed and rubbed his forehead. “This is a great way to start the day.” Let’s forget about it and go back to sleep now that we know what’s going on.
I couldn’t help but laugh a little at how silly the situation was as Tom nodded his head in agreement. We were all tired and would have a lot to talk about tomorrow.
When I laid down again, I felt calm and at ease. Don’t get the wrong idea—this is not the end of my marriage. Even though it was crazy, it made me love my family even more.
When I woke up the next morning, I could smell coffee and hear talking in the kitchen. Downstairs, I yawned and stretched as I found Ben and Tom deep in conversation.
I said, “Morning,” as I slid into a seat at the table.
Tom smiled and said, “Good morning, Eloise.” “Sorry again for the confusion last night.”
I waved it off and said, “No, really, it’s fine.” “I just feel silly for not recognizing you weren’t Ben.”
Ben laughed. “I guess I understand. We are really the same after all.”
Tom smiled. “Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been mistaken for you, though.”
“So, Tom,” I asked as I poured myself a coffee, “why are you here from Australia?” I thought you had a lot of work to do.”
Tomás’s face became serious. “In fact, that’s one reason I’m here. I had to take a break. These days things have been… tough.”
When Ben leaned forward, worry was written all over his face. “Tough how?”
Tom let out a sigh. “Work has been really stressful, and I broke up with my girlfriend a few months ago.” I just had to get away and clear my mind.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said in a soft voice. “Breakups are never easy.”
Tom said yes. “Yes, it’s been hard. But it helps to be here and see you two. Helps me remember what’s important.”
Ben walked over and gave his brother a pat on the back to make him feel better. “Tom, you’re always welcome here. Stay as long as you need to.”
After that, the rest of the day was spent catching up and telling stories. Tom and Ben couldn’t stay away from each other. They talked about their childhood and told me about all the fun things they used to do as twins.
When I saw them together, it warmed my heart and made me feel like I was with my family.
Tom got used to our routine as the days went by. He helped us around the house, ate with us, and even joined us on some of our date nights, making them into fun family trips. We chose to go for a walk along the river one evening after a very nice dinner at our favorite place.
Tom looked around and said, “This place is beautiful.” “I can see why you guys love it here.”
Ben put his arm around my shoulders and said, “Yeah, it’s our little escape.”
We walked for a while in pleasant silence. The only sounds were the water lapping gently against the shore and the steady hum of city life far away. Tom finally spoke up again.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said as he looked at us. “Maybe it’s time for a change. “Maybe I should move back here to be near my family.”
Ben’s eyes got bright. “Really?” That’s really cool!”
I smiled. “Tom, we’d love to have you here. “Family is everything.”
Tom nodded, and his face showed that he was thinking. “Yes, it is.” I know how much I need you guys now that everything has happened.
As we walked on, I felt very happy inside. There was confusion and fear that led to the mistake, but it brought us together. Family, in all its forms, was the most important thing.
We sat in the living room and talked late into the night when we got home. We were closer than ever, and I knew that we would face any problems together.
When Ben squeezed my hand, my heart was full. A soft voice said, “I love you.”
I told her, “I love you too,” because I knew that our love, our family, would always find a way to get through anything.
Tom smiled at us and looked calm. He raised his glass and said, “Here’s to new beginnings.”
We both said, “To new beginnings,” and then we clinked our glasses together. There was love and laughter all around us, and I knew that this was the beginning of a new story full of hope, joy, and the strong bonds of family.
Life can surprise us in ways we never thought possible. Do you agree?