One ring.

‘Let it ring.’

Two rings.

‘I hate him.’

Three rings.

‘Well… maybe a small—“

“Hello?” She says, her voice shakes lightly. Adrenaline? Maybe. It’s been nearly a week, her husband went away for work, leaving her home at seventeen. “Hello?” She’s rocking the baby back and forth while she stands, one hand on the phone, the other on Madeline’s bottom and back.

“I will be arriving at home around—“ he pauses on the other end of the call.

“Around when, Jax?” She spits back. “You left me a week alone to care for 𝘰𝘶𝘳 baby. Never mind the fact she’s only a few months old. What is wrong with you? I pop out a kid and suddenly it doesn’t concern you?”

“A child? I didn’t—“ he stops again, as if to gather himself. “Oh, yes. A child, our… our child. Darling, I’ll be there at dusk, alright? Now, don’t you worry.”

“Where’d you go?” She throws the towel across the light blue kitchen as the baby cries out. “Where’d you go anyways? England? You sound funny.”

“I suppose I may have picked up a few… ah, things,” she hears the phone cackle and cut in and out. A door slams somewhere and he clears his throat. “Tonight, yes dear?”

“I’ll hunt you down if you don’t,” at her words the baby wails louder, “You better hurry, so help me, Jax.”

The line disconnects.

“Daddy’s voice sounded weird, huh? Probably sick. Do you think daddy is sick? Well… I hope so. Serves him right,” the woman lays the baby down and begins changing her diaper. “Tonight isn’t very far away. Maybe momma will get- Madeline! Gosh, would you at least wait until the diaper is on?”

The baby gurgles, kicking the mess further as she squirms. Suddenly the momma laughs, kissing the baby’s forehead. “You little monster!” She giggles down at it, making faces so the baby will laugh too.

.•.•.•.•.•

Heavy footsteps vibrate through the house, the woman’s eyes open. The TV buzzes on it’s mount on the wall, the new series is chattering on about Silvia and The Murder of Two Men. She sighs just as the baby screams.

She stands, stretches and walks to the baby’s pink nursery room. “Look Madeline, I’ve told you, I need res-“ A man stands over the crib, rocking her back and forth. The baby quiets and falls into slumber. “Thank God you’re here, Jax. It took so long to just get her down and I-“ the man turns at the woman’s words.

That isn’t Jax.

She pushes him away from her baby and grabs a box cutter high above her head that she uses to open Pamper diaper boxes. She pops the safety top off with her teeth and wields it like a stubby sword. “How’d you get into my house?” As she stares, more resemblances seem to show themselves. The bright brown eyes. The black hair. The familiar smile. They’re almost the same. The man raises his hands, trying to show her that he’s no threat. Slowly, she lowers the box cutter. “Who are you?”

“Do not be afraid,” says the man with a much stronger accent than he called her phone with. “I am not here to harm you.”

“Who-“

“I’m your husbands twin brother whom he did not know existed. My name is Dax. Your husband… he…”

“He?”

“I am the father. I was the one there that night. You got us mixed up and I,” he rubs the back of his neck and blushes, “I am afraid we were too far gone to control the burning fire within.”

“What about Jax? Where’s he?”

“He has exited the problem, I suppose it took some… convincing. But do not worry, darling. I am here now,” he walks closer and wraps the woman in a hug. Slowly, he unwinds her fingers from the box cutter.

But there’s just one more thing she notices: Dax has the metallic scent of blood on his skin.