A Love Not Mine

A crazy request

That night, everyone was gathered around a bed as they soothed a sobbing Payton. She was lying there on the bed, her eyes closed as tears flowed out of them. "Payton dear, don't worry. Everything will be alright" pleaded her mother as she rubbed her hand in circles. "No mom, nothing will be alright without my sight. I…am…now…blind" cried Payton. "No Toni, look on the bright side. The doctor said that if you get a corneal transplant you will be able to see again" assured Paris.

Apparently, earlier when they took Payton to the hospital the doctor went to examine her. When he came out, they all went towards him. "Doctor, what's wrong with my daughter?" asked her mother. The doctor took five seconds of silence and then started, "well, I've got bad news. Your daughter's cornea are damaged and I am afraid she won't be able to see again." At this, both parents and Paris were looking at the doctor with wide eyes that the doctor thought they would fall out. "But," continued the doctor and saw their eyes get filled with hope again, "If she gets a corneal transplant, she will be able to see again. And lucky for you, the hospital can help you with the arrangements of finding a donor." finished the doctor.

"Doctor," started the twins' father, "we would like to start the procedure now." He told the doctor. "Right away sir. Now follow me, you'll have to fill a form before we begin" answered the doctor.

Payton was still crying till late in the night when their father begged Paris to go to bed. Tired, she went to her room, changed into her pajamas, said her night prayer and then went to bed. Five minutes later, she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in."

Then her mother half-opened the door, "Paris, your sister wants to talk to you." "Okay, I'm coming." Her mother closed back the door as Paris woke up, put on her slippers and went to see her sister.

Once in the room, Paris found her mother sitting on the bed holding Payton's hand but her father was not there so she took it that he had retired to bed too. Paris went and sat on the other side of the bed and looked at her sister.

"Paris is that you?" asked Payton.

"Yes sis. It's me."She watched as Payton searched the bed for her hand, finally landed on it and lifted it in both her hands.

"Paris, you know you are the only sister that I've got" started Payton. Paris nodded her head at this as she spoke up, "yeah, I know".

"And I really need your help now." finished Payton. "Toni, you know there is nothing I can't help you with as long as—

"I want you to date Richard for now." Interrupted Payton before she could finish her sentence.

"Wait what?" Paris was so shocked that she unconsciously pulled her had away from her sister who was holding it and stood up looking at her.

"Toni, did you hit your head somewhere? Because why on earth would you even think of such an insane idea!" said Paris literally shouting.

"Please Paris," began Payton who had now started crying, "You know how much I love Richard and we both know Lilian Randall well. If she knew that I have gone blind, she would never accept me as her daughter-in-law because it would be a disgrace to their family. And then she would stop all wedding preparations."

"Well, we could tell them what the doctor said." said a desperate Paris. "Okay, think about it," convinced Payton, "How am I supposed to stand in front of her and say that? Like 'Oh, ma'am you know, I am blind for now but the doctor said that if I have a corneal transplant I will be healed'. Come on Paris, we are talking about one of the richest families here and it would take them no more than a month to find another perfect daughter-in-law eligible for their son."

Paris was at loss of words that she looked at her mother in hope of getting her support but she was also looking at her with pleading eyes. "Mom please tell me you're not in this too." said Paris.

"Honey you're the only hope that your sister has. Please, help her." said her mother.

Paris laughed in disbelief, "I can't believe this. I really can't believe this. Imagine if they found out. What would happen? First, they would sue us for fraud. You both well know that. Second, Richard Randall would hate you forever for that Toni. Because that is literally playing with someone's heart and I don't think you'd like that. Next, almost every newspaper would be about a senseless family which tried to deceive the town's most favorite family and I bet you don't wanna know—

"Paris," interrupted her mother, "We know the risk is high but we will play this well. At least till Toni is healed and then you switch back. But please, for now, help  her. Help us."

Paris took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down, "I'm going to bed. I don't wanna talk about this anymore." She turned and left the room and once outside she heard her mother's fading voice as she soothed Payton, "Don't worry dear. She's your sister. She'll come around."

Paris went straight to bed as she was still pondering on what just happened. That night she had nightmares where she saw Payton starving herself to death because she couldn't help her keep her fiancé. "You're such a bad sister you know. You couldn't even save your sister's marriage" her parents kept shouting at her. She had another nightmare where she had agreed to be her sister in disguise and she was having this dinner date with Richard in a fancy restaurant crowded with rich people and then all of a sudden Richard took a microphone, went on the stage where the pianist was performing and looked at her and then started laughing evilly and shouted, "So you think you and your family can fool me?"  She was so scared that she thought her heart would jump out of her. Suddenly, on a cue, everyone else in the restaurant turned to look at her and then they started laughing as evil as Richard and then they all started getting closer to her. Suffocating her.

Instantly, she woke up breathing hard as if she had just finished a marathon race, her forehead was wet with sweats and she could hear her heart pounding from her chest. She looked on her bedside clock and it was a quarter past three in the morning. She sat straight, closed her eyes and prayed, hoping for some peace of mind and then went back to bed. This time she slept well till morning.

In a black shiny shoe on a dark blue suit, a white shirt and a black tie, there he was coming down the stairs. He was a brunette with a tanned skin, tall and handsome. Richard Randall, a 29-year-old bachelor and a successor of the Real Motors Co.

Heading to the dining table for his breakfast, he met his mother, Lilian Randall with a tray of freshly baked cakes. "Morning mother" he greeted as his mother looked at him adorably. "Oh, morning dear. You just came at the right time when breakfast is ready."

They both headed to the dining table where Mr. Randall, Richard's father, was already seated holding a "Morning Breeze" newspaper.

"Morning dad" greeted Richard. "Morning son" replied her father barely lifting her head from the newspaper.

"So Richard," started Mrs. Randall as she poured a glass of orange juice for him "How is Payton doing?"

Richard was helping himself with a piece of cake as he answered, "Oh, Toni is doing great. I've been tight on the company schedule so we haven't been talking that much, BUT, we do have a dinner date tomorrow."Mrs. Randall nodded her head and said, "Okay then. I guess I'll have to talk to her about her wedding gown the day after tomorrow." She finished as she sat down to have her breakfast.

On the contrary, Richard was already standing up, "Good. Then I'm leaving for work" he said as he took a glance on his wrist watch.

"Okay, have a great day" called his mother as he was already heading out.

"Thank you mother."

That same morning, Paris was heading back to her sister's room. As she opened the door, her mother was already there or maybe she had spent the night there?

Whatever it was, she didn't have time to think about that. She went close to her sister's bed and looked at her, "Okay, tell me everything I need to know before dating Richard Randall."