Ünexpectedly

53. Seeing Double

"Well, this is... this is weird." It was Richard's cousin's wife who spoke first and she glanced at Maine again, still looking completely floored.

"Yea..." Richard's cousin agreed.

The little girl looked at her daddy first and then leaned over to look at her mom before glancing at Maine and Richard again.

Finally, Richard's cousin sighed when the two of them seemed like they weren't planning on speaking anytime soon. "I'm Jay, or RJ," he said, pushing his hand towards Maine. "This is my wife Dei, and this is our daughter, Athena. Dei, sya yung isa sa mga pinsan kong sinasabi kong kamukha ko. His name is Richard too -"

"Yea, if that isn't already weird enough. Hi Richard."

"And this, I believe, is his fiancée-- Richard, talk. And stop ogling at Dei."

Richard shook his head a bit and cleared his throat. "Yea, meet my fiancée, Maine. Maine, meet my cousin and his wife and kid," he said distractedly. "Dude, this is some twilight zone shit."

"I know," Jay said, pulling a chair for Dei and sitting beside her with Athena on his lap. "Hi, Maine. I hope you're not too weirded out. Welcome to New York," he added, and he gave her a friendly smile.

"Hi po. And Hi... uhm, Dei," Maine greeted her doppelgänger.

"Hi Maine," Dei said, smiling at her uncertainly.

"Hi!" the little girl said again.

Maine glanced at her and smiled. "Hi, Athena," she said, touching her tiny hand. The little girl grinned and looked at her mommy again.

"I think the little princess is confused too," Dei said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so flustered but this is just too weird. Tama si Richard. Parang twilight zone lang. It's my first time to see someone who look almost exactly as me. I already know that Richard and Jay look like twins, but us... as far as I know, wala akong kakambal. Mas magkamukha pa tayo kesa sa ate ko eh," she continued with a small laugh.

"Oo nga, hindi kaya magkamag-anak tayo or something?" Maine asked.

The two guys just stared as their partners chatted, still completely amazed by the coincidence, while Athena played with the ring on Maine's finger. She seemed already drawn to her mommy's double.

"Ilang taon ka na, if you don't mind," asked Dei.

"I don't mind," Maine said, smiling. "I'm 27."

"I'm 29 so we definitely can't be twins. Naisip ko lang bigla na baka we're twins separated at birth but apparently that would be too impossible, given our age gap," Dei said, laughing. "Anong last name mo, Maine?"

"Mendoza..."

"Okay. That's just -- my last name is Mendoza too. Teka lang ha," Dei said touching her temple, now completely bewildered. "Saan ang province niyo?"

"Sa Bataan," Maine answered.

"Oh my gods! We could be relatives, Maine!" Dei exclaimed. "Babe, I need to call mom and dad about this. Ang cool!"

"Definitely. Yea, let's ask your parents tomorrow. Baka hindi niyo alam magpinsan din pala kayo. Anyway, have you guys ordered?" Jay asked, trying to ease the awkwardness.

"Hindi pa," Richard said. "Ano bang gusto mo dito, Panda?"

"Yung tinuro ko kanina, Mallows. Mukhang masarap yun eh."

Dei and Jay glanced at each other.

"What do you guys call each other?" Jay asked, trying hard not to smile, and Richard looked up from the menu at once. "Panda and Mallows?"