An Unlikely Connection: Part 3

Chapter 4: Devils Advocate

"Oh... you wouldn't be happy for me?"

"I thought you didn't like the idea of turning back."

"I," she said, looking off for a moment. "I'm just curious what you would do if I looked more like you," she said and touched my chest. "Would you," she said and bit the corner of her lip. "Still want me?"

"Do you want me to honestly answer that? You should know my answer."

"Can you stop suggesting I should know? Just tell me."

"I love the way you look right now."

"Would you break up with me?" That question rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like the time we spent together was enough to show her where my comfort was.

"I'm not answering that," I said and turned my back to her.

"Why not?"

"Because you know the answer."

"But, I don't!" Before I could answer, her phone beeped three times at different intervals. "Damn... I gotta go."

"Where to?"

"Doctor's appointment." She threw on some clothes and quickly brushed her teeth before coming back to me. "Can we finish this conversation later?" I didn't want to but I agreed to it since she was in a hurry. "Cool. Talk to you later."

Yosefin left me confused and worried about what was going on in her head. Once I put on my clothes, I went home unhappy with our time together. Two hours later, she sent me a text message asking if I could come back. I didn't feel like driving back there so I told her if she wanted to, she could come to my place. She arrived at my place sometime after leaving the doctor's office.

"I have something to show you," Yosefin said after I let her in. She carried an envelope under her right armpit. She didn't open it until we were in my room. "Take a look at these and tell me what you think."

Inside the envelope were three stitched A.I. photographs of Yosefin as herself and as a man. The first set had her current age but with longer hair. She had her nose ring and earrings on. Her male counterpart almost looked identical to her. He had shorter hair with a shaved face. The second set aged her five extra years. Both of their hair were cut short but he had his beard cut low to the skin. The last stitched photograph pushed her likeness past the age of thirty-five. She looked so stunning and mature. Her lips were slightly blackened. She had loop-style earrings instead of the dangling ones I normally saw. The counterpart had chin stubble, stud earrings, and the usual nose rings she wore.

"Yose's sister is pretty hot," I said. "I wonder if he'll give me her number."

"Josh," she said nearly laughing. She hid her smile with her hand and said, "Let's be serious. What do you think of how I am supposed to be?"

"Well..." I had a tough time focusing on her male image. It felt wrong to imagine her like that. "It's weird to see you like this."

"Right?" She laughed. "I look so good!" I tried to make sure I seemed happy. But, the more I watched her drool over her male A.I. look alike, it worried me that she would want to become it.

"Why'd you go visit your doctor?" I said.

"To see what I'd look like without my mutations," she said, holding the first word longer than the rest. I took her answer despite wanting to pressure her for a better reason than curiosity. I didn't want to ruin the mood.

"Is that all? Should I be worried about anything else?"

"No."

"Are you sick?"

"Josh," she said, giggling through her nose. She hugged me and said, "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about anything. I'm good."

Yosefin's reassurance didn't help distract me from worrying. Doctors are meant to help the body, not create photographs. Whoever she went to, she didn't want me to know.