Chapter 40: SHOCKING DISCOVERIES

The hair. The eyes. The nose. The cheekbones !
"How would you react to seeing someone who looks uncannily similar to you ?" Audrey asked Rachel.
"Probably freak out or might be fascinated too," Rachel replied as she went to the washroom to give Alex a bath.
But because it"s a big damn world, most of us might never come across our own doppelgangers.
"Hello, Calvin ! I just saw the local newspaper. Can you help me find the whereabouts of that little girl ? I'm really interested and desperate to meet her," Audrey revealed her desire.
"Hi Audrey ! I'm going to my friend's house in the evening for their child's birthday party. I'll show them the pic and I'll check with them in case they know anything about that toddler," Calvin assured. "It's a small town and it shouldn't be very difficult to find the child if she's from this town only. So don't worry ! We'll surely find your little doppelganger soon" he added as they ended the call.
Isabelle went to the supermarket after meeting Calvin and brought necessary stuff such as flowers, ribbons, balloons, and so on to decorate the house for the birthday party.
"Birthday parties, according to me, are overrated, with parents trying to outdo each other. We should be able to have a simple celebration and keep it at that," Isabelle said to Kenji as she entered the house.
"According to me, birthday parties are fancy get-togethers with family, friends, and children. We need to plan the party meticulously so that everyone enjoys them thoroughly at our home. It would need an eye for detail to organize a very lively party and I know that we'll make it a memorable day for our prince, Ethan and the guests," Kenji replied.
Isabelle had refused the gifts, saying that the offers are "greatly appreciated," but asked that they instead be sent to a children's hospital. She also insisted that Ethan just wanted to spend time with friends, not receive gifts. The outreach of this goodwill gesture had been phenomenal and everybody had appreciated it.
"Isabelle, come here in the room with Ethan ! I've a surprise for you and the birthday boy," a delighted Kenji called out.
Kenji wanted to see Ethan and Isabelle, smile to the fullest and feel utterly nostalgic at the same time, so he had a brilliant idea and created a walk down the memory lane, when Isabelle had gone to meet Calvin.
The photographer Dad took balloons, filled with gas and a hell lot of it, and then attached pictures to the string of the balloons, and let the balloons hit the ceiling.
Once ready, Kenji brought Isabelle and Ethan to the room with blind folds on and allowed them to explore the beautifully decorated room with photos ranging from the time when Isabelle was pregnant with Ethan to Ethan's latest pics of every milestone.
Isabelle was so touched by the beautiful gesture that tear drops coursed her cheeks as she hugged Kenji. Ethan was so excited and delighted to see himself as a baby!
"Did you get a chance to talk to Dmitri about Melody's photo in the newspaper ?" Kenji asked, after his wife and son had spent long moments in awe in the room.
"No, Dmitri has been so busy off late with the hospital schedules that he had no time to even look at the newspaper or talk to me beyond professional matters," Isabelle explained as she wiped her tears. She was feeling so emotional but happy after looking at the pictures. "Today for the party too, he will come just before dinner, after attending the doctor's seminar organized in our hospital where he's one of the guest speakers," Isabelle added as Ethan and Sarah started playing with their clay dough.
"What about Melody ? Should I pick her up from the daycare ?" Kenji inquired.
"No, honey ! Hazel will leave early from the hospital around noon and will pick Melody up from the daycare. Then once Melody is fresh after her nap, then she will dress her up and will bring her here," Isabelle informed.
"Oh great ! In Hazel, you have really found an affectionate and helpful friend and a colleague," Kenji remarked.
"Yup, for sure ! She's a blessing for our hospital and for every life she touches with her pure love," Isabelle commended.
Hazel picked up Melody from the daycare and got her ready for the birthday party, once she woke up from her nap.
She dressed her in a beautiful lilac lace embroidery A-line dress which made her look like an elegant princess and pinned her hair with a ribbon bow and a small lilac purse to go along with it.
Hazel then changed her formal hospital outfit to a party dress and fine jewelry she had been carrying in her car since morning, when she left for the hospital.
Hazel helped Isabelle in organizing the party after she reached her home with Melody.
They both talked non stop as their hands worked at high speed to organize everything before the arrival of guests.
"By the way, how was your first date with Kenji ?" Hazel asked.
"I was so obsessed over what to wear for my first date and then—in the middle of my date, I had to leave to go heroically deliver an insurance-less mother"s baby," Isabelle revealed.
"This is the beauty of our profession. Miracles happen at any time," remarked Hazel to which both of them laughed hysterically.
"Hazel, if you don"t mind, can I ask you a question, a personal question ?" Isabelle hesitantly asked while wrapping the return gifts with her.
"Sure ! Of course ! You have all the right to ask anything, as you're not only a colleague but now a soul sister, a family to call my own for the first time in my life," said an emotional Hazel.
"Don't you long for a home to call it your own then ?" Isabelle asked.
"For me home is wherever I'm happy, as long as I have the people I love around me," Hazel replied with a sigh, eyes glistening with tears.
"Why don't you confess your feelings of love to Dmitri then ? Why don't you marry and move on in life ?" Isabelle questioned.
"Dmitri had been my first crush and first love from the time I knew what love was. I used to sit a few seats away from him in all our classes. He was someone I kept looking and thinking about. I used to talk to him in my heart about my love for him but never got enough courage to express my feelings in reality," reminisced Hazel. "Perhaps, I wanted to make declarations of my love that we would never be apart and began dreaming what our life would look like in five or ten years," she confessed.
"Then you should have confessed your feelings for him," Isabelle commented.
"Earlier, I wanted to confess my feelings of love, as I just told you but never got the nerve, as I was too scared of losing the bond of friendship with him in case his answer was negative. And now over the years my love has changed only to care and friendship, same as his feelings for me. I think we all evolved with time," Hazel added with a shrug as they started to lay the table.
First love is a heady, all-consuming mix of the best part of life and who knew better than Isabelle herself.
In the evening, all the invitees for the birthday started pouring in for the party. To make the party enjoyable, fun party games were played by kids and adults.
Calvin arrived at the party, all dressed up and looking quite handsome in his usual persona. He was relaxed after the guilt trip of years which was cleared today after meeting with Isabelle.
"The high road is the only road worth taking sometimes. Why carry that resentment with you, just so you can find yourself encumbered with negative feelings that will only lead to more frustration and animosity down the line ?" a thought crossed Isabelle's mind as she saw a relaxed Calvin.
Now, Isabelle and Calvin had both taken the high road to build the foundation for a beautiful friendship that could last for years and counting.
All children are naturally attuned to sound and rhythm. So the moment Kenji played the peppy songs kids danced their hearts out. Melody seemed to be the dancing queen of the lot as she twirled and swirled to the beats of the tune.
Calvin enjoyed interacting with everyone, just when his eyes fell on the charming Melody. He couldn't believe his eyes and rushed to a secluded spot in the house to call Audrey.
"I've just met the little girl here at the birthday party that I've come to attend. Oh this little angel, has the same presence and aura as you," Calvin called Audrey in amazement and shared the news with her.
"Calvin, please send me the address, I'm coming there to meet her and her parents," Audrey exclaimed in excitement.
"Sure ! And I'm telling you that it's crazy !! She scrunches her nose the same way as you do, plays with her hair the same way, shrugs her shoulders the same way and even talks with her hands similarly. You have to see to believe," Calvin said as he awakened so much curiosity in Audrey.
Soon everybody got busy with the games, cutting the cake and relishing the sumptuous snacks.