Once home, I immediately messaged my parents to call me when they landed for peace of mind.
The local student I had arranged to pick them up was waiting.
As I sat on my bed lost in thought, a knock at the door snapped me back to reality.
It was my landlady.
"Jess, I hate to bother you at this hour, but your rent is two weeks overdue. Could you pay it now?"
She was always understanding, so I quickly paid through my phone.
"Received, thanks. Oh, and, uh, Jess, I have to sell the apartment, so you've got a week to find a new place. I've sent back the extra rent and your deposit."
She smiled sheepishly and left after a few words.
Once the door shut, tears streamed down my cheeks.
My brother was gone, my parents were away, I was swamped with debt, and now I was about to lose my home.
Lying in bed, my phone chimed again.
"Sorry to intrude, but I had to be upfront—neuroblastoma patients usually don't live long. I think your brother might have been misdiagnosed. Maybe consider a second opinion?"
Seeing that he was typing again under the smiley icon, I replied with irritation, "Yeah, thanks. Really intrusive."
I fell back onto my bed, and the next time I opened my eyes, it was already light out.
There was still no word on my phone.
As I packed, my cousin Katie sent me a photo from an overseas site—a secretive party scene with a man in the center wearing only underwear.
His face was the spitting image of my brother.
"Jess, doesn't the guy in the middle look just like John?"
I zoomed in as much as possible. From every angle, he was the image of my brother.
But he was supposed to be dead!
Then I noticed the post date—it was today!
"Impossible!" I shot down my cousin Katie's theory, blown away by the freakiness of genetics.
Could there really be two doppelgängers out there?
Compared to my brother's frail condition before he left, I really hoped he was now in better health.
It wasn't until later that afternoon that I finally received a call from my mom overseas.
Her voice was hoarse, "Jess, sweetie... it's been tough, I feel like I've let you down."
"About your brother, he..."
Mom sniffled, "Your dad and I have handled everything for him, but, honey, I just realized... it's been hard on you these past years."
"It's all good, as long as he can rest easy, I can handle it." I choked back tears.
Mom hesitated, "The thing is, Jess, we're short on the money... we need a bit more..."
Short?