Page 13 of Guess Again

Nekoosa, Wisconsin Monday, July 7, 2025

IT WAS 10:00 P.M.

WHEN THE DOORBELL RANG.

EUGENIA HAD BEEN PACING the house, too anxious for her visit with Francis the following day to watch television or read a book or do anything other than obsess over the idea of finally seeing him.

She had forced herself to leave the basement because she knew she could spend all night looking at photos and watching videos of him, and she needed a good night’s sleep so that she was fresh and alert in the morning.

But she feared sleep would not come. She was simply too excited. And she dared not take a sedative for fear of oversleeping.

She had, instead, taken to cleaning the house as a way to pass time, and was on her hands and knees scrubbing the bathroom floor when the doorbell chimed.

She stopped scrubbing and listened for a moment.

The ring came again.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake,”

Eugenia said, climbing from all fours.

Her jet-black hair was tied in a bun, and yellow rubber gloves covered her hands.

Her face was flush with exertion when she walked to the front door.

She pulled the curtain to the side and peeked through the window.

Eugenia did a double take when she saw the woman standing on her front porch.

Then, she slowly opened the door.

Eugenia could have been looking at herself in the mirror, or a twin sister she did not have.

“Can I help you?”

Eugenia asked in a slow, confused voice.

The woman smiled.

“Yes.

Francis sent me.”