Another Yulia

Sunday morning didn't promise any trouble. On the contrary, I woke up in a great mood—I'm 27 years old, full of energy, hope, and aspirations, with my own apartment in the city center and a well-paying job, where I was currently working as a legal consultant. Finally, I have my girlfriend, Yulia, with whom I had planned to spend a fun weekend.

It was spring—the greenery was already in full bloom outside, and the heady, light air seemed to carry the scent of love. I was sitting in the kitchen, leisurely savoring a cup of aromatic coffee, enjoying the beauty outside, when Yulia crept up behind me and covered my eyes with her hands. When I "guessed" who it was, we celebrated with a long kiss, after which Yulia, announcing her intention to take a shower so she could get going on our previously planned shopping trip, quickly retreated to the bathroom. I continued to sit, sipping coffee, thinking about this and that. I heard the water running in the bathroom and Yulia humming.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the ringing of my cell phone, which was in the bedroom and which I had no desire to pick up. You never know what they might tell you on the other end of the line—perhaps that "something" could instantly ruin even the most beautiful morning... But the phone continued to ring for a couple of minutes, and I, overcoming my composure, went into the bedroom.

Imagine my surprise—though I wouldn't call it surprise, it was a real shock—when I saw Yulia sleeping peacefully in the bedroom!

 You might think she'd simply returned already, but no—the shower was running, and the girl's voice came from the bathroom as if nothing had happened.

Forgetting why I'd even entered the room, I stood there and heard Yulia's voice from the bathroom—or someone very similar to her—asking me to bring the towel she'd forgotten on the chair.

On wobbly legs, I walked past the sleeping "other" Yulia, keeping my eyes on her, picked up the towel, and handed it to Yulia from the bathroom.

It all took literally ten seconds, no more. Looking into the bedroom again, I found only an unmade bed.

What slept on our bed in our absence, I don't know, and I don't want to know; more accurately, I'm afraid. For obvious reasons, I decided not to tell Yulia about the strange guest's visit.