— Oh! — Emily exclaimed in fright, pushing her husband away with both hands as he leaned over her in bed to kiss her. — Oh, goodness!
— What’s wrong? — James stared at his wife in confusion. — Why are you flinching from me?
— James, in your eyes… — she nearly poked his eye with her finger, — it’s not my reflection!
— What? — James drawled skeptically. — Think about what you’re saying.
— I swear, it’s not mine! — Emily shook her head vigorously.
— Then whose is it?
— I don’t know… But it’s someone else’s… — Emily gazed at her husband in fear, shrinking into her shoulders. — What does it mean, James?
— It means you need to see an eye doctor, — James said firmly. — Come here, I’ll kiss you, and it’ll all go away.
— No… Wait… Let me look again. — Emily brought her face close to his, staring intently into his eyes, then grimaced and said in a bewildered tone, — It’s true… It’s not me…
— Stop messing with me! — James grumbled, annoyed. — It’s time to sleep, and you’re saying things like that. That’s it, turn off the bedside lamp.
— No… I’m scared to sleep now… — Emily moaned. — There’s another woman in your eyes, and I’m lying right here… It’s so creepy…
— What now? — James sighed.
He quickly got out of bed, hurried to the mirror, and tried to examine his eyes. Realizing there wasn’t enough light, he switched on the chandelier and stared at his reflection again.
— You’re making it up, — he said finally, with relief. — There’s no one in my eyes. Just me.
— Exactly, — Emily nodded from the bed. — You’re looking at your own eyes, not mine. That’s why you see your reflection in the mirror. But when I look into your eyes, some strange woman is staring back at me. It should be my eyes reflected in yours.
— Enough! — James said sternly, turning off the main light. — What could you possibly see in my eyes with just the lamp on? That’s why you’re imagining nonsense.
— It’s not nonsense! — Emily insisted stubbornly. — You know, I read somewhere once that when a hunter shoots a deer, the animal’s eyes forever hold the reflection of that hunter. Have you heard of that?
— That’s just hunters’ tall tales! — James scoffed. — I’ve read something like that too, but it’s ridiculous.
— It’s not ridiculous! And it means there’s a reason some random woman is in your eyes.
— What do my eyes have to do with it?
— Everything!
— What do you mean, everything?
— Don’t you get it?
— Believe it or not, no!
— Then think about it! — Emily sat up in bed, staring intently at her husband. — Think hard!
— I’m not going to think about it! — James replied stubbornly. — You’ve come up with this… Wrong reflection, really… Go to the eye doctor tomorrow, let them check your eyes thoroughly.
— Come on, confess, who were you hunting today, hunter? — Emily pointed an accusing finger at James. — What lady did you ‘shoot’ today?
— Have you lost your mind? How could I shoot anyone?
— With those eyes of yours!
— And where would I have shot her? — James smirked.
— Anywhere! At work, on the street. You’re just like that!
— Like what? — James asked, surprised.
— All eyes, that’s what!
— Listen, Emily, are you sure you’re not hallucinating? — James asked suddenly.
— What? — Emily didn’t understand.
— Hallucinations. Where were you today while I was at work?
— Shopping.
— Got it, — James smirked again. — Did you buy anything?
— Why would I?
— What do you mean, why? You were shopping!
— To go shopping, you don’t have to buy anything. The main thing is trying stuff on.
— Exactly, — James nodded. — Now we’re getting somewhere. How many clothes did you look at and try on today?
— Tons, — Emily admitted.
— And you probably admired how those clothes looked on other women too, right? Was that part of it?
— Well, yeah… — Emily paused, thoughtful. — What are you getting at?
— Here’s the thing. Back in the day, my friends and I used to play cards all night. And after playing so much you felt sick of it, when you went to bed, you’d still see kings and aces spinning before your eyes. So, tell me, are clothes and women spinning in your head right now?
— Oh… — Emily exclaimed again. — Yes… They are! As soon as I lie down, they just float in waves before my eyes… Wait, wait… — She leaned over her husband’s face again and peered into his eyes. — Now all I see is the fitting room… Yeah… You’re right, James, I think I’m having… those hallucinations. I wonder when they’ll stop?
— I’ll kiss you right now, and they’ll stop immediately, — James smiled.
— Really?
— I promise!
— Well, then kiss me…
And just as James promised, it all worked out…
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