Claudia reid writes the mirror ripples tom is pulled into another universe | Claudia Reid

Universe Two: The Gentle Teacher In the second timeline, Tom is a high school history teacher who is described as patient, gentle, and a believer in second chances . He lives in a suburban home that smells of rosemary and cedar, filled with jazz music and gold-framed photographs . Persona: Despite his outward kindness, Tom is emotionally "absent" and "gone" . His wife, the professor Elisa, describes him as a "ghost wearing my husband’s face" and a "tomb" . Elisa’s Role: Here, Elisa is a university professor . Relationship: They are married, but the relationship is a "mausoleum" . Because Tom is so emotionally distant, this Elisa is having an affair with a version of Tom that feels "alive" and "dangerous" .