She must be Enara. Shane thought in silence. His hands curled at his side. Its knuckles whitened.
Shit. Julienne cursed inwardly.
Did she just say amnesia? Julienne felt embarrassed revealing Rana's condition to Shane. He looked shocked she noticed. She observed him with fury and asked nicely.
"Will you please forget I told you that Rana is an amnesiac?"
"Why? It doesn't matter." He retorted. His voice was flat. He tried his best to contain his shock.
"You're not supposed to know it," said Julienne with a large sigh escaping her lips. "You're a journalist remember? What if you write something about her on the paper? Amnesiac people are points of interest among sensational newspaper writers. It would deeply hurt Rana."
Shane looked back at Julienne's cross expression and gently patted her shoulders.
"Don't worry. I don't divulge secrets, Julienne. I'm a news journalist not a gossipmonger nor a tabloid writer," he said with emphasis.
She still looked at him with distrustful eyes.
"Julienne. I work for Daily Newspost. I write news stories not sensational stories. And I only came here for the 150th celebration anniversary of the museum." Shane said assuring her.
Her gaze flickered uncertainly and she released a sigh again.
"Then, promise me you won't say anything about it. And you won't write anything about it."
Shane raised his right arm as if taking an oath and sincerely said, "I promise."
She gave him an incredulous stare.
"Okay. I believe you."
"Well, thanks. I almost feel like I'm being interrogated by my future mother-in-law with the way you acted just now, Julienne." He joked.
Shane released an easy laugh. Julienne stared at him.
"No kidding, Julienne. Do you know how uptight you were just now? It's that same feeling."
And Kat's mom was never liked that. He thought to himself. This woman was like a mother hen to her chick.
"Whoa. I never realized it, Shane." She said with a laugh. "But, I'm just a bit overprotective when it comes to Rana. She's my best friend, you see."
"Yeah, I understand that Julienne. Don't worry, I promise." He replied with ease. "And I don't break promises."
"You better hold on to that." She said her voice relaxing.
Julienne looked at her watch and said, "Hey, it's already 11:00 am. We're already ready for lunch."
She said and looked back at him. "Wanna go have lunch with me?"
Shane shook his head. He checked his watch on his wrist. It was 11:10 am. He set a 10-minute early startup because he works in a fast pace industry and he can never buy too much time ahead.
"Nope. I'll pass, Julienne but thanks for inviting me. I'll just see you on Wednesday."
"Sure. See you on Wednesday, Shane."
"Yup. I look forward to it."
"So, shall we go down?" she asked looking at the entrance door.
"Let's go down."
They walked down the stairs and parted ways at the foot of the stairs.
"Goodbye, Julienne. Thanks for assisting me."
"Sure, anytime." She said about to take a step back but faced Shane. "But, hold one minute. Let me just get you your invitation for next Wednesday."
She dashed to her office and came out of the door in less than thirty seconds walking briskly towards him. She gave him the invitation.
"Here it is. And see you next week, Shane. Bye!"
She waved a hand to him before she went back to her office. Once Julienne was out of sight, Shane crossed the large room in strides, returned the visitor's ID to the receptionist, and went out of the building dashing down the stairs.
He hailed a cab and made it stop in front of a Chinese food restaurant. He paid the driver, went out of the cab, and walked fast to the restaurant.
He pushed the black glass door to the side and entered. He needed to find a seat fast and think. He saw the floor was tiled in white and black diamond dotted design.
He roamed his eyes. The restaurant was a half-modern half ancient style Chinese restaurant. Red and white lanterns hang to the right side wall where three small round windows were built with square line designs behind them. A large circular window with square lines designs were designed to its four edge corner and a red draped curtain hang behind it while a bonsai plant is found at its center surface. The tables and seats were oak surfaces with their stands built and designed in black square line design.
He found himself a table at the middle side beside a center round window draped in red curtains and a bonsai plant placed on its center surface. He picked up the black menu book written in gold and went over the list. He chose stir-fried noodles, steamed dumplings, and their specially brewed iced black tea. A pretty Chinese female waiter dressed in a white blouse and red skirt covered with a black waist apron came in to get his order and left.
He propped his elbows on the table clasping his hands on his mouth. Shane was sure of it while he waited for his lunch to arrive.
Rana is Enara.
There's no mistake now. He has mistaken Rana for Enara and let it go because she didn't recognize him. She was but a passing stranger that fatefully crossed his path that day he proposed to his girlfriend, Katarina.
She didn't recognize him because she couldn't remember him. She has amnesia. She has no memory of before she was eighteen.
But, why must she appear before him just after he proposed to Katarina?
It couldn't have been more ill timing.
After a short while of waiting, his order arrived delivered by the same waitress. He started eating the stir-fried noodles with chopsticks in his hands while his thoughts ran on Enara.
Fate is a stumble in the park that leaves you rolling downhill when you've set your life on track, he thought with a sarcastic curl of his tongue looking past the square glass window where a big red and a big white lantern were hanging from the ceiling on either end, seeing people walking in opposite directions and cars driving in the street.
He just proposed to Katarina that particular afternoon. He thought while he was eating. His entire life was now set in direction and she just has to appear. Just like a ghost from his past. And he had to chase her thereafter. Shane thought with calmness but deep inside he was discomfited with the realization.
He dreamt of her that morning he realized which he easily forgot as he went to work. Looking back, he feels unsurprisingly smashed by everything that happened on that day and this morning, too.
He drank his tea while he thought about the moonstone bracelet he found looking back at him sealed inside the case in the museum. And the moonstone necklace which was hanging silently inside the ancient Indian tribe dress glass case.
Her sudden appearance. His newfound bracelet. His discovery of the necklace. Then, knowing the sudden truth about her memory. Everything was happening so fast and unexpected. His past is falling back at him pulling him back from his present life. Does he want to go back to his past life? His original life before now? His mind was running at a razor-sharp pace but he needs an answer, too, and he couldn't answer right away.
How did Enara lose her memory? He wondered.
Shane chewed on a steamed dumpling while he thought about it. He liked how the dumplings were made. He should return here with Katarina he thought. She would love to be here. It's another Chinese restaurant they can visit.
He paused on his thought. Katarina. He'd been thinking about the stones and Enara since he entered the restaurant. He had just proposed to her.
And Rana is Enara.
Shane promised to marry her when they turn eighteen as he recalled. The memory is already almost dim to his mind now. Did she leave Lunara looking for him and lose her memory in the process ten years ago? Why did he not feel her presence when she came? Shouldn't he have?
It must be because of her wiped-out memory, he thought. They have magic in Lunara but they're now on Earth. Without magic and no memory, he had no idea she came here.
Did she lose it when she crossed the barrier that separated Lunara while entering Earth? Questions came pouring like rain to his brain.
Didn't the old man once say that your ability like your memory would be forgotten if you lose the charm stone? He lost his bracelet upon coming to New York City and didn't find it only until today. He didn't care much about never being able to teleport here. People in this city are normal. Very regular and just so normal.
But he still needs to confirm one more thing about her. Just to be sure about it. One last evidence of Rana to prove she's Enara.
He looks forward to seeing her again. He anticipates seeing Rana next Wednesday at the 150-year celebration of the museum.
Shane realizes he misses Enara from Lunara. She's always been the constant company he has when he was a kid. His precious childhood friend. She's always been there inside him especially after he disappeared from Lunara. In the early days of his stay in New York, the memory of her most was what kept him from being lonely. Like she was always around. As she will always be around. He loved her when they were still kids. She has always been inside his young mind. That's how mostly how it went as he eventually adapt to his new home.
Does he still love Enara? He loved the kid that he knew back then. He knows in his heart. But seeing her now? That young woman in the yellow dress? What does he feel about her? He needs to see her again to know.
Ten years ago when Shane dropped from the sky and landed in New York City, the first thing he remembered when he woke up was he was lying on a twin size bed with a bright blue blanket with several printed mouse drawings he later learned was called Mickey Mouse on his blanket covering his body inside an unfamiliar blue room. He was wearing a red pajama which was odd enough to him because it was the first time he wore one. He got out of bed and went out of the bedroom and went downstairs and wandered freely inside the empty house and stayed in the living room until a man came in through the door and found him sitting on the soft floral couch. He was wearing a brown coat over a white shirt with a black necktie paired with brown pants and black shoes. The man was so happy to see him, striding towards where he was sitting and with joy hugged him suddenly and gently. Later he learned that the man was called Mr. Jones Sebastian, a watchmaker at Avenue Street. He called him Shane. He was Katarina's uncle and he later met Katarina Sebastian a few months after he adjusted to his new life with Mr. Sebastian who adopted him telling him he found Shane unconscious in the corner street of where he was working from as he walked on his way home that night. Shane was unconscious and Jones happened to be the first one or maybe the only one who cared after seeing him at the dark shadowy corner of the passing street. Jones is now retired and lives in New Jersey with his own watch shop.
Shane finished his lunch and ordered mixed sweets shaved ice for dessert.
He thought of Katarina. He loves her.
Then, he thought of Rana. She's Enara.
His mind recalled the magical stones in the museum. He needs them back.
He has a lot to deal with.
He finished his dessert and paid for his lunch. Then, he left the restaurant.