Kingdom of Stonasia.
Emily felt the sun's warmth just penetrating the verdant, rich landscape of Stonasia. It was a new life and a new beginning.
Laura Garcia has replaced Emily Moore as her identity. Coincidentally, it was the identity she used to hide her tracks when she left Las Vegas for her treatment.
The name was less of a lie and more of a safe harbor for her, with fragmented recollections of a life she could not quite remember.
A godfather, Dr. Garcia, who had previously only been a doctor attending to a royal patient, provided steadiness in her otherwise chaotic life.
He offered her a family, and in return, he also found one. Dr. Garcia's once lonely life now has meaning.
They promised each other they would not discuss the past or try to unravel it. They would live a quiet and serene life with her newborn daughter, Joan Garcia.
Laura moved into Dr. Garcia's mansion as soon as possible. While the estate was impressive, the warmth permeated every corner, making it feel like a haven.
Without hesitation, Dr. Garcia greeted her, giving her a place to stay and an opportunity to rediscover herself.
The large number of rooms on his expansive estate, tucked away among the undulating hills of Stonasia, meant that the peaceful coexistence of a kid and a nanny did not disrupt the home's harmony.
Laura's broken heart was frequently comforted by the sweet joy that Joan's little chuckle brought to the family.
The tiring and lonely days that Dr. Garcia used to feel were now filled with comfort and happiness whenever he came home to see the little child and the mother. It gave him the feeling of family.
Laura experienced calmness despite the uncertainty that occasionally persisted in her thoughts.
Dr. Garcia never pressured her to recall who she was or what she had left behind. Instead, he offered her a job at his clinic and gave her some space.
She felt a feeling of purpose from the routine, something she hadn't had in a while.
The infant, named Joan, was baptized one month into her stay. Held on Dr. Garcia's home patio, the tiny ceremony was private and filled with the beautiful scent of jasmine in blossom.
Laura felt a strange bond with the kid as she watched the priest delicately sprinkle holy water over the infant's head and name her Joan Garcia.
It was as though Joan stood for much more than a fresh start. She stood for rebirth, optimism, and the prospect of a future Laura could not yet wholly grasp.
But even with Stonasia's ability to calm her down, she couldn't shake the unresolved concerns that bothered her.
What did she used to be?
Why did memories that were just out of grasp weigh so heavily on her heart?
She had met one of Dr. Garcia's colleagues who recently joined Dr. Crystal Lee, an older woman with a keen mind and a quiet resolve, while she worked at the clinic.
Dr. Lee was a visiting physician doing clinical research on memory loss.
She was conducting a personal study in an attempt to assist her daughter Crystal Lee, who had suffered a catastrophic brain injury and had lost her memory during a tragic accident.
Laura was intrigued by Dr. Lee's work and pulled to it, maybe because of her situation.
She appeared to be deeply stirred by every talk she had with the older woman—a deep-seated urge to comprehend and heal—not only for herself but also for those like Crystal who had suffered significant losses.
Laura felt an implicit connection with Dr. Lee even though she didn't disclose her memory loss when they started working on the project together. Dr. Lee sought her daughter's memories while Laura sought her identity.
Weeks passed, and Laura's life in Stonasia became a pattern. She spent her days working at the clinic, her nights with Joan and the nanny, and she worked alongside Dr. Lee whenever possible.
However, during the silent times when everything slowed, memories would suddenly come to life before her eyes—scratches of a different identity and life.
She would see the image of a kid and a man in her thoughts, a figure she couldn't identify but whose presence seemed so familiar, so intimately connected to her.
Who was she? Why was their memory haunting her, anyway?
Laura worked with Dr. Lee, and despite no answers, hope grew. She figures that she may learn about her past by helping Crystal recover hers.
Thus, Laura accepted her new existence in Stonasia with a calm resolve. She didn't feel like she was traveling the route alone for the first time in a long time, even if it was unclear.
***
In Stonasia, months went by in silence as the gentle slopes and clear sky shielded the complicated lives taking shape on Dr. Garcia's property.
Laura continued working with Dr. Garcia and Claire Lee while using her new identity.
After years of testing, a group of experts led by Dr. Lee and Garcia eventually created a serum to restore lost memories.
This was a terrific scientific advancement. Despite Laura's continued resistance, it was a significant development that may change lives. However, she still insists on not treating her memory loss. She was content with her life as it is. She has her daughter and a godfather who doted on both of them. She couldn't ask for anything more.
Shortly after the serum was finished, Dr. Lee's daughter Crystal Lee, who served as the project's original motivation, showed up at the laboratory.
She was tall and elegant and had a serene manner; she clicked with Laura right away.
The two women, coping with broken pasts, grew close during long walks in the garden and shared meals.
They bond as they share a non-alcoholic cocktail by the beach and discuss the present situation.
Although Crystal's memory loss was not as bad as Laura's, the uncertainties and gaps in her memories had delayed her life for a long time.
They used to talk a lot about how it would feel to recall everything and to take back a history that seemed so far away.
"I wonder if knowing everything will make us happier," Crystal wondered one afternoon as they sat on the balcony under the sun's deep shadows on the ceramic tile floor.
Laura gave her a look while grinning bittersweetly. "I don't know...To be honest. I like my life now, and I'm unsure if I would like my life back then."
With a kind reply, Laura looked toward the nursery window where baby Joan was sleeping. Her tiny breaths created a calming cadence in the otherwise quiet environment.
"Maybe not happier, but it might give us peace," she said.
Laura was not keen to get the therapy, even with the advances in the serum.
Given the pain she had previously experienced, the idea of putting herself through another round of medical procedures when she had a baby was too much to bear.
Laura was aware, though, that Crystal's therapy should be effective, and she would consider the option someday when Joan was much older. But not for now.
She yearned to bridge the glaring gaps in her recollections and discover her true identity beyond Laura Garcia.
Her health could wait for now; Joan was her priority...~~~