❉ Beginning of day one ❉

I awoke to sunlight streaming into my hospital room, instantly transported back to the turmoil of last night’s decision. For a moment I simply lay there, trying to orient myself, when the weight of the impossible choice before me pressed down.

Letting Ethan unlock my past could expose me to hidden threats. And yet, if I turned him away, my identity might remain locked away forever. I wrestled with the options, neither path feeling safe or certain.

I glanced nervously at the empty chair beside my bed. Had it been real, or just a vivid dream? Voices from the hall snapped me from my contemplation. The morning nurse bustled in to check my vitals, her cheer grating against my uncertainty. After she left, I stared anxiously at the door, waiting.

Before I could dwell further, Ethan arrived, his presence both comforting and unsettling. He studied me with kind eyes tinged by vulnerability.

He gave me a small smile. “Good morning, Maple. I hope you slept alright.” Without waiting for a reply, he settled into the chair. “I know you must still feel confused about everything. But have you considered my request?”

I noticed Ethan warily as he made himself comfortable. I hesitated, doubts still needling me. “Ethan...this is difficult for me. You’re a stranger claiming intimate knowledge I can’t recall. I want to know my past, but I can’t ignore the risks.”

Ethan nodded. “I only want to help, but it’s your choice if you let me try.”

I bit my lip, conflicted. But the longing to rediscover myself was overpowering. “Yes,” I said finally. Ethan’s shoulders relaxed, but I continued.

“You have to understand, you’re still a stranger to me. The fact that I don’t remember you at all makes me hesitate. This could easily be some kind of trick.”

Ethan started to protest, but I held up a hand. “However, the chance to recover my past means I have to take the risk. I need those missing pieces of myself back, whatever that process entails.”

I met Ethan’s gaze firmly. “But I can only promise to listen with an open mind. My trust will have to be earned, not freely given.”

Ethan nodded slowly. “I understand your reservations, and I don’t blame you at all. Thank you for taking this leap of faith - I’ll do whatever I can to help you find yourself again.”

He straightened slightly in his chair. “I thought we could start at the very beginning. If you’re willing, I’d like to share some stories from your childhood first, to lay the foundation before we met.”

I gestured for him to continue, nerves and anticipation swirling within me. Ethan cleared his throat, his eyes going soft with memory.