Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Ariana rushed into the hospital with her purse pressed tight against her chest. Her heels clicked across the floor as she tried to catch her breath.
She had gotten the doctor’s call less than twenty minutes ago, and her hands hadn’t stopped shaking since.
The nurse at the front desk looked up immediately. “Mrs. Ariana, this way, please,” she said quickly, leading her through the quiet hallway toward the ICU.
Ariana’s heart thumped fast as she followed. For a whole year, she had prayed for this day. She had seen that girl lying there lifeless, pale, tubes everywhere and never once thought she’d open her eyes again.
The nurse opened the door quietly. “She’s awake,” she said softly.
Ariana froze at the doorway.
The girl was sitting up, her hair loose and messy, her eyes wide with confusion.
The machines beside her beeped slowly, showing signs of life she never thought she’d see again.
Ariana took a small step forward. “Oh my God,” she whispered under her breath.
The girl’s eyes turned toward her, blank and unsure. She didn’t recognize her at all.
Ariana forced a soft smile and walked closer. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re safe now.”
The girl’s brows pulled together. “Who are you?”
“I’m Ariana,” she said gently. “I was the one who found you that night… near the rocks.”
The girl’s eyes darted around, trying to piece things together. “You found me?”
Ariana nodded. “Yes. You were unconscious. I called 911. They brought you here.”
The girl touched the bandage around her wrist, her fingers trembling slightly. “I don’t remember anything,” she said, her voice small.
The doctor walked in just then, carrying her file. “Mrs. Ariana, good to see you,” he greeted politely before turning to the girl. “How are you feeling now?”
“I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “I can’t remember anything. My name, my family, where I came from… nothing.”
The doctor nodded quietly. “You suffered a serious fall from the cliff. Your head took a strong hit. You were in a coma for a year. It’s not unusual to lose memory after such trauma.”
The girl frowned deeply. “A year?”
“Yes,” Ariana said softly. “You’ve been here all that time.”
The girl’s lips trembled a little. “And no one came for me?”
The doctor sighed. “We checked police records, missing persons lists, even DNA databases. Nothing matched. No ID, no fingerprints on record.”
The girl’s eyes turned watery. “So I have no one?”
Ariana’s chest tightened as she looked at her. Something about the girl pulled at her heart. Maybe it was how lost she looked. Or how young she was. She couldn’t just walk away.
“Hey,” Ariana said, sitting on the chair beside the bed. “You’re not alone. I’m here.”
The girl looked at her, unsure if she should believe that.
Ariana reached for her hand gently. “When you’re discharged, you can come stay with me. Just until we find your people.”
The girl blinked, shocked. “You’d do that?”
“Of course,” Ariana said with a kind smile. “You don’t even have a name right now. I can’t let you go out there alone.”
The girl lowered her eyes, whispering, “Thank you.”
The doctor smiled lightly at the scene. “She’s in good hands,” he said. “I’ll have the nurse bring her food soon. We’ll run one more scan later today.”
After he left, Ariana stayed by the bedside, talking softly with her. The girl kept asking small questions if she had been crying when they found her, if she had anything on her, if she said anything at all. Ariana didn’t have much to tell her.
“You were lying near the rocks, bleeding. There was no phone, no bag. Just you,” Ariana explained gently.
The girl nodded slowly, trying to make sense of it. “Maybe I didn’t have anyone.”
“Don’t say that,” Ariana replied. “Everyone belongs somewhere. We’ll figure it out.”
There was a long silence after that. The girl stared at her hands, pale and fragile, as if they belonged to someone else.
Ariana sighed softly. “We can’t keep calling you ‘the patient,’ can we?”
The girl gave a small smile. “I guess not.”
“How about…” Ariana paused, thinking for a moment. “Celine.”
“Celine,” the girl repeated slowly, letting it roll off her tongue. “It sounds… nice.”
Ariana smiled warmly. “Then Celine it is.”
---
A few days later, Celine was discharged. Ariana signed all the papers, thanked the doctors, and helped her into the car.
The ride home was quiet. Celine looked out the window, watching the cars pass, the sky shifting colors. Everything felt new like she was seeing the world for the first time.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“My house,” Ariana said. “It’s not far from here. Peaceful neighborhood, you’ll like it.”
Celine nodded softly. “It still feels strange. Like I’m living someone else’s life.”
Ariana gave her a small, understanding smile. “That’s normal. It’ll take time.”
They pulled into a quiet lane lined with trees. Ariana’s house stood at the end a simple, cream-painted home with flowers by the porch. It looked warm, lived in.
Celine stepped out slowly, feeling the breeze hit her face. It was calm. Almost comforting.
Inside, the house smelled faintly of vanilla and coffee. Ariana helped her to the guest room. The walls were soft beige, the bed neatly made.
A few picture frames stood on the dresser Ariana’s late husband, old family photos.
“You can rest here,” Ariana said gently. “There’s a bathroom attached. I’ll get you fresh clothes.”
Celine sat down at the edge of the bed, looking around. “It’s beautiful,” she said quietly.
Ariana smiled faintly. “I’m glad you think so. You’ll be safe here.”
She placed a set of clothes on the bed a white towel, a shirt, and some simple pants. “Take a shower. You’ll feel better.”
Celine nodded and went in.
The warm water ran over her skin, washing away the hospital smell. It felt strange, standing there, alive, not knowing who she was. She took her time, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
When she stepped out, she wiped the fog off the mirror and froze.
Her reflection looked back at her, but she didn’t recognize the woman in it.
Her cheeks were slimmer. Her skin, fair and soft. Her eyes looked brighter, sharper somehow. She turned slightly, her towel wrapped around her body, and stared again.
“Wow,” she whispered, touching her face.
Her hands ran over her arms, her waist. “I’m… beautiful,” she said in a quiet, shocked voice.
It didn’t sound like pride more disbelief. Like she was meeting herself for the first time.
A knock came at the door. “Celine?” Ariana’s voice called softly. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said quickly, pulling on the clothes.
When she came out, Ariana had set a tray on the nightstand soup, toast, and tea. “You should eat something,” she said.
Celine smiled faintly. “Thank you… for everything.”
Ariana waved it off gently. “Don’t thank me yet. I just want you to get better.”
Celine sat on the bed, taking small bites of the soup. It felt strange to eat again, but it also felt comforting.
“Can I ask something?” she said after a while.
“Of course.”
“Why did you keep visiting me… all that time?”
Ariana sighed softly, sitting by the window. “I don’t really know. Maybe because when I saw you lying there, something in me couldn’t walk away."
Celine looked at her curiously but didn’t ask further. She could sense the pain behind Ariana’s eyes.
After a while, Ariana stood up. “Get some rest. Tomorrow we’ll go shopping. You’ll need clothes, and maybe something nice for your hair.”
Celine smiled lightly. “Okay.”
As Ariana left the room, Celine lay back on the bed. Her mind was blank like an empty canvas wa
iting to be filled. She closed her eyes, trying to recall anything. A sound, a face, a name. Nothing came.
All she had now was a new name and a woman kind enough to give her a home.
But somewhere deep inside her, a small part of her felt restless, as if something or someone was missing.
And that unknown ache was the only memory she had left.
