“I also wanted to get that tattoo but was too scared. You were always braver than me,” Michael said.

“How do you know what tattoo I have? Have you been following me? First, that strange girl calls me her mother, and now you. I’m going to go crazy,” Evelyn said, her voice rising with fear.

“Please, let me explain everything. Will you have coffee with me?” Michael asked, his eyes pleading.

“I need to finish my work,” Evelyn replied, still looking wary.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” Michael said, hoping she would agree.

Michael went outside and leaned against his car, his mind racing. He couldn’t believe this was real. After some time, Simone came out of the school and hesitantly approached him.

“Ready to go?” Michael asked softly.

Simone nodded, and they got into the car, driving to the nearest café. They ordered coffee. Black. Michael smiled, remembering how Simone always hated coffee with sugar or cream.

When their order arrived, Michael took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something. We were married, and we have a daughter named Hannah.”

Simone looked confused but listened intently. “I don’t remember any of that,” she said softly. “Fishermen found me on the riverbank. They let me live with them, but I couldn’t remember anything about my life, not even my name. I chose the name Evelyn, but I don’t know why.”

Michael’s eyes softened. “We wanted to name our next daughter Evelyn,” he explained.

Simone’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Michael nodded. “Yes. Hannah and I would love for you to come home with us. You don’t have to decide now, but think about it.”Simone looked down at her coffee. “Okay, I’ll come with you. But I still don’t remember anything.”

Michael smiled gently. “That’s alright. We can figure it out together.”Simone had been living with Michael and Hannah for a week. Hannah was very happy and constantly reminded Michael that she had been right.

Simone was also trying to adjust to her new life. Although she still couldn’t remember anything from before, she was trying her best to fit in.

Michael decided they should sleep in separate rooms for now. He wanted Simone to feel comfortable and not pressured.

Today, after breakfast, Simone was finishing her coffee at the table while Michael washed the dishes. Hannah approached Simone with a serious look on her face.

“Mom, will you be mad at me if I quit ballet?” Hannah asked.

“Why would I be mad at you?” she asked, glancing at Michael, who stopped washing dishes to listen.

“You liked watching me dance. You wanted me to be a ballerina,” Hannah said quietly.

Simone smiled gently. “And what do you want to do?” she asked.

Hannah’s face lit up. “I want to draw!”

“Then you should draw,” Simone said. She turned to Michael. “Do you think we could enroll her in an art school?”

Michael smiled warmly. “Yes, definitely,” he replied.

“Yay!” Hannah shouted. She hugged Simone tightly, then ran to Michael and hugged him before dashing off to her room.

Simone watched her go, then cautiously approached Michael, holding her coffee cup. “Let me wash this,” she offered.

Michael took the cup from her hands. “It’s okay, I’ll wash it,” he said with a smile. Simone smiled back but didn’t move away. She continued to stand there, watching him.

“Is everything okay?” Michael asked, noticing her hesitation.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Yes,” Simone said softly. “I think I remembered something.”

Michael turned to face her. “What did you remember?”

“We were standing by the sea, and a dog ran up to us. It first knocked me over and then knocked down an arch we were standing under,” Simone said.

Michael laughed. “Yes, that was our wedding. The dog was Toby, my childhood pet. He adored you and couldn’t contain his excitement. That was your favorite story from our wedding.”

Simone smiled. “I think it will still be my favorite story when I remember everything,” she said.

Michael smiled back, and Simone tentatively hugged him. Michael hugged her back, trying not to splash her with water and soap. He felt warmth and hope flood through him.

Just a few weeks ago, he couldn’t have imagined feeling this happy again. As he held her, he realized how much he had missed this closeness.

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