Introductions

It is still unclear to me, why my reaction was as calm as it was. I didn't scream or freak out, probably because of everything that happened since I woke up, but in that moment I felt like everything clicked and now it all made sense. It's an uncanny feeling, looking into the mirror and seeing someone other than yourself, but it was her, and I knew it right away.

Her hair was dark brown and the eyes were hazel. I used to be blonde, like a dirty blonde, and my eyes were hazel too, but hers seemed cleaner, clear of pain and need to survive. But it wasn't just that, everything on her face made sense, it almost felt relaxing to look at it, one of those faces you lose yourself in. I remembered at that moment, that the woman who hugged me had the same hair and the man's eyes had the same hazel, that must've be the parents. But I was getting too distracted. I put the mirror down. 

"Okay, think. I went to the woods, and then I... did that. And now I'm here. A coma, a different person, and perfect English. Shit. The only way to find out... but wait, I can't just ask them, they'll think I'm crazy. But maybe, they love Clementine too much to care. "Clementine"... what an interesting name, maybe I did wake up as the daughter of a rich family, but what is all this, reincarnation? No, that can't be it, that starts when you're born, and she's been in a coma for a year. Hm... maybe only her body was here and I somehow... but that still doesn't explain it. Shit, okay. Let's see again. I die, in Russia, then suddenly, I wake up in America, or wherever I am, speaking perfect English, wearing a different face."

But I kept going in circles, the facts were too unreal to consider them facts, so I thought of the kidnapping plot again, but then I saw a calendar on the wall. September 13, 2024. Oh. That was the day I went to the woods. So the only plausible thing, was that my mind just came into this body. I've seen my share of crazy, but this by far took the cake. I thought to myself that there is no way out of this situation, no life for "me" out there, so my only choice was to stay here, and... see what happens? My eyes felt tired, maybe it was the lights, so I closed my eyes and I instantly fell asleep. I have gotten used to that since I woke up. In my "past life" sleeping was a luxury I could rarely afford.

I woke up some time later and the family was around me again. I could hear the doctors in a different room, but the family probably asked for some time with me, alone.

"Hey Clee-Clee, are you feeling better?" the mother asked.

"Clee-Clee? I guess that's my nickname." I thought to myself.

I figured that the only way to get over this and get any understanding of what's going on, would be to tell them that I don't remember anything. I can't tell them the truth just yet, but I get the feeling that they'll accept whoever came back. There is no good way to say something like this so I just went for it:

"I'm gonna be honest, with you all, I have no idea who you are... or who I am."

The parents both looked at the doctors who explained that sometimes this does happen to patients with brain injury, "but sometimes they come back". The one who reacted to the "sometimes" was the young girl, my sister, most likely, the parents however didn't care about any of it, they were just glad their daughter was back. That was when I started feeling really bad for Clementine and for the parents who are never going to get her back, which made me think that there might be a chance that they'll kick me out at some point in time, but that day was not today and that I knew. The parents assured me that this is not a concern for them right now.

"I don't care about any of that, we've waited for this for a very long time Emmy and finally, you came back to us." said the father, who had his own nickname for me.

"I like Emmy. Are you my parents? Sorry." I asked them, even though I figured it out by that point, but I had to be sure.

"It's no problem!" said the mother, "Let's do the introductions. I am Celine, your mom, and this is Charles, your father-"

"-Dad. You call me dad. You used to call me daddy, but you grew out of it, however if you feel like saying it again, there will be no complaints from me!" said the dad laughing. 

Mom was smiling too, which felt nice. 

"And this, is your little sister, TANGERINE! Get it? Because you're Clementine?" said mom, which made both the parents burst out laughing.

Mom had a very pleasant laugh. It felt comfortable and warm, making me feel really welcome. And dad's laugh felt cozy too. Jokes must've been a common theme in this house, I wondered when was the last time they laughed like this.

"I'm just kidding, she's Lottie. Charlotte."

Lottie came towards me and finally said her "hi". It felt a bit awkward with her, but I suppose it's been a while.

"I can tell you about who you were... before, if you'd like." said my new sister.

I smiled. "I would like that. So what happens now?"

"Well, we will give you a house tour first, since you probably don't remember that either. Recovery wise, you're gonna have to use a wheelchair. Since you haven't moved in a year, your muscles are not ready to just restart life as it was. This might take some time, but that doesn't matter. You woke up, which was the hardest part. Now all you have to do is follow doctor's instructions, don't exert yourself, and it's all going to be good. And we, of course, will be right here for all of it." 

I liked talking to them. It really felt like I was part of the family , but I couldn't just forget that they weren't. They were paying so much attention to me, it was clear that they loved Clementine, but they were strangers to me. I have never been taken cared of, so this seemed so fake, but I had to pull myself together because this was going to be the chance of a lifetime.

Parents. What a dream. I've thought about a day like this so much that I'm embarrassed, but some kind of miracle brought me to them, so I had to do the work. 

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to become your Clementine again, but if there's anything I can do, just tell me. I'll do anything."

The parents looked confused and the dad said:

"Emmy, you've been in a coma for a year, that was a year without you. I don't care if you never become who you were before, change completely for all I care! I will be absolutely delighted to make your acquaintance again and again, as long as it's you. Your heart is still the same."

I froze. How do I tell these people who thought their daughter is gone, that she is in fact gone and I'm an imposter? Am I a monster to do that to them? After all of that? I had to tell them something that would help them at least understand that that's never gonna happen, but how do I do that without shattering their heart? 

"What if my heart is not the same?"

"Oh, Emmy, of course it is, stop worrying so much." said mom, who also uses "Emmy"?

"No, but what if isn't? What if I never ever remember who Clementine was before?" I said without thinking.

"You ARE Clementine, dear." said mom smiling lovingly.

"But what if I become a completely different person? You said that that's okay, but what if it won't be? Does it really matter that I woke up if I'm not who you want me to be or who you thought I was?"

Dad put my hands into his. "Emmy, listen. As a person, there were many colors to you. You were so many things, and none of them boring. I promise you that I mean what I said, we love you no matter what and we always will. I need you to know that."

I knew that both the parents loved Clementine, but the dad had a special place for her. I should've realized it before, but that defeated face that I first saw, could've meant only one thing: he didn't think Clementine will wake up. This whole event was a miracle for him the most, which is why I don't think he was lying about me, which made me feel hopeful that this new life might actually work without breaking their hearts again, but there were so many more people to worry about. Mom and Lottie, what about the rest of the family and her friends? 

I felt like even though I will never become her, I could at least get to know her. The coma must've been painful to a lot of people, and the least I could do, for Clementine, was to get to know her from whatever fragments of memories she left behind.