Emily’s cousins would be visiting!

As she helped her mother prepare the house for this upcoming family visit, she moved about the living room, tidying and straightening up, occasionally pausing to look at the family photos that adorned the walls. As she gazed at the photos, once again her mind wandered to her time in this family. She ran her hand across the contours of some of the photos - realizing that she - Daniel or Emily or whoever she was - was slowly but surely becoming part of the fabric of this family.

Time had passed. Weeks? Months? It was hard to tell. The days felt fluid, blending together making it difficult to remember exact details of when he or she had arrived in this universe and the moment where her isolation had changed to something more akin to belonging.

Recently, she had learned more about her ‘new’ family.

Thomas—her father, was a physician with his own small private practice. He often shared stories of his patients, of daily challenges and little victories. Her mother, was a part-time physical therapist, had her own tales of healing and recovery with her patients young and old - as she helped individuals learn how to walk, run, twist, bend, and otherwise move after injuries.

As Emily heard her patients excitedly talk about successful patient recoveries, the tangible difference they were making in peoples’ lives, Emily felt a deep sense of warmth and pride course through her. She couldn’t help but smile as their approach towards patient care - no - human care - helped her conquer some of the ghosts of her own past, their kindness radiating in the stories they shared, their voices and stories in some ways a balm for something that had been hurting deep within Daniel for a long time.

This was in contrast to Daniel’s experience with doctors in his previous life—it seemed as though the medical community was unable or unwilling to help find a meaningful resolution to the chronic nerve pain that left Daniel’s daily existence a collage of various degrees of constant agony. "If only I'd had doctors like you..." Emily thought, a soft smile on her lips, tinged with sadness. "Maybe I could’ve healed in more ways than one."

—

As the afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, an old photo album caught Emily’s eyes as she rearranged a stack of magazines. Something deep within her instinctively drew her to the album - as if it was a missing piece of the puzzle that defined her new existence.

Curious, she picked it up, flipping through the pages filled with pictures of her parents in their youth—laughing on what appeared to be a college campus, arms around each other, unmistakably in love.

Each image in this album was a window into a past that felt both distant and deeply personal. Emily paused at a photo of her parents outside a familiar-looking building, the caption reading "Stony Brook, NY—where it all began." She recollected her mother once mentioning, in passing, that this was where they met during their studies. “New York, huh? Mom and Dad are East Coasters?” Emily mused to herself with a grin. “That explains Dad’s amazing spaghetti…I didn’t have anything quite as good in my own universe! Outside a restaurant anyway…”

As Emily flipped through the photographs, each image revealing a part of her heritage, she felt a pang of longing to understand more—not just about where they came from, but also about where she herself truly belonged. A pang of guilt pulsed through her, an uncomfortable reminder that while she was in these moments now, she hadn't truly been a part of their history.

In her hands, she clutched the photos of her parents, a symbol of a lineage that was both hers and not hers. Was she an imposter? Did she have any claim to his family no matter how kind they had been to her? “I love you guys more than you can realize…” she softly muttered under her breath. “You’ve been a mom and dad to me in more ways than one, and…I just wish you could tell you who I am - who I was. I hope maybe one day you can embrace the real me…”

And yet, even as she wrestled with that guilt, something else—something quiet but insistent—told her that change was near, she was on the cusp of a change, an evolution that would help the Daniel side of her embed in the tapestry of this family’s history in a way she couldn’t predict yet. With a sigh she closed the book, the thud of the cover beating like a drum signifying the upcoming change she could feel in her own life.

—

At lunch, Emily asked her parents more pointedly about their college days. There was a new kind of curiosity stirring inside her—something that was more than just learning facts and tidbits about her parents’ histories but instead understanding the world that shaped her parents and, indirectly, her new life.

Her father shared stories of his early days as a struggling medical student, while her mother spoke of experiences that led her to physical therapy. Both had relocated to Madison after graduation and worked at the University of Wisconsin until her father opened his own practice.

The more they talked, the more Emily could see the bond between them—how their individual stories intertwined into one.

As they continued to talk, Sarah's eyes sparkled with nostalgia. "We actually met in a statistics class," she began, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "I sat beside him and well, your dad was cute. I loved that he was a goofball."

Thomas chuckled, shaking his head. "I was nervous, I didn’t know why this beautiful, intelligent girl was interested in an idiot like me. So I fumbled my way through trying to impress her with my knowledge, but I ended up dropping my graphing calculator and smashing it one class”

Emily giggled, the image of her father as a young, nervous student forming in her mind. "That sounds... memorable…and expensive…"

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Sarah laughed, shaking her head as the memories washed over her. " I found his clumsiness endearing. He didn’t know but I had had my eye on him for a while, at some campus get-togethers, in other classes we shared. He had been glancing at me for a while but I could make out he was nervous, and wouldn’t know how to ask me out. So…I took matters into my own hands and walked up to him one day and just grabbed his hand!"

Thomas nodded, a fond look in his eyes. "That was the signal I needed, no subtlety, no games - just open, clear communication from the get go. I was so excited that I froze for a second…but we walked through campus, hand in hand, neither of us saying a word. Eventually we ended up at this little gyro place near a train station by campus.We ended up spending hours together all the way into the night."

Sarah's smile softened. "That gyro spot…those were some of the best times. We went there so many times! And slowly we talked about our dreams, our fears, everything. It felt like the world had stopped just for us."

Thomas leaned over, touching Sarah’s forehead with his own and softly added “"I was always surprised that your mom actually wanted to get to know me. My goofiness had often turned women off, but with your mom, I felt a confidence I didn't know I had.”

Looking sheepishly at Emily he added “One day, I just couldn’t wait, couldn’t hold back, I leaned forward and gave her a quick peck. And the rest is…as they say…history?”

Emily listened, her heart swelling with love for her parents. Their love story was simple yet profound, a testament to their enduring bond and mutual support. It reminded her of a similar relationship Daniel had once had - before his health deteriorated, before his life became heavy.

“I’m glad you two found each other…” Emily said with a soft smile, those words carrying more weight than her parents could have ever imagined. “It sounds like the universe wanted you two to meet.”

And as she sat there, she felt a bit more grounded—not just as an observer of their past, but just perhaps as someone rooted in it.

----------------------------------------

After lunch, Emily accompanied her father to the garden, where her eyes lingered on an old oak tree. In some cultures, this was a symbol of resilience and endurance. Why did it resonate with her so?

Sensing her reflective mood, her father asked, "Would you like to plant something of your own, Emily?"

Her eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Wait—can we really do that?"

"Of course," her father replied, his voice warm with encouragement. "Let’s pick something special for you to nurture."

The next day, they visited a local nursery where Emily considered various saplings. Her father explained the symbolism of each type of tree, and Emily selected a cherry blossom sapling, drawn to its promise of beautiful blooms and enduring strength.

It felt like the right choice—delicate yet strong. A symbol for her new life? Perhaps something deeper.

Together, they prepared a spot in the garden near the old oak tree. Her father showed her how to position the sapling in the ground, pack the soil, and handle the delicate roots. As they worked side by side, Emily felt an overwhelming sense of belonging—not just to her family, but to this moment as if each motion felt like she was digging deeper into the soil of her identity in this family.

As they finished planting, her father said, "Each spring, when the blossoms appear, you’ll remember today, and see how much you’ve both grown."

Emily smiled, her heart swelling with hope and affection. She gently ran her hand over the sapling, fondly, and as she did, she felt a ripple—a quiet, almost imperceptible pulse inside her, like something beginning to stir.

Somewhere she realized, it was time - time to evolve.

----------------------------------------

That night, an evolution did happen. As the Daniel within Emily went to sleep, grateful for this new existence and family, the real Emily—the original host of this body—woke with a gasp, finding herself standing in a void.

She became aware of a crackling sound above her, and as she cautiously turned to look upwards, her eyes widened at the sight of two fearsome, but beautiful threads of lightning crackling overhead. One was a deep blue—steady, focused—and the other a spirited orange-yellow. Both threads crackled in their fiery dance, as if each one tried to overpower the other. Slowly but surely, the dance began to soften, the chaotic energy calming as the threads pulsed—once, twice, then repeatedly, as they began achieving harmony.

Emily felt a familiar presence behind her as the lightning stabilized. Cautiously turning around, she saw the distinct outline of the cherry blossom tree. She could swear she and her father had planted it together. The memory seemed vague, through someone else’s eyes, but she knew it was real. Confused but curious, she walked toward the tree, unsure of where she was or what kind of dream this could be.

The tree appeared fully grown and bathed in a soft, glowing light, petals gently floating down from its branches, almost beckoning her to touch the bark. Her hand drew to the trunk, seemingly with a mind of its own, and the very second she made contact—a pulse of warmth ran through her entire being. The space around her—this dreamscape—felt both familiar and new, as though it had been shaped by her memories and something deeper within.

A breeze rustled through the tree, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a shadow standing nearby—a figure, distant but familiar. He didn’t speak, but Emily could feel his presence—calm, steady, and...friendly? The shadow walked over to her and knelt beside her, gently ruffling her hair. His face was still obscured, but Emily could sense that she knew—really knew—this individual.

“Thank you, Emily,” the shadow murmured gently. “I understand who we are now. In time, so will you. You have my memories, my knowledge - use it wisely.” The shadow hesitated for a moment, as though he felt the weight of his words. “ I’ve tried my best to protect you from the darkest parts of my past...but I’m sorry, some of it may bleed through. Our connection isn’t perfect yet. But...you’re stronger than I was. You’ll be alright.”

He gave a small, almost apologetic smile before continuing, “It’s time for me to step aside, for now...but when the time is right, our dance will continue.”

The shadow affectionately poked her forehead, then stood up. As he started fading away, he paused once more, his voice soft but earnest. “Look after Mom and Dad, and Lily and Lucy...”

And with that, the shadow began to gently fade away, leaving Emily standing alone under the cherry blossom tree.

Emily frowned, her heart racing, not fully comprehending what had just happened. “Daniel?” she murmured, her hand reaching out to touch the vanishing shadow. But the dreamscape shimmered and shifted around her, the scene blurring. She felt the weight of it all—the presence, the tree, the shadow—pull away in a blink.

Emily—the real Emily—finally awoke in her bed, breathing heavily. The room was dark and silent, except for the steady rhythm of her breath. She stared at the ceiling, disoriented, trying to grasp the fading remnants of the dream. It lingered on the edge of her mind, just out of reach, like a whisper she couldn’t quite hear.

“Daniel…” she thought again as her memories blurred. Unable to distinguish the memories of the past few weeks, she wondered: Were they hers? Were they someone else’s? Did it even matter?

Emily lay back down, eyes heavy, and drifted off again. This time, she fell asleep as herself—truly herself.