Raeleigh took a bite of the dessert made by Louisa. It had been many years since she last consumed it. There were even some cherries in it, which gave it a particularly sweet taste.
"There were many other types of food in the orphanage, such as the chocolate chip cookies, key lime pie, peanut butter sandwich, banana split, tater tots, blueberry cobbler..."
"There were too many of them that I can't remember them all."
"If it weren't for that fire, I wouldn't have almost died."
"But, I lost my memory after that. On the day when the fire transpired, I was hit by a beam. Back then, a kindhearted man brought me out. I lost my memory, even my name."
"Ever since then, I've been using the name 'Louisa'. It's a good name, isn't it?"
Looking at Raeleigh, who said nothing, Louisa continued saying, "Anyway, I still like the name 'Brisa'. Sometimes, it maddens me that Madam Caprice changed my name to 'Francia'."
"It doesn't sound good. The same goes to 'Shuna'."
While eating, Raeleigh paused her and the softness in her eyes froze as pieces of memories flooded her mind.
"Bowie."
Louisa called Raeleigh by this name out of the blue, but Raeleigh just gazed at her without answering.
For some reason, Raeleigh was repulsed by her past.
Even if she believed that the person in front of her was Brisa, she dared not admit that she was Bowie.
A great fire had taken the lives of many people. Both of them should have died in it but in the end, they were still alive.
How could she explain it?
Raeleigh continued to munch on her dessert whereas Louisa said, "I still like to be called 'Brisa'. Colston will comment occasionally that my brain must have been addled but he is very kind to me. He still treats me well despite that."
"When did you remember the past?"
"At the age of fifteen, when I was in middle school. A few boys bullied me and shoved me. As a consequence, I bumped into the wall and fainted. After being discovered, I was sent to the administration office of the school. That was when I regained my memories of the orphanage. Later, I often went back to the former site of the orphanage. But I never found anything. So, I stopped going there."
"When I saw you, I suddenly recalled you. I have a faint feeling that you are Bowie but you still refuse to admit it."
Raeleigh crunched the food and said, "Is the past so important to you?"
"The events in the past aren't important to me, but the people are. I still remember that I kept crying on the way to the orphanage and you were the only one who kept me company. In the orphanage, we slept in the upper and lower bunk respectively. Other children ignored me while you were the only one who reminded me when it was the time for meals and bed. You even covered me with a quilt. You might have forgotten, but I..."
Before Louisa mentioned it, Raeleigh had forgotten about it. It was only when she brought it up that Raeleigh recalled what happened back then. It was true.
However, Raeleigh did not say anything. All she did was look at Louisa.
Louisa could tell that Raeleigh wouldn't trust her easily no matter how much she said.
There would be ample time to convince Raeleigh in the future. Louisa thought so.
"Are you full?" Louisa asked Raeleigh, who then nodded. Louisa got up to clean up whereas Raeleigh also stood up to help her. Afterward, they sat down and chatted.
Noticing that Xanthus was not at home, Raeleigh inquired, "Did you see my brother?"
"He was about to leave when I came in. He asked me to keep an eye on you, saying that I'd better take you away if you want to sneak out."
While Louisa was speaking, she chortled as she found it quite interesting.
Raeleigh leaned against the couch. "My brother has been worrying too much about me."
"It's so nice to have an elder brother. I miss my elder brother too."
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