Naomi paced the living room anxiously, glancing at the staircase every few seconds. Mrs. Cortez sat beside her, knitting calmly, though her own worry was evident in the tightness of her movements.

"You should sit down while we wait, dear," Mrs. Cortez said, gently pulling Naomi towards the sofa. Naomi hesitated but finally sank into the cushions. Mrs. Cortez handed her a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cortez," Naomi said, taking a small sip. The warm liquid did little to calm her nerves.

After what felt like an eternity, the sound of footsteps echoed down the stairs. Naomi immediately put the cup down and stood up, her eyes fixed on the figure of Dr. Owen Martin as he descended.

"Don't worry so much, Naomi. Gio's fine," Dr. Martin assured them. Mrs. Cortez let out a sigh of relief, but Naomi remained tense.

"Is he still taking the medications I prescribed?" Dr. Martin asked Mrs. Cortez.

"Yes, he is," she confirmed.

"As for the headaches..." Dr. Martin began. Naomi and Mrs. Cortez waited, holding their breath. "It's actually good that he's getting them."

"What?" Naomi asked, her worry intensifying.

"I'm not saying it's not a bad thing, but the reason for those headaches is actually good. Especially since you told me that he started having headaches since Henley tried to 'force' him to remember his past," Dr. Martin explained.

"Yes, that's right. This never happened in the past when I was the only one taking care of him," Mrs. Cortez added.

"I didn't think Henley would be the one to do it. I did tell him about both the possibility of Gio losing his mind and remembering if we actually try to force it on him. He was not willing to take that risk," Dr. Martin continued. "But maybe he made the right choice this time even if there was that risk. I guess now he thinks more than just getting his brother back."

"How are the headaches good news, Owen? Giovanni would sometimes faint!" Mrs. Cortez exclaimed.

"Evangeline, I'm saying his memories are coming back little by little. It will take time, but by the looks of it, he'll remember soon. I saw him flipping through some photo albums in his room, and there were also letters. It's helping, so the both of you should rest. Especially you, Naomi," he said, turning to Naomi.

Naomi looked at him, puzzled. "I'm... I'm fine," she said, shrugging it off.

"It may not be my business what is happening right now in this family, but health comes first. Even your kids could tell that you're pale," Dr. Martin said, looking closely at Naomi's face. "I'll prescribe you some pills and vitamins. As well as for Gio's headache. I'll be coming again in two days' time."

He headed towards the door, waving goodbye. Mrs. Cortez and Naomi thanked him as he left.

"I'll cook lunch for the kids. You can just come down to eat later. Go to your room and rest, Naomi dear," Mrs. Cortez said, patting Naomi on the shoulder before heading to the kitchen.

Later that night, Naomi had just finished reading a bedtime story to the twins and tucked them in. As she walked towards her room, she passed Giovanni's door. She stopped and walked back, hesitating before turning the doorknob.

The door creaked as she slowly opened it, trying not to wake Giovanni if he was already asleep. She saw his silhouette illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the wide window. Gently closing the door behind her, she stepped on a piece of paper and picked it up without looking. It was a letter from Malina, a birthday greeting for Nalani's sixth birthday.

Naomi smiled at the memory of that happy day, though Malina hadn't been there to celebrate with Nalani. She noticed more letters scattered across the floor and began picking them up, stacking them neatly on his study desk. She saw that the second drawer was empty and realized the letters likely came from there.

After organizing the letters, she turned back to Giovanni, who was still gazing out the window. She walked to his side and looked out at the backyard.

"What are you looking at?" she asked softly.

"Malina... she used to plant a lot of flowers on that flowerbed," Giovanni said, pointing to the flowerbed near the fountain of the nymph, Daphne. A few flowers were still visible from their vantage point.

"Yes, she loved flowers a lot, especially peonies. Nalani... she loved them too," Naomi said, hesitating to mention Nalani's name. Giovanni remained silent for a while. Naomi thought it best to leave and turned to go when he spoke again.

"Naomi," Giovanni called her name without looking at her. Naomi stopped and faced him.

"Can you... tell me about her?" he asked, his voice tinged with vulnerability.

"About Nalani," he added. Naomi took a deep breath and nodded, stepping closer to Giovanni.

"Did you... read those letters?" Naomi asked turning to look at him. Giovanni remained still, looking outside the window. 

"I saw her in the albums my brother left the other day. It's--" Giovanni breathe heavily. "--it's something I want to know. And Malina.. she seemed happy with that kid" he said.

"But why can't I remember her?" he added and drooped, feeling dejected. 

"I'm sorry that Henley punched you" Naomi apologized. 

"Don't be. It's just the first time that I saw him angry but also.. sad for me. For being like this" He said and gave Naomi a smile. 

"Nalani.. is a lot like Malina," Naomi began. "Like her, she has the love for art, her passion for painting. She's very talented, Giovanni. Every brushstroke she makes, every color she chooses, it's like watching Malina all over again."

Giovanni turned slightly towards Naomi, his eyes reflecting the moonlight. "What else?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She's strong-willed, just like you. She never gives up, no matter how tough things get. She's also incredibly kind and caring. She always looks out for others, putting their needs before her own," Naomi continued, her voice softening with each word.

Giovanni's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Does she know about me?" he asked.

"She knows you're her father, but she doesn't understand why you don't remember her. It's been hard on her, Giovanni. She misses you every day," Naomi said, her voice breaking.

Giovanni clenched his fists, the pain of his lost memories evident on his face. "I want to remember, Naomi. I want to be there for her but I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I'm too late," he said, his voice trembling.

Naomi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You will, Giovanni. It will take time, but you will remember. Just take it one step at a time," she said gently.

Giovanni nodded, tears finally spilling down his cheeks. "Thank you, Naomi. For everything," he whispered.

Naomi gave him a small, encouraging smile. "It's good to hear that you're making progress in remembering and that's a good thing" she said.

They stood in silence for a few moments, gazing out at the garden that held so many memories of Malina. Giovanni took a deep breath, feeling a small glimmer of hope for the first time in a long while.

"Do you think Nalani will forgive me?" Giovanni asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Of course she will. She loves you, Giovanni. She's just waiting for you to come back to her," Naomi reassured him.

Giovanni wiped his tears and turned to Naomi, a determined look in his eyes. "I want to try and remember everything. I want to be the father she deserves," he said with newfound resolve.