2. A new beginning

It was the year 1989 in Palo Alto, California.

The room was quiet, with soft sunlight coming through the windows. Inside, the office was calm and neat, decorated in warm colors. A middle-aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, sat on a sofa, nervously waiting. After years of struggling with infertility, they were hopeful that today's meeting would bring them closer to adopting a child.

They had already completed much of the paperwork and had chosen a six-year-old boy named James. Today, they would learn more about him.

Ms. Laurie Adams, the adoption agent, entered the room with a file in hand and smiled warmly. "Thank you for meeting with me today," she said. "I'm here to give you all the information you need."

"We just want to make sure James is the right match for us," Mr. Bennett said, his voice tense.

Ms. Adams nodded. "James has been through quite a journey. He was placed for adoption shortly after he was born. His birth parents, a young college couple, chose adoption because they weren't prepared to care for a child. They went through the proper legal channels, and it's a closed adoption, meaning they don't have any contact with him now."

Mrs. Bennett sighed. "That must have been a difficult decision."

"It was," Ms. Adams agreed. "But they believed it was the best choice for James. Now, he's ready for a permanent home."

The couple exchanged a glance, and Mr. Bennett asked, "How has he adjusted to life in foster care?"

Ms. Adams flipped through the file. "James is calm and mature for his age. He's different from most six-year-olds. He doesn't interact much with other children, doesn't show excitement or play in the usual ways. He's an observer rather than a participant."

Mrs. Bennett furrowed her brow. "Is he unhappy?"

"No, he's not unhappy," Ms. Adams clarified. "He's just emotionally distant in a way that's not typical for his age. He's calm and steady, but he doesn't show a lot of excitement or emotion. He watches others rather than joining in."

Mr. Bennett looked thoughtful. "So, he's not like other kids?"

Ms. Adams nodded. "No, he's not. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. He's very intelligent, just more reserved and mature for his years."

At that moment, the door opened, and a woman named Clara, who worked with the children in foster care, entered. She smiled kindly as she greeted the Bennetts.

"Good afternoon," Clara said. "I understand you're considering adopting James?"

"Yes, we are," Mrs. Bennett said. "We just want to know more about him."

Clara sat down. "James is a wonderful boy. He's been through a lot, but he's calm and mature. He doesn't play like other kids, but he's not shy. He just doesn't get excited or involved in the same activities. He's not emotionally distant in a negative way; he's simply more self-contained."

Mr. Bennett was concerned. "Is that a problem?"

"No, it's not," Clara reassured him. "It's just his personality. He's not as emotionally expressive as other children, but that doesn't mean he's unhappy or unfeeling. He just needs patience and understanding."

Mrs. Bennett nodded slowly. "We can be patient. We just want to make sure he's comfortable with us."

Clara smiled. "I think James will do well with a family like yours. He needs love, time, and understanding. He may not express himself easily, but he'll come around when he feels safe."

Mr. Bennett looked at his wife and then back at Clara. "We're ready to give him that."

Clara smiled warmly. "I believe James could be a good fit for you."

The couple sat quietly, absorbing the information. They were prepared to take on the challenge of helping James open up. They knew it might take time, but they felt confident that their patience and love would help him feel at home.

The decision to bring James into their family had just begun, and they were ready to take the next step.

After glancing at her husband, Mrs. Bennett turned to Clara and Ms. Adams with a determined yet gentle expression. "We would like to meet James," she said softly. "We think it's time." 

Clara and Ms. Adams exchanged a brief but knowing look, both nodding in agreement. "Of course," Clara said with a warm smile. "I'll take you to him." 

She stood up and motioned for them to follow. As they walked down the hallway, the couple felt a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. This was the moment they had been waiting for, and they hoped it would be the beginning of something beautiful.

..

...

...

James sat quietly by the window, the sunlight streaming through the glass and casting long shadows across the room. He absentmindedly massaged his forehead, feeling the familiar weight of frustration building inside him. It had been six years—or maybe less since he had reincarnated—but it felt like much longer.

He had spent so much time just being a child again, and it was beyond boring. No more exciting adventures, no more movies, no more of the things he had loved in his previous life. When he had first arrived in this new life, he had thought it might be interesting—a chance to explore something new. But as the days passed, he realized how monotonous it was. The other foster kids had been fun at first, but after a while, their games felt pointless. They were too loud, too eager to play, and he found himself tuning them out.

Even though he had learned to read quickly, and Clara had been a good caretaker, nothing seemed to fill the emptiness inside him. He missed the fast-paced, tech-filled life he once had. He longed for something that could challenge his mind, something that could make him feel alive again.

'Why does it feel like decades have passed?' James wondered, letting out a deep sigh. 'Six years, and I feel like I've aged a lifetime.'

Despite feeling overwhelmingly dissatisfied, James couldn't ignore the one part of his new life that brought him some comfort. Compared to his old life, this one almost felt like heaven.

There was also something Clara had told him during one of their talks. "A couple wants to adopt you," she had said, sounding hopeful. "They're nice people and want to make you part of their family."

The idea of being adopted didn't excite James. Still, part of him wanted to leave, if only to escape the boring routine of the foster home.

'Maybe being adopted would be a chance for something better,' he thought. At least it would get him out of this cage. Though he would definitely miss Clara a lot. She had been quite good to him since he was dropped here.

But there was also one big question bothering him: 'Where am I, really? Where did Cole send me?'

The little he had learned from talking to his caretaker Clara—who, oddly, shared the same name as Cole's receptionist—only confirmed his suspicions. The world that he had reincarnated into seemed like the same world he had left behind. The history, the famous figures, the important people—they were all the same. Nothing had changed. 

After thinking it over, he decided he must have been reincarnated into the past of the same world he once knew. But he wasn't hundred percent sure yet. Afterall he couldn't completely believe the newspapers and Clara to have all the information in the world.

Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a knock on the door snapped him back to reality.

Clara's cheerful voice broke the silence as she entered.

"James," Clara said with her usual warm smile. "We've got some visitors today."

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