Fremont 2023

Donya’s new life in Fremont

Donya arrives in Fremont, California as an Afghan refugee eight months after leaving Kabul. She struggles with insomnia and deep loneliness as she adjusts to life in the United States. Her days feel distant from home and color her interactions with others.

Daily routine at a San Francisco fortune cookie factory

She spends her days in San Francisco working at a fortune cookie factory run by Ricky and Lin, with Joanna as a co-worker. Fan, their older colleague, writes the fortunes that go into the cookies. Donya’s social world here is limited to her colleagues and a few neighbors.

Fan’s death and Donya takes over the fortunes

Fan unexpectedly dies, and Donya is tasked with taking over writing the fortunes. At first she feels excited about a new creative role, but soon she struggles to conjure meaningful lines. Her growing unhappiness makes this responsibility feel heavy and draining.

Therapy begins and sleeping pills discussion

Donya starts regular therapy sessions with Dr. Anthony, hoping for relief from her insomnia. The doctor explains that pills are unlikely to help until she completes several sessions and works through underlying issues. The sessions begin to reveal the roots of her restlessness.

Backstory: Kabul, translators, and survivor’s guilt

During therapy, Donya recounts her escape from Kabul as one of three translators and the only one who made it out. She explains a colleague was killed waiting for a visa, while another remained stuck in processing. In her neighborhood, she was viewed as a traitor and her family faced threats, fueling her insomnia and guilt.

Aziz and Salim encourage Donya to pursue romance

Aziz notices how lonely Donya is and nudges her toward dating. She admits to longing for a partner but worries happiness would be unfair to loved ones still suffering back home. Salim echoes the idea that she should not hold herself back from connection.

Donya writes her number into a fortune

Encouraged by her friends, Donya writes her phone number on one of the fortunes and slips it into a cookie. Lin nearly fires her for the bold move, but Ricky supports Donya, choosing to keep her on. The small act fills Donya with cautious optimism about possible replies.

A Bakersfield lead and rising hope

Donya later receives a text from someone in Bakersfield who says he works at a pottery shop and wants to meet. The message raises her hopes that someone has answered her note and that human contact might finally relieve her loneliness. She shares her excitement with Joanna.

Journey toward Bakersfield and meeting Daniel

She decides to go to Bakersfield to meet the mystery person, but on the way she stops at an auto repair shop. There she meets Daniel, a kind mechanic who is attracted to her, but she hesitates to deepen the connection. Daniel offers her coffee, which she declines, sensing she needs to stay focused on the upcoming meeting.

Deer statue delivery in Bakersfield

In Bakersfield, an employee at a pottery shop hands Donya a small deer statue, arranged by Lin after Donya’s number was shared. The gesture surprises her and confirms that someone is responding to her note. She realizes the journey toward connection is beginning to take shape.

Return to Fremont with a new symbol of possibility

On the return trip to Fremont, Donya stops by Daniel’s auto shop to share the deer statue. Daniel happily accepts the gift and their exchange hints at a growing attraction. They acknowledge a desire to see each other again over coffee.