Four Years Later
"Isla and Leor, you two need to stay put. Daddy will be here soon," Orla cautioned her rambunctious twins. They had been darting around the hall ever since they arrived at the event that evening. A pang of regret almost hit her for bringing them along, but with their nanny having left two days ago, she had no other choice. "Please, you two, listen to me," she pleaded, her voice rising as she saw Isla making a beeline for the podium again.
Isla, the more mischievous of the twins, was always leading her brother into some new escapade.
"Mommy, I want the shimmers," Isla insisted, crossing her arms and sitting beside her mother, tears glistening in her large hazel eyes. An idea suddenly brightened her expression, and she hastily wiped away her tears. "Daddy will get it for me. I'll tell Daddy to get me the shimmers," she declared, a broad smile spreading across her face as she swung her legs excitedly against the chair.
"Me too, I want the shimmers." Leor chirped in with a smile.
"You two need to wait until Daddy arrives. This is an event for adults, so no running around," she instructed, pulling Isla close and kissing her forehead. Then, she turned to Leor and did the same. "Be good, my babies."
As the event progressed, her twins settled into their seats, watching everything with keen interest.
Orla smiled, amused and curious if they grasped the significance of what was happening.
Their excitement peaked when the Teletubbies appeared on stage in their colorful costumes, prompting delighted screams from the twins and other kids around.
"Mommy, look," Leor tapped Orla, pointing excitedly at the familiar cartoon characters from his favorite TV show. "Teletubbies!"
"Yes, sweetheart," Orla affirmed.
"Do you think they will bring Dora the Explorer too? And will I see the Little Mermaid and Frozen?" Isla chimed in eagerly.
"I don't know, baby girl," Orla replied with a smile, her heart warming at their enthusiasm.
"How about a trip to Disneyland soon?" Callan suggested, appearing in front of them and bending a little to kiss Orla. "My love," he muttered.
Orla's gaze swept over him, lingering from head to toe, taking in every detail with a curious intensity.
His suit was sleek and stylish, with a classic black jacket and matching trousers. Paired with a crisp white shirt and a dark tie, it screamed sophistication.
"Daddy!" The twins screamed in unison, leaping from their seats to wrap their arms around Callan's legs.
He picked Isla up and kissed her cheeks. "Did you give Mommy a hard time?" Callan asked, settling into his seat and bringing Leor onto his lap for a kiss. "How are you, big boy? Did you disturb Mommy?" He already knew the answer even before he asked.
"Daddy, I want shimmers," Leor said, clutching Callan's hands with his tiny fingers.
Isla frowned, feeling betrayed. "We want shimmers, not just you, Leor."
Callan smiled, marveling at Isla's spirited personality. He kissed them both, promising loads of shimmers and a trip to Disneyland.
"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, taking Orla's hands and sensing her nervousness as she looked around the room. "You're the best one here. Don't worry about anything. I love you, Orla."
"I love you too, Callan," Orla replied, smiling. "Thanks for making everything so easy for me. You always make it easy." She resisted the urge to kiss him, even though it had only been a few hours since he left. It felt like an eternity, and she had missed him deeply. "The award presentation will start soon," she said, glancing at Leor.
He was unusually talkative that evening, a stark contrast to his usual quiet demeanor, while Isla was typically the chatterbox.
"Leor is talking so much tonight. Isla must be rubbing off on him." Callan observed with a proud smile.
"Callan, I have news."
"What news?"
Chaos reigned as the twins bolted from their father's lap, chasing the shimmers scattered by the hosts. Orla sighed in frustration, gesturing to Callan.
He stood, kissed her cheek, and went to corral their children.
"These kids will be the death of me, Callan," she muttered as he left.
For the second time that evening, she scanned the hall, taking in the attendees.
Her colleagues in the architecture industry sat with bright smiles. They seemed to be at ease. Orla, on the other hand, felt anything but relaxed, yet she clung to Callan's reassuring words that she was the best and had nothing to worry about.
She observed the other nominees chatting amiably, excluding her from their conversations. It was clear they kept their distance because they saw her as a superior competitor.
Despite her efforts to befriend them, they remained aloof.
The lead host took the stage, microphone in hand, and announced the beginning of the award ceremony. Nominees were called to their designated tables at the front.
Uniformed ushers in matching blue and white outfits guided them. Orla stayed seated, her eyes sweeping the hall for her family. She knew she couldn't leave without finding them first.
"We formally invite all nominees to step forward as we begin the award ceremony," the host announced. "Welcome to the twenty-third architectural awards. You all look fantastic." A round of applause filled the room after his brief speech. The host continued with a few lackluster jokes, drawing polite laughter from the audience. "Now, let's proceed to the main event."
Orla glanced around once more and spotted the twins at the front, with Callan close behind. The sight of her family warmed her heart, and she smiled, beckoning her son, who ran into her arms without hesitation.
"You're still here, baby," Callan said, surprised. "You should join them up there already." He kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand, offering reassurance. "There's nothing to worry about, you'll be fine."
"I know, Callan." She took a deep breath, handing her son over to Callan. "I love you, Callan." It was all she could think to say, the words bringing her a deep sense of peace.