A month had swiftly passed. A whole month without abhorrence towards Orla, a month of tranquil cohabitation.
The amity between Orla and Callan remained unaffected. Instead, it grew better and stronger with each day that passed by.
The truth of it was that it was unexpectedly sweet and still unbelievable to Orla. Callan had transformed into the sweetest human she'd ever met in her entire lifetime. He was so sweet sometimes she feared he would turn stale if she tasted more of his sweetness.
She was cuddled up in his arms on the bed. They both were asleep after spending the night watching a family soap opera but Orla was stirring in her sleep and Callan was yet to notice that.
The nightmares were back after months. It was funny how she always thought she was over them whenever they didn't occur for months.
-DREAM-
"Orla, you do not deserve happiness." The same little girl that always appeared in her dreams asserted in a low voice. Her bleary eyes were swollen and she desperately scratched them.
Orla's heart was wrecked. She could only imagine the pain her sister was going through as she gawked at her.
The Little girl hurled an accusation finger at Orla. Her eyes brimmed heavily with tears. Her shoulders shook as she stared at the older version of herself but with ginger hair.
Orla fixated her eyes on her, perturbed. She wanted to reach for her hands and explained all that happened before she fell into the pool, but the memory was murky. She was certain she didn't push her, but what transpired before she fell wasn't clear to her.
Tears dropped down her cheeks and she shook her head, thinking of things she could do to calm her aggrieved sister.
"I didn't do it, Isla." The sound of her sobs overshadowed her voice. She looked at her sister and paused to calm her nerves. She continued when her voice had cleared up a bit, and the sound of her sobs subdued. "I have not known peace since you left. Please, let me be happy just once."
She was scared Isla would take everything she'd been building with Callan. It was only a month and she wanted whatever they had going to last for a bit longer before blowing up in her face. A bit longer, but not this soon.
The dream took a different turn this time. It was the older version of herself interacting with the little girl that always appeared in her dream.
She stood in front of her, taller and bigger. She wished she could explain all that happened to her. She wanted to break free from the guilt that had been rubbing on her since that afternoon she lost her sister.
"You didn't let me stay. You don't deserve to be happy, Orla." The little girl burst into uncontrollable tears, her eyes red from fury. "I could have stayed and grown like you too, but that didn't happen. That didn't happen because of you…"
"I didn't do it." Orla cut her off. She didn't want to listen to more of the false accusations that were laid on her. Orla struggled to break free from the shackles that had held her back for years, but Isla was not willing to back away. "I stood close to you, but I swear that I didn't push you. I didn't, Isla." She cried out, but the little girl had now turned her back to her. "I loved you, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, Isla."
"Orla, you were meant to protect me. You were the stronger twin. You were meant to protect me, but instead, you ended my life. I will never forgive you and you will never know happiness for the rest of your days."
"I did. Remember that I did. I took the puppy away when it got all aggressive on you. I took out the thorns that sting you when you fell into the thorn garden. Isla, I stopped Bernard from bullying you. I didn't let the kids at school bully you because you are my sister. I looked after you, I protected you!"
She yelled, tears dripping down her cheeks in large folds that couldn't be controlled.
She was tired of being blamed, she was tired of it all.
-BACK TO REALITY-
Orla turned on the bed, tossing to the right and left. Her tosses and turns alerted Callan, he slowly opened his eyes, watching as she tossed around on the bed.
She was sweaty and he touched her. "Orla," he dubbed, but she didn't wake.
"Please, let me go this time. I didn't do it. Let me go." Her wails become louder in her sleep. She tossed one more time, almost landing on the tiles but Callan held her from falling. "Let me go." She grappled to let go, fear oozing out of her. "Leave me alone, I didn't do it. I didn't." Sweats prickled down her face, but she calmed when she sighted that Callan was the one who held her.
"Callan?" She sniffled, falling into his arms that were opened to receive her.
He let her relax in his arms, protectively wrapping a hand around her neck. He kissed her hair, hoping she'd find solace in his arms.
After her sobs had fizzled out, he looked down at her and asked.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I am not. I didn't do it, Callan. I don't know what happened, I can't remember. I was too young, but I know I didn't do it." Terror compressed Orla as she trembled in Callan's arms. "She keeps taunting me, she doesn't want me to be happy. I didn't hurt her, Callan. I didn't." Heavy tears rolled down her cheeks.
Callan had no idea what she was blabbering about, but he knew of the recurring nightmares. He embraced her tighter, never letting go for a second.
I know you didn't do it. Though he didn't say it out loud.
He wanted to believe her, not because he wanted her to feel good about herself but because he had lived with Orla and he knew the kind of person she was. And for everything he knew about her, he knew she was harmless and wouldn't hurt anyone.
"I didn't. Can you tell her that I didn't? Please do, I want her to leave me alone." Orla buried her face in Callan's arms, it seemed to be the safest place in the world right now.
"I will." He looked down at her, dropping his mouth down to her head. He closed his eyes and gently placed a soft kiss on her forehead to calm her down. "Just tell me where she is and I will go after her to stop appearing in your dreams, Orla." Linking their fingers, he reassuringly caressed them and calmed her rising nerves.
She was so tempted to tell him all that had happened, the reason behind her nightmares. She looked up at him, unsure if Callan would still be good to her if he heard everything that happened in the past. She internally scuffled against the hunch to spill her secrets to him.
"Callan," tears formed in her eyes. He saw that and wiped them off with his thumb before they dropped.
"Don't cry. I don't like it when the tears drop."
"Callan, I…" She shook her head in apprehension.
"I believe everything that you tell me, Orla. You will be fine."
"I doubt if I will be fine. It happens all the time, she comes to me all the time and I…" She looked at him. "I know nothing about what she accuses me of. Callan, it might be all vague, but I didn't…" She was able to control her words before she let them out.
He would never look at her the same way if he found out that happened.
He would loathe her even more. Orla was scared. Callan had been the perfect husband these past few weeks and she didn't want to jeopardise that for anything.
For once in her life, she was given a thin chance to taste happiness. She knew she'd never get that opportunity again if this slipped off her hands.
Callan claimed to trust her, but she doubted if he would still do so when she told him why the nightmares wouldn't cease.
"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it now. There is a lot of time to figure things out."
Orla nodded. Lucky enough to have this new Callan. Those words scared her even more, she was convinced Callan would loathe her if he ever got to know the reason behind her nightmares and she made up her mind that until she had solid evidence to back up her reasons, she would never spill the words to Callan.
"Callan," she called softly, gazing intently into his eyes.
"Go back to sleep, Orla. I am here for you." He rubbed her back, stirring her closer to his side.
She didn't repel, she looked up again. Her heart was raising, neglecting its function to pump blood to her brain. She needed the blood to circulate to her brain so that she could think and back away before things got intense. But the heart failed to do its job.
For a minute, her brain went numb and without thinking, she raised her head to meet Callan's. He looked at her, anticipating what she had in mind to do.
She reached for his lips, smashing hers against his. She tasted his sweet lips, throwing Callan off balance.
Her lips felt like wine on his, sweet and inviting. She tasted simply sweet like grape, he wanted more. He wanted to taste all of her until he was filled with the taste of her.
Orla wasn't sure she was doing the right thing. She just woke from a scary nightmare and shouldn't be doing this, but she needed it more than she had ever needed something in her life.
When she didn't back away, Callan intensified the kiss, igniting the heat to the highest level that it burned both of them.
Callan glimpsed the needs in her eyes, and his only duty right then was to satisfy her.
He gently placed his lips on hers, reciprocating the kiss but more gently. It went on gently until it got rougher.
Orla yearned for more as they desperately devoured their lips. She moved her hand down to Callan's thighs, the bulge between his legs was already sticking out of his slacks.
She smiled slyly, tracing his hand down until it got to her wet panties.
Shuddering, she looked at him and in a husky voice, she said. "I want you, Callan."