"Callan. How did you even know? We've never talked about it. Why did you send them to play a prank on me? I was dead scared!" She hit his chest, lifting her eyes to look at him chuckling. "Did you plan this with Sophia? I met her outside."
"Oh, she came?"
"Yes," Orla responded.
"Well, I didn't plan this with her. I just invited her over, never knew she'd come." He pushed her closer, circling his arms around her waist. He tucked several strands of hair in her ear, kissing her cheeks. "I know so much about you, Orla."
"What else do you know?" She felt so safe in his arms. She wanted to last there forever.
"Ermm," He racked his head for the details he had gathered about her over the months. The ones he had asked her, the ones she told him and the ones David had gathered about her when he was newly married to her. "Pink and blue are your favourite colors. You've always wanted a pink and blue themed birthday and that's what I have planned out here today." He took her hands to show her around the part he had prepared for her.
The garden was large, but the space equipped was small, covered with pink and blue lotus. A white table surrounded by five Chiavari pink chairs and big pink balloons dangling on the table.
The setting was classy and simply beautiful, just as she would like it if she was to plan out something for herself.
David and Rosa were already seated at another table surrounded by five blue Chiavari chairs. And the table was crammed with plates of Bacon cheese balls, Mozzarella sticks, Deviled eggs, Cheese stuffed mushrooms, lots of desserts and varieties of wines.
"Thank you for bringing her here." Callan flashed a smile at them, turning to Sophia. His smile grew wider as he approached her where she stood, staring at Orla. "Thanks for honoring my invitation. I never thought that you'd come."
He didn't think that she would come when he sent the invitation two weeks ago. He had given her enough time to contemplate and wasn't disappointed that she showed up for Orla.
"Thanks for having me, but it seems like the celebrant doesn't want me here." Sophia clicked her tongue, her eyes not leaving Orla.
She held onto Callan's arms, unsure what to say to her sister. She didn't expect any of these.
She gazed at her sister intently and could read the genuineness in her eyes. There was no pretence. She wondered if their other sisters knew she was there. If her father knew and what their reactions would be if they found out.
She was forced to ask about them, but she didn't want to ruin her day. The answer was glaring. No one gave a damn about her.
"How is Father?" Orla asked. Even though she wasn't sure if that was what she should ask after many months of abandonment.
Callan glimpsed his wife's bleary eyes, guilt cramming him down.
He almost regretted inviting Sophia. He didn't want anything that would trigger those sad lingering memories. But he also wanted to make her happy.
"I wouldn't know. I moved out of the house shortly after his birthday." Sophia shrugged her shoulders. "We have not been in touch since then, but if something is going on, we would have heard on the news."
Chuckling, she took a seat on the same table that Rosa and David were already sitting on.
Callan pulled Orla closer, staring into her eyes. He looked around and whispered. "Is this alright? I am sorry I should have thought about this before going on with the plan."
Orla smiled, slacking her hand away from his.
"What?"
"She," he made a chasm with his mouth. "Will you be comfortable having her around?" He asked.
"Let's see." Orla left his side to join them at the table. She pulled out a chair, sat on it and waited for her husband to fill the empty chair that was beside her. "I am glad you are fine. You got me so bad, Callan."
Rosa stared apologetically at Orla. She glimpsed her gaze and quickly understood that she acted that way because she was following the script. But still, she was curious to know what she told Callan about her if there was any.
"Our job is done here, Sir." David stood to his feet, shooting a smile at Orla.
"You should drive Rosa back to the penthouse. I will see you two later. Thanks for today." Callan told David.
"Sir," Rosa stood after David. "I just got a report from the company—" She froze on the spot when Callan threw a hand at her.
"I told you that I will not be working today. Today is my wife's birthday. Handle whatever that's there to be handled. I will attend to all pending deals when I am over this." He jiggled his fingers in front of her, telling them off.
A few minutes after David and Rosa had left, Sophia broke the silence with a long sigh. She poured some wine into her glass and raised a toast to her sister's birthday.
"Orla. It's been years since we celebrated your birthday together. Years, I have even forgotten that you celebrate your birthdays." Thinking of how hard it must have been for Orla to celebrate all alone by herself, she sounded so sorry. "It must have been hard for you, Orla. I am sorry I wasn't there for you. I know this might not sound sincere to you, but Orla. I am sorry for how I treated you. I shouldn't have, but I was scared that Dad would hate me too if I stayed by your side. I was a coward. I should have stood up for you when our other sisters turned their backs on you." Tears slipped down Sophia's cheeks, but surprisingly Orla wasn't moved by her tears.
She remained on her chair, eyeing Sophia.
"This isn't the best place to talk about this." When Orla didn't say a word, Sophia wiped her tears, sipping from the glass of wine, she said. "Happy birthday to you."
"Thank you, Sophia," Orla said without wavering.
"Callan is a good man. I am glad you met someone like him. I know Dad will be so disappointed if he knows that you are doing well here. He doesn't want that for you. He—" The beeping sound of her phone interrupted her speech. She looked down at her phone and stiffened in her seat. "I would have loved to stay, but I must leave now. I have an urgent meeting with my new suppliers."
"It's fine. Thanks for coming anyway." Orla said easily.