Scream Me a Dream

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting in the cold. She’d stopped crying, mostly because she was sure she’d run out of tears. The makeup she had worn during the night was all but wiped off and residing on the palms of her hands and the tails of Ville’s shirt.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to rest against the wall, only to blink them open when she heard a rustle of fabric in front of her. Instead of seeing the stone banister of her balcony she saw white terry cloth in front of her face.

“I really don’t know what it is about you and not wearing pants when you come outside.” Ville said, gesturing for her to take the robe he held out.

“The cold helps me think.” She said quietly, taking the robe and putting it on, tying it around her middle as Ville grabbed an iron chair from the table and took a seat. He’d put his jeans back on, Soya noted, but hadn’t bothered with a shirt. He stared at her for a minute, as if hesitating with his words, before he finally spoke.

“What happened tonight?”

Soya stared at him, before shaking her head and staring out toward the sea. “Just because I may be calmer now than when I first walked in doesn’t mean I’m going to talk.”

“Soya, when you walked in-”

“I’m fine.” She quickly cut off.

Ville frowned at her. “Why bother lying?”

“I’m not lying.”

“You are.” Ville argued. “And what’s the point? I know you’re not fine, you know you’re not fine; fuck Soya, all of our friends who were here tonight know you’re not fucking fine, so why bother lying about it?”

Soya closed her eyes and instead of seeing the darkness she craved so badly, all she saw were the doctors in their bright white coats, shaking their heads. The emotions swirled again and she opened her eyes, dismissing the images. “It’s none of your business to know.” She croaked, keeping her eyes forward, though she could feel Ville’s disbelieving stare.

“You’ve been doing so well too.” He muttered.

Soya frowned and turned to him. “Well about what?”

“Not allowing your mother to get to you, I don’t know why you let her words affect you so much.”

Soya gave a snort of bitter laughter. “Trust me when I say, this was not just an argument with my mother.”

“How do you expect me to trust what you say if you won’t tell me what happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it Ville, drop it.”

“Soya.”

“Drop it.” Soya snapped, turning to glare at him. “Just stop.”

“You can’t avoid the topic Soya.”

Soya stared at him incredulity “Avoiding? I’m not avoiding the topic, I keep replaying the damn night over and over and over again in my head, I just don’t want to talk about it.”

“With me.” Ville stated, feeling hurt by the tone of her voice.

“Yes! With you!” she said with a glare. “I don’t want to talk about it with you! Just because you’ve had your fingers in me doesn’t mean I have to share every damn detail of my life!” she stood up and started towards the door, only for Ville’s hand to shoot out and stop her.

“Don’t walk away from this fucking conversation Soya, don’t you dare walk away.” Ville said harshly, glaring at her. “Is that all I’m good for then? Give you your first orgasm, yell at me for masturbating? Fuck you with my fingers, tell me I’m not worth talking to? God, I can’t wait to find out what happens when I finally just fuck you Soya, really, can’t wait for that precious moment.” He spat out, shaking his head in frustration.

Soya pulled her hand away from his grip and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not like you share every aspect of your life.”

“I don’t keep things from you Soya! I’ve never kept anything from you! If anyone in this relationship is holding back it’s you! You don’t talk to me about your mother, you don’t talk to me about your time just after you moved, you let me see little pieces of you but never the whole thing! You keep every inch of yourself guarded Soya. So don’t say I don’t share, if anything I fucking over share.”

“You know,” Ville continued staring at his girlfriend. “I’ve never seen any of your mother in you, ever…until tonight.”

“Don’t compare me to my mother.” Soya hissed.

“Why not? You’re keeping things from me, just like your mother keeps things from you. You’re acting like a fucking bitch, just like your mother.”

“Then why are you still here!” Soya spat, “If I’m so much like my mother, why are you still sitting here?!”

“Good fucking question.” Ville muttered shaking his head as he stood up. “I’m going to leave then, leave you alone to fucking analyze whatever the fuck happened tonight in your head, alone.”

“Good!”

“You know, I knew back in the bathroom I was going to regret tonight, good job Soya, I do fucking regret it.” Ville scoffed before walking off the balcony, leaving Soya alone with her arms crossed over her chest. She leaned against the wall, glaring at the ground, her mind swirling with the conversation she’d just had. She heard the front door open then slam shut, causing her to wince as she leaned her head back against the wall, squeezing her eyes shut.

She reran the entire night in her head, her father collapsing, the ride in the ambulance, the hospital, walking up the stairs to her apartment, walking into her apartment…

“Oh.” She opened her eyes in disbelief as she started off the balcony. “Oh my god, what the hell am I doing?” she muttered to herself as she rushed out of the apartment and down the stairs, cursing the elevator for not working.

She pushed open the lobby doors and looked down the street, running her hands through her hair in frustration when she didn’t see Ville standing there or any cabs driving away.

“Looking for me?”

Soya turned, giving a sigh of relief when she saw him sitting on a bench a few feet away. “Ville.” She said going over to him, only for him to stand and put his hands up.

“Just stay there, all right.”

Soya stopped near the bench and nodded. “All right.”

“I just, need you to stay away from me right now Soya.”

“Ville I-”

“No, no, you had your chance to talk upstairs, and you obviously said what you felt. I just, I can’t deal with you right now Soya.”

Soya fell onto the bench as he started pacing in front of her. “I’m so-”

“You know what’s so fucked up about all this, Soya? The fact that it took me leaving the fucking apartment for you to come after me.” Ville shook his head as he stopped pacing and stood in front of her. “I knew getting into this relationship with you meant dealing with your family issues Soya, I knew that, but I don’t…” Ville sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m so tired of working so hard just to get you to talk to me. I’m so tired of trying to convince you that your mother is a bitch that shouldn’t get to you. I hate that with every fucking step in our sex life we end up arguing.”

“Oh Ville I-”

“Just be quiet a minute, you got out what you wanted to say; it’s my turn.” Ville said still staring at her. “I’m afraid that when we do sleep together, if we do ever get to that step, that it will quite literally be the end of our relationship.” He scrubbed his hands over his face with a groan. “This isn’t healthy Soya, this can’t be healthy.”

He looked up to see her staring at him, and he nearly broke down when he saw the clear sheen of tears build up in her eyes. “I don’t know what to do Soya. I can’t force you to talk to me, I can’t force you to confide in me. I just…I don’t know how much longer we can survive like this.”

“Then why are you still with me?” she asked quietly. Her voice was soft, free of anger, just pure curiosity. “If I’m so much work, why are you still with me?”

“Why am I…because I fucking love you Soya!”

Both stared at each other, Soya in shock over what was just said while Ville ran a hand through his hair, not quite believing he’d actually said it. He looked down the street, and thanked the perfect timing as he saw the cab pull up behind him.

He looked back at Soya who was staring at the ground.

“Soya, I can’t…” Ville grabbed his duffle bag by her feet before shaking his head at her. “I just…I need a few days. I can’t…I just…I can’t.”

He turned just as she put her face in her hands, throwing his bag in the cab and getting in, slamming the door shut and telling the driver his address.

“Are you just going to leave her there?” The driver asked, eyeing him through the rearview mirror.

Ville kept his eyes forward, knowing he would break the minute he turned around. “Yeah.” he muttered. “Yeah, I’m just going to leave her there.”

“All right then.” The driver said with a shake of his head as he pulled off the curb and drove towards Ville’s house, just as the sun started filling the Helsinki sky.

Twenty minutes later, Ville paid the driver, pulling his bag out of the car and walking towards his door. He hadn’t even closed the door, before his cell phone started sounding. Groaning he pulled it out of his pocket, dropping his bag and closing his door, looking at the caller ID. Sighing, he answered the call.

“Look, Linde, it’s been a long night, call me in about eight hours.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m at home.”

“You’re not with Soya?”

Ville felt a large pang in his chest as he head Soya’s name. “No.” he said simply.

“Turn on your TV.”

“Linde, I’m tire-”

“Turn it on Valo.” Linde snapped, causing Ville to sigh as he walked over to his couch, grabbing his remote and turning on the TV, leaning his hip on the back of the couch.

“All right it’s on.”

“Go to one of the news channels; it’s all over the fucking place.” Linde said, muttering the last part.

Ville turned the channels, only to tense when he found one of the news channels and saw the headline.

“Ville are you watching?”

“Yeah,” Ville whispered as he gripped the couch. “Yeah, I’m watching.”

“Did she tell you?”

“No.” Ville said shaking his head as he listened to the news report. “No, she didn’t tell me.” He said not quite believing he hadn’t figured that something like this had happened. It had snowed, he thought, it had snowed; and according to Soya’s philosophy, that meant good things were destined to happen.

“Valo! Valo! Are you listening to me!?”

Ville blinked and turned his attention back to Linde. “What?”

“I asked what you were thinking?”

Ville scoffed as he turned his back on the TV. “I’m thinking I’m the biggest asshole in Finland.”

XxxxxxX

Soya lay on her couch, staring at her ceiling; she had been doing that for the last three hours since Ville had left. After he’d gotten in the cab, she had gone back to her apartment, grabbed a blanket from the guest room, not quite up to sleeping in the bed she usually shared with Ville, and lay on her couch. But before, she’d turned off her cell phone, knowing that once her friends were up and reading the paper or watching the news they’d be calling her.

She groaned when she heard the knock on her door, unfortunately she hadn’t counted on them coming back to her apartment.

“Go away!” she yelled, throwing her arm over her eyes.

“Miss Soya?”

Soya sat up with a frown as she looked over at her door, before getting up towards her door and opening it. “Nathan.” She said in surprise, seeing not only him but her sleeping little sister in his arms.

“Should I place her in your bedroom?”

“Guest room.” Soya said instantly moving to let him in, only to frown at his back as he moved towards the guest room. “Wait, what’s going on?”

“Aida will stay with you.”

Soya turned back towards the door, jumping in surprise when she saw her mother. “What?”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Aida is going to be staying with you.”

“Why?” Soya asked. “Wouldn’t it be better is she stayed in her own home.”

“No, I believe it would be much better for Aida to stay somewhere where she’s wanted.”

“Mamma, I know you didn’t want children, but right now, I think it would be best if Aida were in her real home, not here with-“

“I’d like to mourn in peace.”

Soya looked at her mother in disbelief. “And that’s incredibly selfish of you! Aida needs her mother.”

“No, she needs her sister.” Elizabeth said. “Nathan will be at your beck and call, he’ll take Aida to and from school and her programs. You’ll barley see her.”

“Mamma, it’s not that I don’t want her here,” Soya ran a hand through her hair, before shaking her head. In reality, it was a million times better for Aida to be in the flat with her, then a huge house alone with her mother. “Does she know?”

“That her father’s dead, of course she knows Soya.” Elizabeth said, causing Soya to shake her head again at the carelessness in her mother’s tone.

“You can leave now.” Soya said as Nathan came out from the hall. “I’ll take care of Aida.”

“Nathan will let you know about the funeral arrangements.” Elizabeth said, starting down the stairs.

“I’m sure I’ll get calls from the lawyers as well.” Soya muttered, smiling slightly at Nathan. “I’m surprised she walked up three flights of stairs just to talk to me.”

Nathan gave her a slight smile, patting her head. “I know she sounds heartless Soya, but she really does miss your father. This is just her way of mourning.”

“I have no doubt that there was love between my mother and father.” Soya admitted with a shrug. “Just wish she could send a bit of love this way, you know?”

Nathan leaned down and kissed the top of Soya’s head. “I know Miss. Soya. Call me if you need anything, all right?”

“Thank you Nathan.” Soya said quietly, watching him go down the stairs before closing her door. Blowing out a breath, she walked to the guest room, looking at the full sized bed where her sister was sleeping.

Shedding her robe, she placed it on the recliner that sat in the corner of the room, which left her dressed only in Ville’s dress shirt, before climbing into bed with her sister.

“Soya?” Aida murmured, her eyes half open.

“Hey kultaseni.” Soya whispered kissing her forehead. “It’s early yet, go back to sleep.”

“Can I get some water?”

Soya nodded, “I’ll go grab you some.” She got back out of bed, going towards the kitchen and getting her sister a small glass of water before padding back to her room. She started to hand Aida the water, only to find her sister asleep and buried under the covers. She felt herself give a small snort of laughter, before setting the glass down on the night table and crawling into bed.

Wrapping her arms around her sister she kissed the back of her head. Closing her eyes and feeling herself relax for the first time since her father had passed away. Yes, she thought, it was definitely a million times better to have Aida with her.

XxxxxxX

She leaned down and kissed the small of his back, working her way up, placing small kisses on his spine before reaching his lips which was turned up in a smirk.

“To what do I owe this wakeup call?”

“Feliz cumpleaños, amor.” Rosalind whispered, kissing his nose.

Jyrki groaned and buried his face in the pillow. “Don’t remind me.”

“So old.” Rosalind laughed, only to squeal when Jyrki flipped them over so she was laying on her back while he hovered over her.

“Old?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “You didn’t think so last night.”

Rosalind rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Well, that’s because you gave me unbelievable pleasure.” She teased, leaning up to kiss him. “But don’t worry, your old age has yet to affect your handsome looks and, as you proved last night, your libido.”

“Kanssani naimisiin, Rosalind.”

Rosalind laughed quietly and shook her head. “No.”

Jyrki blew out a breath, falling back onto the bed. “Doesn’t matter how many times you say it, the rejection still hurts.”

Rosalind rolled on her side, laying her chin on his chest. “Are you really going to ask me on every single one of our birthdays?”

“And Christmas.” Jyrki muttered.

“Jyrks.” Rosalind sighed moving so she was straddling him, her forehead leaning against his. “I love you, so much Jyrki, but there’s a reason why we work, and marriage isn’t going to help.”

“But-“

“Are you willing to move to Spain?”

Jyrki blinked. “No.”

“And I’m not willing to move to Finland. We’re at the same crossroads we’re always at when you ask me to marry you. How are we going to get married then live in different countries? Realistically, we only see each other maybe three months out of the year, and that’s not even consecutive months out of the year and that doesn’t include the few times we’ve merged tours. Marriage isn’t going to change the way our relationship works.”

“But-“

“But nothing.” Rosalind laughed. “We love each other.” She said tracing her fingers down his cheek, “Why isn’t that enough?”

“Of course it’s enough.”

Rosalind sighed. “But we’re still going to have this conversation again at Christmas aren’t we?”

He fingered the strap of her red lace bra and gave a nod. “Don’t know why you bother arguing; eventually, you’re going to say yes.”

Rosalind laughed, leaning down and kissing him. “Yes, once Impi is old enough to push your wheelchair into that retirement home.”

“Witch.” Jyrki laughed, tossing her off him.

Rosalind laughed as she got out of bed, grabbing one of Jyrki’s T-shirts and putting it on. “I’ll start breakfast.”

Jyrki sat up in bed and watched her. “You can’t cook.”

“Ten years together and you still believe that.” Rosalind laughed, “I can cook Jyrki; I just prefer to allow others to cook for me.”

Jyrki laughed as she stuck her tongue out at him and left the room. Getting out of bed himself, he pulled on his black track pants and left the room running a hand through his hair and going to the living room, passing the kitchen where he heard Rosalind scrounging through his refrigerator.

Reaching over his couch with a yawn as he grabbed the remote, he turned the TV on before turning to the kitchen when he heard pans clinging together.

“Need help?!” He teased.

“I’m fine!” Rosalind called back.

Jyrki smirked shaking his head. He really couldn’t wait to see what Rosalind came up with in that kitchen. Turning back to the TV, he froze when he saw the headline.

“Lyn!” Jyrki called.

“I’m fine!” Rosalind repeated, “Just dropped a few eggs, but I’m fine!”

“Lyn get out here!” Jyrki called again, his eyes still on the TV.

“What is it?” Rosalind asked, coming out of the kitchen and wrapping her arms around his waist. “Don’t trust me in the kitchen?”

“Soya’s dad died.” Jyrki said, looking down at his girlfriend before motioning to the TV at Rosalind’s frown. Rosalind turned to the television, seeing the picture of Soya’s dad along with the year of his birth followed by 2010. “Call her.”

Rosalind nodded absently, letting go of Jyrki and going towards the bedroom to grab her phone, she came back out with the phone to ear, shaking her head.

“She’s not answering.” Rosalind said, hanging up the call. “It goes straight to voice mail.”

“She turned her phone off, I’ll try Ville, he’s probably still with her.” Jyrki said, grabbing his own cell phone from the couch where he’d left it the night before and dialing his friend, only to get Ville’s voicemail as well. “And his is off.”

“Jyrki, should we go over there?” Rosalind asked, not sure what to do. She wanted to be with her friend, wanted to comfort her, but with Soya and Ville having turned their phones off she wasn’t sure if Soya really wanted the company.

Jyrki looked at his girlfriend. “This is the first time I’ve seen you unsure of yourself.”

“I don’t mind intruding and poking my nose in things that aren’t my business.” Rosalind admitted. “But this is different; if Soya wants to be alone, then I’ll respect that.”

Jyrki nodded. “I think right now we should leave her alone, Lyn. We’ll try Ville again later, all right?”

Rosalind nodded. “All right.”

“Go finish breakfast, I’m going to keep watching this, maybe call Linde and see if he knows anything.”

“I think I’m going to give Josef a call.” Rosalind said as she padded back into the kitchen, avoiding the mess of eggs she’d dropped on the floor as she dialed Josef.

“Hey bitch.”

“Hey.” Rosalind greeted, leaning against the counter.

“All right what’s wrong?” Josef sighed.

“How do you know something’s wrong?” Rosalind asked with a frown.

“Because you didn’t call me a ‘slut’ back, it’s our terms of endearment for each other and you’re not your usual chipper self, so what’s wrong?”

“It’s about Soya.” Rosalind whispered.

“Yeah, what’s up with that girl, I tried calling a while ago; I haven’t spoken to her in a while. I got her voicemail; she never turns her phone off.”

“Her father died last night.”

“Oh shit.” Josef muttered. “Have you seen her?”

“Last night, and let’s just say her entire demeanor last night makes a whole lot more sense.”

“Do you think she’s doing all right?”

“I have no idea.” Rosalind muttered, “She wasn’t doing too well last night. We left after she practically yelled at us too, but Ville went back and he’s turned off his phone as well. Jyrki’s watching the news to get information and I think he may call Linde as well.”

“This is all that girl needed, it means she’s going to have to deal with Elizabeth for the funeral preparations, as if losing her father wasn’t hard enough.”

“Josef, do you think there’s any way you can come down here? I think once she’s calmed down she should be surrounded by her friends.”

“God, I wish I could. You of all people know I would go to the ends of the earth for that girl.”

“But you can’t.” Rosalind sighed.

“I took three months leave off the company to go visit my family, if I leave again now Rebecca and Ben would kill me. Oh, that was a bad way of putting it.” Josef muttered.

Rosalind gave a soft laugh. “I understand.”

“I’m on the road right now with the company. I missed the start of it, I can’t leave mid way.”

“I know Josef, and knowing Soya she wouldn’t want you to.”

“I’ll keep calling her. I’ll talk to her, call Regan and Emmy and let them know that Soya’s not going to be reachable the next few days.”

“All right.” Rosalind nodded.

“Give her a huge hug for me all right? Just squeeze the ever living hell out of her.”

Rosalind laughed and nodded. “I will sweetheart. I should go, I promised Jyrki breakfast.”

“What’d you order?” Josef teased.

Rosalind shook her head with a laugh. “I do cook, you know.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“Slut.”

“Bitch. Love you Rose!”

“Love you too, Josef.” Rosalind said before hanging up. She sighed running a hand through her hair before starting to move around the kitchen again to start breakfast.

Twenty minutes later she set a plate in front of Jyrki, who was on the phone, causing him to smile lightly at her, before turning back to his conversation.

“Did Ville say anything else?” Jyrki asked picking up his fork and pushing the sausage around on his plate as he listened to the person on the other end. “So no one is with Soya right now?” Jyrki nodded, as Rosalind watched him, her own food forgotten. “Well no, I’ve been watching the news since I’ve been up. Rosalind called Josef and let him know what’s going on, but neither of us can get a hold of Soya or Ville. We just wanted to make sure everything was…as good it can be I guess.” Jyrki nodded again, “Yeah, I’m sure we’ll hear from her soon,” Jyrki paused only to laugh softly. “Yeah, thanks Linde, I’ll talk to you later.” He said, before hanging up his phone.

“What’d Linde say?”

“That Ville was with her until about five this morning, I guess they got into some sort of argument, but Linde wasn’t sure about the context. As for what happened last night, Linde only knows what he’s heard on the news, I guess Soya didn’t even tell Ville what had happened when he went back last night.”

“What have you learned?”

Jyrki shrugged, switching the channel on the TV. “At this point it’s the same information going around on all the news channels.”

“And what’s the information Jyrks?”

Jyrki rubbed his hands over his face with a sigh. “Cardiac arrest, apparently.” Jyrki said looking at his girlfriend. “He died nearly an hour after getting to the hospital.”

“God, poor Soya.” Rosalind murmured.

“If you want, we can go down there later and see if she’ll open the door.”

Rosalind shook her head. “No, if she wants to be alone, I think it would be best to leave her alone for now, until she reaches out.”

“What if she doesn’t?”

Rosalind smiled at her boyfriend. “You’re really worried about her aren’t you?”

“She’s my friend of course I’m worried.” Jyrki defended.

“I wasn’t accusing you Jyrki.” Rosalind said patiently. “I just didn’t realize how much you cared for her, like a little sister huh?”

“Yeah,” Jyrki nodded slowly as he realized what Rosalind was saying. “Yeah, like a sister.”

“Don’t worry too much. Soya…” Rosalind shrugged. “Soya internalizes a lot; she holds everything in thinking that if she shares it’ll burden people. Eventually she’ll let go, reach out and want to talk to someone. I give her about forty eight hours.”

“Is that about the time she usually waits to talk to you?”

“No, she usually waits about three weeks to a month to share but Ville tends to bring her out of her shell a bit more, you know? Give her a couple days to process everything that’s happened and we’ll hear from her.”

“If she doesn’t call you in a couple days, we’re breaking down the door. I’m sure Jussi and the rest of the guys will help.”

Rosalind laughed. “I’m sure they will. What did you thank Linde for?”

“Ah, he wished me a happy birthday.”

Rosalind smiled “I know you’re worried about her Jyrki, I’m right there with you, but she wouldn’t want you to be so focused on her on a day that’s all about you.”

“So we do get to focus on me today?” Jyrki teased.

“Yes cariño, all about you. Tomorrow I’ll take you out, so today is whatever you want.”

Jyrki smirked. “You, out of that shirt.”

Rosalind shook her head amused before standing up and shedding the shirt she had on. “Anything else?”

“Just…stand there all right…all day.”

Rosalind laughed. “How about you finish your breakfast, while I go back to bed?” With that said she turned around, feeling Jyrki’s’ gaze on her.

“How about I follow?” Jyrki muttered, dropping his fork and following her into the bedroom.

XxxxxxX

Soya looked down at her still sleeping sister, running her fingers through Aida’s short hair before turning slightly to look at the clock on the nightstand. Seeing that it was past nine in the morning, she carefully got out of bed before making her way to the kitchen and grabbing the phone.

For a short time she contemplated calling Ville. She knew that by now all of her friends knew that her father had passed away that night, all they had to do was turn on their televisions to see the headline. But Ville had asked for time, and time she would give him.

She leaned up against the counter as she dialed the number for Aida’s private school, knowing that even if Aida was in the right state of mind, she would not be going to school that day. She straightened slightly when she heard the voice of the schools receptionist.

“Hi, this is Soya Toivonen, I’m calling to let you know that Aida Toivonen won’t be attending school today and possibly most of next week.”

“Reason why?” The reception asked stoically.

“I uh…” Soya closed her eyes, pressing her fingers against her eyelids as she felt a headache start. “Um…our…” she shook her head tipping her head back to stare at the ceiling. “Our father passed away last night.”

“What?”

Soya blinked, that hadn’t been the receptionist, she looked down and over at the doorway to see her sister staring at her. “Aida?”

Aida dropped the water glass she’d been carrying, causing it to shatter against the floor before she turned and ran out of the room, slamming the guest room door closed.

“Aida!” Soya shouted, hanging up the phone and carefully making her way out of the kitchen before rushing to the guest room door, only to find it locked. “Aida, open the door!”

“No!”

“Aida, sweetheart, you have to open this door.”

“You’re lying!” Aida screamed.

“Oh!” Soya stared at the door in shock. “Aida? Aida what am I lying about?”

“Isi’s not dead!”

Soya stared at the door. “Oh god, Aida, mamma said she’d told you.” Soya whispered, sliding down to the ground to stare at the door in disbelief, had she really just told her little sister that their father had passed away? “Aida I didn’t know Mamma hadn’t told you, I’m sorry, please open the door.”

Soya stared at the door, before bringing her knees to her chest and hiding her face in her legs. She couldn’t believe the mess her mother had left her with, couldn’t believe her mother had so blatantly lied about something so damn serious.

Soya looked up when she heard the door click and Aida small frame come out of the doorway. “Come here.” Soya motioned, causing Aida to rush out of the door way and into Soya’s arms. “I’m so sorry sweetheart.” Soya murmured as she felt her sister start shaking in tears. “You shouldn’t have had to find out that way, no one should ever find out that way.”

She squeezed her sister harder, feeling her own eyes mist with tears as they sat in the middle of her hallway holding each other tightly, Aida nearly bruising on the grip she had on Soya’s neck. “I’m so sorry Aida.” Soya whispered on last time before she let go and allowed herself to cry with her sister.