Shennan's father called the next morning. While she was talking to him she could tell that he was trying to think of a way to tell her something.
After a few minutes of annoyance Shennan spoke out, "Listen, Father, I know that there's something you want to say or ask so just do it." She said as she examined her chipped finger nail polish.
Mr. Launders took a deep breath. "When did you have your nightmare?" He asked wearily.
"What?" She asked in shock. She hadn't told many people about her nightmare. Just those who witnessed it, and she knew Stefani hadn't talked to their father since before the nightmare happened.
He sighed. "Your nightmare. When did it happen?" He asked again. "Was it last night, or the night before. When was Stefani's?"
Shennan was quiet for a moment. "The night before." She squeaked out. Quickly, she cleared her throat. "How'd... How did you... You couldn't have known this!" She sputtered.
"Yes, I could've." He replied. He sounded tired.
"How?" She asked.
"You and Stefani always had almost the exact same nightmares when you were little." He started explaining.
"Then explain Mykah's." She bit out harshly. "Why did he have a nightmare about Stef and I fighting over a knife, one of us not moving, and then him being carried away? What did he do to deserve whatever Stef and I may have?" She asked in a jumble of words.
"Mykah had a nightmare too?" Mr. Launders asked shocked.
"That's what I just said." She pointed out angrily. "Father." She said more softly and gently. "What is going on? I'm almost half-afraid of what is going on and more than afraid of sleeping. I haven't slept since Stef told me about her nightmare. What's happening to us?" Shennan asked, truly frightened.
Hearing Mr. Launder sigh brought no comfort. Only anxiety and thoughts of the worst.
"Will these nightmares come true?" She asked, almost afraid that the answer would be yes.
"No." Her father quickly responded. "Sit tight, Shennan. I'll be home soon. So will your mum."
She swallowed hard, "When?" She croaked out.
"Tonight or early tomorrow morning." Mr. Launders replied before their connection was terminated.
Slowly hanging up the phone, she stared at it dazedly.
Stefani walked in. "Who was that?" She asked quietly.
Shennan looked up at her twin. She looked tired and sleepy too. Her eyes had pale violet half moons under her eyes, the same as hers. "Our father. He's going to be home either tonight or early in the morning." She explained going over the conversation with her father over and over again. As if there was a broken record in her mind.
"What's up?" She asked as Shennan started shaking her head.
She looked up at her. "He asked me about our nightmares." She said confused. "He knew about them."
"Did he know about Mykah's?" She asked equally confused as her sister.
Shaking her head again, Shennan replied, "No. I think that's what worried him the most. I still can't believe that he knew about our nightmares." She said quietly.
Stefani nodded her head in agreement. "Weird." She mumbled.
"He said that we always used to have almost the exact same nightmares when we were little." Shennan asked, looking over at her sister, still confused.
"Do you remember anything about me or any nightmares you had as a child?" She asked hoping for something.
"No." She said after a moment of thinking. "I don't remember anything." She said as she shook her head slowly. "You?"
Shennan shook her head once again. "I don't remember anything about my childhood with you, or here in the States." She said as she got up and walked outside.
"Taylor, don't you think it's weird? Don't you think that this is weird?" Stefani asked curiously.
She and him were sitting at the kitchen table having cookies and milk talking about their nightmares, and their father knowing about it.
Taylor was quiet for a moment. He stared down at the table. "I don't know what to think." He said slowly as he shrugged. "Obviously something is going on. What, I don't know. But something must be going on."
Stefani stared at him. Wondering about what he was thinking at that moment. He probably thinks that Shennan and I are crazy. Mykah too I bet.
Well, one way to find out.
She took a deep breath. "Do you think that we're crazy because of this?" She asked looking at him.
Taylor looked up at her. Slightly shocked. "How could you think that?" He asked a little hurt by being asked such a question.
She shrugged her shoulders, shame painting her face.
"Stef, if I think that you, or Shennan, or Mykah is crazy, which I don't, it would not be for that particular reason." Taylor said standing up.
"I'm sorry, Tay." She said quickly as she stood up also. "It's just these nightmares have put my nerves on the edge, and I'm afraid I might fall." She said quietly.
He went over to her and hugged her. "It's okay." He said smiling. "It's okay. I won't let you fall."
She smiled back. "Thanks. I need all the help I can get."
"I know." Taylor said laughing.
Shennan watched as Mykah and Mackie played once again in the sandbox. She felt like drawing them, but then again she didn't. She wondered that if in a few years from now if Mackie and Mykah would remember this very moment. All of a sudden she was jealous of him.
He remembered stuff when he was little. "That's because he is little." She reminded herself as she stared at him.
Isaac was sitting beside her. He was quiet when he first came out but now he needed to ask some questions. "So, uh, what's going on?" He asked softly.
She turned and looked at him for the first time since he sat next to her. "Well, it turns out that Mykah had a nightmare the same night as Stef's and mine about either Stef or I dying. He's not sure which. We were fighting over a knife and then one of us wasn't fighting anymore. And my father called this morning, he asked me about Stef's and my nightmares. No one could have told him."
She waited for him to interrupt, but he didn't, so she continued on. "He said that Stef and I used to have almost the exact same nightmares when we were little. Only thing is, neither Stef or I remember anything about our childhood together." She said shrugging.
"And my father's going to be here either tonight or early tomorrow mornin because of the nightmares." She said sighing.
She looked down at her hands. "Now aren't you sorry you asked?" She asked quietly.
Isaac made her look him in the eye. "No." He said shaking his head.
"Why not?" She asked quietly. "Doesn't it freak you out?"
Isaac shook his head and pulled her into a hug. "Nope. Grant you, it is a bit on the weird and strange side, but I'm not freaked out by it."
She took in a sharp breath. "I'm scared of it." She whispered softly.
He only held her tighter. "Don't be. You have no reason to be scared of them yet." He said softly as he stroked the back of her head.
Feeling a little safer and a little calmer, Shennan just stayed there in Isaac's arms. Hoping that there was no reason for her to be scared. Ever.
