Emma opened her eyes. She could still hear the screams. It took her a moment to realise it was her, who was screaming.
Patrick and Shelagh rushed into the room.
"Please don't be angry with me." Emma begged. "Not you too."
Her parents look at each other in worry.
"Shh." Her mother shushed her, sitting down next to her on the bed. "It was just a bad dream." She leaned closer, and Emma flinched.
"Don't hit me, please. I promise I'll be good."
Shelagh swallowed hard as she looked from Emma to her, equally as worried, husband. She cradled her distraught daughter in her arms.
Emma tried to resist the hug, but soon sank in to the contact. Her sobs trembled through her whole body. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Her dream reminded her of what her life used to look like. Back in 2018.
"You all hated me." Emma cried out.
"We could never hate you, dear." Shelagh said, close to tears herself. She didn't know what to say to make her child feel better.
Patrick sat down on the bed, next to his wife. He spoke in soft tones to his daughter. "You had a nightmare, Emma. Whatever you saw, however it made you feel, it wasn't real. None of it was real."
Emma had calmed down at her father's words. She took a few deep breaths.
Her father continued. "We love you, Emma. We could never hate you. You're our daughter."
Emma sniffed. "You promise?" Her voice sounded more scared than she would have liked to admit.
Patrick smiled. "I promise."
Emma nodded, and wriggled in her mother's arms. She moved just far enough to lay her head down on her father's shoulder. "Okay. I believe you." And she did.
Shelagh kissed her daughter on the forehead. She waited a moment, to make sure Emma had stopped crying. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.
Emma shook her head. "I just want to stay here, like this."
Shelagh smiled. "Of course." She was perfectly content holding her daughter close.
"And just so you know," Patrick added. "You can come to us anytime."
Emma nodded. She knew that. She just didn't want to think about her dream. If she doesn't think about it, she can pretend it never happened.
Emma wanted to stay in their arms for a lot longer, but her eyes were starting to droop. Patrick noticed and smiled. "Why don't you lay back down?" He suggested.
Emma nodded, and reluctantly untangling herself from her parents, she crawled back under her covers. She looked over at her parents. "Will you stay?" Emma asked hesitantly.
"Of course." Shelagh replied. "We'll be right here."
And, in the comforting presence of her parents, Emma finally allowed herself to relax, and was soon fast asleep.