(REWRITING) The Skylar Experiment : Coveting

8. Adaptation

//This is a two part tidbit showing the twins and the aftermath of moving to Oakwood. As you'll be able to tell, they don't really trust Heather at first and didn't want to be moved. Luc and Lauren are ten years old here.//

As the tantalizing smell of cookies permeated the air, Heather moved from the stove to the counter with a bowl of vegetables, a wooden slab and a knife. She briefly glanced over her shoulder to see Ethan laying flat on his stomach on the terrace and filling in a coloring book. 

As she returned her attention to the counter, two sets of green eyes peeped at her from across the surface, two foreheads and dark hair popping out of their hiding spot. They'd appeared so silently she nearly jumped, noting in her mind this is the closest they've ever approached Heather. 

"Well, hello there," she said to the twins. Did the smell attract them? "Hungry already?" 

Lauren blinked, seeming to want to say yes, but none of the two answered. It has been two weeks since Greg entrusted the children in her responsibility, and they hadn't spoken a single word yet. He'd assured her they knew English--and why wouldn't they if they were raised in Colorado? But the twins didn't communicate much, maybe only between themselves behind closed doors. 

So far, they hadn't uttered anything to Heather or Ethan. 

"The cookies are still in the oven," she informed with a smile. "I'll let you guys know when they're ready. I have chocolate chip, peanut butter and butterscotch in there."

No reaction. She shifted her weight anxiously, wondering if she'll ever get through them. Her eyes trailed Lauren's as she watched her cut the vegetables. 

"Do you want to try?" Her voice was soft and patient. "You can help around, if you want."

The girl blinked again and a tiny hand inched towards the wooden slab. Heather showed her the technique slowly, then handed her the veggies to let her try. She took the big knife under her brother's watch, pulled a stool to elevate herself and began slicing, surprisingly skilled at it. 

Heather looked at Lucas. "Would you like to dice, too? I still have some onions and carrots to go through."

His nose scrunched, but as he took another glance at his sister who returned the stare, he begrudgingly picked a stool. She provided him another platform and knife to cut with and proceeded to take care of the meat for the soup. Quick enough, the twins sliced through the vegetables and finished the pile, placing the bits into another bowl ready to dump into the heated water. 

Heather noticed how they deftly handled the knife like they'd done this before. She thought at first it'd be best not to mention that, but she heard that avoiding the subject would encourage making it taboo and painful, and maybe it would motivate them to speak. 

"You two used to help with cooking, I see. If you guys had a routine before you'd like to do here, you can always let me know." She smiled sympathetically. "It's really no problem, and I'd love to know how I can help make you guys at home..."

Lucas' knife dropped on the wood with a thump and the stool screeched on the floor. He shot Heather a glare and paddled away from the counter as his twin paled, her chest rising sharply. Lauren followed her brother, disappearing behind the staircase with a look of pain and concern. 

Heather caught her face in her hands and sighed in the empty kitchen, despair ripping through her. She shouldn't have said that, in the end. It was too soon to touch on it and these kids hated this place with all their worrying mutism. 

She was tempted to call Greg for support, but guessed he must have his hands full with Raymond. Being older, he had a whole other way of giving everybody a piece of his mind. Like the twins, he didn't appreciate the change but displayed a lot of aggressiveness. His abilities were still hard to control, and he was too dangerous to be in school.