(REWRITING) The Skylar Experiment : Coveting

8. Adaptation

Greg arranged for the kid to be homeschooled until he stabilized, but it seemed to be a behavioral issue rather than anything else. 

Heather checked the cookies in the oven with a forlorn expression. They were almost done. 

***

--Two months later--

"Two more?" Heather's eyes widened. "Where do they come from?" 

"The girl is from Pennsylvania and the boy comes from Indiana," Greg told her over the phone. "They just arrived yesterday and they've met. I think we should let them see the twins with all they have in common."

"Oh, I don't know... they're not very social and it's not because those kids have been through the same thing that they'll want to be friendly. They barely started getting along with my son..."

"It's worth a try, no? We have to at least give them the opportunity to get out of their shell," Greg said. "It can be good for all four of them."

Heather dumped her purse and flopped on the couch. She just returned from her hospital shift to pick the kids up from school. They disappeared into the garden as always; they spent most of their days out in the sun. 

"You want to bring them here? I'll need to warn the twins or else they'll hate that I decided this without telling them."

Greg approved, then predicted he and Jeremiah would drive the newcomers to her house in about an hour. She disconnected the call, chewing a nail, and got out on the terrace. 

"Lucas? Lauren? Can you come here for a second?" 

They left Ethan's side and hopped over the stairs with curious gazes. She sat down on a chair to level herself, planting her eyes in theirs. 

"Greg called me and we just received two kids your age from other states... They'll be visiting soon today and I thought it'd be nice to give them a proper welcome so they can get to know all of us. What do you say?"

The siblings glimpsed at each other, skeptical. Then, with a light shrug, they nodded and returned to the yard where Ethan waited for them. Heather leaned back, pleasantly surprised. Well, that had been easier than she expected. Maybe the meeting would go without a hitch. 

An hour later, just as Greg had promised, the doorbell rang and Heather waved a hand from the living room. The door opened. Two adults, Greg in the front and Jeremiah in the back, gently ushered two disoriented-looking children inside the hall. The boy and the girl stuck close together, eyes darting everywhere. Their mistrustful eyes detailed Heather. 

She smiled, starting with a soothing voice, "Hello, I'm Heather. Don't be afraid, you are safe now. Nobody is going to hurt you here and we'll take care of you. What are your names?"

The girl reared back, causing Jeremiah to put his hands on her shoulders. Heather almost thought she'd hiss at her. The young boy, despite being frightened, subtly stepped before her to block her from view. 

"That's Ben and she's Devin," Greg whispered. "You can probably guess they've seen things they shouldn't have at their age."

"Hunters?" 

He nodded darkly. "We're all they've got now. This town is the best place to protect them. Did you warn the twins?"

"Yes, they're alright with it. Want me to bring them?"

Greg glimpsed over his shoulder at the buttmunches standing warily next to the door. "Now would be a good time, yes."

Heather excused herself, said she'll be coming back with two siblings who wanted to meet them, and spun around. She moved past the kitchen and opened the patio door to call Lucas and Lauren. They walked to her, their steps heavy above the wooden surface of the deck, then followed their guardian obediantly through the corridor. 

Behind her back, Lucas raised an eyebrow at Lauren. 

Heather moved the children in front of her and began the presentations. "This is Lucas," she wanted to tap his head but stopped. The last time she tried, he'd jumped a few feet away. "And this is Lauren." 

The twins examined the newcomers extensively and in complete silence. The adults held their breaths, hoping this would stick and not turn into mayhem. The last thing they needed was for the orphans to clash together and grow up to hate each other. Ben and Devin scrutinized the siblings as well, not making a move forward or trying to speak. 

Finally, Lauren tipped her head sideways. 

"They got them, too?"

Her voice tinkled through the constrained atmosphere. Heather looked down at her. 

"What do you mean?" 

"The bad men," Lauren explained, staring at the kids. "They found your people?"