PART TWO 2 page

Except they were so skinny, so gaunt. The red T‑shirts and long white shorts hung on them like scarecrow clothes. Their flat white sneakers were as long as clown shoes.

We’ve got to buy them clothes. Then see about putting some meat on their bones.

The twins stepped forward, almost in unison, and gazed around the living room. “How nice is this?” Samuel said. “We never had a couch.” He put a hand on the back of the green leather couch and squeezed it. Mark saw that when he removed his hand, he left a sweat stain on the leather.

Daniel turned back to Ira on the stairs. “Do you like to swim?”

Ira scrunched up his face, as if he had to think about it. “Not if the water’s cold.”

Is he going to say anything friendly or positive?

Guess it’ll take time.

“Where do you like to swim?” Daniel asked Ira. He was definitely trying to break the ice. “In the bay or in the ocean?”

“My friend Ethan has a pool,” Ira said, chin on the banister. He didn’t move from behind the bars of the banister, safe in his cage up there.

Roz came bursting into the room from the kitchen, holding Axl by one hand as the chubby, dark‑haired boy toddled beside her. She wore a long blue denim sleeveless dress and was barefoot, as usual. Axl had a little sunburn on his arms. She had taken him to the bay beach this morning.

“Welcome! Welcome!” Roz threw her arms around Daniel and hugged him, then pulled his brother into a hug, as if they had known each other for years. Roz wasn’t usually this demonstrative, but she had told Mark she planned to do all she could to welcome the boys into a warm home.

Axl stuck out his stubby arms toward the twins, as if he wanted a hug, too. To everyone’s surprise, including Axl’s, Samuel picked the two‑year‑old up in his arms and hugged him. Axl grabbed a fistful of the boy’s blond hair and tugged it hard. Samuel laughed and spun Axl around.

His twin watched the whole thing with a dimpled smile. When Samuel returned Axl to the floor, Daniel pointed at the toddler. “He’s funny‑looking.”

Roz’s happy expression changed. “What did you say?”

“He’s funny‑looking. His face makes me laugh.”

Roz moved toward Axl as if she had to protect him. “He has a perfectly nice face. And his hair is coming in nice and curly.”

“He’s funny‑looking,” Daniel repeated. “No lie.”

Lea stepped toward him and spoke up. “Sometimes it’s better to say something nice,” she said.

“Sometimes.” Daniel’s smile returned. He exchanged a quick glance with his brother. “But the laddy looks like a chimpanzee, don’t you know?”

“Panzee,” Axl repeated. He giggled. He seemed to like the word. “Panzee.”

Roz started to say something but restrained herself. “Well, I hope you boys like it here. Welcome to our family.”

“We like it already,” Samuel said. “We never had a couch.”

“Mark, show them their room,” Lea said.

But before Mark could move, the front door swung open, letting in a burst of warm sunshine, followed by Elena. She stopped at the door and called to the new arrivals. “Hey, guys! You’re here!”

They turned and studied her.

She swept into the room and shook hands with both of them at once. “Oh, wow. How do I tell you apart?”

“I’m the smart one,” Daniel said.

“He’s the weird one,” Samuel told her.

“You can tell them by the dimples,” Lea offered. “See? Daniel has those dimples on his cheeks and Samuel doesn’t.”

“Weird,” Elena said. She squinted at them. “Do you always dress alike?”

“Your mum bought us this,” Daniel said, tugging at the baggy red T‑shirt. “We lost our clothes. We lost everything.” His voice cracked on the last word. He lowered his eyes.

“Don’t worry.” Lea stepped up behind them and put a hand on each one’s shoulder. “That’s the first thing on my list. We’ll go shopping and buy you all the clothes you need.”

They turned their heads and smiled up at her.

Lea sighed. “Oh, I’m just so happy you are both here. Look at me. I have tears in my eyes.” She walked over to Mark and pressed her face against the front of his shirt. “ Thank you, ” she whispered.

“Panzee,” Axl offered.

Daniel reached down and picked Axl up again. Axl poked his nose against Daniel’s nose. “Chimpanzee,” Daniel said.

“Panzee.” Axl repeated the word.

Daniel lifted his eyes to Roz. “Do you feed him lots and lots of bananas?”

Roz squinted at him. “Excuse me?”

“You know. Chimpanzee food?”

Again, Mark saw Roz restrain herself. “I guess I’ll have to get used to your sense of humor, Daniel.”

Samuel snickered. “Daniel doesn’t have a sense of humor. He’s just strange, don’t you know.”

“Chimpanzee,” Daniel and Axl said in unison. Then they both giggled.

Daniel turned back to Roz. “He’s my new pet.”

Roz’s mouth dropped open.

Daniel twirled Axl above his head. Axl laughed. “Yes, boyo. You’re my new pet. Gonna slip you lots and lots of peanuts.”

“Panzee,” Axl repeated and tossed back his head and giggled.

“Look how sweet they are,” Lea whispered, leaning her head against Mark’s shoulder and squeezing his arm. “They’re being so nice to Axl. Isn’t that the sweetest?”

“I’m not sure Roz would agree with you,” Mark whispered back, watching Daniel twirl Axl faster and faster. “She looks upset.”

“They’re just being playful,” Lea said, tears glistening in her eyes. “They don’t know they insulted Roz. They’re not trying to be mean.”

The twins appeared to like their attic room. Mark had hired some local carpenters to add walls and finish the ceiling and carpet the floor and paint the room a comforting pastel blue‑green.

The eaves were low, so they all had to duck their heads. He and Roz had gone to Hildreth’s, the old department store in Southampton, and bought soft‑looking, comfortable, homey furniture for the room. And twin beds, which Mark placed side by side at the end of the attic, with the window looking down to the backyard.

Now they were bouncing on their beds, giggling and raising their hands to the low ceiling. Watching them, Lea clapped her hands and let out a gleeful cheer. “They like the room, Mark.” She kissed his cheek. Her face was wet from her tears.

Mark playfully tugged her hair. “I’m glad you’re so happy.”

“I am happy. I just know we’re doing the right thing. I have such a strong feeling.. ”

Elena stood behind them at the top of the attic stairs. She appeared to be studying the twins as if they were zoo specimens. Ira had chosen not to join them up here.

Earlier in the week, when Mark broke the news to Elena that Lea was coming home with two orphaned boys, he was prepared for some kind of strong reaction. He didn’t expect the shrug he received and the muttered “Whatever.”

Then she quickly added, “As long as they stay out of my room and don’t annoy my friends.”

That broke the tension. “They’re going to be a little strange at first,” he warned her. “They grew up on a tiny island. And they’ve been through a lot of tragedy.”

Elena rolled her eyes. “Dad, they’re twelve, right? Of course they’re going to be strange.”

They both laughed.

He knew Elena would take it in stride, as she did everything. There would definitely be problems with her along the way. A teenager with three younger brothers in the house? No way there wouldn’t be conflicts and fights and tears. But Elena could always be counted on to ride out any emotional wave.

Ira was a different story. Take him to town for lunch and talk to him again? Tell him he had to pitch in and make this work? Tell him the family really needed his help?

Mark knew he’d just roll his eyes and say, “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Or worse: “Shut up, Dad. You’re a jerk. ”

The twins were on their backs now, sprawled on the beds, luxuriating, sinking their heads into the pale green pillows. The room was pale blue and green, water colors, soothing and perhaps, a reminder of their island home.

Roz and Mark had put a lot of thought into all this while Lea was working to bring them off the island.

“Let’s show the boys the rest of the house,” Lea said. “Come on, get up, guys. We’ll give you the grand tour.”

Elena led the way downstairs. Her room was at the near end of the hall. She pushed the door open so the boys could take a glimpse. Above her bed, she had a framed poster of a girl gymnast, arms outstretched, flying high in the air. The closet door was covered with cutout photos of actors from the teen‑trauma TV shows she watched on her computer. Skirts and jeans and colorful tops were strewn all over the floor. Elena had a lot of good qualities, but she wasn’t neat.

“Nice room,” Daniel said. He pushed Samuel out of the doorway to get a better look. He pointed to the gymnast poster. “Is that you?”

Elena rolled her eyes. “I wish.”

Daniel started into the room, but Elena pushed a hand against his chest. “Two words to remember about my room, guys,” she said.

They trained their blue eyes on her. “Two words?” Daniel asked.

“Keep out,” she said.

They both burst out laughing. As if she had made a hilarious joke. They laughed and shook their heads. Daniel raised his hand for Elena to slap him a high five.

“You’re funny, Elena,” he said. Samuel nodded agreement.

“I’m serious,” Elena insisted.

“Let’s move on with the tour,” Mark said. He guided the boys to the next room. His office. He pointed out the desktop PC and his shelves of psychology books, and the piece of moon rock on his desk. They took a quick glance but didn’t seem at all interested.

At the end of the hall, Elena said, “This is Ira’s room.”

The boys shoved each other as they eagerly trotted down the hall. Their too‑big sneakers made floppy sounds on the thick, white carpet. They all burst into Ira’s room.

He lay sprawled on the bed, white earplugs in his ears, tapping away on a handheld game player. He didn’t stop or look up as everyone invaded his room.

“Ira?” Mark called. “Earth calling Ira. You have visitors.”

Ira tapped away, eyes on the game player.

The twins walked around the room. Daniel strode to the two windows, pushed back the gray curtains, and gazed down at the front yard and the street. Afternoon sunlight poured in, making his blond hair glow.

Ira’s room was bare and undecorated. The walls were plain white. On the narrow strip of wall between the windows, he had a small, framed photograph of himself shaking hands with New York’s governor, after Ira had won a state citizenship essay contest.

No other art or decoration in the room except for a small black stenciled octopus on the wall over his headboard. Mark didn’t understand the octopus. Ira wasn’t into sea life at all. In fact, he was timid and frightened around the ocean.

A low bookshelf stood beside the long white counter that served as his desk. The closet door was closed. No dirty clothing on the floor.

Ira didn’t like clutter. He said keeping his room white and bare helped him concentrate on his homework. Nothing to distract him. And he said it helped him sleep at night because there were no scary shadows.

Samuel studied Ira’s laptop. Photos of Ira and his friends on a class trip shuffled on the screen, Ira’s screensaver. Daniel moved to the bed and sat down on the edge of the white quilt.

Lea tugged the earplugs from Ira’s ears. He sat up straight, blinking in surprise. “Hey‑”

“We’re showing Daniel and Samuel the house,” Lea said. “Do you want to tell them anything about your room?”

Ira shook his head. “Not really.”

“Awesome room,” Samuel said. “Sunny. Like an island morning, you know?”

Lea leaned toward Mark. “Don’t you love their accent? Sometimes the way they talk.. it’s like poetry.”

Daniel stepped up to Ira. His face turned serious. “Can I have your room?”

A short laugh burst from Ira’s throat. “Huh? I don’t think so.”

Lea took a step toward Daniel. “You like Ira’s room, sweetheart? It’s kind of bare, don’t you think?”

Daniel didn’t respond. He wrapped a hand around Ira’s upper arm. His eyes locked intently on Ira’s startled face.

“No. Really,” Daniel said, lowering his voice. “Can I have your room?”

Ira raised his eyes to Mark. A pleading glance. Mark felt too stunned to react.

“I’ll have your room,” Daniel repeated, patting Ira’s shoulder. “Okay?”

“M ark, be reasonable. It’s a perfect solution. I can’t believe you’re the one being the hard‑ass about this.” Lea’s hands were clenched into tight fists over the kitchen table.

Mark reached across the table to take her hand, but she snapped it out of his reach. “I think I’m being the reasonable one,” he said.

“I think I am,” Roz insisted. She had put Axl down for his nap and joined them in the kitchen for what had started out as a quiet discussion and, much to Mark’s dismay, quickly elevated into a shouting match.

Ira was sulking in his room. Elena had taken the twins on a walking tour of the neighborhood to show them the bay. The boys were hopping up and down with excitement and had no idea of the conflict they had caused among the three adults.

Lea took a breath and started another attempt to persuade Mark. “You saw the look on Ira’s face when the boys wanted his room. He was sick. He was about to have a fit.”

“Of course he was,” Mark started. “He had every right‑”

“So then they saw the guesthouse and totally fell in love with it,” Roz interrupted. Mark gazed at the dark stains on the front of her sweater. Axl was constantly using her sweater as a napkin.

“They don’t know what they want,” Mark said, turning to Lea. “How could they? It’s like they stepped onto another planet.”

“They know they want to live in the guesthouse,” Lea said, jaw clenched, eyes about to tear up again. “And Roz has agreed to move up to the attic.”

“It’s better for me anyway,” Roz said. “I can keep a closer watch on everyone if I’m staying inside the house. And the attic is even roomier‑”

“And that way, Ira will keep his room,” Lea said. “That’s so important. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Ira’s equilibrium.”

“No! No way!” Mark jumped to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair. “I built the attic room for the boys. They should be in the house. We don’t know anything about them. We have to take special care of them. We can’t have them living by themselves in their own house, even if it’s in the backyard. That’s crazy. ”

Lea motioned with both hands for him to calm down. “We want to make them happy, Mark.”

Mark felt his throat tighten. “So you’ll do anything they want? Is that your idea?”

“Mark, stop shouting. Can’t we sit here and have a calm discussion? Roz and I agree‑”

“Leave Roz out of this. We’re the ones adopting these.. these..”

“Leave me out of it? I thought I was part of this family. God knows, I’m the one spending most of the time with the kids.”

Mark patted her hand. “Sorry, Roz.” He turned to Lea. “I’m not trying to be difficult. I see how happy you are. I see you already have strong feelings for these boys. You know I didn’t want them here, but I’m going to try, Lea. I’m going to do everything I can. But you can’t just give in to them. You can’t give them everything they want. They don’t know‑”

“You saw them pleading and pleading to live in the guesthouse. You saw how excited they were.”

“I just think it’s too soon to have them living on their own. We don’t know how they’re going to adapt. We don’t know if we can trust them. We don’t know‑”

“They won’t be living on their own. No way. They’ll be with us all the time. We’ll‑” Lea gasped. Her eyes were over Mark’s shoulders. “Oh no.”

Mark spun around and saw the twins huddled in the kitchen doorway. He felt his heart skip a beat. “How long have you two been standing there?”

They both shrugged. Mark realized their eyes were on him. They were studying him. Had they overheard his true feelings?

An awkward silence in the room. Then Lea stood up and flashed them a broad smile. “Good news, boys. We had a vote here. And we voted two to one. Roz and Axl are going to move to the attic‑and you two get to stay in the guesthouse.”

She turned to Mark as if challenging him. But he knew when he was defeated.

The twins cheered and did a funny, awkward tap dance of celebration. But their smiles faded quickly. “Only one thing,” Daniel said softly. “Samuel and I will take the guesthouse only if you promise us one thing.”

Mark narrowed his eyes at them. Now what? What is their next demand?

“Only if Ira will come have sleepovers with us,” Daniel said.

He saw Lea’s chin quiver. The tears were about to flow again.

“Are they angels?” she whispered. “Is that the sweetest thing?”

L ea grabbed the car keys and stuffed them in her jacket pocket. She herded the twins toward the back door. “Where’s Ira? Ira’s coming with us? Did you see him?”

Before they could answer, Elena burst into the kitchen. “Have you seen my necklace? Did you see it anywhere?”

Lea blinked. “Necklace?”

“The one with the amethyst. You know. Grandma’s necklace? It was on my dresser. I know I left it on top of my dresser. Now I can’t find it anywhere.”

“Maybe it fell off, sweetie,” Lea suggested. “Did you look underneath?”

“Duh. Like of course. Like I’m not stupid.” Elena turned to the twins. “Did you see a necklace anywhere?”

They both shook their heads. “Not me,” Daniel said.

“We’ll all search for it when we get back,” Lea said. “It didn’t fly away. We’ll find it. Get Ira for me, will you? I’m taking the twins shopping.”

Lea drove the twins to the mall at Bridgehampton to buy them clothes. Ira had protested vehemently, but she forced him to accompany them and help select what kids at his school were wearing. The twins had been with them for two days, and he hadn’t made a single attempt to be friendly. Now he sat glumly in the front seat beside her, his arms crossed, staring straight ahead through the windshield.

In the Camry’s backseat, the twins strained at their seat belts, leaning out the windows to see the passing scenery.

“I don’t think they’ve ever been in a car before,” she told Ira.

No response.

“Come on, Ira. Shape up.”

“Look at that truck!” Daniel exclaimed. “Couldn’t you fit a whole house in that truck!”

Lea found it so touching. These twelve‑year‑old boys seeing the world for the first time.

She turned into a long parking aisle and stopped while a blue pickup backed out of a spot. “Be nice to them,” she whispered to Ira. “Be a help, okay? I’ll buy you something special right now. To cheer you up. What would you like? What can I buy you?”

“A candy bar?”

Lea bought all three of them big Milky Way bars. The twins ate them slowly, taking small bites, savoring them, dopey smiles on their faces as if they were drunk from the chocolate.

“You had candy bars on the island, didn’t you?” Lea asked.

They both nodded. “I got a Snickers bar for my tenth birthday,” Samuel said.

“It was my birthday, too,” Daniel said. “We had to share it, don’t you know.”

Ira stared at them. Lea thought she caught a moment of empathy on his face. Having to share a candy bar was something Ira could feel strongly about.

Still chewing on their giant candy bars, they followed Lea into T.J.Maxx.

“We need to get you boys at least three or four pairs of jeans to wear to school,” Lea said. “Ira, what kind of jeans are the kids wearing these days?”

Ira licked caramel off his lips. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, Ira,” Lea snapped. “Help out here. What kind of jeans?”

He shrugged. “I’ll know it when I see it.”

“Okay. Follow me. Boys’ jeans are over there.”

She led them to the tables stacked high with jeans. Only a few brands but several styles and colors of denim. Did kids still wear cargo jeans? Most of the jeans in Ira’s closet had a dozen pockets up and down the legs.

She picked up a pair of straight‑legged, faded denims and held it against Samuel. “This looks about your size. Ira, do kids wear these?”

Ira shrugged. “Maybe.”

Lea searched through the pile and pulled out the same size. “You boys will have to go try these on. But wait. Let’s find a few more.”

Daniel had a smear of chocolate on his chin. “Only one of us has to try them on,” he said. “We’re the same size.”

“But don’t you want to pick the ones you like?” Lea asked.

Samuel gazed up at her. “Do we really get more than one? We don’t have to share?”

“Yes. You can each pick two or three.”

The twins clapped their hands, careful not to drop their candy bars. They let out squeaks of joy.

It takes so little to make them happy, Lea thought. My kids take everything for granted.

She had a sudden memory flash: the twins stepping out of the red rain, looking so lost and forlorn. All around them, the devastation, everything down and destroyed. The mournful wails. The heavy, sour smell of death with each breath she took.

She forced the images from her mind. “Here. Go try this smaller size. Take these and try them all on.” She watched them race to the dressing room against the back wall. They were so small for their age. Ira towered over them.

Ira hunched beside her, doing his best to look bored and unhappy. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Help me pick out some shorts for Axl.”

“Big whoop.”

A short while later, success. Jeans were selected. T‑shirts added to the pile. A couple of sweaters and long‑sleeved shirts. It was April and the weather was still cool and damp.

“Thank you, Mum. Thank you.” From Daniel.

Then Samuel: “Thank you, Mum. I’m so happy. I never had new clothes, don’t you know.”

“Do we love our new mum? Yes!” Daniel exclaimed.

They both hugged her so tight she could barely breathe. Lea was almost overcome by their innocent, joyful gratitude. She carried the pile of clothing to the registers up front.

She dumped everything on the counter. The three boys had wandered off. Where were they? She spotted them near the back wall. They were talking to another boy. A big hulk of a boy with a hard, bulldog face. Lea recognized him from Ira’s class.

And there was his mother. Elaine Saltzman. Ahead of Lea in the line. Elaine turned as if she knew Lea was thinking about her. “Lea?”

“Hi, Elaine. How are you?”

Elaine swept her coppery hair behind one shoulder. She motioned toward the boys. “Do you have nephews visiting?”

“No. They’re mine. I mean‑”

“Yours?”

“I’m adopting them. They grew up on that island off the Carolinas. Cape Le Chat Noir? They lost their families in the hurricane. And I‑”

“That’s so wonderful of you, Lea. You just brought them here? You’re adopting both of them? Do you know anything about them?”

“Not really. But look. They’re sharing their candy bars with your son. Look how sweet they are.”

Samuel thought the boy was funny‑looking. He looks like a big mean dog. Is he really only twelve?

The boy’s head was enormous, his black hair uncombed, falling wildly over his square forehead. He had such a mean scowl on his face. And those little bulldog eyes.

It didn’t take long to see that Ira was afraid of him.

“This is Derek,” Ira whispered as the boy lumbered up to them. “Be careful. He’s really mean. Be nice to him.”

Daniel chuckled. Samuel gave him a look, a warning, to be cool. Don’t be yourself, Daniel, he thought.

“Hey,” the big kid said. He had his eyes on Samuel’s candy bar. “What’s up?”

“These are my new brothers,” Ira told him. His voice was suddenly trembly. Like a warbling bird, Samuel thought.

Derek sneered. It made him look more like a pig than a bulldog. “Brothers? Since when?”

“My parents are adopting them,” Ira said. “They live with us now.”

Derek eyed the twins up and down, sizing them up. “How old are you?”

“Twelve,” Daniel answered.

“You don’t look twelve. You look six.”

Samuel felt a tremor of fear. Please don’t be yourself, Daniel.

Derek leaned over them, trying to be intimidating. “What are your names? Babyface One and Babyface Two?”

“I’m Daniel and he’s Samuel. Or maybe I’m Samuel and he’s Daniel. Sometimes I forget.”

Derek sneered again. “You’re a funny guy.” He eyed them slowly. “No. I got a better name for you. You’re Shrimp One and you’re Shrimp Two.”

“I want to be Shrimp Two,” Daniel said. “Can I be Shrimp Two?” He had the sweetest smile on his face. Samuel had seen that crazy smile before. It meant he wasn’t thinking sweet thoughts.

Derek stretched out a porky hand to Daniel. “I’ll finish your candy bar for you.”

Samuel saw a hard jolt freeze Daniel’s face. And then he caught the warning glance from Ira. Ira took a step back. He had his eyes on Daniel. “Just give it to him,” Ira whispered.

“Give it,” Derek ordered. He waved his hand in Daniel’s face. “I’ll finish it.” He turned to Samuel. “I’ll finish yours, too. You’ve had enough, right?”

“Right.” Samuel had his eyes on poor, frightened Ira. He handed his chocolate bar to Derek. Then he waited to see what Daniel would do.

Daniel kept that sweet smile on his face, but his cheeks were kind of red. Samuel knew that look, too. He knew everything about Daniel. After all, he was almost him. Almost, but a little different.

To Samuel’s relief, Daniel stuffed his candy bar into the big porker’s hand. “Enjoy it, Derek,” he said. “It’s all yours.”

Derek snickered. “I will enjoy it, dude.” He took a big bite and chewed with his mouth open so they could see the chocolate chunks smearing over his teeth.

“Aren’t you going to say thank you?” Daniel sounded hurt.

Derek chewed noisily. Some chocolate juice ran down his chin. He swallowed. “Funny,” he told Daniel. “You’re fucking funny. Next time, I’ll want a whole bar.”

Daniel’s smile grew tighter. Like a mask.

Samuel felt his heart skip a beat. Uh‑oh.

He saw the new mum by the front windows waving two big shopping bags at them. He tugged Daniel’s arm. “We have to go. The new mum wants to leave.”

Daniel nodded. He turned slowly and followed Samuel and Ira. Derek stood in place, a candy bar in each hand, stuffing his face.

Ira pushed between them, his face all sweaty. “You have to be nice to Derek. He’s a bad dude. He likes to hurt people. Really. He beat up my friend Ethan behind the playground at school and almost broke his arm.”

“Doesn’t he ever get caught?” Daniel asked.

“I think the teachers are afraid of him, too,” Ira said.

They caught up with Lea. The twins thanked her again. All the way home, they kept thanking her and discussing which shirts and jeans to wear on their first day of school.

“That was so nice of you to share your candy with Derek,” Lea said.

“We like to share things, don’t you know,” Daniel told her.

“On the island, people have to share,” Samuel added. “Because there isn’t enough to go around.”

He saw a sad smile form on Lea’s face as she made the turn onto their block.

As soon as they were home, the twins carried the shopping bags to their room in the guesthouse. Daniel closed the door behind them, making sure it clicked. Then he pushed the lock on the handle.

He tossed the shopping bags onto the floor and turned to his twin. “What did you get?”

Samuel pulled the red leather wallet from his back pocket. He handed it to Daniel.

He could see the surprise on Daniel’s face. “You got a woman’s wallet? What’s in it?”

“Didn’t have time to look. Someone dropped it on the dressing room floor.”

Eyes flashing with excitement, Daniel poked through the wallet and pulled out a bunch of bills. “Yes. Yes. These are fifties, Sammy. Three hundred dollars. You did good.” He gave his brother a congratulatory face slap.

Samuel giggled. He liked it when Daniel was pleased with him. “What did you get, Daniel?”

Daniel reached deep into both of his pockets and began to pull out shiny things. Chains. Chains with sparkly things attached.

“Necklaces,” Samuel said. “Good boyo. So many sparkly necklaces. How did you get them?”

“Easy as salt clam pie, Sammy. The display case wasn’t locked.”

He swung the necklaces over his head, round and around, and did his funny Daniel dance. “I like sparkly things,” he said. “I’ll put these with the necklace we found in Sister’s room.”

L ea stirred the soup in the pot with a long wooden spoon. Behind her, the twins were already seated at the table, eager for their lunch. She smiled. So far they had devoured everything she gave them. They seemed to like any food you put in front of them. Ira was such a picky eater. These boys were a pleasure.