R. Stine - Red Rain

“Hi,” he said, without budging from his perch.

“Ira, come down.” Lea’s voice sounded tight, shriller than usual. “Can’t you shake hands?”

“Kids don’t shake hands.” Ira’s reply.

The twins gazed up at him with those sweet smiles on their faces. Their blue eyes appeared to glow. Like jewels, Mark thought. They are extraordinary-looking. He thought of beautifully crafted dolls.

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.”