Jerod sat on the couch in the soft room next to Vanessa. They did not speak while attempting to hear something, anything, of what might be happening on the other side of the building. The only thing to be heard, however, was their own breathing. His eyes moved toward the bookcase to his left. There did not appear to be anything of interest to him upon close inspection. He wasn’t a big reader, although he could do it very well. Even had he spotted some treasure there amongst the donated stuff, he no doubt would have found it impossible to maintain any decent concentration. The twins seemed to be doing alright, however. Vanessa and he had moved the coffee table over to one side of the room in order to give them lots of space to sit on the floor with a small assortment from an overflowing box of stuffed animals.
“They don’t seem to mind being cooped up in here, do they?” Vanessa broke the silence. She did not turn toward Jerod when she asked the question. She just stared at Robbie and Rebekah as if envying their naiveté.
“I guess not,” Jerod answered.
“How about you?”
He was now watching his brother and sister as well. “I guess not,” he answered, although his response did not sound very convincing.
She looked as though she wanted to say something more, but didn’t. All she did was wring her hands and sneak looks at the door to the hallway, as if worried over what might happen any minute now.
“What about you?” Jerod asked to break the tension.
“What?”
“Never mind.” He looked down at his hands and got quiet.
Vanessa caught his reaction.
“What?” she asked. “Do you mean do I like being cooped up here with you guys? Of course. I just wish everything was different, you know. I want to play with you guys and sing and laugh.”
“But you got stuck having to baby sit?” Jerod asked, still not looking up from his hands upon his lap. He played nervously with his fingernails.
“Well, maybe,” Vanessa answered. “But I love you guys, and I would do anything for you.”
She reached out for Jerod’s chin and gently raised it using her bruised forefinger with the broken nail. Their eyes met, and she reassured him with her gaze, even though she looked all beaten up and tired.
“Do you hear me?” she asked as his eyes swept the room and moved in her direction. “I love you...”
His eyes were wet but he was not crying.
“I love your brother...”
His eyes widened when something caught his eye.
“And I love your... What is it?” She turned.
Oh, my God!
The twins were holding onto the coffee table.
They were standing and holding onto the coffee table. And they were looking right at them. Or were they? They actually seemed to be staring past them at the wall, almost as though they could see through it.
“I didn’t know they were standing already!” Vanessa exclaimed.