Brothers By Design

They started eating with the others at lunch. Devin still didn’t eat much, but he was eating. Kane was pleased, but kept quiet. He didn’t want to draw too much attention to it, in case it upset Devin and made him stop eating again. The others were content to talk around him without addressing him directly.

The following Saturday morning, Kane was startled when Albert announced that his trainer had arrived. That had been quick. He and Devin went downstairs. William and Maggie stood inside the doorway Devin, Kane was pleased to notice, did not cower or slow his steps on seeing them.

“It’s great to see you,” he started, “but Albert said my trainer had arrived, so I don’t think we’re going…”

“Ah’m tha trainer,” William interrupted.

“And I’m here to keep Devin company,” Maggie chirped. “I hope you don’t mind, Devin. I can sit by myself and keep myself busy if you don’t want to sit with me. I’ve got a song I want to work on for…”

“Hush,” William interrupted.

Kane was surprised at the boy’s gentle voice was. Was that how he sounded with Devin? Were William and Maggie part of the experiment?

“Give tha man a chance to answer, will ya?” Devin was clutching Kane, but did not seem afraid.

“Sup to ya, Devin,” the boy continued.

“I…I don’t mind,” Devin managed to say after a moment. “If…if Kane doesn’t…” He was still stuttering, but no longer talking in a near whisper in front of them. Progress.

“It’ll be fine,” Kane decreed. “If you want, you could practice singing with Maggie.”

“You sing?”

William groaned as Maggie exclaimed her delight at having someone to practice singing with. Kane led Devin down the last of the stairs. Maggie was holding William’s hand, demanding to know if he’d known Devin liked to sing, and wasn’t it wonderful…

“Iss great,” William interrupted. He covered Maggie’s mouth with one finger. “But if ya keep on chitterin, ya ain’t gonna get much singing done, now are ya?” The finger trailed up her cheek. “And ya might scare Devin to where he won’t sing at all.”

“Is the back yard okay?” Kane asked. We have a music room, but I don’t know that it’ll be big enough for us all to practice in.”

“Fine. As long as we can keep an eye on them.” Not apologizing, Kane was pleased to see, just stating a fact. “Ah don’t like to be out of sight of her if’n ah ain’t gotta.” He tugged on a loose strand of her hair, winking at Kane. “She into more trouble when ah can’t see her…”

“I am not. You take that back!”

“No.” She glared at William’s flat denial. “Behave, and ah’ll get ya ice cream on tha way home.”

“Ice cream? Yay!” She hugged William then let him go and turned back toward Kane and Devin. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!”

Struggling to contain his laughter, Kane led the others outside.

Outside, Devin and Maggie were settled at the table by the pool. Kane and William moved several feet away into the grass and got to work. Albert was soon calling them to lunch, surprising them all. After lunch Kane and William discussed the training and made plans. Maggie regaled Devin with talk about singing. Devin listened but didn’t contribute. Not, Kane thought with a silent laugh, that Maggie gave him a chance.

“Is she always like this?” he asked William. “Always talking?”

“Oh. Yeah. Natters on nonstop when she’s not sleeping. Ah don’t pay it much mind unless she seems upset. If it bothers ya ah’ll get her to stop.”

“No, I was just curious. Devin doesn’t seem to mind.”

Devin glanced at him, happy, not afraid. They both had other people to interact with, giving them a break from each other.

“Can I ask you something?” Kane ventured a few moments later. William nodded. “How come I don’t see you and Maggie at school? Outside of gym class and lunch, I mean.”

“We’s in the Special Education classes. Apparently ah got anger issues, ‘n’ Maggie there got…impulse control trouble. Besides, ah can’t read worth nothing.” He glanced over at Maggie. “Ah think she done got herself in there on purpose, to keep an eye on me.”

“ to keep close to you,” Maggie contradicted. “You know how I hate to not have you near.”

“Yeah, so ya can grab and hang on me.” William’s smile belied the grumble. He looked to Kane. “Grabbiest girl ya ever met. Ain’t never had a girl all over me like her.”

“Oh? And how many girls besides me have there been?”

“Ya’d know better’n me how many’ve tried it,” he snorted. “Ya tha only one ah ever paid attention to. Just like ya’d better not be able to say how many guys’ve tried to be with ya.”

“I told you, any other guys wanted to fight you and used me as an excuse!” She giggled. “And they all stopped years ago, didn’t they? “

“Sure,” William said. “All stopped years ago.”

Before Maggie could respond, her phone sounded. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered. Kane was only a little surprised when the voice coming from it was Randolph’s. For some reason, he had a hard time being surprised by much when it came to this group.

“We need you and Three back here immediately.”

The ‘phone’ went dead. Maggie made an apologetic face at Devin and Kane as she announced they had to go. William nodded, grabbed her by the hand, and they ran around the side of the building, not bothering with going through the house.

“I like them,” Devin said after a moment. “They’re very strange, but I like them.”

Kane laughed, pulling Devin close.

“Yeah, they’re weird all right, Devi, but I like them a lot. They’re good people.”

He wondered what was so important that Randolph could call them away, so imperiously and have them take off running. He figured they probably worked for the Agency, but they didn’t talk about what they did. He decided not to ask. They might tell him, but...nah, he was probably better off not knowing.