13.

 

The Franklin Institute was everything Sadie remembered the science museum being when she was a kid. Then, her favorite exhibit had been the giant heart. She was excited to show it to Marcus, but when they got there she had to admit that the pink fiberglass heart had lost its appeal. The boys hurried through the chambers of the thumping maze and out the other end.

Sadie watched the twins closely. They both chewed their bottom lips when they were nervous and both stuttered slightly when excited. They played together like old friends, loving the same games and never arguing.

"I've never seen Jay this energetic," Gloria said as the boys built block buildings on the earthquake machine. "Jay's never seemed this interested in the exhibits before."

Marcus was always a bright and curious boy, but Sadie did notice a difference in him now. He seemed happier. It was like they knew they were long-lost brothers. They clung to each other. They seemed to speak a special language that no one else understood. Sadie wished she knew that language. She wished she and Kevin could learn it.

They'd spent most of the day at the museum and Sadie's feet and back ached, but Marcus and Jay weren't ready to go home.

"Do we have to go?" Jay asked Gloria as they walked toward the door.

"We have other things we need to do today," Gloria explained.

They had tried to leave earlier, but after much begging and pleading from the boys Sadie and Gloria gave in and told them they could stay for another hour.

"We have to get home and eat dinner," Sadie added. She stopped and turned around to help Marcus zip his jacket. "We'll come back here again some other time."

Marcus smiled. "Can we really?"

"Of course we can," Sadie said. Over Marcus's shoulder she noticed a tall lean woman dressed in a charcoal-gray pants suit staring at them. The woman was beautiful. She had an air of sophistication that Sadie strove for but could never quite pull off. Her honey colored skin seemed to glow with health and her dark hair was neatly pinned up in a French twist.

"Gloria," Sadie said, "do you see the woman over there in the gray suit?" She nodded her head in the woman's direction as she zipped Marcus's coat.

Gloria turned getting a quick glance at her. "Yeah, I saw her at the heart exhibit."

"And just about every other exhibit we saw," Sadie said. "I don't think she has any children with her. Doesn't that seem strange?"

Gloria shrugged. "Before Jay, I used to come to this museum alone sometimes." Gloria turned and looked at her again. "Actually, I've been thinking that she looks familiar to me. I can't quite place the face though."

"Are we going?" Jay whined.

Gloria looked down at him. "Just a minute ago you didn't want to leave and now we're not leaving fast enough for you?"

Jay stomped his foot.

"Don't even start that," Gloria said. She grabbed his arm and headed to the door. Sadie and Marcus followed.