Dylan received the kids warmly from Flora in the evening. He had not seen them in over a week as he avoided 'dramatic Francis' as he liked to call him. He had missed them but the one evening drama from him had him sorted out for a month, or so he felt. And Flora, she had spent the whole day teaching them on what to do when a normal human annoyed them and it was not going well as planned. She was frustrated and she needed a break from her niece and nephew. She was more certain they were indeed her brother's children. Matthew had abandoned her half-way for a 'thing'. Or whatever he had called it. It was Dylan's rest time and he was happy to have them especially seeing how Flora could not wait to be free of them. "Uncle Dylan! We have missed you." The twins said as they rushed into Dylan's arms fast, but Flora disappeared faster than they got to him. Looking at the doorway, Flora was nowhere to be seen. He closed the door behind the twins and headed to the kitchen to get them a snack. He chose the one that did not have a lot of sugar as he knew how notorious they got when in a sugar rush. The twins sat patiently on the couch waiting for their snacks. Dylan came back shortly with some biscuits and juice. The twins sat up immediately and began to eat up the snacks. He always marveled at how their appetite was at its peak. They were always hungry and he figured it was because of their fast growth rate. He looked at them for a while then went to his bedroom to pick up his laptop for there was some work he needed to research on. After a while, there was a crash in the living room, where the kids were. Then there was shouting. He rushed to them and was lucky to catch one of the twin mid-air.
"Kyla!" He scolded Kyla who had thrown her brother across the room. Kyla recoiled in her seat as Dylan put Anthony down. "Why are you fighting?" He asked then he noticed Kyla's scared look and she slowly raised her hand and pointed past him to her brother. Dylan turned and saw what he feared most. Anthony was standing staring at Kyla with a very angry look but what made it worse was his eyes, which had turned from black to red. Only Dylan understood. "Kyla, run to the bedroom. Now!" He ordered. Kyla did as was told and left Dylan and Anthony alone in the living room. "Anthony." Dylan slowly called out to the angry boy before him. "Please listen to my voice and come back to me. Calm down. Your sister did not mean to." Anthony's face did not change. He slowly turned his head and looked towards the bedroom where Kyla was hiding. "No Anthony." Dylan said and rushed before him, barring his sight to the doorway. "You have to fight the anger. Kyla is your sister and siblings fight. Fight it!" He snapped. Anthony looked at him. "Fight it!" Dylan repeated his words.
In the shut bedroom door behind Dylan, Kyla found Dylan's phone and dialed her mother's number, trembling to the core. "Mommy, I am scared. Anthony…" Then the phone was disconnected. Natalie's phone had died. Kyla stood at the farthest corner from the door and hoped. She had never seen her brother as angry as he was now. 'It was only a biscuit! I should have let him have it.' She scolded herself and squatted where she stood.
"Don't make me Anthony. Fight it!" Dylan continued shouting. "She is your sister and siblings fight. Anthony! Fight it!" Anthony took a step forward. Before he could take another, the entrance door opened and Natalie rushed in but stopped before she could move farther. She looked at her son and noticed his red eyes. What she had feared the most about her son's growth had come to pass. "Anthony! Siblings fight. It is normal. Fight it! Fight the anger." Dylan really hoped. Anthony could. He was happy he had been there when the children fought, otherwise, it would have been worse. Anthony took another step forward. Natalie held her breath. Kyla, hearing smelling her mother's scent, opened the door and immediately rushed to her mother. Anthony looked at his sister and was about to move to her. "How did you get here?" Dylan asked Natalie.
"Dylan!" Natalie snapped.
"Anthony, stop!" Dylan roared at Anthony who had rushed to his sister. Before he could get to her, hiding behind their mother, his eyes turned normal and he looked at the two important females in his life for a moment then he passed out. Dylan was in time to catch the falling boy in his arms. Kyla was shaken behind her mother.
"Kyla honey, are you okay? What happened?" Natalie asked as she pulled Kyla from behind her. She watched as Dylan placed her son on the couch. She leant in and felt her daughter's face.
"Nothing mommy. Only one biscuit remained and we both wanted to have it. And we got into an argument. And I pushed him…then he…." Kyla began crying.
"It is okay honey. Your brother is doing okay. You know he can never hurt you. He loves you very much." Natalie comforted her crying daughter and lifted her up into her arms and lulled her until she fell asleep. Natalie sat on the extra couch opposite where Anthony was soundly passed out. They waited until both children were asleep and Dylan sighed.
"I am sorry, Talia." He said sincerely. "I only left them for a minute and look."
"It is okay Dylan. You had told me what to expect. I am grateful you were here or we don't know what could have happened." Natalie said and looked at Kyla sleeping in her arms.
"I really wanted him to fight it on his own. So that if he loses his temper again, he can stop himself in time. Otherwise…" Dylan trailed off.
"Just because of a biscuit? But they have been taught to share everything." Natalie said, half-whispering to herself. "Kyla is the one with the short temper, how did Anthony beat her to it this much?" The room went quiet for a while. Both adult were busy in thoughts.
"Maybe…the environment he is in." Dylan commented.
"What do you mean?"
"Natalie, you know what I mean. Maybe his father's temper is getting a little bit too much in the way."
"Dylan. He is their father."
"I don't deny that. But his temper has triggered one of the most terrible changes in your boy. If the next time it happens someone is not there…"
"Dylan." Natalie interrupted and the room went quiet again. But Natalie knew that what had been said was true. And she knew what were the consequences of those facts.
Later in the night, the children opened their eyes almost at the same time. The adults had been quiet for a very long time and the awakening children brought them back to the incident in the room. "Anthony, how are you feeling?" Natalie asked her son as she watched Kyla rub her eyes.
"I am okay mommy. What happened?" Anthony asked and stretched out his tiny hands and hugged Dylan. Kyla looked at her brother and hugged her mother very tight.
"Kyla, please sit with your brother. There is something Uncle Dylan and I want to tell you." Natalie talked sweetly to Kyla, who hesitated and hugged her tighter. "He is okay now dear. Look. Look at him." Kyla looked at her brother and back at her mother. She hesitated again but went to her brother and sat next to him, with a little bit of space than the usual.
"What is it mommy? Why is Kyla scared of me?" Anthony asked. Natalie looked at Dylan, who stood up and walked and stood behind her seat, one arm on its back rest.
"Kyla, Anthony, you know I love you both very much. And as I always say, you are very special children. And one of that unique thing happened here tonight. Kyla, you annoyed your brother and he got very angry. Anthony, you got very mad at your sister and you almost hurt her, badly. And I have always told you anger is not good. Kyla, respect your brother, he is older. Anthony, take care of your sister, she is younger. And when she annoys you, love her even more. If you cannot fight your anger against the one person you love most, then how will you handle those who you don't love. And as I said, you are stronger than them, do you imagine how much damage you could do?"
"I am sorry mommy." Anthony said sincerely. "but I don't remember what happened.
"You got mad at me for having the last piece of biscuit. And you almost…" Kyla began choking on her tears again.
"Anthony dear, we had to take hard measures before you could hurt your sister. Both of you were lucky we were here, especially Uncle Dylan. Anthony, when you get angry at your sister again, please find a reason to stop yourself in time. Or next time, we might not be lucky." Natalie advised her son and he nodded.
"I am sorry Kyla. You know I love you so much." Anthony said to Kyla and she smiled at him. "You know I can never hurt you." He added then reached out to hug Kyla. The twins hugged and the adults next to them smiled at each. They were proud to see the maturity of the twins. After a while, Anthony looked back at his mother, "Mommy, what is happening to me?" The question got the two adults looking at each other speechless. Natalie swallowed hard and Dylan had to take over. He went over and sat between the twins, placing them both on his lap.
"You see, both of you are growing really fast and you are bound to experience more and more changes as you mature. And tonight, Anthony experienced one of those changes, which was triggered by his anger. The more you grow, the more changes will appear, especially when you grow into your teen years. You understand?" Dylan calmly explained.
"Yes Uncle Dylan." The twins chorused.
"Anthony, when you get to that place again, please look past the anger." Dylan advised. Anthony nodded obediently, thought he did not understand where 'that place' was. "Are you two hungry?" The children nodded again.
"We should go. It is already late and the Gregory family will start wondering what happened to their grandchildren." Natalie dismissed Dylan's idea. The children said their goodbyes to Dylan and left with their mother. The room was quiet again. The children had been gone for a few seconds and he was already missing them. He envied Francis. Though the twins were fond of him more, he could not take away the fact that he was their biological father.