“Because the police released them into the custody of us!” Mary says.
“What!” the staff members say.
“Yes you heard Mary right!” Barry says. “The police released Mike and Mitch into our custody!”
“You’re kidding!” Evette says.
“No we’re not kidding Evette!” Tomas says. “The police are not releasing Mike and Mitch into the custody of their parents and grandparents this time.”
“What!” the staff members.
“I can‘t believe this!” Evette says. “The police are not releasing Mike and Mitch into the custody of their parents and grandparents?! Well where are their parents and grandparents now?!”
“They’re here,” Barry says. “They’re in the back. Their parents, grandparents, the rest of their family and relatives and their lawyers are all back there with them now.”
“They are?”
“Yes.”
“We all have to go to court with this custody thing,” Tomas says.
“You do?” Evette asks.
“Yeah.”
“Wow,” the staff members say.
“How do their family feel about this custody thing?” Phyllis asks.
“Their family didn’t seem to feel too upset about this,” Barry says.
“They didn’t?”
“No, but their family’s lawyers and the police told them, either Mike and Mitch be put away in juvenile detention for a while or they have to be released into our custody.”
“And their family certainly didn’t want to choose juvenile detention for them,” Margarita says.
“Yeah so instead of Mike and Mitch having the luxury of flying back to Puerto Rico or Germany to stay with relatives this time,” Mary says, “they will have to move in with us.”
“What!” the staff members says.
“Mike and Mitch are going to move in with you all?!” Crystal asks.
“That’s right,” Mary says.
“Mary, do you think it’s safe to have those two identical monsters live with you and your family?!” Evette says.
“That‘s right,” Monique says. “How are you and your family going to sleep at night? Oh Mary I know Devin and Maria used to have you all baby-sit for Mike and Mitch when Mike and Mitch were wild toddlers, but Mike and Mitch are older now.”
“That’s right Mary,” Crystal says. “Mike and Mitch are not wild toddlers anymore, they’re wild pre-teens, and right now they’re much worse! Y’all gonna have to sleep with one eye open!”
“Oh Mary we’ll be so worried about you all!” Evette says. “Let Mike and Mitch have the luxury of flying back to Puerto Rico or Germany to stay with their parents’ relatives again! We rather have them do that, than have them live with you all!”
“Oh it’s so nice of you all to be so concerned about our family,” Mary says, “it really is, but Mike and Mitch will have the luxury of going to counseling, having anger management classes and doing voluntary community services.”
“Going to counseling, having anger management classes and doing voluntary community service?” Crystal asks.
“That‘s right, like mopping all the floors at the organization.”
“Mopping all the floors at the organization? Mary you don’t plan on putting Mike and Mitch to work are you?”
“Of course I am! Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?!”
“Because their family might not like it,” Evette says.
“Yeah,” Crystal says. “What if their family put pressure on you to go easy on them just like their family put pressure on those victims’ families to drop the charges against them?!”
“And they might do the same thing to Howard’s, Stephanie’s and the security guard’s families,” Phyllis says, “put pressure on them to drop the charges against Mike and Mitch!”
“Well it’s either juvenile detention for Mike and Mitch or with me and my family,” Mary says.
“And Mike and Mitch’s family and their lawyers already took their pick,” Marilyn says.
“That’s right,” Margarita says. “They made a decision and chose our family and that‘s the decision they‘re going to have to live with, no ifs, ands or buts.”
“That’s right,” Mary says. “Those two boys are going to get counseling for anger management and be put to work.” Mary turns to Margarita and Marilyn and says, “and by the way, the banquet room floors need cleaning.”
“And the windows need washing,” Marilyn says.
“They sure do,” Margarita says. “Mike and Mitch are just in time to clean the whole floor and clean the windows then take out all the trash first thing Saturday morning.”
“Well I guess we all better head back to the room,” Tomas says.
“After that,” Barry says, “we have to go to the hospital to check on Howard, Stephanie and the security guard.”
“Then after that,” Margarita says, “we have to go help Devin and Maria pack Mike and Mitch’s belongings.”
“Okay Margarita,” Tomas says.
Mary turns back to the staff members and says, “We‘ll catch you all later.”
“Okay Mary,” the staff members say.
Mary, Barry, Marilyn, Margarita and Tomas turn and walk away towards the back of the police station as the staff members look on.
Forty-five minutes later, Mary, Marilyn, Margarita, Barry and Tomas are walking through the hospital corridor. They anxiously approach Nicolas, Tonio and Mickey as Tomas asks, “So how is it going in there?”
“Not to good Dad,” Tonio says.
“Howard has a concussion,” Nicolas says.
“A concussion?!” Margarita says. “Oh no!”
“They‘re going to keep him and the security guard overnight.”
“Overnight?” Barry asks. “Well what about Stephanie?”
“They’re going to release her,” Tonio says. “Her injury wasn’t as bad because when Mitch threw the basketball at the security guard’s face, it hit his face hard enough then bounced to Stephanie’s face. She was still hurt as well.”
“My god,” Margarita says. “Well we need to go see Howard, Stephanie and the security guard and speak to their families.”
“Okay Mom,” Tonio says. “When are we suppose to help Devin and Maria pack up Mike and Mitch’s belongings and bring them to the house?”
“I guess right after we see the judge,” Margarita says. “Pero ahora mismo, tenemos que ver Howard, Stephanie y el guardia de seguridad y hablar con sus familias.”
“Esta bien,” Tonio says. “Todos ustedes vienen de esta manera.” Tonio, Nicolas and Mickey turn around and lead Mary, Marilyn, Margarita, Tomas and Barry away.
It is four days later. Music from the radio is playing in the living room of Margarita and Tomas mini-mansion. Mickey walks into the living room. The doorbell rings. Mickey goes to answer it. He opens the door. A young black lady and a young Hispanic man are outside the door. Mickey smiles and says, “Hey Keyara, hey Cris!”
“Hi Mickey,” Keyara says.
“Hey Mickey,” Cris says.
“Come on in,” Mickey says. Keyara and Cris step into the house. They enter the living room. Mickey follows them into the living room and says, “Have a seat.”
“Okay,” Keyara and Cris say as they sit down on the sofa.
“So how is everything guys?” Mickey asks.
“Okay Mickey,” Keyara says.
“Not bad,” Cris says.
“That’s good,” Mickey says.
“By the way Mickey,” Keyara says. “I’m just curious about something.”
“Oh yeah? Curious about what?”
“Did your family really have those two twins Mike and Mitch move in with y’all yesterday?”
“Yeah. My family and their family had went to court this morning to arrange everything.”
“Y’all did?”
“Yeah. That’s Mike and Mitch’s luggage right there,” Mickey says as he points towards the hallway. Keyara and Cris look towards the hallway. They see four large luggage and two small luggage in the hallway.
“That’s their luggage?” Keyara asks.
“Yeah. Some more of their luggage is suppose to come tomorrow.”
“Really?” Cris says. “How long are they suppose to be living with your family?”
“Around three or four months.”
“Three or four months?!” Cris and Keyara say.
“Yep.”
“Why are their luggage in the hallway?” Cris asks.
“Well we all came in late last night and got up early this morning so my parents and grandparents can take Mike and Mitch to the court to make the arrangements. We all came back in a little while ago, we didn’t get a chance to unpack their luggage or put their luggage away yet. We had a long day yesterday and today. My parents and grandparents have to go back to court with Mike and Mitch tomorrow and take them to anger management counseling next week.”
“Wow,” Keyara says. “It sounds like you all have your hands full with them. So are they here now? Where are they?”
“Mike and Mitch stepped back out with their friends for a minute.”
“They did?”
“Yeah.”
“You know Mickey, Mike and Mitch have a bad reputation. It seems like they‘re always getting into fights with other people, wind up injuring other people and putting other people in the hospital. I hear they‘re very protective of one another, is that true?”
“Heck yeah it’s true. You mess with one of them, you’ll have to deal with both of them. Or you mess with any of their brothers or sisters, you’ll have to deal with both of them in that situation too.”
“Man, I don’t think I want to be here in this house whenever they step back in here Mickey.”
“Well they might step back in here any minute Keyara. Let me go put their luggage away then we’ll leave.”
“Okay.”
Mickey goes to the hallway. He picks up two large luggage. He turns and carries them to the steps. He takes the luggage up the steps. Keyara and Cris wait patiently as they look around the living room. A female Mexican maid comes from the kitchen and walks through the living room. She smiles at Keyara and Cris and says, “Hello.”
“Hello,” Keyara and Cris say.
The maid walks to the hallway. Mickey comes back down the steps and into the hallway. Mickey approaches the maid and says, “Hey Nadia. Puede ayudar a sacar a colacion estos equipaje?”
“Esta bien Mickey,” the maid says.
Mickey goes to the other two large luggage. He turns towards Keyara and Cris and says, “I’ll be right with you.”
“Okay Mickey,” Keyara and Cris say.
Mickey picks up the other two luggage as the maid picks up the smaller luggage. Mickey and the maid turn and carry the luggage to the steps. They take the luggage up the stairs.
Keyara and Cris continue to wait patiently. They suddenly hear the front outer door knob opening. They turn to look. They see the second front door opening. They suddenly see one twin, Mike or Mitch stepping right in the front door wearing a dark green hoodie, a white T-shirt underneath, black dungarees and black sneakers. They see the twin turn his head and angrily throw his cap to the side. The twin turns back forward and sees Keyara and Cris. He stops right in his tracks and looks right at them. He then closes the door behind himself staring at Keyara and Cris. Keyara becomes sort of nervous. She then says, “Uh hello?” The twin does not answer or speak back to her. He just stares at Keyara, giving her a cold stare.
“Hello?” Cris says to the twin. The twin does not answer or speak back to Cris. He just stares at the Cris, giving him a cold stare also. Cris then says, “Um, is there something wrong?” The twin still does not answer or respond. He continues to give Cris a cold stare.
“If you’re wondering who we are and what we’re doing here,” Keyara says, “we’re friends of Mickey’s, he let us in.”
“Yeah,” Cris says. “We’re just waiting for him to come back downstairs while he put your luggage away.” The twin still does not answer or speak back. He continues to give Cris a cold stare. Cris then says, “You might not know who we are but we know who you are, we’ve seen you before. We’ve seen you perform at Mickey’s family’s charity events. You’re one of the twins Mike and Mitch, right?” The twin still does not answer or speak back. He continues to give Cris a cold stare. Cris then says, “You’re one of the twins Mike and Mitch, right?” The twin still does not answer or speak back. He continues to give Cris a cold stare as Keyara nervously looks on. Cris then asks, “Well which twin are you? Are you Mike or are you Mitch?” The twin still does not answer or speak back. He continues to give Cris a cold stare. He then turns his body and goes to the side continuing to give Keyara and Cris a cold stare as he disappears into another room. Keyara and Cris strangely stare towards the room where the twin disappeared into. They turn to each other and strangely look at each other.
“Man what is his problem?” Keyara asks. “You see the way he looked at us?”
“Yeah,” Cris says. “Boy if looks can kill, we would both be dead.”
“I know. Why did he look at us like that? He doesn’t even know us.”
“No he doesn’t.”
“Then why did he look at us like that?”
“I don’t know. Which twin was that anyway, was it Mike or was it Mitch?”
“I don’t know which twin it was, but what I do know is, that it’s time to get out of here, and get out of here while we still can before we wind up in the hospital ourselves.” Keyara grabs her belongings and gets up off the sofa. “Come on Cris.”
Cris gets up off the sofa and asks, “What about Mickey? We should at least tell him we’re leaving.”
“I’d rather just call him from a safe distance, like the cell phone. We’ll call Mickey as soon as we get down the block and explain everything to him.”
“Okay.”
Keyara and Cris walk towards the front door. Keyara turns her head around and shouts, “See you later Mickey!” Keyara turns her head back forward as she and Cris open the front door then walk out leaving the house.
It is ten minutes later. Keyara and Cris are on a sidewalk a few blocks away as Keyara talks into a cell phone saying, “Mickey I am so sorry that the way Cris and I had to just cut out your family’s house like that, but we didn’t like the way one of those twins Mike and Mitch was looking at us when he came in the house! He gave us the evil eye! --- Yeah he did! He made us feel very uncomfortable, that‘s why we left out of there! --- Okay I’ll hold.” Keyara turns to Cris and tells him, “Mickey says he and his grandparents are going to ask Mike or Mitch and find out from them if they looked at us like that and ask them why they did it.”
“Oh yeah?” Cris says.
“Yeah.” Keyara gets back on the phone and holds on for a while.
It is five minutes later. Keyara speaks back into her cell phone and says, “Yeah Mickey.”
Mickey from the other end of the phone says, “Keyara, Mike and Mitch are both claiming they have no idea what I’m talking about!”
“They have no idea what you’re talking about?!”
“That’s what they say.”
“Well which twin is the one Cris and I saw walk in the front door while you were putting their luggage away, was it Mike or was it Mitch?”
“I don’t know which twin you saw walk in the front door while I was putting their luggage away, because by the time I came back in the living room, they were both in the house. When I didn’t see you and Cris, I asked Mike and Mitch did they see two people or two guests that were in the living room. They both said no they didn‘t see anybody or any guests in the living room when each of them walked in the house!”
“What! They’re both claiming they didn’t see anybody in the living room?”
“That’s what they’re both claiming.”
“Well which ever twin it was that Cris and I saw walk in that front door, that twin was looking right at me and Cris when me and Cris were in the living room! Cris and I both spoke to that twin we saw and said hello to him and that twin did not respond! He didn’t speak back, he didn’t say ‘hi dog’ or anything, he just stared right at me and Cris! We told him if he was wondering who we are and what we’re doing there, that we’re friends of yours and that you let us in. Cris told that twin that we’re just waiting for you to come back while you were putting their luggage away, but that twin just stared right at me and Cris like we were from outer space or something! He never took his eyes off us the whole time from when he walked in that front door until when he disappeared into another room! His eyes stayed glued to us! That’s why Cris and I left out of there in the first place because the way that twin looked at us! He made me and Cris feel very, very uncomfortable when we were in the living room and he made us feel very unwelcome, like he didn‘t want us there!”
“Well my grandparents and I just got on Mike’s and Mitch’s cases! We told them both that they can’t be staring down our guests like that, making our guests feel uncomfortable, if they did do it! They both still claiming they don’t know what the heck I’m talking about that none of them saw anybody in the living room when they first walked in the house!”
“Well maybe the second twin that walked in the house didn’t see anybody because Cris and I were already gone! It was the first twin that walked in the house who saw me and Cris! It was the first twin that gave me and Cris the evil eye and that twin was wearing a dark green hoodie!”
“A dark green hoodie?”
“Yes!”
“That doesn’t really help much Keyara! Mike and Mitch are both wearing a dark green hoodie!”
“Oh yeah? Well the twin Cris and I saw walk in the house was wearing black dungarees!”
“That doesn’t help much either! Mike and Mitch are both wearing black dungarees!”
“Oh no! Well the twin Cris and I saw walk in the house was wearing black sneakers!”
“That still doesn’t help much Keyara. Mike and Mitch are both wearing black sneakers.”
“What! Okay one more clue! The twin Cris and I saw had on a white T-shirt underneath his dark green hoodie!”
“Oh Keyara that still doesn’t help much!”
“It doesn’t? Are you telling me that Mike and Mitch both have on a white T-shirt underneath their dark green hoodies?!”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you Keyara! Mike and Mitch are wearing matching clothing! I can’t tell them apart at all!”
“You can’t tell them apart?!”
“No!”
“Not at all?!”
“No!”
“Well what about your family?! Can your family tell them apart?!”
“Keyara, if Mike and Mitch’s own family can’t tell them apart, then how can my family tell them apart?!”
“What! Mike and Mitch’s own family can’t tell them apart?!”
“Most of the time they can’t!”
“Wow that’s eerie.”
“It is.”
“Well what garment are those two wearing that’s not identical or matching to one another?”
“Maybe their underwear, I don’t know! All I know is that Mike and Mitch still claim they didn’t see anybody when they walked in the house Keyara! They’re both denying seeing anybody in the living room!”
“How did each of them didn’t see anybody in the living room when that one twin was looking dead at us?! That one twin never took his eyes off us Mickey! Are Mike and Mitch pointing fingers at each other or something like that?!”
“No, they’re not even doing that! They both claim they didn’t see anybody in the living room when they came in the house and that‘s all they‘re telling me, my parents and my grandparents!”
“So neither one of them saw anybody in the living room when they came in the house. Do they have a third twin somewhere in that house that y‘all don‘t know about?!”
“No Keyara Mike and Mitch do not have a third twin, they‘re not triplets. Listen Keyara, I’m very sorry for what happened between you, Cris and Mike or either Mitch, and I believe what you‘re telling me.”
“You believe me?”
“Of course I believe you Keyara, you have no reason to lie about this. Plus how would you know exactly what Mike or Mitch was wearing if you didn‘t see any of them. It’s just that which ever twin it was that you and Cris saw walking in the front door, that twin isn’t fessing up at all. So far it’s your word against theirs.”
“Never mind Mickey forget it. I just want to let you know that Cris and I had to get out of there because of one of those twins. We’re a few blocks away waiting on you. You coming?”
“Yeah, I’m on my way Keyara.”
“Okay, we‘ll be here.” Keyara closes her cell phone and sadly turns to Cris as Cris sadly looks at her.
It is two days later. Margarita is walking in the organization lobby. She goes past the front door. The doorbell suddenly rings. Margarita turns to answer