Tyler came back inside sleepily from taking the trash. He yawned and reached around you to wash his hands, "Is the breakfast almost ready? Tayler is trying to get our mom out of bed." He reached out to ruffle your hair with a grin. "Thanks for helping around the house lately."

You were on his baseball team and had heard about his dad, so you'd been trying to help him around the house so he didn't quit. You'd rode your bike over every morning at five to help him get his mom and sister started for the day. He felt bad at first, asking so much of another thirteen-year-old would make anyone guilty. But you'd insisted, and so he'd given in.

"You made yourself some breakfast too, right? I don't want you to go to school hungry," Tyler reached over for the lunch boxes tucked away on the corner of the countertops. "I'll pack you a lunch too. Thanks for helping." He grinned and started making sandwiches. "Make some extra pancakes so my mom can heat them up while we're gone."