Moe and Tess always walked home together. Always. Ever since the had met on the first day of the first grade. They had usually walked home with one of Tess's four brothers, Joey, Jordan, Justin, or Jake. Her parents apparently like 'J' names, Ma had decided when she heard Tess's recitation of her brothers names. They didn't live far from each other, but Tess's family had just moved to Queens from Long Island. Her grandparents still lived there. But, it was closer to her father's job. He worked as a contracter. He ran his own buisness that one of Tess's brothers would probably take over some day. Tess herself was the family's baby. They all loved her to pieces, and would never let any harm come to her.

Moe looked over at Tess, who shuffled uneasily beside him. She was silent, although they used to talk the whole way home. Sometimes the brother who walked with them would plead for quiet. But now that they were fifth graders, they had convinced their parents to let them walk to and from school by themselves.

'' You okay?,'' He asked,'' You're kind of quiet.''

'' Yeah,'' She nodded,'' I just can't think of anything to say.''

'' Ms. Wilson sounded mad at Vinnie today huh?'' He tried to get her to smile, but nothing that even resembled a smile crossed her face.

'' Uh-huh. He shouldn't have been peeping,'' She replied.

'' Tessa, why are you so sad?,'' Moe stopped walking and, grabbing her hand, pulled her to a stop beside him.

'' Moe, did your Dad ever hit you?,'' Tess's voice was low, and Moe leaned in to hear her.

'' Um, well,'' He shyed away from answering. Not because he didn't want to tell her, because his father had said never to say anything. It wasn't anybody else's buisness, Dad had said.

'' Moe? Spill it!'' Tess could tell he was hesitating, and that made her uneasy.

'' Yeah, a little,'' His answer was queiter than her question.

'' That jerk!,'' Tess exploded,'' What did he think he was doing?''

'' Tessa, it'll be okay. I'm alright. I probably deserved it," He tried to calm her down. She sighed,

'' I doubt it,'' She hooked her small arm in his,'' You can always call me. Night or day. I'll be there.''

'' Thanks Tessa,'' Moe nodded.

They kept walking until they were in front of Tess's house. There was a car in the yard that hadn't been there that morning. They quickly recognized it.

" Gram and Gramps are here,'' Tess exclaimed,'' Come on Moe!"

She pulled him into the house with her, and as they ran, Moe thought that maybe if he didn't have a regular family, he'd always have Tess.