Moe and Tess walked home from class together. The temperature was dropping and a light snow was beginning to fall. Moe pulled his hands from his pockets, and blew on them. Tess stuck her hands under her arms, and shivered,

" Man, it's cold."

"Tell me something I don't know," Moe muttered.

"Ym(x)b," Tess replied promptly.

" What?!," Moe stopped short and raised his eyebrows at her questioningly.

"Dunno," She shrugged," I got it out of Justin's math book."

"O-kay," Moe shook his head, and continued down the sidewalk.

Tess fell into step beside him and as she walked, she stuck her tongue out to catch the tiny flakes.

Moe glanced over at her," Tessa, you're going cross-eyed."

" Am not, " She replied, tongue still out," This is cross-eyed." She proceeded to show him what she thought cross-eyed really looked like.But as she did so, she narrowly missed walking straight into a telephone poll.

Rolling his own eyes, Moe shifted the weight in his book bag from one shoulder to the other.

Tess closed her mouth ans copied him. Moe knew this game, and usually played along. But, right now, he was too tired, and didn't really feel like it. He did the one thing that he was sure would drive her nuts. It worked every time. He turned his eyelids inside out.

"Ewww!," She shuddered and shoved his shoulder to make him stop," That's nasty Moe!"

Righting his eyelids, he grinned, then yawned.

" Tired?," Tess asked, her small voice low.

Rubbing his face over with his hand,he yawned again," Ma got called in last night."

" Again?," Tess was the only one who knew about Ma working so much, and that Dad drank too much, or that Mikey had trouble reading.

" Yeah, but she shouldn't work tonight."

"Here's hoping anyways," Tess muttered," No wonder you nearly fell asleep during the presentation about lice this afternoon."

" I always sleep through the lice assemblies," Moe answered, " But yeah, that was a factor."

" When'd you get to sleep?"

" I don't know. Around nine," Moe swallowed, and from the look on his face Tess knew that wasn't all," But I woke up at about tweleve-thirty, and again at four. When I woke up at six I decided to get up."

" Aww, poor Moe," Tess clucked her tongue, and put her arm around his shoulders.

They reached Moe's house first. Moe turned to Tess, who was shivering pretty badly by then,

" Do you want to come in T?," He asked.

Glancing at her watch, Tess sighed. She wanted to, but it was getting late. But Mama and Dad were going out, and who knew where her brothers were. Besides, Moe would need help taking care of Mikey. It was only five'o'clock yet. Mrs. B didn't get off until seven.

" Sure Moe," Tess nodded," I'll come in."

Moe grinned," Cool," Taking her hand, he realized she was colder than he was," Come on T, you're freezing."

Tess let him pull her into the house. Moe closed behind them.

" I've got to call my Mom," Tess said through chattering teeth.

" Okay," Moe nodded," I've got to run next door, and get Mikey. I'll be right back."

" Sure," Tess went down the hall to where she knew the phone was. Dialing her home number, her oldest brother Joey picked up. She was quickly informed Mama and Dad had already left to go out, and her brothers didn't care if she stayed at Moe's.

She sat down on the sofa and shivered. Moe's house was always cold when they got home. No one had been home so they kept the heat down low. Moe knew how to turn it up though.

Tess heard chatter, and the opening of the door. Then, a little eight-year-old, flew into the room and at her,

" Tess!," Mikey exclaimed," Are you going to stay for supper?"

" I think so Mikes," She ruffled his hair, and grinned at the little boy," Did you have fun today?"

" Yep," Mikey chattered on about his day, and after a few minutes Moe came into the room. He sat beside Tess on the couch while Mikey bounced around at her feet. He noticed Tess shiver again, and saw that her clothes were wet.

" Tess!"

" What?," She turned to him," What?"

" You're soaked!," He exclaimed.

" Well, Mrs. Wellings did spill her water all over me," Tess replied.

" Well, " Moe replied in the same toen of voice, " You shouldn't be sitting around in wet clothes."

" What am I supposed to wear then?"

" I'll get you something," Moe said decidedly. He headed for the stairs, then called back over his shoulder,

"Mike, get Tessa a blanket. Wrap her up good okay buddy?"

" You got it Moe!," Mikey hollered back, grabbing the balnket that was draped over the chair a few feet away. Hoping up beside Tess on the couch, he draped it over her shoulders," There you go Tessa."

" Thanks Mikey," Tess smiled, " Do you have any homework?,"

" I'm supposed to read a book," Mikey groaned," And then tell about it tomorrow."

" What book?"

" I dunno, " Mikey bounded into the hallway, and then bounded back," This one." He thrust the cover out at her.

" Can You find Waldo?," Tess read off the cover," Mikey this book is all pictures and barely any words."

" I know, " Mikey grinned,a grin that looked almost like Moe's," That's why I picked it."

Moe and Tess made Macironi and cheese after Tess switched her shirt for one of Moe's. The three sat around the worn wooden kitchen table. Mikey talked the whole time. all the kid did was talk, even when his mouth was full. Tess helped Mikey read his "Find Waldo" book, while Moe cleaned up the kitchen. Then, while Mikey watched "Batman", Tess and Moe did their own homework.

" I hate math," Tess muttered, closing her book.

" I hear you," Moe agreed," When are you ever going to use fractions?"

" If you were a cook?," A voice behind them suggested.

" Ma!," Turning around, Moe and Tess saw Mrs. Boscorelli standing behind them.

" Hey, Mrs. B," Tess said as she stuffed her books into her back pack. She glanced at her watch. Seven-thirty.

" Hello Tess," Rose smiled gently," Where's Michael?"

" Watching "Batman," Moe answered.

" I've got to go," Tess said, standing from the chair she had been sitting at," I's seven-thirty."

" Alright Tess," Moe nodded," You want me to walk you home?"

" That's okay," Tess shook her head," I'll give you your shirt back tomorrow Moe."

" Sure."

" Bye Moe, bye Mrs. B," Tess went to the hall, and pulled on her coat and boats.

" See-ya tomorrow Tessa," Moe said as she left.

After Tess had left, and Moe was packing his books back into his bag, Rose asked," How was school today? Did Mikey give you any trouble? How was your signing class?"

Smiling, Moe sat down on a kitchen chair, and like Mikey had done for Tess, explained every part of his day for his mother.

Maurice was snuggled in bed under his covers. Ma was home for once and down the hall, Mikey was quiet.Moe's window shade was open just a bit, and he could see out. He liked watching the stars, they were always changing.

He rested his head on his pillow and closed his eyes. Falling asleep was easy that night.

Suddenly, Moe was jolted awake by a loud bump and high voices that sounded like they were from downstairs. He flung back his covers, and tip-toed to the door of his room. Cracking it open, he listened for any tell-tale noises. It seemed quiet. But Moe wasn't convinced. He crept to the top of the stairs. Still, everything was quiet.

As quickly as the noises had stopped, they started again.Two high voices. Peering down the stairs in the shadowy darkness, Moe could see ma, and could hear another voice besides her's.

" Shhh!," Ma hissed," You'll wake up the boys!"

" Let'em wake up!"

It's Dad! Moe's head sounded an alarm. What's he doing here?

" Anthony please," Ma's voice was pleading now," Let them sleep."

Dad was quiet, then his voice eruptred," I want to see my sons!"

" They're sleeping. Let them sleep. You'll only frighten them."

Moe shrunk back from the top of the stairs to see his eight-year-old brother, standing in the doorway of his room, clutching an old, one eared, mangy looking bear.

" Moe?," Mikey whispered," What's going on?"

" Nothing Mike," Moe hurried to him, and dragged him back into his room," Let's go back to sleep."

" Is Ma alright?," Mikey asked, his eyes wide.

Moe wasn't sure how to answer. Dad had sounded pretty angry. But he wouldn't hurt Ma, would he?

Mikey watched his big brother, and clutched his bear tighter," Moe?"

" I," Moe sighed. He knew he had to say something. But what? Poor Mike. He had to put Mikey's mind at ease, enough to let the little guy get some sleep anyway. " I think Ma's alright Mikey."

Mikey sighed with relief. If Moe said it, it had to be true.