It had been nearly a week since Ma had told Moe about the divorce. And it had been nearly a week since Dad had shown up in the middle of the night. Thing had settled into a comfortable routine Dad had never been around real often anyway. Mikey hadn't even mentioned Dad.

Today had been a pretty good day. Tess had managed to smuggle a small grass snake into the school. Where she found it, Moe had no idea. But while he kept watch, Tess slipped the snake into Amy Brown's coat pocket. Amy was afraid of snakes, even refusing to go into the snake house that time the class went to the Central Park Zoo. Tess, at the last second, decided not to be so mean to Amy, and quickly removed the writhing snake from Amy's wool coat pocket.

Their old kindergarten teacher approached, and Moe coughed three times to let Tess know. She hurried dumped the poor snake into Kevin Baker's lunch bag.

Brushing her hands off on her jeans, she hurried to stand beside Moe. Giving Moe a slight nod to assure him she had rid herself of the snake, she smiled sweetly at Mrs. Winslow, the teacher that had forced the two of them together in the first place.

" Hello Maurice," Mrs. Winslow smiled at each of them," Hello Tess."

" Hello Mrs. Winslow," They replied in unison.

" What are you up to?"

" Nothing," Moe gave her an innocent grin," Nothing at all."

" I see," Mrs. Winslow raised an eyebrow, and walked on.

Tess and Moe had burst into a fit of giggles when she was out of sight. When Moe had finally regained partial control of himself, Tess had whispered,

" Kevin had a salad for lunch. Nice leafy greens."

That had thrown him back over the edge.

Or there was lunchtime, when Tess unpacked her lunch bag, and handed Moe a plastic baggie, containing two chocolate chip cookies.

Now, Moe was drowsily happy, snuggled under his warm blankets, watching the stars.

A clicking sound on the window prevented him from falling asleep. He slipped out of bed, and peered out his window.

" Maurice," He heard a low whisper. He realized, after a few moments, who the whisperer was and flung open his window,

" Dad!"

Cold air rushed past him into his room, and he hung out the window as his father stared up at him.

" Hey son," Anthony carefully began climbing the trellis to the window.

" What are you doing here?" Moe asked. Anthony pushed Moe back, and climbed into the window.

" Dad?" Moe began again," Why are you here?"

" I wanted to see you," Anthony bent and picked up Moe, hugging him tightly. Moe hugged his father back.

It took Moe a moment to realize they were moving backwards.

" Dad?"

Anthony didn't answer, just set Moe down inside his closet. Closing the door, he hissed,

" Keep quiet Maurice!"

Moe tried to push the door open, but he then heard the click of the lock.

" Dad," He whispered. Inside the closet it was dark, and Moe could hear his father's heavy footfall in the hall. Moe lowered himself to the floor, tears pricking his eyes.

Big boys don't cry repeated like a mantra inside of his head. His eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness. His bottom lip trembling, he reached for something he kept in the closet. A soft bear, brown in color, black eyes, and a black nose, with a black thread mouth. The bear had been a gift from Tess. He had actually named the bear Tessy Bear, after her, and her nickname, though she really didn't like the nickname.

" Tessa," He whimpered, and curled himself into a ball on the cold floor, shivering in his pajamas. Moe hated the dark; you never could tell what was staring back at you. He kept his blinds up to see the stars at night, and to let the light into his room.

" I want out!" Moe whispered. He then thought as Mikey, and of Ma. Dad wasn't going to hurt them, was he? " Ma," He shivered, held tighter to his bear, and tried to think of something else. School, sign language class, anything. He even tried to from a few signs, but he couldn't tell the shapes his hands were making through his tears.

He feet felt frozen, and he reached up and dragged a coat off its hanger. It was Ma's coat, heavy wool, and it smelled like her perfume. He huddled underneath of it.

" Tessa," He croaked out, " I love you."

" Argh!"

Tess sat bolt upright in bed, like she had been shocked awake.

" Moe," She murmured. Something was wrong with Moe, she knew it. She reached over, and snapped up her window shade. The stars shone bright, and tiny light snowflakes had begun to fall. It all had a magical look to it, but it couldn't abate the icy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Sighing, she kept watching out the window.

Morning couldn't come fast enough.