Colton yawned and pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head and watched the windshield wipers brush the rain away from the front window. The car bumped along the road and he yawned again, wondering why he had to get up so early for this.

"Daddy where are we going again?"

"To the hardware store, remember?"

"Why so early?"

"Because it's a guy thing. Drink your coffee, it will put some hair in your chest."

"I don't want hair on my chest, I want to go back to bed."

Adam chuckled and handed him the commuter mug of coffee as he slowed the car for a red light.

"I'm glad we get to spend the day together, daddy. But I was not planning on getting up at the crack of dawn."

"Yeah, I thought you could handle being thrown for a loop. You got the list?"

"Yep. I bet you're glad you brought me. Ben would have lost the list then cried all day."

"Son, I think you've nailed it."

"That's fitting because we need a ton of nails."

Adam laughed and shook his head, parking the car at the hardware store.

"You are just like your mama sometimes."

"I know."

They got out of the car and headed up to the hardware store together, hand in hand. They were gathering all the supplies needed to build a tree fort in the backyard. Mac was going to help them and they'd already bought all the lumber, but they still needed a lot of other things. They wouldn't be able to build it until later in the summer, but Adam wanted to spend some time with each of the kids before he left for DC, and this seemed like a good activity for them to do together.

They wandered the aisles for awhile, looking at different things and talking about what they could be used for before they finally got everything on their list. Colton helped to put everything on the conveyor belt, then watch closely to make sure everything rang up at the correct prices. He dutifully carried the bag out to the car and took a swig of the lukewarm coffee once they got in.

"Ready for some breakfast?"

"Sure! I bet I could eat more than you daddy."

"You might be able to since you hollowed out your leg."

Colton chuckled and leaned against his window, hoping he could get hot chocolate with his breakfast.

"So how are you doin' buddy?"

"I'm doing good. I've had a few scary dreams but mama says that's okay and I don't need to worry. But I don't think about it very much."

"You remember that it's okay to talk to me and mama about it, right?"

"Yeah I know. Mostly I never have much to say."

"That's alright."

"Daddy, was there ever a time when your dad was nice to you? Even just one time?"

Adam sighed and kept his eyes on the road while he thought, genuinely trying to come up with a time when his father hadn't seemed to hate him. Just one moment that he could make into something more.

"I can't remember a time. Maybe there was one but I can't think of it."

"That's sad. But I'm the opposite. I can't remember a time when you were a bad daddy!"

"I'm sure I've made mistakes."

"Maybe but I don't remember them. Can I have hot chocolate with my breakfast?"

"Absolutely."

Adam glanced across the table and looked at his son in a new kind of wonderment, finding him as a kindred spirit, a little companion, a buddy. He wasn't a little boy anymore but he was still their son and would not be treated like a friend. But that didn't mean there wasn't fun to be had and discussions to take place. That didn't mean he couldn't enjoy every second with his son.

"Daddy, do you think we could get another cat since Chewbacca ran away?" Colton asked, stabbing a piece of pancake.

"You really think mama wants another cat?"

"Well me and Ben and Aves do. So if you want another one, then four outvote one right?"

"I think we should just wait and see, okay?"

"But Qwerty is so lonely. Him and Chewy were best friends."

"I know that. We'll talk to mama and see okay?"

"I wish Chewy didn't run away. I don't understand why he did. We give him the best food and play with him a lot."

"Well, sometimes when cats get old, they run away because… um…"

"They want to die in private?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess if that's what he wanted to then that's okay. Besides, maybe you're wrong and he just went on an adventure."

"Maybe so."

"What are we going to do after this?"

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"Well, I need a haircut."

"You want your hair cut or just trimmed?" Adam asked skeptically, knowing how attached Colton was to his shaggy hairstyle.

"I think it's time for a real haircut. More like yours daddy. So it looks better."

"Are you sure you want that?"

"Yes. I look too much like a little messy kid. I'd like to look a little more put together."

"Oh you would?"

"Girls don't like boys that look shaggy."

"Oh so you like girls huh?"

"They're pretty. And soft."

"Soft? You been testing out that theory?"

"Well when I hug Isa and Sarah… they're just kind of softish."

Adam laughed and made a mental note to share that little tidbit with Lindsay later.

"Well I guess you're right about that, girls are kind of soft. Why do you care what they think though?"

"Because one day I will marry one of them. And girls have secrets. So the girls I know now might tell the secret to my wife that I used to be shaggy. Then she won't kiss me and then how am I supposed to get a job?"

"Bud, you sure worry about a lot of things, don't you?"

"Well life is important."

"I don't want you to get yourself all worked up about things that don't matter much right now. I want you to still have fun and be a kid."

"I know," Colton said softly, dropping his head. "I try to be a silly kid a lot of the time. But daddy, I think I was born older than I am. I think I am the oldest kid for a reason and I need to be someone the other kids look up to. You know what I mean?"

"Buddy, come over here."

Colton slid off of his chair and went around the table, crawling up into Adam's lap.

"Son, I want you know that I am really, really proud of you. You are such a good kid and you always do what's right, even when it's hard. But I also want you to know that you don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. I know we give you a lot of responsibilities because you can handle them, but I want you to know that you're allowed to let go a little too. It's good for you to want to be a good example, but it's also okay to make mistakes because you learn from them."

"I know that daddy."

"Do you feel pressure on you to be a certain way?"

"I don't know. I just know that I want to be good. I want to be wise. I want to be helpful. I want to be… I want to be like you daddy."

Adam didn't say anything for a moment, just hugged his son tightly.

"Colton Matthew Ross, you are already a much better man than I am. I am so proud of you son. And I want to make it clear that I am not just proud of the things you do, I am even more proud of the man you are and the heart you have."

"I'm most proud of me for that too."

"Now, I think if you go ahead and finish your breakfast, we can go get you that haircut."

"Hey daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"When you're gone, will I be the man of the house?"

"Kind of."

"You got any special jobs for me to do?"

"You just be a good boy and help your mama out. And remember that you can call me if you need me."

"I'll remember. I wish you weren't going, daddy. I'll miss you so much."

"I'm going to miss you too. But it's going to be a lot better when I get home. We just have to remember that part, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks for havin' this talk with me daddy."

"Anytime, buddy."

"Daddy after you teach me to ride a two wheeler, could you teach me how to pop a wheelie?" Ben asked excitedly, pedaling his bike to the playground while the training wheels thunked against the pavement. "I'd really much like to do that, so I could be sporty like Dunner!"

"What do you mean sporty like Junior?"

"You know how he does sports? Well I think poppin' a wheelie would be a radical extreme sport, you know?"

"Ben, you're hilarious."

"I know that already. C'mon slowpoke, before all the sidewalk is taked!"

Adam quickened his steps as they made it to the park, finding it almost deserted because of the overcast weather.

"Alright buddy. Park your bike here so I can take the training wheels off."

"This is a big moment for me," Ben said with a small sigh. "I can't never go back to the safety of trainin' wheels. How come you only taked one off?"

"Because this is the first phase. You get used to being a little wobbly and you learn how to balance without falling off so much."

"Wait just a minute daddy. I might fall off this?"

"Maybe, but I'm going to help you so maybe you won't."

"I'm scared."

"Don't be scared. Just get on the bike and I'll hold you steady okay?"

"Well…"

"Ben, do you trust me?"

"Yes daddy."

"Hop on the bike and let's go for it."

Ben hesitated for a moment then grabbed the handles of the bike and climbed on determinedly.

"Okay daddy, let's move."

"Alright, you start pedaling and I will hold on to the back of your bike. When you're ready I'll let go."

"Okay daddy. Is my helmet all secure?"

"It's good. Ready?"

"Here we go!"

Ben started pedaling and Adam jogged to keep up as they went over the sidewalk. Ben pedaled faster and faster, obviously gaining confidence with every yard.

"Let go daddy! I can do it."

Carefully, Adam let go of the bike and stood still, watching his son ride on his own. He wobbled back and forth and let out a loud shriek before righting himself and continuing on his way. Ben was quite obviously proud of himself, but Adam's stomach jerked when he started to turn the bike, intending to come back to where he had started.

"No buddy don't turn!"

The bike tipped and Ben spilled to the ground, his helmet thumping against the ground.

"Ow! Daddy help! I died!"

Adam ran over and lifted the bike off of him while Ben hollered and screamed as if he had been the victim of a massacre.

"Buddy, you're just fine."

"I'm bleedin' all my blood out!"

"No you're not. You have one scrape and it's not even bleeding."

"Well in that case, let's try that again! I wanna be ridin' before lunchtime!"

Ben popped up from the ground and stood his bike up, then adjusted his helmet.

"C'mon daddy, let's go."

Adam helped him to get started, then watched him ride away, making a hesitant but more successful turn this time.

"I done it! Daddy I done it all by my ownself! Did you see?"

"Yeah buddy, I saw."

"I'm gonna do this again and again and again until I am ready for the other wheel to come off. Here I go!"

He wobbled up and down the sidewalk for quite a while, learning how to balance his bike, how to turn and how to stop safely. He gained confidence with every pass, shouting out words of encouragement to himself.

"You can do this Ben! You is the goodest bike rider."

Adam chuckled as he watched him, wondering when he had turned into such a big kid instead of a little boy. Maybe it was just when he blinked.

"Daddy, I'm ready for no trainin' wheels. None at all. I wanna ride this with just two wheels. Okay?"

"Alright. Why don't you drink some water while I take this wheel off."

"Okay. I will sit and watch you so when I have a kid someday I will know how to do this."

Adam chuckled and grabbed the tools again, having a harder time taking this wheel off because it was rusted. He rapped his knuckles and grunted in pain while Ben raised his eyebrow.

"Don't do a swear, daddy. You know how much mama gets upset when you say that one swear."

"Yeah, I know. But would you believe that's your mama's favorite swear too?"

"Mama doesn't swear. She says stuff like balderdash."

"You'll find out a little differently when you get older."

"I like learning stuff from you daddy."

"Even when it's stuff like that?"

"Yep. Mama says that when someone teaches you something, they're sharin' a bit of theirselves with you."

"That's true."

"Daddy, who teached you to ride a bike?"

"My aunt Abby did, when I was about your age."

"Was it special to you?"

"Yeah, it was very special. It is one of my best memories from when I was a kid."

"That's cool daddy."

"All ready for you bud. I'm going to go back to holding onto the bike for a bit, okay?"

"That will be safer. Whoa, this is a lot more hard!"

"Yeah, you have to learn to balance the bike yourself."

"This is scary, I can't do it! Put a wheel back on!"

"Nope, you have to do it now. You're a big boy and it just takes some practice, alright?"

"Don't let go of me, daddy. Please?"

"I won't let go until you're good and ready."

Ben took a deep breath and nodded his head before he started pedaling.

"I'm scared, I'm scared!"

"I've got you, Ben. You won't fall."

"I'm wobbling!"

"You just pedal that bike and trust me."

"No, I gotta stop."

He put on the brakes and sniffled, wiping at his eyes.

"I'm afraid."

"It's okay to be afraid son."

"I don't wanna take this risk."

"Okay. You don't have to. We can go home."

"But wait! I can't quit!"

"What's bigger? Your fear, or how much you want to learn this?"

"I want to learn it more than I am afraid! You promise you will hold on?"

"I will hold on Ben. I promise."

"Okay daddy, here we go."

They took off again and Ben whimpered a little as they went, but was holding the bike pretty steady himself without help.

"You're doing a great job Ben."

"I don't feel like it."

"That's okay. We'll keep practicing."

Up and down the sidewalk they went, over and over again until Adam was sure he was going to collapse due to exhaustion.

"Buddy, can we take a break?"

"If I quit now, they win!"

"Who wins?"

"Them!"

"Then I think it's time for you to go ahead without me."

"I think it's time too. Just help me steady?"

"Okay. You ready?"

"I'm ready! I'll start going, then let me go!"

Adam obeyed and watched with pride as Ben pedaled away down the sidewalk all on his own.

"Look at me daddy! I am doing it! I am riding a two wheeler!"

He laughed in excitement and carefully turned around at the end of the sidewalk, the smile stretching from one side of his face to the other.

"Daddy, here I come!"

"Ben, you're doing such a good job!"

"Are you proud of me daddy?"

"Yes. I am very proud that you didn't quit and you stuck to it."

"This is fun! I'm going to keep going!"

He pedaled away again, whooping in delight while Adam sat down against the tree, keeping one eye on Ben as he dialed his phone.

"Hey, how's bike riding?" Lindsay greeted on the other end.

"He's off on two wheels all on his own."

"My little baby. Is he excited?"

"He's ecstatic."

"And you sound very not ecstatic."

"I don't want to go to DC for a month. I'm going to miss way too much."

"Honey…"

"I can't do it, Linds. Could you be away from the kids for a month?"

"No, I couldn't."

"It's too late to back out now."

"You leave day after tomorrow."

"I kept telling myself that I would be okay, you know? And now that it's almost here, I just keep thinking about everything that I'm going to be missing. Avery's crazy hair and stinky diapers in the morning and how she always crawls into bed with us. The funny things Ben says when he's not trying to be funny, and how he tips his head to the side when he's making a point. Talking to Colton at the end of the day because I swear he's the smartest person I've ever known. And you… I don't know how I'm going to survive without you."

"We'll still talk. We can Skype every night. I know it's not the best but it's better than nothing."

"I know."

"We're going to miss you too honey. And don't worry, I'll write down all the funny things Ben says and if you want, I can send you a picture of Avery with her crazy morning hair."

"Yeah."

"I love you Adam. I'm glad you're doing this thing just to see what it's like. But I won't lie, it does suck."

He sighed and chuckled as Ben started singing to himself.

"Once it's over, I guess I never have to be away again."

"That's true."

"I should hang up, I'm supposed to be spending the day with our weirdest kid."

"Alright. I love you honey."

"I love you too."

"Daddy?"

"Avery?"

"I eat cupcakes?"

"Yeah, you can eat the cupcakes when we're done."

"They yummy?"

"I hope they will be. Don't stick your hand in the batter."

"Okay daddy."

He finished filling the pan with batter, then put it in the oven.

"Now, what would you like to do while those bake?"

"Play tea party," she decided with a nod, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "C'mon."

He helped her off the counter and she pulled him upstairs then directed him to sit on the floor by the table. She stood in her closet and clucked her tongue, obviously deep in thought.

"Okay. This daddy hat. This Avery hat."

She pulled two floppy straw hats out of the closet, handing him the pink one while she took the plain for herself.

"Like my hat?"

"Love it."

"Daddy want tea? Coffee?"

"I'd like some tea. Do you need help making it?"

"Nope."

He snickered as she bustled around the kitchen, stopping to grab the phone.

"Hello butthead," she greeted, holding the phone between her cheek and shoulder. Adam burst into laughter and Avery gave him a half grin, covering the mouthpiece with her hand.

"That how mama say," she explained with a little nod. "Au'tin on phone."

"Oh, gotcha."

She went back to her conversation and tea making and in a few minutes he was presented with an empty pink cup.

"Au'tin having bad day," Avery reported, sitting down across from him. "Flack beed mean."

"Flack was mean?"

"Yep. Teasin'. How you, daddy?"

"I'm doing pretty well. I've got a big trip coming up, but I really don't want to go."

"Oh dear. You come home?"

"After a while I will."

"It okay. How the family?"

"Oh I think the family is fine. I've got a silly little girl named Avery that's a lot of fun."

"Yes, Avery is. More tea?"

"I would love some. How are you doing?"

"I well. Busy. Makin' tea an' pancakes. Ben eat lots."

"Your brother sure does like your cooking."

"Yes. Kitty runned away. I sad."

"I know you are."

"I have this kitty," she said clearly, pulling the stuffed animal off of her bed. "Whiskers."

"What a funny name for a kitty."

"An' this dolly. It old. Was mama's. Shelby."

"Do you like that doll?"

"My friend. Oh an' this! Lion. Mac an' Jo-Jo gived."

"That's right."

She smiled and put the toys back on her bed, then turned around and refilled his tea again.

"Where mama, boys?"

"They went to the store to get some summer clothes."

"Oh. Avery?"

"You got clothes with mama the other day."

"Oh! I show! Avery have dressie!"

She ran into the closet and pulled a dress off the hanger, holding it up to herself and giggling.

"Most beautiful. It on?"

"No, you've changed your clothes twice already today. Maybe you can wear that tomorrow."

"Okay daddy. Read me book?"

"I would love to. Got one picked out?"

She shook her head and walked over to her bookcase, squatting down in front of it and examining each book one by one.

"You find your book and I'll go take the cupcakes out of the oven, okay?"

She nodded distractedly, her eyes scanning over all of the colorful books, wondering which one daddy would like the best. It took her quite a while, but she finally chose one, handing it to Adam when he came back into the room. She hopped up on her bed and smiled when he joined her, cracking the book open.

"Like this," she yawned. "Fun with daddy."

"Fun with Avery," he replied, starting on the first page.

"Daddy?"

"Yes dear?"

"Love you most."

"I love you too Averylin."

"Daddy come home," she said with a little nod. "Home to us."