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the family because everyone felt relaxed and destressed as they
shared their day’s experiences. After dinner, Matthew would take
Eddie upstairs to his bedroom, and Nova would follow closely with
a glass of milk and a piece of cookie for him. The three of them
would sit on the bed in the cozy room, and read a bedtime story
every single night. Eddie and his best friend, the teddy bear, would
snuggle in the middle of their parents’ arms waiting for the exciting
story. By the time he heard the word “and they lived happily ever
after,” he would probably be so sleepy that he could fall asleep
instantly. However, Eddie would not shut his eyes unless he got
gentle goodnight kisses from his parents.

The Brown’s normal routine was beginning to stray. Some
days, Eddie got out of the school bus and walked home to find no
one but a letter that read:

Dear Eddie,

Daddy and I will not be home tonight. We are so
sorry that we did not tell you in advance. Milk and
cookies are in the fridge. If you need help with
anything, please go next door to Miss Colleen.
We’ll be back before midnight.

Mommy.

Eddie was seven years old and was able to read and
understand the letter clearly. It wasn’t the first time he would be
home by himself. Unlike the other boys his age, he did not watch
television, ate chips, or stayed up late. Instead, he was always well-