The ride home from the amusement park took longer than expected. With so many cars leaving at the same time, traffic was slow, stretching what should have been a quick trip into a two-hour journey. By the time Jake, Alex, and Tyler finally pulled into the driveway, they were exhausted.
As they stepped inside, their mom greeted them from the couch with a warm smile. "Welcome back, boys! Have fun?"
"Yeah!" Alex said, plopping down on the floor, still clutching his plush dragon. "It was amazing! We rode so many rides, played games, and ate a ton of food."
"Sounds like you had a great day," Mrs. Faulkner said, stretching. "Well, while you boys were off having fun, I had a pretty busy day myself."
Jake raised an eyebrow as he dropped onto the couch beside her. "Oh yeah? How'd the interviews go?"
"Really well," she said with a satisfied nod. "I went through all the candidates and made my final decisions. I've hired a homeschool teacher and a babysitter."
Alex groaned dramatically. "Ugh, that means school is actually happening, huh?"
Mrs. Faulkner chuckled. "Yes, it is, but don't worry. You still have the rest of the weekend to enjoy before we start. Monday is when we officially kick things off."
Tyler smirked. "Glad I donât have to start homeschool. Good luck with that, guys."
Jake sighed. "At least we get a couple more days to relax. So, who's the homeschool teacher?"
"Her name is Mrs. Caldwell. She's experienced, kind, but firm when needed. I think you boys will like her. And as for the babysitter, it's Miss Harper. She's young, but she has great references and knows how to handle energetic boys like you two."
Alex exchanged a look with Jake. "Energetic? Us?" He grinned.
Mrs. Faulkner laughed. "Yes, you. Now, why donât you two go get changed and relax for the evening? Youâve had a long day."
Tyler set his bag down and stretched. "Actually, my parents said I could stay the night if it's okay with you."
Mrs. Faulkner nodded. "Of course, Tyler. Just let them know youâre staying."
Jake and Alex led Tyler upstairs to their room. Once inside, they grabbed their pajamas and excused themselves separately for a few minutes to change, making sure to take care of their diapers in private. Tyler had no idea about that part of their routine, and they werenât ready to tell him just yet.
As Tyler rummaged through their shared closet to grab an extra controller, he accidentally knocked down the boys' changing mats. He looked at them in confusion, then turned to Jake and Alex. "Uh... what are these?"
The boys exchanged a quick, nervous glance before Alex blurted out, "Uh... theyâre our yoga mats!"
Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Yoga mats? Since when do you guys do yoga?"
Jake quickly nodded. "Yeah! You know, for stretching before basketball and stuff. Helps with flexibility."
Tyler shrugged. "Huh. Never took you guys for yoga people, but okay."
Crisis avertedâfor now.
Once they got past that moment, the boys settled in for a night of video games and movies, making the most of their last weekend before homeschool.
At midnight, Mrs. Faulkner walked into the room, arms crossed with an amused smile. "Alright, boys. Time for bed. Youâve got all day tomorrow to play, but right now, itâs lights out."
The boys groaned but knew better than to argue. They turned off their game, climbed into bed, and whispered a few more jokes before finally drifting off to sleep. Change was coming, but for now, they were just three friends enjoying the last of their carefree weekend.