"Look Mommy," he squealed bounding down the trail ahead of me.

"Be careful Zane," I called after him with Jax clinging tightly to my leg, "Don't get too far ahead."

This had become routine for us. Every day, while my older two were in school, I would take the boys and meet up with my sister in the park. Her husband worked in sales, and as a young mother of two, she spent far too much of her time cooped up in the house. It was nice for both of us to get some fresh air and have a chance to catch up with each other.

"So how are things going with Ethan?" I inquired, probably  a little too openly. It was a sensitive subject, but Stephanie and I had never had a problem sharing things with each other.  About a year before, they had been on the brink of separation, before they found out they were pregnant with Gavin. Sometimes I wondered if she was really happy with him, or if they were only staying together for the familiarity and stability for the kids. Maybe it was the right thing to do, but I had always been a firm believer that sometimes it was best for everyone involved when a couple split up.

 "We've been alright," she shrugged. She obviously wasn't telling me the whole story, but I decided not to push the subject. I was sure that she would share if there were anything important going on.

We strolled along awkwardly pretending to have nothing new to say  for a few minutes. I guess I picked the wrong way to strike up a conversation.

I was grateful when Zane trotted up and broke the silence. "Mommy, I found a kitten," he squealed again, pointing over to a bush on the edge on the trail.

"Oh, you did, did you?" I couldn't stop myself from chuckling a little. His love for animals was infectiously passionate.

"Kitty?" Alyssa piped up, prompting more giggles all around.

"Come on! Come on!" he begged and grabbed ahold of my sleeve to drag me along. "Can we keep it Mommy? Please!!" he asked as I stumbled along, giving Stephanie a helpless glance over my shoulder. She stifled a snort as I tried to explain, "No sweetheart, we can't bring the kitten home with us. It probably already has a home somewhere near here."

"Kitty Mommy!" Alyssa squealed, squirming in an attempt to free herself from her mother's grasp, "I want to see the kitty too!"

I chuckled watching Stephanie struggle to keep the headstrong toddler on her hip, but while I was distracted by the scene, my son almost pulled me