The house was so quiet other than Larkin and I this morning that I began to wonder if Chase had left in the middle of the night.

As I went around the house and up to his room I discovered the trail of 13. Game controllers, remotes, phone, fritos, pepsi, clothes on the floor, and his hair just above the covers. I turned to see his trophies and sloppy cut outs from sports illustrated and the irony was there. 13 – still a boy – becoming a teenager – hints of the man he will be – my baby – my first love. 

  He still better clean his room.

And at 12:20