For 4 years, I picked up my sister’s kids from school for free. One day I was 37 minutes late, and she screamed at me in front of them: “Not with my children!” Then she shoved me out of her house. I stopped picking them up. 11 days later, the school called me. Then my sister called 6 times. I turned my phone face down.

The job required her to travel between hospitals throughout Southeast Michigan.

She couldn’t always be at school by 3:05.

“Micah, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she sobbed. “I need someone I can trust.”

I listened.

Then she said the words that changed the next four years of my life.

“It’s just temporary. Please help me until I figure something out.”

I believed her.

The following morning, I walked into Janice’s office and declined the promotion.

Instead, I requested a transfer to the early processing shift.

Janice looked disappointed.

“You understand I can’t guarantee the lead position will still be available later?”

“I understand.”

I bought Caleb a booster seat.

When Ruby eventually started kindergarten, I bought another.

I maintained a binder containing everything needed to care for them.

Emergency contacts.

Allergy information.

School schedules.

Medical appointments.

Pickup instructions.

Reading assignments.

Even notes about which teachers preferred particular titles.