On Thursday, Annie’s parents told her they were getting a divorce. She would have to live in two different houses. She would have to split her time between her mom and her dad.

Thursday used to be her most favorite day because it was the day she came home with me after school. Now it was her most un-favorite day. After that Thursday, everything was going to be different.

I could tell Annie was trying to be brave. But inside she was melting. I knew what it was like to melt. My parents got divorced last year.

I tried to distract her. We played Legos and video games. We even made brownies. It worked. Until it didn’t.

I wasn’t sure what else to do. So I just sat with her. Sometimes that’s enough.

While we were sitting, she saw a bird out the window. She wanted to feed it. We got some birdseed from the garage and sprinkled it around. She seemed happy to be helping someone else. Sometimes that’s the best.

“I wish I had one home like that bird,” Annie said. “Now I’ll just be flying back and forth without a real nest.”

“You could make a nest,” I suggested. “Like a portable one, to carry to each house.”

That’s exactly what she did. She brought it over the next Thursday to show me. She had filled a shoebox with all her special treasures. There were old movie tickets and her favorite key chain and a magnet shaped like a mushroom. Now she could take her memories back and forth between the two houses.

“Thanks for the idea,” she said. “And for being a good friend.”

“You’re welcome,” I said. And I gave her a hug.

Eventually Thursday became just Thursday again. And Annie felt better, most of the time. But I’d always be there when she needed me. Just like she would be there for me.