A lone father’s life is a never-ending emotional and obligation roller coaster. My twins, who are five and four years old, are my whole world. Since my wife left, claiming she was still young and wanted to travel, I have been the one raising and providing for our family.

Every morning, it’s a race against time to get kids ready for school, fed, and dropped off before I head off to work. Their smiles and giggles compensate for the fatigue that follows them all the time.

But recently, an unusual event occurred that drastically altered my hectic routine.

The Mysterious Morning Meal

That morning was like any other. I got up, groggy as usual, and went through my usual process of getting my daughters ready. We went to the kitchen, where I assumed they would be enjoying their usual milk and oatmeal. The sight of three plates full of warm, freshly made pancakes accompanied by fruit and jam startled me. My first reaction was disbelief. I wondered if, while I was sleeping, I had prepared breakfast.