Simon, eleven, and his younger brother Charlie, nine, were playing hide and seek on a quiet Saturday afternoon. As Simon counted by the fridge, Charlie darted upstairs, searching for the perfect hiding spot.

Instead of his usual place under the bed, Charlie decided to try behind their dad’s work table in the parents’ bedroom. As he squeezed in, he accidentally knocked over a stack of papers. Hearing the rustle, he froze, but with Simon approaching, there was no time to fix it.

“Ready or not, here I come!” Simon called out, racing upstairs. He soon spotted Charlie’s shoes peeking out from behind the table.

“Found you!” Simon grinned, but his joy faded when he noticed the papers scattered on the floor.

“Simon, what’s a divorce?” Charlie asked, holding up a document.

Simon’s heart sank. “It means Mom and Dad won’t be together anymore,” he replied, fear creeping in.

“No! They love each other!” Charlie protested, his eyes wide.

“We have to stop them, Simon,” Charlie insisted, determination in his voice.

Simon shook his head. “But how? We’re just kids.”

Charlie clenched his fists. “We have to do something!”

Without thinking, Simon tore the papers in half. They didn’t know how to fix the problem, but they knew they had to try.

When their parents, Lena and George, came home, Simon and Charlie watched closely. There was a heavy tension in the air. George muttered about the missing papers, which Charlie recognized instantly.

As George searched for the documents, Charlie stealthily followed him. When he saw his father looking dejected, Charlie rushed downstairs to Simon.

“They’re going to print new ones!” Charlie said urgently.

The boys sprang into action. While Simon distracted their parents, Charlie dumped all the printer paper out the window. Outside, Simon caught the sheets and tossed them in the trash.

Downstairs, George discovered the printer empty. “We’re out of paper,” he said, surprise evident.

Lena’s frustration boiled over. “Just print new ones!”

The boys listened as George pleaded with Lena, reminding her of their family. “Think about the kids,” he urged.

“Everything feels like a dull routine,” Lena replied, her voice trembling.

“But I love you. I want to fix this,” George said, desperation in his tone.

Lena hesitated, her resolve softening. “Maybe we didn’t try hard enough,” she admitted.

“Can we at least try? For us? For the boys?” George pressed gently.

Lena nodded, wiping away tears. “I guess we can try… for the boys.”

In the shadows, Simon and Charlie exchanged relieved glances. They watched their parents embrace, realizing neither wanted the divorce; they just hadn’t known how to reach each other.

With hope blossoming, Simon nudged Charlie with a grin. They had managed to stop something terrible. It wouldn’t be easy for their parents, but at least now, there was hope.

As their parents stood together, the boys smiled, understanding that love required effort. For now, they had saved their family, and that was enough.