Tyler O'Neil brushed the snow off his boots, opened the door to his lakeside home, and stepped inside, tripping over a pair of boots and a jacket lying in the hallway.

After hitting his hand against the wall, he regained his balance and cursed.
"Jess?" He didn't get a response from his daughter, but Ash and Luna, his two Siberian huskies, came running out of the living room. Cursing again, he watched in exasperation as the dogs charged toward him. "Jess? You left the living room door open again. Dogs shouldn't go in there. Come downstairs right now and grab your jacket and boots! Don't jump... I'm warning you!" He braced himself when he saw Ash jump. "Why doesn't anyone listen to me in this house?"
Luna, the more docile of the two dogs, placed her paws on his chest and tried to lick his face.
"I like to make sure my word is law," Tyler said, stroking her ears affectionately and digging his fingers into her thick fur as Jess came out of the kitchen with a piece of toast in one hand and her phone in the other, bobbing her head to the music as she pulled her headphones out of her ears. She was wearing one of Tyler's sweatshirts and the gold medal he'd won in downhill skiing.
–Hi, Dad. How was your day?
"I had outlived him until I crossed the threshold of my own house. I've skied down safer cliffs than our front porch." Frowning at her, he pushed the excited dogs away and kicked away the snow boots scattered on the ground. "Pick them up. And from now on, leave your boots on the porch. You shouldn't bring them into the house."
Still chewing the toast, Jess looked at her feet.
–Well, you're doing your thing inside the house.
Not for the first time, Tyler reflected on the challenges of fatherhood.
–New rule. I'll leave mine outside too, so we don't bring snow into the house. And hang up your jacket instead of leaving it lying on the first surface you come across.

–You leave yours lying around.
"Fuck".
"I'm going to hang it up. Watch me." He took off his jacket and hung it up with exaggerated movements. "And turn down the music. That way you can hear me when I yell at you."
She smiled a little cheekily.
"I'm turning it up so I can't hear you yelling at me. Grandma just sent me a text message written all in capital letters. You have to teach her how to use the phone."
–You're the teenager. You teach her.
–He's been writing to me in capital letters all last week, and last week he kept calling Uncle Jackson by mistake.
Tyler smiled; it amused him to imagine his responsible brother going crazy over calls from his mother in the middle of his workday.
"I'm sure your uncle loved it. So, what did Grandma want?" "To invite me over when you have the team meeting at the Outdoor Center. I'll help her cook." She took another bite of toast. "Tonight's family night. Everyone's going, even Uncle Sean."
Had you forgotten?
Tyler growled.
–Team meeting and Fright Night on top of that? Whose idea was that?
–Grandma's. She worries about me because I live with you and because the only thing we never miss in our fridge is beer. Besides, you shouldn't call it "Fright Night." Can I come to the team meeting?
–You would hate it.
–No! I love being part of the family business. The way you feel about meetings is the way I feel about school. Being stuck inside is a waste of time when there's all that snow out there. But at least you can ski all day. I'm glued to a hard chair trying to understand the
Math. Poor me – he finished the toast and Tyler grimaced at the sight of some crumbs falling to the floor.
Ash rushed towards them with enthusiasm.
"You're the...