After lunch, during which my brothers' non-stop chatter didn't hide Tommy's silence, I decided that I would also try to teach Tommy how to fight. So I took him and Mikey, as I had planned before, to a grass field near our house. Somehow, though, Billie, Sam, and grandpa ended up tagging along.
After doing an extensive warmup, and making them run a few circles, I sat down to talk with them.
"Now, before we start," I said, looking at both of them. "The first thing you need to know in a fight is, you win by not fighting."
Grandpa snickered.
"What?" I said, looking at him. "Do you have anything to say?"
"Oh, nothing," he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Reminding me of all the times I hadn't followed my own advice. I ignored him. The advice I was giving them was not for me.
"And
