Chapter 18: A New Dawn

The smell of sizzling bacon and scrambled eggs tugged Josh from his sleep, the faint sounds of clattering pans and quiet conversation drifting up from the kitchen. Sunlight spilled into his room through a gap in the curtains, painting golden streaks across his bedspread. He lay still for a moment, savoring the warm familiarity of the morning routine—a stark contrast to the fragmented and rushed mornings of his first life.

With a yawn and a stretch, Josh swung his legs out of bed, rubbing the last remnants of sleep from his eyes. He threw on a worn T-shirt and jeans, glancing briefly at the calendar pinned to his wall where he’d begun marking his goals and plans. Today felt different, like another step forward on a path he was finally shaping for himself and his family.

As he descended the stairs, the kitchen came into view, bustling with life. Dorothy stood at the stove, humming softly to the tune of a country song playing faintly on the radio. She flipped strips of bacon in a pan, the sizzle blending harmoniously with the scrape of a spatula against the griddle. Joel sat at the table, hunched over a plate of eggs and toast, while William leaned back in his chair, a mischievous grin on his face as he lobbed a grape toward Joel’s plate.

“Morning,” Josh greeted, stepping into the kitchen and sliding into his usual chair.

“Morning, sweetheart,” Dorothy replied over her shoulder, turning briefly to flash him a warm smile. “Hope you’re hungry—bacon’s almost done, and there’s still some eggs left.”

Josh grinned as he reached for a piece of toast from the plate in the center of the table. “Looks like I missed the early shift.”

“Yup,” Joel said through a mouthful of toast. “Don’t worry, though—we saved you some bacon. Mostly.” He smirked, popping the last grape into his mouth with exaggerated satisfaction.

“Appreciate that,” Josh replied dryly, snatching a strip of bacon before Joel could claim it.

“Alright, enough,” Dorothy interjected with mock sternness as she brought a fresh plate of eggs and bacon to the table. “Josh works hard around here, same as you two. Play nice.”

William smirked, stuffing another piece of toast in his mouth. “Harder, you mean. He’s practically running this place these days.”

Josh rolled his eyes, though a small flicker of pride warmed his chest. “Somebody’s got to pick up the slack around here.”

Dorothy shook her head, hiding her smile as she returned to the stove. “You boys are impossible.”

As breakfast continued, the kitchen buzzed with lighthearted chatter. Joel debated the odds of their favorite basketball team making it to the playoffs, while William talked about a science experiment he was looking forward to in class. Josh listened, chiming in occasionally, but mostly savoring the rare moment of familial warmth.

As Dorothy refilled her coffee, she cleared her throat, drawing their attention. “I wanted to let you boys know something,” she began, her tone casual but purposeful. “I’m planning to head into work early today.”

Joel raised an eyebrow. “Why? They ask you to cover someone again?”

Dorothy shook her head, setting her coffee cup down. “No. I want to talk to my manager about changing my schedule. I’m tired of these late shifts.”

William paused mid-chew, his eyes wide with surprise. “You mean, like, getting off early?”

“Or quitting?” Joel added, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Dorothy nodded, her expression calm but resolute. “If they can’t adjust my hours to something better, then yes, I’ll quit. I need a job with better hours—for me and for you boys. I want to be home more, to have a routine that doesn’t leave me exhausted all the time.”

Josh leaned forward, his smile widening. “That’s a great idea, Mom. You deserve better than those night shifts.”

Joel and William exchanged wary glances. “But what if they won’t change it?” Joel asked, his voice edged with concern. “What if you can’t find another job right away?”

Dorothy gave a small sigh, sitting down at the table. “I’ve thought about that. I know it might sound sudden, but I’ve been working these late hours for far too long. It’s exhausting, and it’s not fair to you boys either. I want a job that gives me better hours—so I can actually spend time at home with my family.”

Joel frowned, still uncertain. “I mean, it sounds good, but quitting just like that? What if it doesn’t work out?”

Dorothy shook her head, offering a reassuring smile. “I’ve been careful. I’m not going to do anything reckless. But I’ve realized that sometimes you have to take a leap of faith to make things better.”

Josh jumped in, his voice steady and encouraging. “Joel, Mom’s right. She deserves better than the night shifts. It’s not just about work—it’s about living.”

William nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

Joel shrugged after a moment, still a little skeptical but clearly wanting to support his mom. “Alright, just ... make sure you’ve got a backup plan or something.”

Josh smiled, his pride in his mother’s decision shining through. “Good for you, Mom. You’ve got this.”

Dorothy’s expression softened, and she reached out to tousle Josh’s hair affectionately. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

The clock ticked closer to school time, and Joel and William grabbed their backpacks, heading out the door with quick goodbyes. Josh lingered, finishing his toast as he watched his mother clean up the kitchen.

“You sure you don’t need me to help with anything before I go?” he asked.

Dorothy shook her head, her smile warm. “No, honey. Just focus on your schoolwork, okay? We’ll talk more tonight.”

Josh nodded, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. “Good luck, Mom. I’ll see you later.”

As he stepped outside, the cool morning air wrapped around him, invigorating his steps. With a small smile, Josh started the walk to school, his thoughts buzzing with hope for what the day—and the future—might bring.

As Josh walked toward school, his thoughts drifted back to his mother’s announcement that morning. The idea of her changing her work schedule felt monumental. In his first life, she’d endured years of grueling late-night shifts without complaint. This new determination to prioritize herself and her boys was inspiring, but it also left Josh wondering: Would this decision create new opportunities for her, or would it lead to unexpected challenges?

As he approached the school building, the morning bustle of students and teachers greeted him. He barely noticed the chatter and laughter around him, his mind preoccupied. Stepping into his classroom, Josh was immediately greeted by Mrs. Thompson, standing by her desk with her usual kind smile.

“Good morning, Josh,” she said, her tone carrying a note of expectation.

“Good morning, Mrs. Thompson,” Josh replied, placing his bag by his desk.

Before he could sit, she gestured for him to step aside. “Josh, can I have a quick word?”

Josh hesitated, a flutter of anxiety in his chest. “Sure,” he said, following her to the side of the room.

Mrs. Thompson lowered her voice, her tone calm but excited. “I’ve been talking with the school administration about you. They’ve agreed to let you take an assessment today—an IQ test and skills evaluation. It’s designed to measure your academic potential. How do you feel about that?”

Josh’s heart skipped a beat. “An IQ test?”

Mrs. Thompson nodded, her eyes sparkling with encouragement. “Yes. I’ve noticed how quickly you’ve been picking up on things, how engaged you’ve become. This test could open doors for you, Josh—special programs, advanced classes. But it’s completely up to you. Are you willing to give it a try?”

Josh thought for a moment, the weight of the decision settling on him. He knew he couldn’t keep coasting through school, pretending everything was fine. If he wanted to get ahead and make the most of this second chance, this was a step he had to take.

“Alright,” he said, his voice steady. “I’ll do it.”

Mrs. Thompson’s smile widened. “Good. Follow me to the office. They’re ready for you.”

Josh followed her down the hall, the familiar hum of the school around him. As they approached the office, a tall man with graying hair and a no-nonsense demeanor stepped forward to greet them.

“Mrs. Thompson,” the man said, extending a hand, “is this the student you mentioned?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Thompson said with pride. “Josh, this is Mr. Richards, our assistant principal.”

Mr. Richards offered a firm handshake. “Good to meet you, Josh. Ready for a challenge?”

Josh nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Excellent,” Mr. Richards said. “Follow me.”

He led them to a small conference room where a stack of papers, a pencil, and a timer sat on the table. Mr. Richards gestured for Josh to take a seat.

“This test will measure your reasoning, logic, and problem-solving skills,” Mr. Richards explained, standing at the head of the table. “It’s not about finishing quickly or perfectly—it’s about how you approach the questions. Do your best, and don’t worry if you get stumped. Take your time.”

Josh nodded, trying to calm his nerves as he glanced at the booklet.

Mrs. Thompson placed a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck, Josh. I’ll see you back in class later.” With that, she left, leaving Josh alone with Mr. Richards.

“Alright,” Mr. Richards said, setting the timer. “You’ll have the rest of the day to complete this. I’ll be here to monitor and answer any procedural questions, but I can’t help with the test itself. Ready?”

Josh took a deep breath. “Ready.”

Mr. Richards flipped the timer and stepped back, taking a seat at the far end of the table.

Josh opened the booklet and began. The questions were as tough as he’d expected—patterns to identify, logic puzzles to solve, advanced vocabulary, and abstract reasoning problems.

When he hit a particularly challenging question, he activated his wish power. The faint glow appeared in his vision, offering him not just the correct answers but detailed explanations for each. He reviewed the material carefully, ensuring his work appeared natural and thoughtful, rather than mechanical.

“You’re moving through that pretty quickly,” Mr. Richards commented about halfway through.

Josh glanced up, offering a small smile. “Some of these questions are pretty straightforward once you figure out the pattern.”

Mr. Richards raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Is that so? Well, don’t forget to double-check your work.”

“Of course,” Josh said, returning his focus to the test.

By the time Josh closed the booklet, he was an hour ahead of schedule. Mr. Richards looked at him with surprise.

“You’re finished?”

“Yes, sir,” Josh said.

Mr. Richards leaned forward. “Would you like to review your answers? You’ve got plenty of time left.”

Josh shook his head. “No, I’m confident in what I’ve done.”

Mr. Richards picked up the booklet, flipping through the pages briefly. His expression shifted between curiosity and admiration. “Alright then. I’ll get this sent off for scoring. You can head back to Mrs. Thompson’s class.”

“Thank you,” Josh said, standing.

As he returned to class, Josh felt a mix of relief and anticipation. When he stepped inside, Mrs. Thompson looked up from her desk.

“All done?” she asked.

Josh nodded. “Yep.”

“How did it go?”

“I think it went well,” Josh replied, trying to keep his tone casual.

Mrs. Thompson smiled knowingly. “Good. I’ll be interested to see the results. In the meantime, here’s your homework.”

Josh took the assignments, feeling a quiet sense of accomplishment. Whatever came next, he knew he’d taken an important step toward building the future he envisioned.

Josh packed up his schoolwork and headed out of the building, the brisk air nudging him toward home. His thoughts lingered on the events of the day—agreeing to take the tests and what the results might reveal. He hadn’t expected this opportunity, but it felt like a challenge he needed to face. Still, old doubts resurfaced, reminders of how he’d struggled in school during his first life. He remembered taking those online IQ tests for fun, rarely scoring higher than 100, which had reinforced his belief that academics weren’t his strength.

Now, things were different. He had knowledge, resources, and a maturity that far exceeded his physical age. But was it enough to finally succeed in a world where he’d once fallen short? He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. “No point overthinking it,” he muttered as his house came into view.