In the book, That Was Then This is Now, Bryon the main character has to face a number of issues and problems involving really close friends and family. One of the biggest problems in the book that I don't think was expressed much was the fact that Bryon was living home with a friend while his only parent, his mother, lay in a hospital bed. Bryon is very much affected by the absence of his mother in basically a big chunk of his childhood. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to grow up for a of couple years living with a friend and no parent ever around. Though Bryon and his friend Mark are 17 and I'm 13. The result of his mom spending time in a hospital is that Bryon often comes into situations where he has to make money to support his family and he's going around having to find food. Plus with him, Mark, and his mom not having money just makes it a whole lot harder then if your mother had left you with money to spend. Instead Bryon is having to be his own parent and has to act like a mature adult maybe a little earlier then he had hoped. Plus hes still breaking out of being a teenager. I don't know if there really are any solutions to the problem Bryon is facing. You can't adopt a mother or hire one or anything and Bryon can't magically make his mom better. And especially with him Mark and his mother being low on money the few options he might have might not be possible without any money.