A Missed Opportunity

30

❃𝙺𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚊❃

"Batman has to be there, Mom."

"Has to, huh?"

"Uh-huh. It's boring if he's not."

I laugh at that. "He might be busy saving New York, baby." I warn.

"Gotham, Mom." Cameron groans and throws his head back. "Milo's parents got him to his birthday." He grumbles with a side glance at me.

"What did I say about me being like other parents?" I remind with a raised brow. He sighs in response. "Ask your dad to get Batman to your birthday party." I dismiss with a wave of my hand.

God, I love saying that. Ask your dad. It's such an easy out to conversations I don't want to have.

Cameron sighs. "Is Auntie Ally coming to my birthday party?" He asks as he comes over to drop down lazily on the couch beside me. He slouches like he's just finished paying the electric bill.

"Mhm," I absently start counting my chains back on my newest crochet project.

"And Dad's mom and dad?" He asks quieter. "And Katie and her mom? And Molly and Robert?"

I pause at that and look over at him. "Molly and Robert?" I whisper to myself. I didn't realize he picked Noah's grandparents names up. "Um..." I awkwardly glance away briefly when his gaze meets mine. "Do...you want them to go?"

Cameron frowns at the question. He braces his hands on either side of him to push himself up properly in his seat. "I don't want Dad to be alone." He mumbles.

I set my project down beside me before I look back at him, turning in my seat to face him more. "Baby, he won't be alone." I chuckle softly. "Neither will you. Your friends will be there and me and Dad will be there."

He's still frowning. "Grammy's coming. What about Dad's family?" He insists.

"Don't worry about that." I dismiss, shaking my head. "It's your birthday party. You invite whoever you want to it." He's too young to be worried about something like that. If his dad is surrounded by his family too.

"But are they coming?"

"Do you want them to?"

He chews on his bottom lip as he stares at me, thinking the question over for a moment. "Katie and her mom." He mumbles. "Katie is nice. She likes Taffy."

"Okay," I acknowledge with a little smile. "We'll talk to Dad about inviting them."

"And..." He seems a little unsure but continues anyway. "Molly and Robert. And Dad's mom and dad." He lists.

"Okay, baby. We'll work that out with Dad." I assure as I reach over for my project again. Cameron slowly nods in response. "And when you're ready, you just let me know when you're ready to talk about everything." I offer offhandedly. I'm hoping that if I paint it out to be something that's really not a big deal, he'll be more open to it.

He ignores my effort though. "When is Dad coming over again?" He asks on a sigh, voice quick with impatience.

"Um..." I pause my project again to look up at the ceiling in thought. "I don't know." I admit thoughtfully. "But remember, Wyatt's coming for dinner tonight." I remind with a smile. He seemed excited about it when I first mentioned it.