"hey, luke..." michael sighed once he picked up the phone.
"michael- i-" luke choked. it had been three days since they last talked. "-i know today is carson's birthday, and he- sorry- i promised him i would be there."
"luke, no-"
"michael, please. we don't have to talk. i just don't want to disappoint him." luke said softly.
"should've thought about that before you-"
"how the hell was i supposed to know that you had a kid while i was in perth?!" luke said louder.
"i don't want you around him right now." michael said, and luke sat on the couch, absolutely defeated.
"michael, i understand that, but-"
"but nothing."
luke sighed when michael hung up.
luke shoved his phone back in his pocket, and shook his head, looking at mama c.
"i can't." luke whispered, and handed her the present wrapped in dinosaur paper. "can you just give that to him for me?"
"carson was so excited that he was finally gonna have a friend at his birthday party." karen whispered, and little tears poked at luke's eyes.
"i promised him." luke whispered, and wiped his eyes quickly. "but i'll be alright. just tell him i'm sorry."
karen picked up her purse, and nodded, leaving the room.
-
"buddy, don't you wanna open up your presents?" michael asked the little boy who was still sitting on the couch waiting.
"not yet." he said, and michael furrowed his eyebrows.
"why not?" he asked, and carson looked over at him.
"because luke wouldn't want to miss it." he said, and michael sighed, sitting down beside him.
"listen-"
"just tell me he's not coming." carson whispered, looking over at michael.
"carson-"
"i know you guys broke up. you don't sleep beside each other anymore. i just thought he loved me too. i guess he just loved you." carson whispered, looking down
"why would you think that?"
"because 13 days ago he promised me that he would be here, and he said he was my best friend, but he didn't mean it." carson said, tears filling his little eyes but michael couldn't see.
"luke loves you carson-"
"than why isn't he here? i don't care that nobody at school will come, but i'm such a loser that even my best friend won't show up to my party."
michael's heart broke when carson got up, running to his room.
"michael, you need to call luke right now." karen said quietly, and michael nodded.
"yeah i know. actually will you go pick him up? i'll text him and let him know it's alright." michael said, and karen nodded before michael went to find carson.
michael opened the little boy's door, and saw him sobbing into a sweatshirt that luke left here.
"baby..."
"stop!" carson yelled, turning away from michael.
"i need to talk to you-"
"no!" carson screamed, shaking his head.
michael didn't listen to the little boy, but just picked him up, and held him tightly, letting him cry.
"nobody wants me." carson sobbed, and michael's eyes filled with tears too.
"that is not true, carson-"
"mommy didn't want me, and now luke doesn't want me, and you and grandma aren't gonna want me someday, and i don't want me either." he cried, and michael held the little broken boy.
he shouldn't have to be so sad.
"carson, i am always going to love you and want you. you are my baby." michael whispered.
carson just sniffled, relaxing in michael's arms a little bit.
"why doesn't luke want me, too?" he whispered, and michael rubbed his back.
before michael could say anything, the door opened a little.
"hey buddy, am i too late?" luke asked, and carson turned his head from luke, staying on michael's shoulder.
"he thinks you don't want him anymore." michael whispered, making luke's heart break.
"hey, baby, look at me." luke said, standing next to michael.
carson slowly turned his head again, looking at luke.
"i am so sorry i'm late. you're my best friend, and i'm sorry i almost broke my promise." luke said, and carson held out his arms, signaling luke to pick him up now.
he crawled from michael's arms into luke's, looking at luke's face.
"am i really your best friend?" carson asked, and luke smiled.
"of course! you are the coolest kid ever!" luke said, making carson smile a little more.
"i thought you didn't want to be my friend anymore." carson whispered, and luke shook his head.
"never in a million years. you're always gonna be my best friend in the whole world." luke said, and carson smiled.
"will you stay all day? we can play with my presents, and- and we could play dinosaurs, and maybe watch happy feet, please!" carson said, and luke glanced over at michael who slightly nodded.
"it's your birthday, so we can do whatever you want." luke said, and carson smiled, getting down out of luke's grip.
he held onto luke's hand and ran, dragging luke to the living room behind him.
