Parents.. with different treatment

xanders 4th birthday

It was Xander's 4th birthday, and the day should have been filled with excitement. The house was decorated with bright balloons, streamers, and a cake with his favorite cartoon character, all set up for a celebration that Valerie had worked hard to organize. Xander had been counting down the days to his birthday, and now, finally, it was here.

But something was missing—someone, rather. Colby was supposed to be there, but he was away on a business trip. Valerie had tried to explain that Daddy would be traveling, but she reassured Xander that Colby would call. Even though he understood, Xander still held onto hope that his dad would at least wish him happy birthday.

Throughout the day, Xander opened presents and played with his friends, but his heart wasn't fully in it. He kept glancing at Valerie's phone, hoping to hear from Colby. Surely, his dad hadn't forgotten. After all, it was *his* special day.

As the party began to wind down, Xander noticed Valerie getting a FaceTime call. His heart jumped with excitement—finally, it must be his dad calling to wish him a happy birthday. But when Valerie answered, Xander's excitement quickly turned to confusion and hurt.

On the screen, there was Colby, smiling and talking excitedly—but not to Xander. He was speaking to Xavier.

"Hey, buddy!" Colby's voice was full of warmth as he greeted Xavier, who was sitting next to Valerie, eagerly showing off one of the toys he had gotten earlier that day. Colby laughed and asked Xavier all about the toy, commenting on how cool it was and how much fun he must be having.

Xander stood there, frozen, watching the exchange. His heart sank deeper with each passing moment. It was his birthday, and yet, his dad hadn't even acknowledged him. Colby was completely focused on Xavier, as if he had forgotten what day it was, or worse—forgotten about Xander altogether.

Valerie noticed the look on Xander's face, a mixture of confusion and sadness, and her stomach twisted in guilt. She had hoped Colby would remember, had trusted that he would make an effort, but seeing him focus solely on Xavier without even realizing what he was missing hurt her too.

After a few minutes, Xander couldn't take it anymore. His small chest tightened, and he turned away, walking over to the corner of the room where his new toys sat. He sat down quietly, picking up a stuffed animal and hugging it tightly, trying to make sense of why his dad wasn't paying attention to him on his own birthday.

Valerie, still holding the phone, gently interrupted the conversation. "Colby, Xander's here too. It's his birthday, remember?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Colby's face shifted, his expression faltering as the realization hit him like a brick. He looked into the camera, his voice slightly strained now.

"Oh... yeah, of course. Happy birthday, Xander."

But his words felt empty, almost like an afterthought, and they certainly didn't carry the same warmth and excitement he had shown Xavier just moments earlier.

Xander glanced back over his shoulder, hearing his dad's voice, but he didn't turn around. He didn't rush over to the phone like he normally would. Instead, he stayed where he was, feeling the sting of disappointment in his chest. It didn't feel like a real "happy birthday." It didn't feel special at all.

After a few more strained words, the call ended, and the room fell quiet. Valerie put down the phone and walked over to where Xander was sitting. She knelt beside him, her heart aching for her son.

"Hey, sweetheart," she said softly, brushing a hand through his hair. "I know you were hoping Daddy would call you right away. I'm so sorry, baby."

Xander didn't say anything. He just shrugged, hugging his stuffed animal tighter. His little face was scrunched up, holding back tears, trying to stay strong.

"I didn't want much," he whispered after a long pause. "I just wanted Daddy to say happy birthday."

Valerie's heart broke at his words. She pulled him into a gentle hug, kissing the top of his head. "I know, sweetie. And you deserve all the love and attention in the world. I promise, when Daddy gets home, we'll make sure he knows how important you are."

But Xander wasn't sure if that would make it any better. It still felt like, once again, Xavier was the one getting all the attention. Even on his special day, it was Xavier who got Daddy's time, who got the excitement and joy from Colby. And Xander—well, Xander was left waiting, forgotten in the shadows.

As Valerie tucked him into bed that night, Xander lay quietly, clutching his stuffed animal. He didn't want to talk about the party or the presents anymore. His birthday hadn't been what he imagined, and even though his mom had done everything she could to make it special, the absence of his dad still weighed heavily on his little heart.

Valerie kissed him goodnight, promising that tomorrow would be a better day. But as she closed the door softly behind her, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted in Xander. He was starting to notice the patterns, starting to see the imbalance in how Colby treated him and Xavier.

And while Colby would eventually realize the mistake he had made, the damage was already done. Xander was only four, but he was beginning to understand that sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, they might not always show up for you in the ways you need them most.