Parents.. with different treatment

Broken trust

It had only been a few weeks since that peaceful evening at the park, the night when Colby had made a silent promise to himself to try for Xander's sake. He had begun spending small moments with his son, making an effort to connect — and Xander, cautious but hopeful, had started to trust him again. He didn't flinch as much when Colby walked into the room, and he had even begun to open up a bit, sharing his little thoughts and dreams, things he'd kept hidden for fear of rejection.

But then came the day that shattered all of that fragile trust.

Xander had been talking about an upcoming school event, his class's "Family Fun Day," for weeks. It was a big deal for him; he'd never really had much to look forward to at school, and having his family there was something he'd been excited about. Family Fun Day meant that each child could bring a family member to school, and the teachers had planned a series of games, crafts, and even a small performance that Xander had been practicing with his classmates.

"Are you sure you'll come, Dad?" Xander had asked that morning, his big, hopeful eyes looking up at Colby as he got ready for work.

Colby had knelt down, resting a hand on Xander's shoulder. "I'll be there, buddy. I promise." He had smiled, giving Xander a reassuring squeeze. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Xander's face lit up, and he grinned, hugging his dad tightly. "Thank you, Dad!"

That day at school, Xander's excitement was palpable. He glanced at the clock every few minutes, watching the hours slip by, his heart beating faster each time the class door opened. But as the event drew closer, he couldn't shake the nervous feeling in his stomach. He tried to ignore it, clinging to his father's promise.

Finally, Family Fun Day started. Parents filled the room, hugging their children and laughing as they found their seats. Xander scanned the crowd, searching for Colby, his heart pounding with anticipation.

Minutes ticked by, and his excitement slowly turned to worry. His classmates' parents were there, chatting and clapping as the children began their crafts. Xander kept looking at the door, his face hopeful at first, then anxious, and finally, defeated.

His teacher, noticing the small, anxious boy sitting alone, came over and knelt beside him. "Xander, sweetheart, is your dad coming?" she asked gently.

Xander tried to hold back the tears threatening to spill over, but his face crumpled. He could only shake his head, unable to find the words. His teacher offered him a comforting smile and squeezed his shoulder, trying to ease his heartbreak, but Xander felt the deep, hollow ache of disappointment settling into his chest.

Back home, Sam had been the first to realize something was wrong. He had noticed Colby hadn't left his office that afternoon, lost in work calls and emails. The "quick" task Colby had promised would only take an hour had stretched into the entire afternoon, and the clock had long passed the time for Family Fun Day. Sam felt a sinking feeling as he remembered Xander's excitement — and Colby's promise.

"Colby," Sam said firmly, entering his office without knocking. "It's past 3. You missed Family Fun Day."

Colby glanced up, his face blank, then his eyes widened as he glanced at the clock, realization dawning. "Oh, no... No, no..." He stood up, panic on his face, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to... I got caught up."

Sam's expression hardened. "Colby, he was counting on you. You promised him."

Without another word, Colby grabbed his coat and rushed out the door, guilt twisting in his stomach as he drove to pick up Xander. By the time he arrived, the school was quiet, the classrooms empty except for the teacher who waited with Xander by the door. Xander sat slumped on a bench, clutching a small, crumpled craft he had made during Family Fun Day. His face was tear-streaked, his eyes red from crying.

When he saw his dad walking up the steps, Xander's face changed, hardening into an expression Colby had never seen before — one of hurt and betrayal.

"Xander..." Colby began, crouching down in front of his son. "Buddy, I'm so sorry. I got caught up at work, and... I lost track of time."

Xander looked at him, his small face pale and expressionless. "You promised, Dad," he whispered, his voice cracking. "You said you'd be there."

Colby reached out, but Xander shrank back, clutching his little craft tightly, his gaze shifting to the floor. "I waited and waited, but... you never came." His voice was soft but filled with a pain far too big for his six-year-old heart.

Colby felt his chest tighten, the weight of his broken promise settling over him. "I know, and I'm so sorry, Xander. I didn't mean to disappoint you."

Xander shook his head, his eyes filling with tears again. "You always say that," he whispered. "But you still never come. You just... you don't care." The last words came out as a choked sob, and Xander pulled away, standing up and running down the steps without looking back.

Colby felt a cold emptiness settle in his chest as he watched his son walk away. He knew that this time, his apology wouldn't fix things. The fragile trust they had begun to build had shattered, leaving Xander feeling more alone than ever.

That evening, Xander refused to speak to Colby. He stayed close to Valerie, clinging to her like she was his only anchor in the storm of his young life. Sam watched the whole scene, his heart aching for Xander and feeling anger toward his best friend, who had let his son down once again.

Later, as Colby sat alone in the darkened living room, he thought about the look in Xander's eyes — the betrayal, the disappointment, the hurt. For the first time, he fully understood the damage he had caused, the trust he had broken. And for the first time, he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to repair it.

All he could do was hope, though he knew it might already be too late.