David woke and lay still in his bed. Dawn light filtered through the blinds, inching slowly from the foot to the head of the bed, gradually pushing away the darkness.

David knew he would have to get up soon. It was his birthday, and he was turning twelve. He quietly listened to the birds chirping outside, trying his best to distract himself from thinking about what events the day would hold. It wasn't hard to guess. It had been a few years since his father left. No matter how much he longed for his father to stop by, he knew it would never happen. Just like last year, a card would be waiting with a half-hearted attempt at showing care.

Just thinking about it used to make David emotional. Thinking about his father left David with an intense emptiness or a fiery anger. After receiving the same card every year, he had come to realize that his father didn't actually care. If his father didn't care about him, David could do the same to his father.

A soft humming started to drift through the house. David immediately recognized Julia's soft humming. It was a rare comfort that never failed to calm him down. He loved to hear his mother sing, but the sound had been scarce recently. David could still hear her crying some nights.

His mother's singing pulled him back from the thoughts about his father. He got up and looked over to the robot sitting on the shelf. It was in a sad state. Mostly broken and dented, only a few corners still showed that it used to be blue in color. The sounds and lights had long since stopped working. He reached a hand out to pick it up, hesitating a few inches away. After a moment, he let his arm drop loosely and walked out of the room.

The scent of fresh bacon lingered throughout the house as David made his way to the kitchen. Julia was a flurry of motion as she worked to get breakfast ready. David took a moment to watch her and noticed that her hair was a mess; she hadn't even taken the time to brush it. He turned back and went to his mother's room. The shades were still drawn, and the room was cast in muted morning light. He walked over to the vanity. The top was crowded with different types of makeup, brushes, and sponges. He rummaged through it for a minute before finding what he was looking for—a small hair clip.

He moved back toward the kitchen and noticed Julia had stopped humming. She sat at the table looking absently out the window. She didn't notice as David approached. David felt her jump as he gathered her hair together and clipped it in place.

"Oh! David, good morning," she exclaimed, her hand instinctively reaching back to feel the ponytail. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Morning, Mom," David replied, moving around to sit at the other side of the table.

A plate sat in front of him filled with runny scrambled eggs, sausage, and slightly burnt hash browns. He glanced up at Julia while he started to eat. She hadn't put any makeup on today, and her eyes showed a tint of red.

"Well, what do you want to do today?" Julia asked, giving David a soft smile.

David recognized this smile; it never reached her eyes and always felt forced. It was as if she wore a mask, trying to hide the pain and sadness that seemed to linger just beneath the surface. The spark in her eyes had dimmed, replaced by a distant look that made him feel like she was miles away, even when she was right in front of him. He could sense the weight of her worries, the unspoken tension that hung in the air like a heavy fog.

"Why don't we just stay here today?" he suggested, knowing Julia was having a rough time and not wanting to burden her any further.

"Are you sure?" Julia's expression changed to one of concern. "Don't you want to hang out with Michael?"

"I'm sure."

She wasn't wrong, though. David would have liked to have played with Michael. He was the only one that ever showed up to his birthdays.

The ringing of the phone interrupted the dead silence. As Julia stood up to answer it, David gathered the plates to rinse them. He frowned to himself as he threw away most of the breakfast from Julia's plate. Mrs. Brooks was on the other end of the call; he knew based on Julia's responses. She had been calling pretty regularly. He was sure it was to check up on Julia.

David turned to Julia as she hung up the phone. "Why don't we have a picnic in the backyard?" he suggested. Looking out the kitchen window, the white, puffy clouds in the sky promised a cool breeze.

Julia smiled again, this time with more sincerity. "That sounds like a perfect idea. Why don't you open presents, and then we can make some sandwiches together?"

David brought the small pile of gifts to the kitchen table. They were similar to last year—clothes, a new book bag, a toy. He played up his excitement, hoping it would lift Julia's spirits.

As he finished with the pile, Julia handed him a plain envelope with his name on it. It was the card from his father.

"One last thing."

David stared at the envelope for a long time, not reaching for it. His name was written in beautiful script, too elegant to be his father's handwriting.

"Go on, it's from your father," Julia encouraged.

David slowly reached for the envelope and opened it. The card inside had two dinosaurs holding a balloon under the words 'Happy Birthday'. Inside was written 'Have a great day'. He looked up at Julia.

"You don't have to pretend this is from Dad," David said, putting the card down.

"I'm sure he sent one," Julia responded sheepishly. "It's just taking its time getting here."

David looked down at his mother's card. "Yeah."

The day continued on. Julia turned the radio on, and music filled the house, lightening the atmosphere.

After breakfast, they moved to the backyard, setting up a blanket under the big oak tree that had been there since David was a baby. Julia spread out the sandwiches, fruits, and snacks they had prepared together, and they sat down to enjoy the picnic.

David watched as Julia relaxed a bit, the fresh air and the change of scenery seemed to lift her spirits. She laughed a little more freely, her eyes sparkling with a hint of the old warmth that David missed so much. They played a few games, tossing a frisbee back and forth, and Julia even told him stories from her childhood that he had never heard before.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, they lay on the blanket looking up at the emerging stars. Julia pointed out constellations, her voice soft and soothing. David felt a sense of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Thank you for today, Mom," David said quietly, turning to look at her.

Julia smiled, a real, genuine smile this time. "Thank you, David. This was exactly what I needed."

They stayed there a little longer, watching the sky turn black. It wasn't much, but today had been perfect.