David woke up to the sound of Julia singing. Her soft and clear voice had always been comforting to him. He lay in bed for a while, immersed in the music, a smile playing on his lips as he remembered what day it was. Excitedly, he hopped out of bed. Even though it was just him and Julia, the house was full of life. The sweet smell of frosting accompanied his mother's voice as he raced into the living room. Paper streamers in a rainbow of colors hung from the ceiling, while balloons were gathered in bunches at the table.

David's eyes widened as he saw the small pile of presents in the corner. Today was his birthday. He ran over and hugged his mother's leg tightly, jumping excitedly as he let go.

Julia let out a playful "oof" from the soft impact. "Good morning, my little dreamer," she said, putting a spatula in a bowl so she could ruffle David's messy hair. "Sit down, I'm almost done with breakfast."

As David sat at the table, Julia brought over a plate with mini cinnamon rolls on them. She grabbed the bowl and started to pour the sweet, milky white frosting on top. "Be careful, they are still warm."

David quickly shoveled up the rolls, covering his face and hands in icing. Julia giggled softly, relieved by his joy and excitement.

“You didn't forget, right? We have friends coming over soon. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Of course David remembered. Julia had helped him write the cards so he could pass them out to his classmates. He ran off to clean up and change, grabbing his robot on the way back and sitting on the couch.

Minutes turned into hours and David's excitement only grew. Julia finished up the rest of the decorations and took a seat next to David. He started to move and fidget in place, excitement finally overpowering self-control.

"Are you excited for your friends to come over?" she asked, smoothing his hair.

David nodded eagerly. "I couldn’t wait to show them my robot and play games!"

Julia smiled, happy to see her son so animated. "Well, they will be here soon. Why don’t you help me with a few last-minute preparations?"

David jumped up to help. Together, they arranged the snacks, set up a table for the cake, and laid out some games. Julia made sure everything was perfect, wanting David’s birthday to be special.

As they finished, the doorbell rang. David's heart skipped a beat with excitement. He ran to the door and opened it to find Michael standing there, holding a brightly wrapped present. Behind him was Michael's mother, Lydia Brooks. She had the same red hair as Michael and hazel eyes and held a cake box in her hands.

Lydia Brooks stepped inside with a welcoming smile. She handed Julia a cake box, the aroma of freshly baked cake wafting through the air. "We made it fresh in our bakery," she said, her voice carrying the comforting tone of someone used to spreading joy through her confections. Lydia and Julia had become close friends after David and Michael met, often encouraging their boys and supporting Julia in the absence of her husband.

"Happy Birthday, David," Michael announced loudly, ignoring the parents' conversation.

"Thanks, Michael!" David replied, beaming. "Come on in!"

Julia and Lydia smiled as David and Michael played, waiting for more people to show up. After a bit, Julia started to get nervous. David hadn't noticed because he was playing, but no one else had come.

"Why don’t we get started?" she asked, walking over to Michael and David, who were engrossed in playing with the robot and dinosaurs.

David looked up and his smile faded. "What about everyone else?"

"They would come, sweetie," Julia hesitated. "But we can’t hold up Michael while we wait for them. Let's start opening some presents."

As David opened the gifts, his excitement waned. "Here, this is from your father," Julia said, handing David an envelope.

David's excitement came back momentarily as he opened it. A birthday card with a silly dog in a party hat greeted him. He let out a small giggle as he opened the card. 'Happy Birthday' was printed on it, and 'Champ' was added in handwriting after.

David's smile disappeared as he read the card. He crumpled the edges slightly, a frown forming on his face as he struggled to hold back tears. Emotions filled him that he could not fully understand. Sadness, resentment, loneliness. He was afraid that Michael was his only friend, and today seemed to confirm that.

His birthday continued, but the excitement and joy were lost. As Michael and Mrs. Brooks left, Julia scooped him up into her arms and hugged him tightly. "I love you. Don't feel bad," she assured him, preempting David's emotions that were about to overflow.

David buried his face in her shoulder, feeling the warmth and comfort of her embrace. "Why didn’t they come, Mom?" he asked, his voice muffled and heavy with tears.

Julia stroked his hair gently. "Sometimes, things didn't go as planned, sweetheart. But that didn't mean today wasn’t special. You had a great time with Michael, right?"

David nodded slowly, still holding back tears. "Yeah, but I wanted everyone to be here."

"I know, darling," Julia said softly. "But remember, you had people who loved you very much. And no matter what, I would always be here for you."

David hugged her tighter, finding solace in her words. "I loved you, Mom."

"I loved you too, my little dreamer," Julia whispered, kissing the top of his head. "Now, how about we save a piece of cake and have it later, just the two of us?"

David managed a small smile. "Okay, Mom."

Julia set him down gently and took his hand. Together, they tidied up the remnants of the party. As David picked up his robot he noticed that the legs were jammed in a sitting position. He frowned again as he took it back to his room.