Chapter 8: Always Too Busy

I got a lot of stories planned for the ages 4 through 5. I don't much about 6. There will be flashbacks from his younger years since there are barely any stories on that.

Jayden was going to hang out with his dad. He was so excited about it. It had been a couple of weeks since Jayden had been able to spend at least a little time with his dad, but today his dad promised no work. He promised to spend all day with Jayden.

"Hey, Daddy!" Jayden called.

"Oh, hey, Jayden," said James.

"What are you doing?" asked Jayden, not liking the stacks of paper on James' desk.

"Work," said James.

"Well, are we going to hang out today like you promised?" asked Jayden.

"That's today?" asked James.

"Yeah," said Jayden.

"I'm sorry, Jayden. This is priority work. We can't hang out today," said James," I'm too busy."

"So it's more important than me?" asked Jayden angrily. Jayden stormed out of the room. He slammed the door shut. James sighed. He really couldn't deal with his son today. He left Jayden to do his own thing.

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Jayden was waited for his father like he always did. He was crying. James never came. Jayden snuck back to his father's office. He was still working. It broke his heart. His father didn't care about him anymore. He ran back to his room. He hoped his father heard him and came to see if anything was wrong. He never came.

"He hates me," said Jayden. He cried harder. He sobbed into his pillow. He saw a picture of him and his father. He picked the picture up and threw it across the room. He walked over there and tore the picture in half, crumbling the half with his father in it.

"You're always too busy!" shouted Jayden. He sobbed into his pillow more. The shatter picture laid on the floor. Jayden cried his to sleep.

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James checked the time. It was time for Jayden to go to bed. He decided to took him in. He stood up. He loved Jayden. He wished that Jayden forgave him for being busy.

"Hey, Jayden. Time to go to bed," he said. When he wasn't answered, he frowned. He opened the door. He saw a broken picture frame near his son's closet. He picked it up. He saw a dent where the picture must have hit with a great amount of force. He saw the torn picture. He picked both halves up. He saw Jayden in the uncrumbled half. He uncrumbled the other half and gasped. Jayden had crumbled the other half up; the half with him in it. His heart broke.

He heard a shift in the bed. He looked up and saw Jayden. Tears were flowing down his face. Jayden looked away.

"Why?" asked James. His son didn't answer for a while.

After a little while, he said," You hate me. So why should I love you?"

"I don't hate you. I..." James said, but he couldn't figure out what else to say.

"Why else would you ignore me?" asked Jayden," Why else would you not come after me like you always did?"

,

"Jayden was busy and I needed to get that work done so I could spend time with you," said James.

"You're always too busy!" shouted Jayden. Tears streamed down Jayden's cheeks.

"Jayden, come here," said James. Jayden walked into James' embrace. His sobs lightened up.

"Can we please to hang out tomorrow?" asked Jayden.

"Of course," said James.

"Can you stay with me tonight too?" asked Jayden. James looked into Jayden's pleading eyes.

"All right," said James," My work can work until later. You are my priority." Jayden smiled. He snuggled close to his father. Little did Jayden know, that James' work was all to keep Jayden safe.

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