this gets really intense, brace yourself.

M I C H A E L

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Yes, Daddy Michael here."

Crystal laughed. "Who gave you that nickname?"

I shook my head. "I'm gonna be honest, it was Cal," I laughed lightly. "He had Clyde start calling me that."

This wasn't completely false. Calum did make up the nickname, but he didn't make Clyde call me that. It was just a cover up. A really bad one.

"Interesting," Crystal pondered.

I tried to think of something to say to boost the conversation, and move it from Daddy Michael's nickname.

"So, how do you know Ashton?" I asked her.

She smiled a toothy grin. "We met back in highschool, and we became really good friends. We hadn't spoken in so long though, until he invited me here."

I nodded and swallowed. "That's cool."

I tried not to be jealous of Ashton, who was behind Crystal laughing at something dumb Calum said. I also tried to not trick myself into thinking that I could ask out Crystal just because her and Ashton were 'friends.'

The waiter started walking over to us and asked our orders. Everyone ordered some different sushi platters, and I whispered to Luke to get Clyde the kids popcorn shrimp.

I turned back around to Crystal, who was looking down and smiling a bit. She looked back up at me.

A cute giggle came from behind me. Clyde had his head back, cackling at something Luke did.

"He's so cute," Crystal admired.

I nodded and smiled. "He is, huh."

It made me really happy to hear her calling Clyde cute when he was my son. It was a little sad to know that she thought he was Luke's.

Crystal furrowed her eyebrows and swallowed.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her.

She looked back at me. "You know when you wanna ask something, but you know it's not something to be brought up or to talk about? And then for like a week it just sits there at the back of your head bothering you?"

"Yes, I know that feeling all too well," I nodded. "You can ask whatever. There isn't much off limits here."

Crystal looked unsure. "Are you sure?"

I nodded in assurance.

She gulped before talking. "Where's Clyde's mom? Like, did she pass away, leaving him to Luke?"

Why did I see this coming? I didn't know how I was supposed to answer.

"Um... she's just not in the picture anymore," I shrugged.

Crystal nodded. "Hey, that's fine. I'm sure Luke's a great dad."

After a few minutes of small talk, they brought our food.

Everyone dug in. Clyde held up one of his popcorn shrimp, babbling happily. There wasn't much talking because everyone was eating, but the main noise was Clyde's laughter.

The silence was weird, so everyone unconsciously started conversing. Calum and I talked from across the table about who had the best sushi.

I suddenly noticed something was missing from the noise.

Clyde's laughter.

He had been quiet from maybe ten seconds too long. I turned around. He had tears welling up and held his neck. He wasn't breathing.

"He can't breathe!" I yelled, trying not to psych myself out.

Everyone turned towards me with raised eyebrows.

"Clyde," I whispered before grabbing my son.

"You're okay, buddy," I tried to comfort him through tears. He was turning purple.

Luke's eyes widened and he pulled out his phone to dial 911.

Everyone started panicking. Calum and Ashton ran towards me.

"Why isn't he breathing?" Ashton inhaled sharply.

The three of us were sprinting in a panic to the entrance of the restaurant.

"I don't know," I cried as I cradled the choking boy.

Luke and Crystal trailed behind us nervously. Luke had one hand plugging his ear, the other shakily holding his phone. Crystal bit her lip and followed.

Luke put his phone down. "There's an ambulance coming."

I nodded nervously. Clyde was turning more and more purple.

Ashton snatched the baby from my hands and laid him in the floor to start performing cpr. He was crying as he attempted blow air in the small boy's body.

It felt like hours of sobbing and shaking coming from everyone around us.

"Can anyone help?" I choked as I looked around the room.

Was there really no EMT or some sort of doctor?

We heard the sirens from outside. An EMT sprinted towards us and scooped up Clyde. A nurse came and asked the group for information. I, of course, knew all of the answers.

"How old is he?" the man asked.

"He's one," I bit my lip to hold back any awaiting tears.

"Blood type?"

I had to think about that one. "B negative... I think."

"Parental guardian?"

My breath hitched. I looked back at Luke, who looked more scared than ever.

"Give it up, Michael," a voice said from behind me.

It was Crystal.

"We all know you're his dad, Mike," she said nervously.

I gulped and nodded.

"I'm his dad," I told the nurse.

We started walking to the ambulance where they had taken Clyde.

"Can I take someone with?" I asked nervously.

"One person," the man told me.

I picked Ashton because he had tried to save Clyde before, and deserved to see him officially okay. He also was a crying mess and could use some comfort.

We stepped into the back of the ambulance. There lay my limp, suffocating, son.

i'm so emo from this chapter why