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It was a sunny day in Newport Beach, and the Bluth children were outside playing together. Michael was running around. Buster, the youngest, was trailing behind, but still enjoying himself. Lindsay, Michael's sister, was showing off her hula hoop skills, and GOB, the oldest, was practicing his magic tricks.
As they were playing, Buster stumbled and fell, hitting his knee on a rock. He let out a loud, piercing cry that echoed through the neighborhood. Michael quickly rushed over to him.
"Buster! Are you okay?"
Buster shook his head and continued to cry.
"Where does it hurt?" Michael asks, worried.
Before Buster can respond, their mother Lucille, came out to see what was happening.
She saw Buster crying and immediately scooped him up into her arms. "Oh, my baby boy," she says. "What happened? Let Mama take care of you."
Buster's crying only got louder as he buried his face in her shoulder. His whole body was shaking with sobs, and his little hands were clutching at her shirt.
Lucille held him close, rocking him back and forth. "Shh, shh, it's okay," she murmurs. "Mama's here. You're going to be just fine."
Meanwhile, GOB and Lindsay were standing off to the side, looking guilty. They knew they were going to be in trouble for not watching out for Buster.
Lucille noticed them and her face darkened. "You two," she spats. "I can't believe you let this happen. You are grounded for a month."
GOB and Lindsay hung their heads in shame, and Michael couldn't help but wonder if he was also going to get in trouble.
Lucille then turned to Michael. "Come inside with me and your brother." She carried Buster into the house, with Michael trailing behind.
Once inside, Lucille laid Buster down on the couch and began examining his knee. Michael hovered nearby, watching anxiously.
"Is he okay?" he asks.
"He'll be fine," Lucille replies, still tending to Buster. "Just a little scrape. Nothing serious."
Michael hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had been on his mind since Lucille came outside. "Am I grounded too?"
Lucille looked up at him, surprised. "No, why would you be grounded?"
Michael shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought maybe..."
Lucille smiled and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "No, you're not grounded. You were taking care of your brother. You did a good job. You're a good big brother, Michael."
Michael felt a warmth spread through his chest as he realized something he had never dared to believe before. Maybe, just maybe, his mother actually loved him.
He watched as Lucille continued to fuss over Buster, wiping away his tears and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He felt a pang of envy, but also a sense of gratitude. Maybe he wasn't her favorite, but at least he knew she cared.
Lucille turns away from Buster and looks back at Michael. "Would you like to join Buster and me for a movie?"
Michael nods his head, a smile on his face.
Lucille smiles at him before turning back to Buster, tickling him.
Michael watches in silence.
Then he whispers to himself, "Maybe she does love me after all."