Troy sat around a group of his college friends.
All four of them were heavy drinkers, kind of like Troy.
But nobody seemed to want to drink that evening…
He was curled up on the end of his couch, listening to all of them chat. He couldn't help but think about Talon…
The best thing that ever happened to him was slipping right out of his fingers. But did he do anything about it? No.
"Bolton, don't you have a kid?" Danny said from across the room as he stared out the door's peephole.
Troy turned his head. "Yeah, why?"
"No reason… "
A knock was heard at the door. The rest of the guys looked up.
"Is someone there?" Troy said to Danny.
"No, nobody- "
"The babysitter's here, isn't she?" Troy sighed as he stood up from the couch. "Get the door, Danny!"
Danny slowly opened the door. "Troy doesn't want you here- "
"Tell him that his son is freaking out and we can't get him to stop crying." Wendy looked frustrated. She was holding Talon, who was screaming so loudly that it rang in Troy's ears.
"Fuck you Danny!" Troy pushed him out of the way and shook his head. "Sorry, Wendy."
"We can't get him to stop crying! He's been in a horrible mood all day! He hasn't eaten, he won't drink, he won't sleep- "
"Here, let me take him for the rest of the night… " Troy sighed and pulled his wallet out. He handed her a fifty. "I'll get the rest of what I owe you tomorrow." Troy said, shoving it back into his pocket. He grabbed Talon from her, and he immediately quit crying.
"No… " She pushed the fifty back to him. "I don't want it."
"But you're his babysitter." Troy said. "I pay you to watch him."
"I've already gotten paid tonight." She smiled a little. "Just you offering to take him for the night is something I haven't seen in a while. And you're not drunk."
Troy sighed. "Just take the fifty. I insist."
"No, please- "
"Wendy, just take it." He smiled. "It's a tip, then. Take the tip."
She sighed and put it in her pocket. "I'll see you."
"Alright. Thanks, Wendy." He closed the door.
"Is that your kid?" Quentin stood up and stretched.
"Yeah." Troy said. "He's been in a bad mood all day today, and she brought him over so I could calm him down. I'm just going to keep him for the night."
"He looks just like you." Brendan said.
"I know." Troy set his down. "You want something to eat, Tal?"
Talon nodded and followed Troy into the kitchen.
"Who is his mom, a prostitute or something?" Carter snickered.
Troy turned around. "No. She wasn't anywhere near a prostitute."
"Then where the hell is she?" Carter raised an eyebrow.
"She's dead… " Troy said quietly. "She was murdered right after he was born."
"Oh… " All four of them bit their lip. "Sorry, man." Carter said.
He nodded and opened the cupboard. "What do you want?"
Talon shrugged.
"How about mac and cheese? How does that sound?"
Talon's eyes lit up. "Yeah!" He said in his babyish voice.
"Alright."
The four friends were quiet as Troy prepared easy mac for Talon.
Troy set it on the table and lifted Talon into a chair. He gave him a spoon, and Talon chomped away like he had been starved his entire life.
"What's his name?" Quentin walked towards them.
"His name is Talon. He's going to turn two in about ten days."
Talon watched as Troy pulled a bottle from the cupboard.
"Do you wanna spike some kool-aid?"
"I'm down!" Justin stood up.
And as Troy, Quentin, Brendan, Carter, and Danny started back into their drinking habits, Talon was left to himself.
A two year old doesn't just follow rules. They break them.
He slid through the door and down the apartment's hallway.
Troy noticed suddenly that Talon was gone. "Talon?" Troy looked around. "Tal, where did you go, buddy?"
Talon looked down the steps.
They were some pretty steep steps.
He gripped the side with his left hand as he slowly tried to step down.
"Talon?" Troy looked around.
The door was wide open.
"TALON!" Troy yelled and bolted out the door.
"Where are you going- "
"TALON!" He rushed down the hallway and towards the steps, where Talon slowly stepped down.
"Talon, get back h- "
It was too late.
Talon slipped and one step after another, he made the perilous trip down the steps, rolling, and screaming out for Troy.
"Oh god… " Troy rushed down the stairs towards Talon, who was screaming in pain. "Talon, are you okay?"
Tears rushed down Talon's face as he let out bloody screams. His forehead had been deeply cut and was gushing blood. His left leg was completely mangled, and he could barely move.
Troy picked Talon up as his Brendan came to the stairs. "What happene- "
"Call 911!" Troy yelled up the stairs as he pulled Talon into his arms.
It was evident that this was Troy's last chance...