Babysitter Night

“Where is he, Nick?”

“I think he’s gone.”

“He can’t just be gone. He’s a kid.”

“I think he’s gone.”

Jon was headed down Court Street when he stopped into the pizza place near the Loews Theater. They made a good slice there but the kids by the theater were often thugs who got rowdy at night. Especially on weekends. He didn’t pay them any mind; he took his slice and went on his way. As Jon left his eyes met hers. She looked like Penelope Cruz, her dark hair flowing, and her hoop earrings glistening under the theater’s marquee. Like most beautiful women, she was something more than she thought she was.

Jon slowed to a search, found a street lamp to lean on, and went to work on his slice. He glanced at her while he ate, and she whispered with her friend, smiling all the while. Jon tossed the crust of his slice and approached her.

“I’m Jon,” he said, “what’s your name?”

“Felicia.”

“Felicia. Would you like to grab a drink with me?” He stumbled a bit, “Um, both you and your friend. I’m sorry, what’s your name?”

“Alexandra, but call me Alex.”

“Nice to meet you, Alex, I’m Jon.” He said.

“Yes.” Felicia interrupted. “Let’s go for a drink.”

Jon turned to Alex and she smiled and nodded in approval. They headed to a pub around the corner and took seats at the bar. Jon had whiskey and the girls had Bellini’s. They spoke about school and work and plans to travel. Both Jon and Felicia were in grad school and intended on doing semesters abroad. Jon was in law school and Felicia was studying for an MFA, and as chance would have it, they were both considering studies in Buenos Aires. Alex had a steady job, although she thought about going back to school, for the time being she was content working for a food blog.

A few drinks deeper Jon and Felicia had shifted their chairs closer than when they first sat down, and poor Alex was about ready to go home. At a break in the conversation Alex stood up and said, “I think I’m gonna get going. Felicia, do you wanna split a cab?”

“No, I think I’m going have another drink.”

Alex smiled, “OK. Good night, hun. Be safe. Nice to meet you, Jon.”

Jon reached out his hand. “Nice to meet you, too. We should definitely hang out again.”

After Alex left, Jon and Felicia finished their drinks and confronted by their solitude, shared an awkward pause.

“Would you like to walk me home?” Felicia said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, of course I would. Are you ready now?”

“Yeah, my son’s at home and I should get back to him.”

“You have a son?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, is that weird for you?”

“No, not at all. It’s just surprising. What’s his name?”

“Elijah.”

Jon and Felicia left the bar and turned back onto Court Street. They were passing the movie theater when they were confronted.

“Yo, Felicia, what are you doing with this guy, huh?”

Without looking she knew the voice. “That’s none of your business, Rob.”

“The hell it’s not. You gonna bring him around my boy?” He turned to Jon and said, “You wanna take my son from me?”

Jon stumbled over his words as Rob and his henchmen surrounded he and Felicia. “We don’t want a problem.” He said.

“No, of course you don’t,” Rob replied.

“I’m gonna start screaming if you don’t leave us alone,” Felicia said.

Rob pulled a .22 caliber gun from his coat pocket and said, “I’ll leave you alone, but I don’t know about your boyfriend.”

Felicia spotted a patrol car creeping down Court Street and screamed as loud as she could, “POLICE!! HELP!”

The car’s siren switched on and as it pulled over to the sidewalk two officers jumped out and ran towards the voice. Rob pushed the gun back into his coat and he and as men fled in all directions before the officers had a chance to chase them.

Jon and Felicia detailed the incident for the officers and Felicia insisted that she needed to get to her son.

“How old is your son?” One of the officers asked.

“Two.” She said impatiently.

“And he’s alone at home? It’s almost midnight.”

“My neighbor is watching him, but I need to get to him now.”

“Well we need you to come to the station and make an official statement. Can you contact your neighbor and ask him to watch him for a bit longer?”

“I don’t want that!” Felicia said holding back tears, “What if Rob goes over there!? We need to go and get my son!”

“Ok, well call your neighbor and ask him to wait outside with the boy and we’ll pick him up on our way to the station.”

Felicia made the call but before she could fully explain the situation she began to feel lightheaded and had to sit down. She handed the phone over to one of the officers.

“This is Officer Cabrera, who am I speaking with?”

“My name is Nick Ferrara.”

“Well Nick, Felicia was threatened by an ex-boyfriend tonight and we need to bring her to the station to make a statement, but she’s worried about the safety of her son. Where is he now?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Can you wake him please?”

Nick made his way to the boy’s bedroom. He gasped. “He’s not here.”

“Where is he, Nick?”

“I think he’s gone.”

“He can’t just be gone. He’s a kid.”

“I think he’s gone.”

Nick kneeled to check under the bed. When he turned to stand back up, he saw the outline of a man in the shadows near the door. The only light that reflected was off of the gun in his hand.



Word Count: 974