Chapter Text
Shadow groaned, his vision blotting in and out as he leaned against the brick wall. Rough hands grabbed at him, shoving him forward into the back of the car.
“f*ck, he’s gonna get blood all over my seats,”
“Just drive,” August said, tapping Shadow’s cheek to keep him awake. The tiger clicked his tongue, watching Shadow shut his eyes in pain. Shadow’s gunshot wound most likely felt worse than it looked considering the bullet had exited him cleanly. “You’re going to be fine, just listen to my voice,”
Shadow huffed as August continued talking, it turns out he had a wife and kids that needed him and here he was making sure Shadow wasn’t passing out in Old Town Talfryn after a shootout went wrong.
The car screeched to a stop in front of a building situated behind a foul-smelling apartment complex.
“August,” Shadow started, bile rising in his throat as fluorescent lights glared down at him.
“Save it,” the gang leader said, pulling Shadow further into the building as a woman’s voice warped and faded in and out.
Shadow let out a terse laugh. Was this really how he was going to die?
Sandy wiped her brow as the doctor’s patient seemed like he would pull through. There was so much blood that Sandy thought he was already dead.
“Dr. Ford,” Sandy started, pulling the curtain back to be face-to-face with her employer. “I gotta go get Sy from daycare,” she said, grabbing her purse and keys off the table beside the bed their current patient lay on.
“Of course, be safe on your way home,” Dr. Ford said, watching Sandy leave. Dr. Ford looked at Shadow, patting Shadow’s covered leg as his breathing hitched and then smoothed out.
Sandy nodded, letting the heavy door slam shut as she wrapped her keys around her fist. Living near Old Town Talfryn wasn’t the best, but it was close to work and the daycare Silas was enrolled in.
Sandy sighed once she got into the car, starting it and driving to the daycare as the sun began to set. She was late.
Sandy huffed, running to catch the door as another parent walked out of the squat yellow building. She slipped inside, waving at Margie behind the desk as she went by.
Silas looked up at his mother as she entered the room, running up to hug her. “Mommy!” he squealed, his smile wide.
“Hey, baby,” Sandy said, grunting as she picked Silas up and looked at the daycare instructor as the white-furred fox walked up to her. “Thank you so much, Grace,” she said, beginning to turn away from Grace.
“Oh, Ms. Cheeks,” Grace called, catching up to her. “Your enrollment fee is due soon, so I wanted to–”
“I’ll pay it tomorrow,” Sandy interrupted, swallowing as she left the building to put Silas in the car and head home.
“Mommy,” Silas started, shifting in his car seat. “I gotta use the bathroom,”
“Alright, hon, we can stop at the café so you can use it,” Sandy replied, pulling into the café Howard owned. He wouldn’t have a problem with Silas having to use the bathroom and her not buying anything.
She walked Silas to the restroom, slumping against the cool tile wall outside the stalls. She waited for Silas to flush the toilet, picking at her nails as the four-year-old took his time.
Being a back-alley doctor’s assistant paid enough for Sandy to get Silas into a daycare for the time being. But how long would it be before her luck ran out? How long would it take for the wrong person to step into the office and take her away from Silas?
Sandy sighed, hearing the toilet flush and the lock click as Silas walked out of the stall, grabbing her hand as they went over to the sink.
Sandy helped her son wash his hands, staring at their reflections in the mirror. Silas had his father’s eyes but had her face shape and smile. Sandy helped Silas dry his hands, walking out of the restroom as Howard and Dana bussed tables.
She went over to the tip jar, stuffing in a ten-dollar bill as Howard walked up to her.
“How’s my two favorite customers?” the duck asked, grinning at Silas as the boy clung to his mother’s shirt.
“We’re good, sir, Sy jus’ needed to use the restroom,” Sandy said, glancing over as Dana gave Silas a lollipop. “What do you say?”
“Thank you, Ms. Dana,” Silas mumbled around the piece of candy.
“How’s business doin’ so far?” Sandy asked Howard, watching the duck huff.
“It’s going, more customers coming around with the summer just starting,” Howard answered. “I’m just glad you and Silas came by real quick,” he continued. “I got a new coffee machine I’ve been dying to try out,”
Sandy smiled at the older man, tuning him out as he began to animatedly talk about the new machine. Usually, she’d be all ears, but tonight, worry gnawed at her stomach.
“I’ll, uh, see y’all real soon, I gotta get Sy ready for bed,” she said, cutting Howard off as he smiled at her.
“Sure thing, get home safe,” Howard said as Sandy turned to leave.
She waved a hand back at him to show she heard him, the woman putting her son back into his car seat as he sucked on his lollipop.
Sandy swallowed once they made it home to their apartment, moving easily and quickly as she got Silas out of his car seat and into the building.
She hoped tomorrow would be easier.
