The Dropout(s)

December 20th, 2022

                                                         Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John



He'd forgotten how cold Colorado got in the winter. The Florida heat had kept his thin figure warm the past couple of months. "This is it." One floor, brick walls, white door. Exactly how he left it. "You okay sir?"

"Yeah, thank you." The black car pulled away, leaving the tall 20-year-old standing alone in the street. Dim lamps lit the path to the house, neighbors' Christmas lights illuminating the snow. A shiver ran down his spine caused by both cold and nerves. Time to rip off the band-aid. He walked through the crunchy snow and stepped onto an icy porch. "Fuck..." escaped his lips as a pale finger rang the doorbell. After a moment the door opened, and an even taller man looking down at the boy. "Happy Hanukkah?" The man didn't say anything. His dark brown eyes staring down at the thin boy. Glaring at him through square glasses, unmoving until another voice rang out.

"Honey, who is it?" This caused the aging man to turn around, hesitating before motioning for the young man to enter. "Darling you need to reply to me, I can't read minds you know..." the voice fell silent as a middle-aged woman entered the room. She was as beautiful as he remembered. Wrinkles had finally made their way onto her face and yet she looked as young as ever. Grey hair peppered into her brunette roots. "It can't be" she whispered, the man taking off his glasses and rubbing the lenses with his shirt. "Rocky?"

A small smile appeared on the boy's blue lips, frozen from standing outside. "Hey mom, been a while."

The woman began to approach him, her hand out to touch his cheek. She was stopped by her husband, returning his glasses to his nose before speaking. "You reek of booze. Why are you here?" He was stern and unloving, completely changed by years of neglect from his only child. Rocky hesitated. He didn't really know why he was there. "Just as everyone was forgetting about you, here you are. Can't get enough of that spotlight huh?" Ouch. Despite her obvious urge to hold the boy, Rocky's mother stepped back. She didn't dare to speak. "You aren't welcome here."

Rocky's eyes fell to the floor. He felt tears form but quickly wiped them away. He wouldn't cry. Not today. "I... I have nowhere else to go. Is Tessa home? Here for the holiday?"

"She passed." The tears returned, now coming in a silent flood. His wide eyes returned to meet his fathers. The man seemed unbothered by this but continued to look away.

"... What?" Tessa was Rocky's grandmother, a kind woman who raised him as her own. She was his mother's mother, helping the girl through teen pregnancy and inspiring Rocky to start music in the first place. "When? Why didn't I know?"

"How were we supposed to tell you? You were god knows where doing god knows what. For fucks sake you leaving probably did it."

"Harold, enough." Finally, the woman of the house spoke up. Her kind eyes met her sons, though they were full of anything but love. "You need to leave. Now. Don't come back." What was he to do? Beg? They wouldn't change their minds and he knew it. The couple had moved on, allowed themselves to forget about their son. It was obvious they wanted nothing to do with him. He needed a plan B. So he left without another word. Not daring to look back, just wandering the cold streets of Denver on his own.

Maybe if he had come home earlier things would be different. He had planned on going straight home, he really did. If it wasn't for the handsome brunette at the airport he would've. That damn french accent was irresistible, how could he say no to the sunshine state?

Still, there was somewhere he could go. A place he would be welcome, where he would be safe. This was all assuming his old bandmate still lived a block over. It was late and the wind was bitter, but what other choice was there? The Birch house wasn't going to let him in, he had to try. It was a five-minute walk that felt like fifty. Black ice attacking slippery boots and crude air slapping pale cheeks. Luckily the pink house was lit up. A Christmas tree sat merrily in the window, sounds of music welcoming the wandering man. He walked up to the door and gently knocked. The music lowered and after a moment the door opened. "Shit Curly, what happened to you?" Rocky laughed lightly, noticing the boy's new look. His tight red curls were cut and tamed, big blue eyes holding bags underneath. He looked so much older, though he would only be 22-23 by now. 

"Speak for yourself, you look like death..." he paused, examining Rocky for a moment "it is you isn't it? I'm not tripping?"

"In the flesh" he grinned, the boys pulling each other into a hug. A quiet cry was heard from the home, "you got a kid?" Rocky asked, pulling away.

"Yeah come on in, wanna meet her?" 'Curly' let him in the house, a homey place with lots of color and cushions. It was babyproofed like crazy, all for one tiny little girl. "Her name is Amber."

"So much for being asexual yea?" Rocky didn't get too close to the child- he knew he wasn't clean enough to hold her.

"Adopted, she's Charlies actually."

"Your lesbian step-sister? What am I missing here?" Curly laughed as he picked up the whiny child, bouncing her on his shoulder.

"Charlie was a surrogate for Keith and Elton- remember them?" Rocky nodded, he had honestly forgotten about the two until now. Elton was like the brother Rocky never had. He was what kept him from falling off the deep end until his boyfriend Keith came along. Rocky was glad Elton found someone, but it was hard learning to share. "Well, they were expecting one and got three. So the boys took two and I got little Amber here."

Rocky looked at the girl as she cradled her father's arm, she certainly looked like him. It was odd- so little of her genetics were related to his and yet they couldn't be more alike. "Charlie didn't want one? You'd think Barbie would make her."

"Actually Barbie was pregnant at the same time. Imagine that- two pregnant women living together." Curly smiled at the thought, amused by the chaos. "Her baby daddy is some M O O S E member I forget the name of. They're happy though, got twins. Poppy and Lady."

"Saw Tiff is soon to join the baby gang," Rocky noted, recalling the tv in Montreal.

Amber let out a burp and Curly shifted, laying her back down in the crib. "She's gonna pop any day now I believe. Zach's pretty excited."

"So they went through with it huh? Married yet?" Curly hesitated before turning towards Rocky. His expression was now sad, though the napkin on his shoulder with spit up didn't set the mood properly.

"Would you like some coffee? I think we have some catching up to do."

Funeral For a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John

Rocky tapped his nails on the cup, nervous. He wanted to ask, he really did, but was now the time? "Oliver is well" it was as if Curly read his mind. "He looks different now, but he's happy."

"Did he ever get into acting?"

Curly nodded, taking a sip of his coffee before answering "big-shot. Got some superhero gig and now he's part of a whole 'cinematic universe'. Contracts on contracts. He loves it though, I always knew he'd thrive in the spotlight."

Rocky looked down at his cup, ashamed of how he used to treat his dear Ollie. "He on the baby train too?"

"Nope, single actually. I don't think he ever got quite over you." This caused Rocky to look up, meeting the eyes of his host. "I really shouldn't be saying this." They both set their cups down, "I'm not saying I supported your relationship, and I'm not telling you where he is. But..." Curly hesitated to finish his statement. "you two have something. There's a connection, soulmates kind of shit." Rocky was silent as Curly finished his coffee. "Then again, what do I know?" He stood up, picking his cup off the table and turning to Rocky "guest bedroom is down the hall, you can stay as long as you need. Amber might wake you up, try not to let it bother you." Rocky nodded in understanding and picked up his cup, following Curly to the kitchen. "And please, no drugs. She's only two, I can't have that near her. You have to go outside to smoke and stay outside to ride any highs. Cool?"

Rocky nodded again, "I promise." Something about the kid made him believe he could do it. Made him feel like he didn't need man's great pleasures. Maybe it was her size, her innocence, or the fact her dad would kill Rocky if he got any of his shit near the kid. "Night Amber" he whispered. He took a quick shower before going to bed, thoughts of Oliver flooding his mind. Memories, questions, brilliant blue eyes shielded by thick glasses.