- Not what you were looking for? See Ty (disambiguation).
“I love you, Daddy.” |
Tyler Stanton is a major character from The Cliffs, the first story in the book of the same name. He's Robert's two-year-old son who disappears when Robert is momentarily distracted.
Physical Appearance[]
Tyler is an adorable toddler. He has hazel eyes–the same shade as his mother’s–framed by long, sooty eyelashes. Tyler also has curly black hair that surrounds his head like a halo, and his mouth is shaped like a cherubic rosebud, also like his mother. He's about three feet tall and weighs twenty-eight pounds. Tyler still wears diapers under his shorts.
Personality[]
Tyler is usually happy and adorable. He loves to show off and brag about his toys, and he also finds rhymes funny. However, Tyler is also emotionally unstable and has wild mood swings, which is typical for two-year-olds yet can still be overwhelming.
History[]
Two years into Robert and Anna's marriage, Anna got pregnant with Tyler. The couple were thrilled, but two months before he was due Anna got swelling in her hands and feet. At first they’re told that it’s normal, but after a regular checkup revealed her blood pressure was high she was rushed to the hospital. Her blood pressure failed to go down, and in a desperate attempt to save her life they decided to deliver Tyler early by Cesarean. When Anna suffered a massive stroke on the operating table, Robert was left a single father. Since Tyler was born early, he was tiny and unable to breathe on his own without exhausting himself, and had to stay in an incubator in the hospital for a few weeks until he gained weight and developed his lungs more.
It's been two years since then, and Tyler is a healthy toddler. He doesn't know much about his mother, as Robert has decided not to tell him. One day at Tiny Tot Academy, the teacher asks the kids to draw pictures of their families and talk about them. Tyler's friend notices Tyler doesn't have a mom and asks about it, which makes Tyler a little upset. The teacher explains to the class that not all kids have a mommy and a daddy, and all that matters is people and love.
After Robert picks Tyler up from day care, they go to All Mart for groceries. When they pass the toy aisle Tyler spots a Tag-Along Freddy toy and gets excited. Robert hands him one and he hugs it, saying "Wuv." Robert learns that the bear will watch over Tyler and send live updates through a wristwatch. Remembering a time when he left to cook for a few seconds and returned to see Tyler scaling a bookcase, Robert buys the toy for Tyler. While Robert cooks spaghetti and salad, Tyler plays with Tag-Along Freddy by "reading" a book to it. At dinner, Tyler demands the bear get a plate as well, although agreeing to it only eating pretend food. That night, Tyler is excited to get in the bath and doesn't argue with Robert over it, and he also goes peacefully to sleep that night with the bear in his arms.
The next day, Tag-Along Freddy joins Tyler to the breakfast table and went with him to day care, with Tyler cuddling and talking to Freddy in the car. The teacher decides to make an exception to the rules and allows Tyler to take Freddy into the classroom with him. At work, Robert occasionally gets messages on his Tag-Along Time wristwatch telling him what activities Tyler is doing while at day care.
Saturday morning, after breakfast, Tyler and Tag-Along Freddy go outside to play in the sandbox. Robert gets a call from his phone, which he left inside the house, and while he goes to answer it Tyler spots a dog. Tyler decides follow it, but gets lost and eventually ends up in a hole in the rock face of the Cliffs. After spending nearly an entire day inside, Tyler is dirty and sweaty. Eventually, he begins to cry, which alerts Robert, who is at the top of Jumper's Cliff. Robert makes his way to the underside of the cliff and Tyler pokes his head and arms poke out so Robert can scoop him into a hug. Tyler explains he saw a dog, and Robert pieces together the rest. Tyler promises to never leave the yard unless Robert’s with him, and asks for Robert to carry him home.
As they head home, Tyler tells Robert that he's thirsty. Robert tells him he can get a big cup of water and sliced bananas with peanut butter to dip them in, as well as his "special" mac and cheese for supper. When they reach the lower cliffs, Robert stops and peers down to where he threw Tag-Along Freddy only to see it gone. Tyler asks what he sees and Robert points to the sunrise, telling Tyler that the color of the clouds match a dress Anna used to have. Tyler calls his mother pretty and Robert asks if he wants to see photos of her sometime soon, which Tyler is excited about. Robert also says he'll tell Tyler stories about her, like how pretty, smart, and nice she was. Tyler tells Robert that he's nice too, and they both tell how much they love each other. Robert sets Tyler down on the ground and they hold hands as they walk toward home together.