Risking All for Love (Wattpadprize14)

Chapter Two

As Gary and Margaux strolled across the debris-strewn street toward the supermarket, they felt an instant connection. Where this friendship would go was too premature for them to think about.

Coming out of the door were David Rasmussen and Felicia overloaded with grocery bags filling two shopping carts. By the curb were four African boys clad in tattered shorts, flip-flops, and pullovers with names of American baseball teams.

As they swooped down on the pair, Margaux squeezed Gary's hand. "Watch how those kids play your friends like a violin, it'll be hilarious!"

"Hey, boss, we can able to help you too much!" The boy in charge raised his hand, and a Mercedes taxi stopped on a dime next to them. The other three grabbed up the grocery bags in a matter of seconds and stuffed them in the open trunk as the driver stood by.

With the driver waiting, the boy in charge held out his hand along with the others. "Twenty-fi cent, boss!"

Felicia stood motionless while David said, "Felicia, will you let me get some change inside while you wait with the taxi?"

"Sure."

Margaux smiled again and leaned over to Gary. "Let's watch a minute, this is going to be fun."

Gary whispered, "Okay, they haven't noticed us yet."

Shortly after, David emerged from the super market with a handful of cash. He handed the head boy a quarter dollar.

"Watch the first boy, Gary."

The first boy took his coin, stuffed it in his pocket, and changed places with a second boy, who received his.

"Hey, boss man, you no pay me!" the boy in charge said.  As David and Felicia stood confused, the boys continued to switch positions, stuffing quarters in their pockets, but then demanding payment a second and third time.  So they continued to give the boys more quarters.

Margaux hung onto Gary's arm, laughing. "Those boys know that David and Felicia can't tell them apart yet.  They must have given those four boys about five dollars already." Gary took her arm in his.

"Margaux, are you going to have mercy on them?"

"Yes, Gary, we've both had enough fun watching." After they walked casually up to the taxi driver, Margaux said to him, "I say, my friend, wait small, inna?" She handed the scraggly dressed driver a half-hidden dollar. Gary smiled as Margaux bent over to speak to the four boys.

"Thank you, small boys, for your help, but you can able to humbug my friends too much, inna?"

The head boy smiled. Margaux handed the boy another dollar. "The fun is over, inna? Go play somewhere."

With a look that acknowledged familiarity, he said, "Okay, boss lady." They then scampered off across the street toward a fruit vendor to buy sugar cane sticks known for their sweet candy-like taste.

Gary stood beside Margaux as she spoke through a wide smile, "Well, my new friends, you've just had your small-boy baptism. Did you learn something?"

"That you can't beat a small boy at his own game?"

"You're getting the hang of it already," Margaux said in consolation.

"Thanks for your help," they both said.

"By the way, Lisa's deceptively beautiful, you'll both like her eventually if not at first."

Margaux turned to the driver. "Don't you humbug my friends either, inna? Give them a fair price, or I'd better not hear about it." Margaux spoke up again. "Inna?"