Someone in Trouble

Chapter 15: Two Little Words

Something wasn't right.

It was hard for Robbie to put his finger on. Were the kids playing less than usual? No, that didn't seem to be it. They didn't play as recklessly as they used to but they still filled their days with all sorts of games, many of which Robbie even took part in. Maybe they weren't eating enough? That wasn't it either. As many slices of cake as he could ply them with the kids still rounded their meals out with more than enough of that despicable sportscandy. They still got into trouble now and then too, which Robbie made sure to keep up with and save them from whenever they needed saving.

Everything seemed right on the surface, but still there was that Something. Something niggled at the back of Robbie's thoughts whenever he spent time with the children and saw those strange moments of introspection on their faces, momentarily lost in thought. Like a whisper in his ear it was trying to warn him that he was missing Something. Whatever it was, it created a strange sort of unrest among the children. And if the children couldn't rest, neither could Robbie.

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Sitting in the town square one day, Stingy happened by and joined Robbie on his favorite bench. The boy didn't say anything at first, acting casual. He even hummed a little song while idling there. It was not quite the level of quiet companionship that Robbie normally cared to tolerate but he could tune it out easily enough, so they sat like that for a few minutes.

Stingy made sidelong glances at Robbie then too, brief little peeks up at the man's face before averting his eyes and observing a passing butterfly with intense focus instead. But his looks kept drifting back to the villain. Eventually Stingy must have gathered up his courage enough for whatever he was angling for as he finally cast an offhanded question Robbie's way.

"Hey, Robbie," Stingy said with practiced nonchalance, "do you think I could... have your cufflinks, perhaps?"

"My what?" Robbie arched an eyebrow at him. "Why would you want something like that?" The fancy boy desired some strange things sometimes, sure, but Robbie's French cuffs weren't going to keep themselves up. Well, whatever. They'd haggled over lesser things before. "I guess that depends. What'll you trade me for them?"

"Oh, I don't want to trade," Stingy said. "I just thought maybe you'd, ah— give them to me?"

"Give them to you? For nothing?" Robbie frowned a little, not understanding what kind of game Stingy was trying to play here. "No, I think not."

"Oh," Stingy said with audible disappointment. He tapped his fingers on the arm of the bench and looked away again but Robbie was on to him now. When Stingy glanced back over he was caught in the man's suspicious gaze. He cleared his throat. "What about your pocket chain?"

Robbie planted a hand over the pocket on his vest where his silver chain dangled. "You want to trade for that, now?" he asked. Stingy hemmed and hawed and shook his head. Robbie's frown deepened. "You want me to just give it to you."

"That's right," Stingy nodded and held out his hand. "So will you?"

"Are you joking? No way!"

"But I'd take really good care of it," Stingy needled and cajoled him. "Please?"

"What possible use do you have for my cuffs or my chain?" Robbie snapped.

"Well I don't really need them for anything," Stingy said, "it's just— It's..."

Stingy looked off again and his eyes seemed to see a thousand yards away as he searched for the answer. Robbie felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. The words came pouring out of Stingy in a rush.