Robbie Forgotten

15

The town hall bustled with activity as everyone worked to prepare the large space for their party. It had taken them the better part of the afternoon to put it together. Pixel and the mayor hung up the decorations, Ms Busybody provided the desserts with Ziggy serving as the taste-tester, and Stephanie and Trixie handled the games. As for Stingy, he "supervised" them all from the comfort of the mayor's high back office chair and kept track of the to-do list.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Ziggy was already bouncing around from all the sweets he'd been sampling.

"I can't wait to start the games," Stephanie said.

Stingy checked off item after item from his list, nodding along with everyone's excited chatter. "Yes, my party is coming along just perfectly," he said.

"It's not YOUR party, Stingy," Trixie corrected him, "it's all of ours."

"Well, it's MY list," Stingy ruffled his sheaf of paper, and Trixie shook her head.

Ownership aside the party was looking to be their best one yet. They just needed one more thing.

The big front door swung open before anyone realized it. All heads turned towards the entrance. Robbie stood in the doorway staring back at them. For a moment they all remained frozen like so many deer in the headlights. Smiles and laughs broke out across the townspeople then and they sang out in a loud chorus.

"SURPRISE!"

The kids cheered and the mayor clapped his hands while Ms Busybody brought forth a multi-tiered cake bigger than her own head. It was generously layered in pink and white frosting and embellished with all sorts of candies from gumdrops to lollipops. Robbie didn't move from the open doorway, his stony expression unfazed by the outpouring of goodwill.

"What is this noisiness?" Robbie spoke in a hard, flat tone.

"It's a surprise party!" Mayor Meanswell declared, waving his hands. "Well, maybe not so much a surprise," he reconsidered as he met Robbie's impassive stare.

"You're early," Stingy complained, crumpling up his to-do list.

"But it's still a party!" Ziggy said.

"Yeah, and it's all for you!" Stephanie said.

"What about me?" Stingy grumbled, but Trixie and Pixel shushed him.

"A party for me," Robbie said, "is that what you think." His frown didn't waver as he made a cursory glance at the streamers strung along the windows, the balloons bobbing against the ceiling, and the expectant faces of all the townspeople. "I think not."

"Aw, don't be like that," Trixie said. "Don't you want to play some party games?"

"Yeah, and sing some party songs?" Pixel asked.

"And get some party favors!" Ziggy said.

"Yes, come now, Ruben," Ms Busybody said with an indulgent giggle, "you simply must have some of this beautiful cake that I made!"

Something twitched across Robbie's face, a vein throbbing in his temple.

"My name," Robbie grated, his voice rising to a shout, "is Robbie. ROTTEN!"

Bessie's tittering stopped, her eyes wide at the outburst. Behind them the children fell silent as well. The sudden cessation of festive exclamations plunged the room into an atmosphere heavy and prickly like an impending lightning strike. Nobody could move or speak in that moment, riveted by the dark and stormy expression on Robbie's face, his eyes burning into Bessie's. The skinny man took hold of the cake dish and yanked it out of the woman's hands.