Nick has scrubbed windows cleaned yards and just plain old charmed money out of people. He never got more than a few dollars for any of them, but beggars can't be choosers.
It was one in the afternoon and he was sitting in front of the mercantile building, waiting for for the owner to come out. Once a week Mister McCoy had Nick Groom his claws. It was considered vain for males to get their nails manicured, so he had Nick do it in private.
Nick wouldn't run his mouth as most others would and the pay was more than three times the amount of money he got from any other jobs. It was a win-win situation.
Well, except for the fact that Mister McCoy has a daughter, Jasmine, and he is pretty sure that she has a crush on him. He shutters at the thought. Nick hates girls.
They always cry when they get hurt, they mock and gossip about him, and they are just all around snooty. That or they get way too close to him. Like Jasmine. Can't a ten-year-old live his life without girls bothering him while he's trying to work?
'Speaking of Jasmine, here she comes now,' He thinks to himself.
"Are you waiting on daddy to call you in, Nicky?" Jasmine says when she comes closer. "The store is a little full right now so he is busy, but I can take you to the back if you want."
Nick puts on a charming smile before saying," Nah. I'll just wait here for him." He has to be nice to his boss's daughter instead of telling her to back the fuck off.
'Just remember Nick, the pay is good, the pay is good.' He thinks to himself to remind himself not to do anything stupid.
"I'm not doing anything right now, so I will wait with you!"The tabby cat says.
He feels his heart sink. 'The money. Just think about the money.'
"Nicky, I've been meaning to ask you, would you come to my birthday party this Wednesday? It really wouldn't be the same if you weren't there.
'Where the fuck did this come from?'
"Um... " He scratches the back of his head and looks away from her at the mercantile window. What he sees there has his heart beating faster. Mister McCoy is glaring at him through the window. He quickly turns back towards the younger McCoy. "Um, I'll think about it. I might have work that day." He answers swiftly before turning way again.
"Oh." Jasmine deflates before she bounces back with another conversation starter. "Your so cool Nicky! I don't know any other kid that works like you! Do you make a lot of money? What do you spend it on?"
"Well you don't know any other orphans, so you wouldn't know another working kid. I don't make a lot of money and always spend it on food." Nick says like a smartass.
"Oh." She says again, and the conversation is over. They sit in awkward silence as the last shoppers come out and Mister McCoy calls him in.
"Nicky, I'm sorry I made light of your bad situation. I just wanted to talk to you. Can you ever forgive me?" Her expression and tone are apologetic.
"Sure Jasmine." He opens and walks through the door.
Nick and Mister McCoy walk to the living room in silence. Once they are there McCoy sits down and Nick gets his (stolen) supplies ready. He is almost prepared to work on his McCoy's Claws when he speaks up.
"Boy, you better watch yourself because if my baby gets upset, I'll get upset. And if I'm upset you might have to look for a new job."
Nick's hands pause for a second before he continues again.
"Yes, Sir."