Three days had past since Roxanne had joined with the oddball trio called the Three Stooges, who allowed her to stay in their apartment and help her search for Jack– who she refused was dead– and in the meantime she would learn their songs on the stand-up wooden piano they had in the living room, getting ready for her first gig on this upcoming Friday; not wanting to let them down. She did owe them for everything they did, after all. They hardly ever used a piano in their band, but now Roxanne was determined to get the songs be the end of the week, making her practice hour after hour. But she always did have her break at the end of the day like playing made-up songs as Larry was on the violin and the two just jam, but when the three were doing their side job at the pawn shop they owned that she never been to, Roxanne would just either take a walk or do whatever she felt like, or continue to carry on her search. At times her search led her going to the local police station and– God forbid– the morgue. Nothing would come up on her missing friend, but she'd always returned to the apartment by four.

Today, however, was different. Instead of being at home or searching for her friend, the boys took her with to show their job at the pawn shop.

"Well," Moe announced proudly as they walked in the roomy shop that consisted of items ranging from nick-nacks to instruments. "This is it."

"Here Today, Pawn Tomorrow," Larry finished with a smile.

Roxanne chuckled at that name. "Nice name and nice place." She began to walk around and looking at the instruments on the left, then to the other things like bowling balls, golf gear, old radios and televisions, and all sorts of things. "How is business?" She turned to them as they began to set up shop.

"It's doin' pretty well," Larry answered as he began to clean the wooden counter that was in the back of the shop. "We had this place for five months already and I think we finally found a stable job." Then added under his breath, "For once."

Roxanne smiled, walking up to him. "For once?"

He just turned his gaze at her as if she knew what he meant.

"I'll leave it at that, then," the teen simply replied with a innocent smile. She had feeling that her three companions weren't the type to have a stable job. Then again… neither was Jack.

"Yeah, you better," was all that he said.

"Hey, porcupine," Moe called from the back room. "Lend me a hand, will ya?"

Larry gave her a quick smile. "Excuse me," then hurried to the back, knowing his friend's temper.

The teen spotted Curly, who was happily dusting a tuba, singing his own tune to himself, and approached him with a smile. "So, how's–"

A loud crash of shattering glass came from the back, making them both face the back room with wide and stunned eyes.

"You were goin' to say somethin'?" Curly innocently asked, not removing his gaze, trying to change their attention away from whatever just happened.

"Uh, I was?" Roxanne asked, forgetting what she was going to say, then there they were: Moe dragging Larry out by the hair.

"I'm sorry, Moe," the man pleaded. "It was an accident!"

The older one turned to him with anger, roughly releasing his frizzy hair. "An accident? You just broke fifteen plates, ya imbecile!" He slapped him and pointed to the back room. "Now go clean it up!" He turned to Curly. "Hey, knucklehead. Go help him."

The innocent one instantly dropped the feather duster and hurried to the back with Larry taking the lead and disappeared.

Moe shook his head with his hands on his hips. "The things that I put up with."

"Never a dull moment, huh?" Roxanne asked with an uncertain smile as she walked up to him. Knowing his temper, she was always on her toes, not wanting to get him annoyed herself.

The older man slowly shook his head. "What am I goin' to do with 'em?"

"Nothing," she replied with a humorous smile, looking at the backdoor. "You're stuck with them." She grinned at him, knowing it was true and so did he by the way he smiled, hanging his head.

Moe looked at her with a worn-out look. "Boy, ain't that truth."

Roxanne studied him, knowing that it was time to bring the subject up. "Do you want me to get a job, Moe? After everything you and the others have been doing for me? You did take me in and for what reason?" She knew that the question had to be asked as the guilt was slowly building up and now was the time.

He looked at her with calm and understanding eyes. "Roxxy. We don't expect ya to run out and get a job. I mean, you also had done some things for yourself like getting your own things and ya even got food yesterday."

"But I'm running out of money. I only have five bucks left and then you three will have to spend money for one more and I don't want that to happen."

She even thought about when she would run out of money, she would leave and take care of herself and carry on the search alone like she did before– wanting it to be a temporary stay– but that would mean that she would left alone in a house, looking and worrying for Jack, and if something did happen to him, then what? It would be back to square one again, but it wouldn't be the first time. Also, if the cops caught her, she would be more than likely sent back to the orphanage. Then she would have lost her parents and best friend.

"Hey, morons!" Moe called, breaking her thoughts. "Get out here!"

A moment later, the two came strolling in, ready for their next order.

"You think we have room for one more employ for this joint?" he asked.

"I think so," Larry answered, then smiled eagerly. "Who's the new guy?"

"Do we know 'em?" Curly asked with an excited grin.

Moe narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms, looking at the two like they were idiots. "I'm talkin' about Roxanne!" he yelled, annoyed, pointing at the sixteen-year-old, who just stood there with puzzled eyes at the sound of her name.

"Ohhh," the two others replied simultaneously as they just looked at their leader.

"Sure," Larry was the first to answer with a smile.

"I think she'll be great," Curly chimed in.

The main boss looked at her with a smile and held out his hand. "Congratulations, kid, ya got yer job."

Roxanne smiled eagerly, shaking his hand. "Thank you and I promise that I will not disappoint."

He smiled as they released the shake and looked at her. "You start today, kid, but I'll show ya the ropes." He turned to the others. "Did ya numbskulls finish cleanin' up that mess?"

"Yes," they answered at the same time with a curt nod and smile.

"Good. Now get to work," he ordered.

The two looked at each other, then to him. "But there are no cost–"

"Now," he said coldly, making them scurry off into random directions. "Follow me," he ordered and the girl followed behind the counter to the cash register. He began to show how to use it, and proceeded to give her the tour of the storage room that was filled with random boxes and remains of the broken plates on the tile flooring, making the boss just shake his head, then made it her first job to clean it up.

Roxanne didn't mind at all. As long as she was working to chip in for the money for her new friends, that's all she could ask for, but she knew that she was not going to stay long. She didn't know how long, but she would know when she overstayed her time. She only hoped that she was going to find Jack soon, concerned for her friend's safety. That's all she wanted so she wouldn't have the feeling of a burden.

Then she froze.

They were the ones paying her.

The girl just released a sigh.


The pawn shop's name came from the episode "Three Loan Wolves."