15. Fatty

The next week was boring, void of any real work for Jim. To keep up the money flow and just for the fun of it, I began to work for Brent.

Madeline didn't want to help, but I told her the option was keeping the flat clean, or learning to cook in the kitchen. She quickly chose the latter.

By the end of the week, Maddy knew much more about life than she had before, and she was becoming more confident with her ever-growing cooking skills.

One day I had to help serve drinks while Brent ran an errand. When I got back to the kitchen Madeline had soup already boiling on the stove.

I was very proud that my hard work was paying off, but Jim kept reminding me that the glory belonged to Maddy, not me.

But even if she was mastering the kitchen, Madeline was still too nervous to work at the bar. So she would stay in solitude in the kitchen, and I would have all the male attention while serving drinks.

Before we knew it, an entire month had gone by. We all went downstairs to the pub and celebrated. Jim, Drake, and I had whiskey, but Maddy stayed away from it.

After me introducing her to tequila, she kept her distance from strong drinks. But she did develop a taste for beer.

"Well 'appy one month." Jim raised his glass in the air, and we all clinked our glasses together.

"It really is hard to believe that it's only been a month. It feels like eternity to me." Said Madeline, wiping beer foam from her lips.

"When I foist left New Yawk it felt like dat as well, but I got ovah it," I said.

"And the best way tah get ovah things is to have more beer! How 'bout getting us all some, Loke."

I grinned and silently stood up. I began to make my way over to the bar. When I was half way there, a large man reached out and pulled me onto his lap.

"Hey doll, how 'bout you and me go someplace."

"In yoah dreams Fatty," I snapped, standing up again.

"Oh so you don't like me because I'm fat?" asked the man, grabbing me again. I could tell he was very drunk.

"No. I don't like ya cause yoah dumb and fat!"

The man's face turned pink with rage. He may have been fat, but he sure was quick. In a flash his hand lashed out and struck me against my left cheek.

He had used so much force that I stumbled one step backwards.

A few people looked our way, and I saw Jim stand up in the corner of my eye. I should have walked away, but I was way to mad to be rational.

"Ya got everyone's attention Fatty. Dere prob'ly all looking at yoah ugly tub wonderin what sort of animal yoah mamma was."

I didn't think that Fatty would do anything to me while everyone was watching; I was wrong. His hand whipped out once more, and struck me on the other cheek.

My eyes watered and I tried to get control. Before I could move away, he grabbed me by my collar. He probably would have punched me in the stomach, but Jim got to him first.

He was so mad that when he punched Fatty in the face, the large man and all his bulk, staggered backwards.

"Keep away from the goil," said Jim, through clenched teeth.

Fatty would have fought with him, but Brent came and stood beside Jim. Fatty's chances against two men-and one of them who was very angry- were slim and he saw that. Without paying for his drinks, he spun on his heel and left the building.

Well I must say that at that time Jim was my hero, but the moment was taken away when I looked over at Madeline.

She was crying real hard, and Drake was nervously patting her on the back. I don't know what went wrong, but I suddenly burned with anger.

Madeline hadn't been the one slapped twice in the face, yet there she sat crying like a sissy.

I noticed that my feet were moving towards our table. In a blur I grabbed hold of Madeline's dress and began to shake her, hard.

"Stop it you twit, stop crying! What's yoah problem you bi-"

Jim came up behind me and grabbed me around the waist. Still screaming at Madeline, he dragged me upstairs and into the flat.

He dropped me down on my bed and sat beside me. Jim reached out and wiped my eyes. I hadn't realized it until then but I had been crying!

I was never one to cry, crying made people weak!

Having these thoughts rush through my head only made me cry harder. I hated myself for being weak, but I began to calm down as Jim slowly stroked my head.

"Its alright Loki, you'll be okay." He whispered.

Soon my crying stopped altogether and I continued to hold Jims hand.

"Jim, do you hate me for crying?" I asked fearfully.

"No, its normal for people to cry."

"Are you sure?" I asked. My eyelids were growing heavy as sleep began to grab at me.

"I'm sure, now go to sleep." The last thing I remembered was Jim kissing me softly on the forehead, then sleep took over.

When I woke up I felt stiff and had a pain in my cheeks, but I was very rested. I could hardly remember what happened earlier, but I knew it hadn't been good. My eyes were sore reminding me that I had been crying.

I stumbled into the living room, not bothering to change out of the wrinkled dress I had slept in. For no reason, I touched the edge of the table with my fingertips. Someone burst through the front door and I spun around.

"Well good morning, and I wont ask how you slept. Ten hours of sleep, my goodness!" exclaimed Madeline. She was in her plain dress, a basket of laundry in her arms.

"What time is it?"

"9 am. I've already been to the laundry and back. Got tired of waiting for you to wake up. Are you hungry? I'll get you something to eat."

I looked over at Madeline who had already set down her basket and was digging in a cupboard. She hadn't spoken so much in one sentence since her father was sent to jail, she was finally coming back to normal.

I knew I had done or said something terrible to Maddy last night, and I was puzzled over why she was so happy.

"Ah, here is some bread." Madeline cut a thick slice of bread and put it on a plate. "Sit down then!" she commanded. I sat down. "Now then, a little jam perhaps?"

Before I could answer Maddy had already spread on the jam and set the plate before me. I sat and stared at it quietly, not wanting to pick it up.

"I know that in your childhood you hardly ever ate breakfast, but I'm here and you are going to eat it, or so help me!"

Maddy's tone was slightly playful but I still picked up the bread and began to eat.

I had only taken two bites when I dropped my bread and jam back onto my plate. Something was on my mind and I couldn't do anything until I had fixed it.

"Maddy, I did somethin to you'se last night. I'm not shoah what it was, but I'm sorry."

"Its alright, good came out of it all," squealed Madeline.

"Do tell," I said, beginning to eat my jam and bread again.

"Well I wasn't doing so well last night after Jim dragged you off, so Drake took me for a walk in the park. The moon and stars were out all romantic like. And as if in a dream, Drake leaned forward and he kissed me on the lips."

"He kissed you!" I exclaimed, crumbs flying out of my mouth.

"Yes! Nothing could have been more wonderful! When we got home we decided it would be best if I didn't share a bed with you for the night. So Jim slept with you and-"

"Crap! That sneaky little boogers been...never mind, go on."

"So I shared the other bed with Drake."

"And?" I asked quickly.

"And nothing. We slept peacefully until seven thirty when we got up and started the day."

I sighed and took the last bite of my bread. I thought of how Jim had shared a bed with me last night. I faintly remember that I had been comfortable and me dreams sweet.

After breakfast I quickly changed and helped Madeline fold the laundry. She was becoming quite the lower class worker. I even hear her say 'ain't' once, but she quickly corrected herself.

As I mentioned before, Madeline was back to her old chatterbox self. She could talk the ears off a camel with out breaking into a sweat.

We decided that we would make lunch in the flat instead of the pub today. We only made sandwiches, but anything we made was sure to be good.

The men returned from wherever they had been. Madeline and Drake looked at each other and then quickly looked to the floor, blushing. I realized their attractions were probably stronger than I had thought.

"Hey fellahs." I said, taking their coats from them.

"Hi Loki, feeling better I can see." Said Jim.

I decided I wouldn't mention to Jim that I knew he had slept with me last night. I figured that there had been no harm done.

I began to think about our situation in life. Madeline was back to her normal self but I was back to being quiet.

Suddenly I realized that I had always been quiet as a kid, I only made noise to get attention, and I had plenty of that now. After last nights lit show, I didn't want to be noticed anymore, so I will just stick to being me.

Shouts Outs

Shrieksy: Yes you were right about Drake...obviously. But its only been a kiss. Will that be all? So you don't think I should change my name eh? Madeline is a quick-witted chick when she chooses to be, so she could make up something like 'timber'. I told you that you would love this chapter. So how bout it, was I right?

Air: Hurrah for you and the two men inside your head. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you liked my little bit of romance in this one. A lady I know once told me that when she was young if someone had told her to boil water, she wouldn't know how. That's where I got the water part. And you do think I should change my name! Shrieksy says no and you say yes....hmmm tough decision. I also might mention that my older stories arn't as good as this one. My storied get better with each one i write, and so far this is my absolute favorite.

A lot of love for people like my dear friend Doc Na Skywalker for reviewing to me personally, and to Koodles4you,who always reviews my story...but I update too quick for her.

Love you all!

Leh Sundance or Bittersweet Nightshade?