The First Day on the Job.
"Where's my money, you piece of ****?" Demanded his attacker, slamming his head into a wall.
"I swear," he pleaded, "I'll have it to you by next week."
"That's what you said last week," the attacker kicked him in the gut as he tried to get up, "and the week before that. You're not fooling me with that again. Oh, I get it." He grabbed his victim's hair, and yanking him so they were face to face. "You think I'm stupid, is that it?"
"No," the man pleaded. He felt a tugging, and before the attacker could hit him again, he woke up.
"Bro," said a voice, which filled him with relief. It was Henry.
"Good morning," said Bob, but Henry wasn't there for that,
"You were screaming again," he said, "is it the nightmares?"
"Yeah," said Bob. Henry gave him a look, "what?"
"You need to talk to me," he said, "I have a degree in psychology, I can help you."
"I've told you," said Bob, "I can't tell you. It's secret." Henry obviously didn't agree with Bob's logic but shrugged it off. Bob looked at the clock. No point in going back to sleep, he had to shape up and ship out. Frankie never established a specific time for him to show up, but she did tell him to be early.
Bob showered, and dressed in blue jeans, a black T-Shirt, and brown sneakers. He grabbed a few slices of the pizza on his way out.
"Bye," he called to his roommate as he left.
...
He pulled up to Foster's and walked in. Frankie was sweeping the foyer when she saw him.
"Good," she said, "you're here." Suddenly, a voice came from the old fashioned PA system,
"Miss Francis," it was the voice of Mr. Herriman, "There is a mess in the kitchen. You and Mister Bob get it cleaned up." Frankie sighed.
"I don't know how many times I've told him,"" she said, "my name is Frankie. Well, let's get started." So Frankie and Bob set out to clean the kitchen.
It certainly was a mess. Globs of goo everywhere, identified by the smell as peanut butter. It stuck to the floor, the walls, cupboards, and even some on the ceiling. Bob grabbed a mop and a bucket while Frankie grabbed a sponge and a bucket of hot water. She grabbed a step ladder and climbed it, scrubbing a cupboard.
Meanwhile, Coco laid an Egg, and Eduardo opened it. Inside was a toy truck, complete with a bed one could flip up. She laid another egg, and in this one was a remote control. Eduardo set the truck down and began to fiddle with the remote. He didn't know that upon a touch of a button, or the moving of one of the sticks, that the truck would go around and do whatever it darn pleased.
The truck rolled into the kitchen, unseen by Bob and Frankie. It rolled around the gooey globs of peanut butter, and under Frankie's stepladder. It shot its bed up with such force, the stepladder became a catapult, launching her like a lawn dart. She was caught off guard, and let out a yelp, like anyone who was suddenly thrown. Bob looked up, to see her flying through the air towards the ground.
"Frankie!" He cried, and caught her. There was an awkward moment. He was holding Frankie bridal style. She had grabbed what she could get her hands on for support, and grabbed onto his neck. Not in a choking fashion, but more of a holding on sort of way. Bob rather liked carrying her like this, not knowing why. Frankie didn't mind being held this way. Both stared at each other, blushing heavily. Neither of them knew how to react.
"Ummm," said a voice; the voice of Bloo, "Why are you holding her like that?" Bob set her down, and faced Bloo,
"She fell," he said, "I caught her." They could see mischief in his gaze. Bob reached into his pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill, which Bloo stared at,
"If you keep this under your hat," said the man, "I'll make it worth your while." Bloo nodded, taking the money and leaving. Putting it into his pocket, he smirked,
"I don't have a hat."
...
Meanwhile, Frankie and Bob were still cleaning the kitchen, with a tiny dent made in the mess, when one of the Imaginary friends came by.
"Frankie," he said, "I never knew you liked being swept off your feet." She raised an eyebrow to him.
"What are you talking about?" she asked him.
"Letting the new guy carry you like that, it must be love at first sight." Frankie was furious,
"BLOO!" she shouted, so loudly that nearly everyone in the house heard it. Bloo was the only one who did not hear it, as he was too busy talking to Mac about what he had seen.
"Bloo," said Mac, knowing what was happening as soon as Frankie yelled, "You just told everyone in the house a lie."
"My eyes saw it," Bloo insisted, "Bob is trying to get in on it with Frankie, and Frankie isn't doing anything to discourage it."
"I'm sorry," said Wilt sternly, who came in behind him, "but that is definitely not okay. You just ruined Frankie's reputation." At this moment, Frankie stormed in.
"You are so dead," said Frankie, her voice unsteady with anger. Bob came in shortly after, and he wasn't too happy either.
"I gave you MONEY," said Bob, "I paid you for your silence, but since you didn't live up to your promise, give me my money back." Bloo handed it back to him. Madame Foster and Mr. Herriman were also mad at him.
"For your punishment," said Herriman, "you're going to finish cleaning the kitchen." Bloo spent the rest of the day, sulking as he cleaned the Peanut Butter, and it was later found that he was the one that made it happen in the first place. He was sent to bed without dinner.
...
Later that day, Bob returned to his apartment. He was greeted by Henry.
"Someone came by today," he said.
"Who was it?" asked Bob.
"He was dodging my questions," said Henry, "he insisted that someone named Steven Heartstrudder lived here." Had he been paying attention, Henry would have noticed a flash of nervousness in Bob's face.
"What did he want?" asked Bob, his voice shaking.
"He just said he was looking for that person, and that he knew he was here. Do you know someone by that name?" Bob sighed. He knew he couldn't keep this away from Henry anymore; he was now involved, and therefore in danger.
"What I'm about to tell you," said Bob, in a serious tone, "never leaves this room. Okay?" Henry nodded, glad that Bob was finally letting him in on the secret. "That is my real name, Steven Heartstrudder. Let's just say that as a child, trying to raise money for my family, I got mixed up in the wrong crowd." As Bob kept talking, Henry knew he could never look at him the same way again.
"I just remembered," said Henry, "we're low on some groceries. Let's get them, since neither of us have anything going on right now." Bob agreed, and the pair drove off towards the store.