Chapter Six – Rochelle's Little Helper
"So are you Rochelle's little helper?" Slinky asked Buzz the following day as they played Ludo.
Buzz moved his green counter around the board before glancing up. "Sorry?" he queried, and Slinky shrugged.
"A few of the other toys have noticed you spending less time with Jessie and more time scampering around after Rochelle."
Buzz was surprised. "No, of course not. Jessie and I still have something special."
"That would explain why she's spent the last two nights alone on the shelf, so Chuckles tells me," Slinky replied sarcastically, and Buzz sighed.
"It's just a bad patch, Slinky. These things happen."
"But you two haven't been together long enough to have those sort of problems," Slinky pointed out, throwing the die and moving his yellow counter around the board. Buzz was about to ask how Slinky would know anything about such things when Rochelle plopped down next to him.
"Hey guys," she chirruped, "Ludo! Great! Listen Buzz," she went on immediately, disregarding Slinky and the board game. "Would you mind if I asked you to help me move something off the shelf up there?" She indicated one of the wall shelves. "My stage isn't high enough for tonight."
"Uh, sure," Buzz didn't move. Rochelle waited. Slinky simply stared.
"Uh, now, Buzz?" Rochelle cleared her throat.
"Oh! Okay...!" Buzz hopped up on command and ignored the springy dog rolling his eyes in an I-told-you-so way. "Be right back, Slink," he called, climbing up to the second shelf after Rochelle. They got to the shelf and the doll patted a hardback book there, wedged under two other books on the same shelf.
"This one," she informed Buzz, who stepped forward immediately to tug the book out a bit. It proved a little difficult due to the other two books there, but with a few hard enough tugs the book became looser.
"Oooh, such a big strong space toy," Rochelle giggled, and Buzz blushed. "Aw lookit you going on all shy around me," Rochelle went on, grinning broadly at Buzz and walking her fingers up his arm. Buzz shivered at her touch. He felt as if he could melt into a big plastic puddle right there. He gave the book one last tug to completely dislodge it, and the other two books toppled over – to reveal Jessie on the other side.
Jessie looked across and caught sight of Buzz first, his cheeks flushed, and then her gaze settled on Rochelle, who by this point was caressing Buzz's bicep. Her normally mellow face changed in an instant. Buzz...and Rochelle? She was on her feet and stomping towards Buzz like a cowgirl possessed.
"What the hell's going on here then?" she demanded, meeting Buzz's eye. The space toy didn't know what to say or do. Rochelle put her hand under Buzz's tricep and held his arm protectively.
"Buzz was just being really helpful and assisting me with my setup for the show tonight," she explained cheerfully, squeezing Buzz's tricep now.
Jessie saw the movement. "So," she spat, "getting cosy with Miss Performance before the evening doowop are ya?" She glowered at Buzz, who coughed.
"Not exactly," he said softly and Jessie huffed.
"Not enough woman for you, am I? You have to run off and grab the first new piece of skirt in the room?"
"Now just wait a second, Jessie! I didn't run off and find someone else. She approached me!" Buzz argued, and Jessie snapped.
"And you took her up on her offer, didya? Never mind Jessie's feelings the last two days!" she raged.
"Jessie, you've not exactly been Miss Friendly," Buzz remarked flippantly, and the cowgirl gasped.
"Better to be a recluse than a suck up!"
"Better to be a suck up than a misery guts," Buzz retorted, and in an instant Jessie smacked him around the cheek.
"Don't – you – ever – talk to me – in that way – again." She enunciated her words carefully in a hiss.
"Guys! What is going on?" The three of the turned to see Woody walking towards them from the other end of the shelf. "Let's keep it civil, please. There are impressionable preschool toys in here. Let's not give them any bad role models."
"Yes Buzz," Jessie said with a grimace. "Keep your womanizer antics to yourself, and out of my eye line!"
"I think we need some time out, guys," Woody stepped between Jessie and Buzz. Jessie glowered again and Buzz merely looked uncomfortable.
"You know what might clear the air? Some good ol' fashioned dancing," Rochelle piped up, and Jessie turned her attention on the other doll.
"Don't you think you've said and done enough already?" She snapped, and Rochelle looked alarmed at the tone of Jessie's voice.
"Easy, Jessie," she murmured, but it only served to fuel Jessie's fire further.
"That's Miss Bazooka Jane to you, Blondie," she said coolly, turning on her heel and walking away. Buzz took a step after her, pulling away from Rochelle, but Woody stopped him.
"Stay away from my sister unless you have something to say or do that isn't going to hurt her." He said, bravely.
Buzz, defeated, let Rochelle pull him away, with a forlorn glance at the retreating cowgirl.
Woody watched Buzz and Rochelle leave and go to the floor where Buzz began rearranging the stage area. Then he turned and walked along to check on Jessie, who had taken a spot on the far end of the shelf, her legs dangling down over the edge, her back turned to the room.