Robin
Rated PG for mild language and brief innuendo
Note: The Paul appearing in this fic is not Paul Wright, Liz’s old boyfriend that she dumped so she could go back home and live an oatmeal flavored life as the wife of a guy who probably irons his socks before spending two hours color coordinating them even though he only has three colors, white, gray, and grayish white. This Paul is Paul Mayes, the son of Gordon and Tracy. I explained it better in the early draft, but when I revised Merrie, I had to take out her crush on Paul, and the paragraph about his parents flew out the window.
---
Robin Patterson woke with a smile on his face. Today was the big day! He had been planning this for months.
He got out of bed and rushed over to the glass cabinet that held his favorite action figures. He pushed on the door with his finger and it swung out.
"How you feeling, Ken?" He said as he took the Street Fighter toy from its spot.
"Nervous," Ken replied. "I’m not sure I can go through with this!"
"You’re not getting cold feet now, are you?" Said Robin, sitting down on the bed. "This was your idea…"
"Are you talking to those dolls again?" Someone interrupted. Meredith Patterson stood at the door with a look of dismay on her face. "Baby."
"Go away!" Shouted Robin, sliding off the mattress with his fists clenched.
Merrie snorted. "Only a baby would talk to dolls!"
"They’re action figures!"
"Whatever." Robin went to the door and watched her walk down the hall. Her sparkly red toenail polish reminded him of Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers; they were the exact same shade. Around Merrie’s ankle was a sliver chain with a dolphin charm. Even this early in the morning, Meredith thought of herself a fashion model to be.
"And don’t embarrass me in front of Paul!" She called over the shoulder of her robe; it was sky blue and had "MAP" monogrammed in cursive. The color went well with her light blonde hair.
Robin’s face flushed red with anger. "How ‘bout you don’t embarrass me!" He yelled.
Deanna had just woken up and she passed her youngest in the hallway. "Robin, leave your sister alone." She said sleepily.
Robin growled and slammed his bedroom door. Ken was still sitting on his bed.
"You don’t want to call off the wedding, do you?" He asked.
"No way!" Said Robin. He dug in his bureau drawer and grabbed out an old shirt. As he pulled his pajama top over his head, he said, "Merrie’s not coming! I didn’t send her an invitation!"
"She wouldn’t had come even if you did!" Wonder Woman sat on the bottom shelf of the cabinet. She made a face. "I don’t want that stuck up snob at my wedding anyway!"
"Me neither!" Said Ken.
Robin Patterson, age twelve, had always felt like the black sheep in his family. The only people who understood him were his action figures: Ken, Wonder Woman, Jaws, Yoda, and the rest of them. Even though Merrie made fun and said he was too old to play with toys, he took care of his ‘family.’ They were his best friends; besides, they never picked on him or ignored him. They didn’t even care that he was in the LD class at school.
After pulling on a pair of orange shorts, Robin reached into his top drawer. "I got you a present, Wonder Woman!" He grinned and pulled out a tiny veil. It was cut out from an old lace curtain that Dee had tossed in favor of new ones. He had hot glued a satiny white ribbon around the bottom.
Wonder Woman cried out with delight. "It’s beautiful!" She smiled at Robin put it on her head and held it in place with her removable tiara. "I feel so pretty!" Robin held her up to the mirror so she could see.
"You’re going to be the most beautiful bride in the whole world!" He agreed.
The smell of coffee wafted through the wooden door to Robin’s nostrils. He took a deep sniff. "After breakfast!"
---
Robin loved coffee. He wasn’t supposed to drink it yet, but he didn’t care. He had been having it black since he was four. Mike never noticed, and once in awhile, Dee would mumble a passive, "Robin, I don’t want you having coffee until you’re older." But she never did anything about it.
Downstairs, he poured a full mug for himself and sat down. Deanna was at the stove cooking bacon and eggs. "I want you to be good for Paul while we’re away." She said.
"I’ll be good!" Said Merrie. She shot Robin a look. "I’m always good!" He scowled.
Deanna flinched as the bacon popped and grease hit her wrist. "Ouch!" She flipped the eggs with a spatula. "No fighting! I’m going tell Paul to write down whenever you misbehave."
"Mom," Said Merrie. "Dirk asked me to go to a party with him! Can I go please?"
Dee gasped. "Shoot! I broke the yolks!"
"Um, I don’t mind, Mom." Said Robin.
"The party, Mom!"
Dee turned to look at her. "Is this another college party, Meredith?"
Meredith shrugged. "Well, there’ll be college kids there…"
"No."
"What?" Merrie stood up with her perfectly filed nails on the table. "But Mom…"
"I don’t want to have to pick you up from another kegger, Meredith! The answer still stands! Besides," Dee slid the bacon onto a ceramic plate, covered with a paper towel. "I don’t like that Dirk. He’s too old for you."
"Only by four years!"
"End of discussion."
Merrie began to wail. "You don’t love me at all!" She sobbed. "I’m sixteen years old! I’m not a child anymore!"
"Merrie, I’m not giving in!" Said her mother firmly. "I told you that I don’t want you to go to any more of these parties and that’s final!"
Robin could hear his sister crying as she ran up the stairs. "You hate me! You never cared about me!" Dee just shook her head as she scraped the steaming eggs onto a plate next to the bacon.
"There!" She garnished them with a little parsley. It was a pretty presentation. "Do you think your father will like them?"
"Uh-huh!" Robin nodded. They smelled good. Dee set them at Mike’s place, just as the door opened and Michael Patterson entered the kitchen, holding a greasy bag.
"Got breakfast!" He said, tossing the paper sack onto the table.
Deanna looked gobsmacked. "You got McDonalds?" She cried incredulously. "But I just made you your favorite!"
"Not hungry, Hon. I had an Egg McMuffin and juice." He said absently. "I’m going upstairs to write."
"But we still have to pack!"
"I knew you wouldn’t mind doing it for me!" Mike said as he left the room. "Thanks, Dee!"
Deanna slunk in the chair across from Robin, her face looking haggard. "I’ll eat them, Mom." Robin offered.
Dee gave a worn out smile and pushed the plate toward him. "You’re a peach, Sweetie."
As Robin bit into the bacon, he asked, "Where are you guys going again?"
"To film a show with Colleen Murphy."
Robin almost choked. "You’re both going to be on ‘Toronto Mornings?’"
Dee nodded. "She calls herself ‘The White Canadian Oprah.’"
"Does that mean she’s going to be president of the United States, too?" Deanna smiled at him and stood up.
"I have to pack, Sweetheart." Before she left, she buried her face in his brown hair. "My darling baby boy," Dee murmured. "You’re the only thing that makes this whole miserable life worth it."
Robin was about to ask what she meant, but thought better of it. "I love you, Mom."
Dee ruffled the top of his head. "You too."
---
Robin took Yoda from the top shelf. He had gotten the toy in a Happy Meal; Yoda had a clear plastic bottom and he could be shaken like a Magic 8 Ball to reveal life’s mysteries.
"Performing the wedding ceremony I am!" Said Yoda. Robin set him down on the bed and pulled out the rest of his action figures.
Wonder Woman hopped up and down impatiently. "When are we getting this wedding underway?"
Robin was arranging the toys in two sections. He placed Yoda in front of Ken and Wonder Woman. "Are you guys ready?"
"Of course I’m ready!" Said Wonder Woman.
Ken gulped. "R-ready…"
"Dearly beloved," Said Yoda. "Gathered here today we are, Ken and Wonder Woman to join…"
The door opened. "Robin, get your butt downstairs!" Merrie snapped. "Mom and Dad are leaving!"
Even though Merrie couldn’t hear it, Wonder Woman said, "I thought that brat wasn’t coming!"
Robin slid off the bed. "I’ll be right back…"
"And stop talking to those dolls! Geez!"
Downstairs, Paul Mayes was standing at the entrance to the Patterson Redux home. He had his hands in his blue satin college jacket pocket and he looked around as Dee read off a list.
"Make sure Robin practices his flashcards. Meredith’s allergic to raw apples, cooked apples, applesauce, apple juice, and apple pie, but she knows how to avoid those. But if she breaks out in hives, you’ll know why. The numbers for our hotel, our cell, the doctor and the plumber are on the fridge. Elly and John are vacationing on Queen Charlotte Island, so you probably won’t be able to reach them. No sugar after eight thirty. Liz and Anthony are also listed, but I wouldn’t recommend calling them unless you’re really in a fix. Anthony’s always at the office and Liz…" Dee paused, sliding a glance at Robin. "You know…" She pantomimed chugging from a bottle.
Mike was beside her, looking pleased with himself. "Did you know we’re going to be on ‘Toronto Mornings’, Paul?"
"Yeah, your wife mentioned…"
"I’m promoting my new book! It’s the third in the Windjammer series! Have you read any of them yet, Paul?"
Paul looked sulky. "You sent me an autographed set for Christmas."
"Yeah, aren’t they great?" Mike said, barely listening. "Sometimes I read them again, and think, Gosh I can’t believe I’m so talented! Here!" He pulled out a copy of the new Windjammer book and scribbled his name on the front page. He handed it to Paul. "Now you have the trilogy!"
Paul forced a grin. "And how lucky am I." He said through clenched teeth. His grimace turned into a smile as Robin trampled down the stairs. "Hey Robin! Long time, no see, Buddy!" He slapped him five. "Got you something!" He pulled out a plastic Dracula from his jacket pocket. His mouth was partially open, showing his fangs. "For your collection! I know how much you like toys!"
Robin took the Dracula. "Gee, thanks Paul!"
"Ahem." Paul, Dee and Robin looked up the stairs. Dee’s eyes almost fell out of her head. Robin groaned and Paul looked away, uncomfortable.
Meredith stood at the top of the stairway, wearing an off the shoulder, red dress that only came halfway down her thigh. Her makeup was heavy and her hair was swept to one side in a ponytail. "Why, Paul!" She gushed. "I didn’t know you were coming over!"
"Like hell you didn’t." Muttered Robin.
"Meredith Anne!" Cried Dee. "Where did you get that dress?"
Merrie slunk down the stairs in an exaggerated manner. "This old thing? This is what I wear when I don’t care how I look!"
"Then you won’t mind going upstairs and changing!"
Merrie stomped her open toed sandal. "Mom!"
"Don’t Mom me!" Dee turned to Mike. "Mike, back me up!" She whispered.
"You look great, Sweetie." Said Mike without giving his daughter a glance. "Come on, Dee! We’re late!" Deanna groaned and picked up the suitcase.
"Do you need help, Mrs. Patterson?" Offered Paul. Dee shook her head.
"No thanks, it’s not that heavy." She kissed Robin’s head. "Bye, Honey."
"Bye, Mom. Bye Dad."
"Yeah, goodbye." Said Mike as he hurried out the door, almost closing it in Deanna’s face. She caught it with her foot.
"See you in three days." She said.
As the door finally closed, Merrie scurried down the steps. "Hey Paul," She said. "There’s a party tonight, and Mom said I could go. So I’ll be leaving later…"
Robin opened his mouth to protest the blatant lie, but then clamped it shut. He didn’t need Merrie torturing him all weekend.
Paul checked his notepad. "Your Mom didn’t mention any party."
"It was a last minute thing." Lied Meredith, smooth as cream.
"Hmm," Paul flipped the pages of the pad, then shut it. "Maybe I should call just to make sure." Robin secretly smiled. Way to call Merrie out, Paul!
"No!" She said quickly. "I mean, Mom and Dad haven’t been gone even five minutes, and if you call them now, it’ll only irritate them! Besides, it’s only a birthday party! Couple of us girls, doing makeovers and playing Twister. Stuff like that!"
Paul searched her face. The makeup was so overdone, it made Vivian from ‘Pretty Woman’ look like a nun. "All right." He finally agreed, then he turned his attention to the other Patterson. "So Robin, I hear you like grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with French fries!"
"Uh huh."
"It just so happens that that’s my specialty!" Robin grinned and started to follow him, then stopped.
"Uh-oh!" He said. "Sorry, Paul! There’s something I have to finish! I’ll be back!"
---
Wonder Woman huffed as Robin closed the door to his room. "It’s about time!"
"Sorry!" Robin apologized as he sat back down on the bed. Something in his pocket poked him in the hip. "Ow! Oh yeah!" Robin pulled Dracula out from his shorts. "Guys, this is Count Dracula!" He set the action figure in the back.
The ceremony took about ten minutes. The reception (complete with a plastic Barbie pastry serving as the wedding cake.) was well underway when there was a knock on the door. Paul poked his head in. "Hey Robin, your lunch is ready! Neat!" He smiled as the action figures on the bed. "What’s going on here?"
Robin hesitated before speaking. What if Paul thought it was stupid? But then again, Paul Mayes had always been nice to him. He had never made Robin feel like an idiot, the way Meredith and sometimes, even Mike did. "Wonder Woman and Ken got married." He finally said. "This is the reception."
"I see." Said Paul bending down slightly over the comforter. "Where did you get the veil? Was that Merrie’s?"
"No, I made it." Said Robin, feeling a little embarrassed. Wonder Woman may have liked it, but he could see the flaws. The end of the ribbon was fraying (Cutting it had only made the fraying worse.), and he had spilled an odd shaped dollop of hot glue on the lace. To make up for the latter mistake, he had placed little hot glue spots on the rest of the veil so they looked like tiny crystals, but the original blot was still distorted.
"You made this?" Paul said, sounding incredulous.
Robin shrunk back. "Is that bad? I mean, Mom had already thrown out the curtains…"
"No!" Said Paul. "This is really good! It almost looks professional!"
Robin shrugged. "Almost." His stomach growled. "I’m hungry."
"For grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with French fries, I hope!" Said Paul. Robin slid off the bed and started to follow, but he dithered as he looked back at his toys.
Paul noticed. "Do you need to finish up?"
Robin shot a look at the newlyweds. "Go on!" Said Ken. "He’s nice!"
"We won’t throw the bouquet until you come back." Added Wonder Woman.
Robin smiled and caught up. "They’ll be ok without me!"
---
As Robin poured ketchup over his fries, Paul sat across from him with his own lunch. As he popped the tab on his Diet Dr. Pepper, he said, "Did you know Robin, that I was in the LD class too?"
Robin almost dropped the bottle. "But you’re so smart!"
Paul frowned as he took the bottle. "Being in LD classes doesn’t mean you’re dumb."
"I am dumb." Said Robin matter-of-factly. "My IQ is borderline retarded."
"That still doesn’t make you dumb. Do you need that cut?" Robin nodded and Paul pulled the plate toward himself. "Besides, what’s an IQ test anyway? Did you know that Einstein couldn’t speak well until he was nine?"
Robin was baffled. "No. I didn’t."
"It’s true." Paul finished cutting the sandwich into four squares and pushed it back. "And look how he turned out."
"But Einstein was a math genius!" Protested Robin. "I’m still learning my sevens tables!"
"So you’re not a math whiz," Said Paul almost causally. "I bet you’re good at other things, like making that veil…"
Robin shrugged. "That? That was nothing. I like playing with small things." He suddenly blushed fire engine red. "Uh, uh…That didn’t come out right! What I meant…"
Paul laughed into his soda. "I know what you meant."
"Right." Robin’s face resumed its normal color. "I’ve made other doll clothes too. I use scraps of cloth Mom throws out, or clothes that are too small. Getting the curtain for the veil was just a lucky break…"
Outside, a horn blared repeatedly. Robin dropped his sandwich and covered his ears. He hated loud noises! He was so sensitive, Dee had given him a pair of ear protectors, the same kind used by people who worked at the airport. Even fireworks bothered him.
Robin started to tremble as the racket continued. Tears sprung to the corners of his eyes. Paul furrowed his brows as he stood. "I’ll take care of this. Hang on."
As he grabbed his coat, Meredith raced down the steps. "That’s Dirk! He’s early!" Paul followed her out the door.
The noise died as Merrie appeared out front. Robin, letting his hands slide away from the sides of his head, stood up and walked to the window. A beat up jalopy with smoke billowing from the tailpipe had braked in front of the house. A guy wearing a blue bowling shirt with a large tattoo on his arm was at the wheel. His hair was brown and spiked with gel and there was a gold stud stuck in his earlobe.
As Meredith got in the passenger seat, Paul bent down to the window. Robin couldn’t hear, but he could see. The driver surveyed him with an air of indifference as Paul pointed at the house. He revved the engine in response to what the older guy said. Paul turned red with anger. Robin covered his ears again.
Merrie reached over and caught the driver’s arm. She shook her head. Maybe he was imagining it, but Robin thought he saw her mouth form the word ‘Stop.’
Exhaust poured out of the car and it sped away. Paul turned and strode back to the house in a military fashion. Robin scrambled away from the window as the front door opened and closed loudly.
Paul threw his coat on the kitchen chair. "Of all the nerve!" He snapped. "I tell him to stop so he makes more noise! That greasy little…" He stopped short when he saw Robin, whose eyes were white with alarm.
"Are you…mad at me too, Paul?" He asked timidly.
The rage melted from Paul’s face. "What? No!"
"But if the noise hadn’t hurt my ears…"
Paul shook his head. "Believe me, you did nothing wrong." He frowned as he stuck his hands in his pockets and stared out the window. "I hope your sister knows what she’s doing."
Robin took his sandwich and stuck a corner piece in his mouth. "Big deal."
Paul turned. "Don’t you care about your sister?"
"Not really," Robin shrugged. "She hates me."
"No she doesn’t."
Robin blinked. "Huh?"
"No she doesn’t." Paul repeated. "In fact, I think she cares about you a lot."
"Could’ve fooled me."
Paul sat back down in his chair. "She told that punk to stop making all that noise."
"So? Maybe it bothered her too."
Paul shook his head. "She told him, ‘Stop! You’re going to hurt my brother’s ears!’"
For the second time that day, Robin was flabbergasted. "Really? You’re not making it up?"
Paul held up two fingers. "On my word as an Eagle Scout."
Now Robin was confused. Why would Meredith say something like that? Could she possibly…like him? Then what were all those years of hostility? If she did like him, why was she so mean?
"Hey!" Paul suddenly interrupted his thoughts. "Can you show me the other doll clothes you’ve made?"
Robin smiled. "Sure!"
---
A few hours went by. Robin displayed his collection of hand sewn doll clothes, and then he and Paul played three games of ‘Mousetrap.’
By the time, Paul put ‘Muppets in Space’ in the DVD player, Robin had taken his medication and was feeling the effects. As he slept on the couch with the movie playing, Paul did business math homework at the kitchen table.
The credits were about to roll when the door slammed. Startled, Robin spiraled off the couch. Trying to remember where he was, he sat up and hit his head on the coffee table. "Ouch!"
Paul stood up and stuck his head into the hallway. "Merrie?"
Her voice echoed into the living room. "Leave me alone!"
"What’s going on? Do…"
"I said leave me alone, Dammit!" Her bedroom door crashed closed. Paul walked into the living room and looked at Robin, who was still sitting on the floor. He shook his head sadly.
"Maybe she’ll want to talk later." He offered.
"Maybe." Robin pulled himself up. "I’m going to see if I can figure out what’s going on."
"Are you sure?"
Robin nodded as he ascended the stairs. "Positive."
---
Meredith’s room, usually bright with an array of pastels and stuffed animals, was jet black. The curtains were drawn as she lay in a huddle on her bed.
"Merrie?"
"Go away!"
Robin stepped inside. Something crumpled under his foot and he picked it up. In the dark, he couldn’t read it, so he stuck it in his pocket. "Do you want to talk?"
Meredith sat up. She picked up a large plush cat as if to hurl it at him, but apparently, she changed her mind and dropped it on her pillow. Burying her face in its polyester fur, she continued to cry.
Quietly, Robin crossed the room and turned on the little light on the nightstand. Merrie’s feet were raw with several large wounds cut into the flesh.
"What happened to your feet?" Robin cried. "They’re all swollen and cut up!"
"I had to walk home." Her voice was muffled into the cat. "My shoes stared to hurt me, so I took them off. I tried to stay in the grass, but I had to cross the street twice. That’s when I got the cuts."
Robin turned and left. When he came back, he had a wet washcloth, a towel, a tube of Neosporin and a box of Band-Aids.
As he washed the gravel from her sores, he asked, "Why didn’t you call?"
"I was in such a hurry, I forgot my cell."
"What about that guy?"
"Who do you think I was in a hurry from?" Meredith said crossly. "Dirk! Dirk the Jerk!" She put her face back into her pillow.
Tenderly, Robin dried the areas where the injuries were. "What did he do you?" He demanded.
"It’s what I wouldn’t let him do to me that he got mad about." She answered. Robin only had a vague idea of what she meant, but it was enough. "He made a bet with his friends that he could…" Meredith stopped. "Anyway, he told a bunch of people at the party that I wouldn’t, then he drove off without me."
Robin rubbed the Neosporin into the cuts and blew on them when Merrie winced. "I’m real sorry, Merrie."
"Why should you care?" She said grouchily. "Ow!"
"Sorry."
"Why do you care?" She repeated. "I’m mean to you all the time! Shouldn’t you be happy? Shouldn’t you think that I finally got what’s coming to me?"
"I’m never happy when someone in my family hurts." Robin started to put on the Band-Aids. "Not even you."
Meredith stared at the wall. "Robin, you deserve a better sister."
"Yeah, well I think I’ll keep you around." He joked. "For old times sake."
She laughed as he went to her dresser drawer and grabbed a pair of socks. "Here, put these on so the Band-Aids don’t come off."
Merrie nodded. "Where’d you learn to do this?" She asked as she took them.
"School. We take a first aid course in health class every year." He answered. "I also know the Heimlech, CPR, and how to make a splint for a broken bone."
Meredith slid off the bed and cringed as she stood on her feet. "Thank you, Robin."
"You really shouldn’t stand. Just keep off of…" He startled as she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Tentatively, he returned the hug. It was the first one she had given him in a long, long time. "It’s no problem."
As Merrie crawled into bed, and Robin shut the door, he muttered, "But I’m not done yet."
---
Paul had returned to his homework as Robin passed him in the kitchen. "Hey, what’s going on? Is she ok?"
Robin nodded. "She’ll be fine." In the living room, he sat down and turned on the TV. The Tonight Show was on, but his favorite part (The monologue) was done. Some skinny guy with black hair and a gigantic nose was showing how he could walk across a bed of hot coals. Robin watched listlessly.
He had a plan, but there was no way he could put it into action. If only there was someway to contact that Dirk guy…
The paper in his pocket crinkled as he shifted. Pulling it out, Robin scanned the scrap and nearly whooped for joy at what he saw:
Dirk’s email address.
---
Meredith always kept the password saved in her email account. Robin had thought it was stupid, but now he thanked his lucky stars. He was able to access her mail with no problems.
Merrie had three new messages, but he skipped over the inbox and clicked on Compose. After he entered the address, he started to type:
Dear Dirk…
He backspaced. That didn’t sound like Merrie. He restarted:
Dirky,
I changed my mind bout that thing. Come over tonight around midnight, but come in the backdoor so U don’t wake any1!
C U l8ter! XOXOX
Merrie
After he hit send all he had to do was wait. And sure enough, fifteen minutes later, in the middle of a game of Jewel Quest 6, a new message popped up:
Told ya you’d come around, Babe.
---
The trap was all set. Paul had gone to sleep in the guestroom with Robin’s assurance that he would go to bed around one.
Robin thought his heart would explode as he waited by the backdoor for what seemed like years. Only the glow of his watch and a digital camera kept him company. He started to nod off…
He had only been asleep for fourteen minutes when the doorknob clicked. There was a shriek and loud splashing noises. Robin turned on the light, threw open the door and snapped a few pictures.
Dirk, the guy who had torn out his sister’s heart, was on the back stoop, covered in a combination of raw eggs, molasses, vinegar, garlic, and glue.
Robin had to bite his cheeks to keep from laughing. "It’s amazing what you can get into a water balloon, or in your case, three." Using a plastic funnel, Robin had poured the concoction into the balloons, then, standing on a stepladder, set them above the door in a mesh bag. The bag rested tediously on the doorframe, tied to a string that was wrapped around the doorknob.
Dirk’s eyes blazed with fury. "You little retard! I’ll tear you to pieces!"
Robin stepped back and waved the camera. "Uh, uh, uh!" He said. "You wouldn’t want these pictures posted online!"
Dirk surveyed him sullenly. "So what do you want?"
Robin tapped the camera into the palm of his hand. "I want you to tell everyone that Meredith Patterson dumped you!"
"Like hell I’m gonna…"
"Otherwise it’s a Youtube slideshow for you!" Robin felt himself growing bolder. "Get my drift, Skeeze?"
Dirk snarled and lunged for the camera. Suddenly he snapped backwards.
Robin looked behind him. Paul, dressed in sweatpants and a ‘Mayes’ Motors’ T-shirt, stood there, rubbing his fist. "I think you better listen to him." He admonished.
Dirk pinched his nose to keep it from bleeding. "Fine, you win, Kid." He groaned. "You win."
"Now get off my property, and don’t ever talk to my sister again!" Robin slammed the door.
Paul sighed. "Robin…"
"Hah!" He turned to Paul. "Did you see that loser all gooey and gross? What a hoot!"
"Robin…"
"That’ll teach him to be mean to people!" Robin continued. "I can’t wait to tell Merrie!"
"Robin!" Paul finally caught his attention. "Did you bait that guy to come over?"
Robin shrugged. "Yeah…"
"Robin! You shouldn’t have done that!"
"What? Why?"
Paul bent down to his level. "What if he had hurt you? He could’ve brought a weapon or just…" He stopped. "I know you wanted to get back at him for what he did to Meredith, but this wasn’t the right way to do it."
"What do you mean?" Cried Robin. "The guy had it coming! He…"
"Let me finish." Interrupted Paul. "Robin, you shouldn’t have done that, but," He smiled. "I’m glad you did."
Robin smiled back and yawned. Paul looked at the clock with pictures of birds on it. "It’s time for bed."
---
Robin was dog-tired as he crawled between the sheets; they were the color of tea with milk and had pictures of horses on them. The comforter didn’t match; it was dark green with scenes from Mother Goose. He’d had the same coverlet since he was an infant. Now it had stuffing poking out of the top and a bloodstain slightly to the left of the middle from when he had kneeled on a tack and pulled it out.
Something poked him in the back. "Ow." He turned over. Wonder Woman and Ken were on the murky green blanket. Mountains etched with Humpty Dumpty and Little Miss Muffet surrounded them.
"Forget something?"
Robin sat up. "The reception! Aw gee, guys! I’m sorry!"
"We’ve been waiting to throw the flowers." Said Wonder Woman.
"We said we wouldn’t do it without you." Added Ken.
Robin pulled himself out from under the covers and kneeled on Three Men in a Tub. "Ok, go!"
Wonder Woman let the tiny fabric flowers soar. They flew across the bed and into the hands of Dracula. He smiled, his fangs overlapping his lower lip.
"Looks like the newcomer caught the bouquet. Robin?" Ken turned to see his owner, curled up in the fetal position, snoring. "Well, how do you like that?"
"Shh." Said Wonder Woman. She started to pull the covers over him. Several of the other toys grabbed a section of blanket and dragged it across Robin. "We’ll tell him first thing in the morning…"
The End.
---
"For Better or For Worse" is the creation of Lynn Johnston. Please direct all rotten fruit/vegetables her way.
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