Shakespeare's Secret

Chapter 2: Partners in Crime

"Come on" I said in James direction.

Blade couldn't give too much complaint. A dozen apples and five pastries. Oh, I almost forgot. Tabby needed some breakfast too. I looked for the cart that always sold fish in the morning.

"Next stop, fish." I said quietly as we approached the cart.

"Why?" I heard James say.

"Tabby needs food too you know."

I walked over to a cart to my right and found Mrs. Mae. "Good Morning Mrs. Mae, got any good fish for Tabby today?"

I pawed a fist full of colorful ribbons of all sizes onto the table. She looked at it greedily and smiled. She snatched them and stuck the knotted ball of ribbon into her apron pocket.

"Thank you. Now let me get the left over fish my husband brought this morning."she said sweetly but unkindly.

Her voice was filled with honey and sugar most children loved for its sweetness, but I knew not to trust anyone in the market before they showed their true colors. Well except James I knew him well enough, there had to be a reason he rescued me and they seemed to be in well intentions. Mrs. Mae was a crabby old women who didn't particularly like trading with me. She needed the ribbons though. I think she uses the string in the ribbons to make clothing for her nine children. Money or clothes don't come easy. Or maybe just to style her daughters' hair for the evening shows in town. None of her children were very nice to any of the Orphanage children. Most weren't. Many parents told there children to stay away from us. Stranger danger, but especially the danger part. I stared at Mrs. Mae's turned back as she stood searching for a particular fish.

I blinked realizing I was staring off in a trance. Alex thinks it's because I am a genius. Maybe he was right and maybe he was wrong. Blade thinks it's because I day dream too much and one day I'll get caught unaware like a buffoon. I caught James looking at Mrs. Mae's assortment of fish on display. Their scales glittered in the morning sky. All types of cod. Tabby looked at it with his mouthwatering. I could hear his little stomach growling. He might lack food but he didn't lack love. I scratched under his left ear. That was his favorite spot. He purred loudly. Mrs. Mae turned to me. He held out a small fish that gave off a deep magenta hue. Tabby was sold and was bouncing from foot to foot trying to get at the fish. I held Tabby back.

 "Thank you, Mrs. Mae" I said mimicking her sweet but unkindly voice.

She didn't bother to wrap it and simply gave me the fish raw. Oh well. I tossed the small fish to Tabby.

"Eat up."

Tabby caught it in mid air from years of practice and laid it on the ground. He began picking and tearing through the fish. James looked at me incredulously like Tabby and me were crazy.

"Don't you need to cook it first, then the cat can eat it"

I rolled my eyes and said, "The cat's name is Tabby and no he doesn't need it cooked and anyway I can't afford such luxuries." James looked at me as if he had made a huge mistake.

"Oh! I am sorry I didn't mean..." He stopped in mid-sentence as if afraid to go on.

"What didn't you mean?" James looked a little embarrassed and was going a little pink.

"You can't afford to uh....cook the....um....fish. No offense.....sorry." He stuttered on a little more about some nonsense I couldn't hear.

"Oh you mean you are sorry I can't afford to cook my own cat's fish? Look, I know you mean well but just because I can't pay for certain things doesn't mean I am completely useless. Now watch this." I said exasperatedly.