I Don't, But I Do
Sequel to Birthday Surprises
Inspired by the lyrics of But I Do Love You by Leann Rhimes
Chapter One
David woke up and looked out the window. It had rained off and on for the last two days. Even though the rain had finally stopped, there were still dark clouds in the sky. David groaned at the sight. With the lousy weather, he just wanted to stay in bed all day wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, not pounding the streets of New York peddling newspapers.
I don't like to see a sky painted gray.
David saw that Sarah and Les were still deep in slumber in their beds. He looked over at the clock and saw that he still had time. Content with this, he rolled over and went back to sleep.
As he slept, he began to have a dream. In it, he had everything he wanted. He walked down the streets of New York on a bright, sunny day. His pockets jingled with change as he walked. He held hands with the person he adored more than anybody in the world. The leader, the rebel, the baby-faced eighteen year old that he never expected to fall in love with. It was all about Jack Kelly. They stopped in front of a fountain in Central Park. Jack stroked David's cheek. He pulled him close, bringing David's face into his. Their lips were almost touching when…
"David!"
David awoke with a start. Les was standing at his bedside, fully dressed in his everyday clothes. David quickly realized that this was not how it should have been.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Seven thirty," Les replied.
David swore and threw the covers off the bed.
"Why haven't you left yet?" David asked his brother as he started to dress.
"Me and Sarah are going with mama and papa to visit grandma," Les said. "Remember?"
"Oh, yeah."
"You gonna be alright?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just gotta get going."
David dressed quickly and rushed out of the apartment. He took the stairs two at a time until he reached the ground floor. He was mindful of the puddles and careful not to slip on the sludge on the streets as he hurried to the distribution center.
When he finally got there, he saw Jack leaning against the gate. There was a stack of papers at his feet and he grinned when he saw David approach.
"You're late," he said.
"Overslept," David replied. "Thanks for waiting for me."
"We're in this together, man. You'd better get in the line."
David smiled at him and got in line behind the other newsies. He kept looking over his shoulder, hoping that there might be another late-comer. He got closer to the window, but no one else came. At the window, Weasel (as they all called him) regarded David with a curious expression.
"You are the last person I'd expect to see at the end of the line," he said.
David shrugged it off, though he did feel embarrassed about being late. He paid for his papers and walked back over to where Jack was waiting.
I don't like to be the last with the news.
Jack picked up his papers and tucked them under his arm. "How many did you get?"
"They only had fifty," David said. He normally took a hundred.
"Guess that'll teach you to sleep in. Must've been some dream you were having."
David gave him a shy smile. "Yeah, it was." If only he knew.