"Hubba-hubba ring-a-ding-ding! Who is that? Is he taken? And when can he ring my bell?"
Kat looked up from her notes to see what her friend, Lydia, was talking about. "Oh, dear." She stood, reaching for her coat and bag. "Stop your drooling, Lydia. That's Jack Kelly. He is taken. And the only bells he's going to ring are mine."
"Honey, he looks mad enough to bite nails in two and spit them clear across the river."
"He probably is, from the looks of it, but I'll be fine."
"I don't know," Lydia said uncertainly. "Shouldn't you have a chaperone or something?"
Kat chuckled as she walked away. "I'll see you later."
When she got to Jack, she handed him her coat. He helped her into it then grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hall.
She tugged back.
He stopped and huffed impatiently at her.
"Jack, you are obviously upset, and I'm sorry about that, but I am not a doll that you can just toss and drag about. I will go with you wherever you need me to, but we will be civilized and calm about it. Now, take my arm and let's walk out of here like the civilized people we are."
Growling low in his throat, he hooked his elbow with hers, entwining their fingers. She smiled at him as they headed down the stairs and out the front door of the newspaper building. They trotted aimlessly up and down the street until she gently directed him toward The Lodge, only a few blocks away. Once he figured out where they were headed, he all but ran there. He initially went toward the fire escape stairs, but Kat pulled him inside and up to the gymnasium. There was a punching bag in one corner and she suspected he needed to vent some of his rage on it.
He impatiently eyed the large bag while she laced the gloves onto his hands. When he was free, he lunged for the bag, letting out a primal roar of rage and fury as he attacked it with his fists. For the next few minutes, he grunted, yelled, and punched. Then he pointed at Kat and growled, "That man is a bastard!"
Punch-punch-punch
"There ain't no other way to describe him. I don't care if he is your father."
Punch-punch
He glared at her again. "He ain't got no right – no right – to tell me what to do!"
Punch-punch-punch-punch
"Ya got that, Joe!" he yelled at the bag. "No!" Punch "Right!" Punch
Punch-punch-punch
"Ten thousand he says he'll give me if I leave!" He was pacing around the bag now, his energy waning. "Ten thousand!"
Punch-punch
"Did you take it?" Kat asked.
Punch-punch-punch
"Hell no!"
Punch-punch
He leaned against the bag, breathing heavily. "He didn't have that much on him. I told him to get it and we'd talk."
"What will you do with that much money?"
He shrugged. "Hell if I know." He pushed off the bag and walked toward her with a predatory gleam in his eye.
She backed away from him until she hit the wall.
A satisfied grin lit his face as he pinned her against the wall with his body, his arms on either side of her head. "I'll tell ya what I do know." He drank in her features.
"What's that?" she asked breathlessly.
"There ain't no amount of money could keep me from your side if you's wantin' me to be there." He dipped his head to claim her lips.
She eagerly returned his kiss, threading her fingers in his hair to keep him from pulling away.
When at last they broke apart to catch their breath, he rested his forehead against hers. He chuckled softly. "I's guessin' you maybe wants me to stick around?"
"There's a small chance I might," she teased, wrapping her arms around his back. She kissed the soft spot beneath his ear. "But I think we should spend more time together, just to be sure."
"Helluva idea," he agreed, tilting his head so she could kiss him under his other ear.
She wound her arms around his neck. "So, we're agreed? Spend a lot of time together to be sure we like it?" She tugged at his head, eager for another kiss.
"Hell, yeah," he barely had time to whisper before her lips claimed his.
"Hey! That you, Jack? Why're ya here this time a day? Ain't ya s'posed to be at work?"
Too used to being interrupted, Jack didn't jump at Albert's greeting; instead he slowly, gently ended their kiss.
"Whacha doin', Jack?" Albert peeked over Jack's shoulder. "Oh, hey, Kat! What brings you here? Race, Kat's here, too!"
Jack smiled in resignation at Kat, loving the blush coloring her cheeks. He pushed off the wall and thrust his hands at Albert. "Get these off me, will ya?"
Albert started unlacing the gloves. "You doesn't normally like fightin'. Why's ya got the gloves on?"
"Had a bad day at work. Thought it'd be better to beat up the bag than the guy what made me mad."
Albert laid the gloves on a nearby bench. "What happened?"
Jack looked around for Kat, who'd wandered off. She had hooked her arm with Race's and they were heading toward a window on the far side of the gym. "I'll tell ya later," he promised. He thumped Albert on the back and they followed after the others.
"Where you guys goin'?"
"Hiya Crutch!" Jack greeted the newcomer. He and Albert slowed down to let Crutchie catch up to them. "I thinks we's headed to the Penthouse," Jack guessed as he watched Race help Kat through the window and onto the fire escape. In just a few minutes, the five friends were settled on the metal deck on the roof. Jack briefed them on what had happened during his meeting with Pulitzer.
"The guy's a dirty rat! Sorry, Kat, but he is," Crutchie said distastefully.
Kat chuckled. "I won't deny he has a ruthless streak in him. Believe it or not, he really does love me and tries to protect me the best way he knows how."
"By buying off your fellas?" Jack asked in disbelief.
"Well, if the fellow in question can be bought, then he's not worth having, is he? Who's to say he wouldn't sell me out to the highest bidder someday in the future if he can be bought now?"
"I sees your point," Albert mused.
"Don't mean I like it," Jack grumbled.
Kat took Jack's hand in hers. "I'm not saying I approve of his methods, but I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about."
"Why is that?"
"Didn't you just tell me that no amount of money could keep you away from me?"
"Yeah. So? I told him to get the money. What's he thinkin' now?"
"He's thinking that he has you where he wants you. But you're going to show him, once again, that you are not always as you appear to be."
"Again?"
"Mmm-hmm. During the strike, he thought he had you with the promise of money and a train ticket to Santa Fe."
"It ain't true! He was gonna keep Crutchie in The Refuge and send Davey and Les there, too, if I didn't try to disband the Union!"
The boys gasped. They had known Jack had received money from Pulitzer during the strike, but they didn't know the details behind it. Then they'd won the strike, with Jack at the helm, where he was supposed to be, and they didn't think anything more about it.
Kat put a calming hand on Jack's arm. "Shh. I know. I was there, remember? And I was also there when we came up with the plan to win the strike and return the money my father had given you. He thought you could be bought. It appeared you had been. You proved otherwise." She kissed his cheek.
"Jack, you certainly is somethin'," Crutchie declared in awe.
"What'll ya do if he gets the money for ya?" Race asked.
"I dunno."
"What I could do with ten thousand dollars!" Albert speculated dreamily.
"What would ya do?" Crutchie asked.
"Huh?"
Crutchie laughed. "What would ya do if someone up and gave ya that much money?"
Albert thought a second, then shrugged. "Dunno."
"You just said –"
"Yeah, but it ain't likely to ever happen, so's I never get past the givin' part to the spendin' part."
Everyone laughed at that.
"Me, I'd maybe set up a shop or somethin'."
"Doin' what?" asked Albert.
"Dunno. I likes fixin' stuff, so maybe I could do that."
"I think I'd get me a coat," Crutchie mused. "A brand new one that no one's ever worn before." He looked at Kat. "Would that be enough for a coat?"
Kat nodded. "You might even have a dollar or two left over."
"What would ya want a coat for?" Albert wanted to know. "It's September, for cryin' out loud."
"Winter's comin'," Crutchie reminded him.
"Have you decided what you'd do with that much money, Albert?" Kat repeated the earlier inquiry.
A look of bliss came over his face. "I'd eat. All day long!"
They all laughed again. Albert's stomach growled just then, causing everyone to laugh even harder.
"I could eat," Jack admitted. He looked around at the group. "Last one to Jacobi's has to pay." He grinned as the boys scrambled to get down the fire escape, always making sure Crutchie kept up with them.
Jack helped Kat down the ladder and they descended the fire escape steps at a more leisurely pace. Once on the sidewalk, Kat hooked her elbow in Jack's, he laced their fingers together, and they walked slowly toward their favorite restaurant.
"Jack Kelly, you are such a soft heart."
"I gots no idea what you's talkin' 'bout."
"Mmm-hmmm," she responded with a knowing grin.
He stopped and faced her. "Look at it this way: if I was first there, then I couldn't be doin' this," he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, right there, on the street, in front of everybody.
She followed him as he broke the kiss, her eyes fluttering open when he chuckled. "No, really," she protested, "there might still be some newsies behind us."
He threw his head back and laughed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissed the top of her head, and started them back down the street.
"Katherine?"
They stopped and turned at the inquiry.
"Darcy. Cordelia." Kat greeted her friends. "Jack, you remember Darcy?"
"Yeah," he shook Darcy's hand.
"And this is Miss Cordelia Staunton."
"Hiya," Jack extended his hand.
Cordelia looked at it and timidly put her fingers on his, expecting him to kiss them. He grasped her hand and firmly shook it.
Darcy and Kat exchanged amused smiles.
"We's headed to supper with some friends. Wanna go?" Jack invited.
"Please join us," Kat entreated.
Darcy looked at Cordelia in silent question. She obviously would rather not go, btushe reluctantly nodded.
Darcy and Jack led the way, with the ladies following behind.
"How do you know him?" Cordelia whispered suspiciously to Kat. "He seems like –"
"Like what?" Kat asked, a note of warning in her voice.
"Well," Cordelia struggled to voice her opinion without offending Kat "well, he isn't like the other men we know."
"No," Kat gazed fondly at Jack, talking animatedly with her best friend. "He isn't."
"So, how did you happen to meet him? And were you letting him," her voice lowered to a scandalized whisper, "kiss you?"
"We met during the newsboys' strike a couple of months ago. He was their leader. Still is, actually. I was covering the story for The Sun. And yes, I was letting him kiss me."
"But why?" Cordelia shivered in distaste.
"Because he's remarkably good at it," Kat told her, reaching out to touch Jack's back.
He looked back and smiled at her. She held out her hand and he entwined their fingers, pulling her forward to walk between him and Darcy. A puzzled Cordelia took Darcy's arm once more and they headed toward Jacobi's.
Later, after a rollicking meal with Albert, Race, Crutchie, and five or six more newsies who somehow knew right when to drift in for a meal, Jack walked Kat home. It was a nice night, and she had refused a cab ride in favor of spending more time walking with Jack.
"I don't think you friend liked us very much," Jack observed.
"I wouldn't worry about her," Kat advised. "She's a snob, even amongst snobs."
He chuckled.
"My reputation is sure to be ruined among her set now."
"Why?"
"Because I 'allowed' you to," her voice lowered to a whisper, "kiss me!"
"Why will that ruin your reputation?"
"Because you aren't a snob."
"I could be one," he offered.
"No. You couldn't. Trust me on that. And besides," she turned to face him, "I wouldn't want you to. I like you too much just the way you are."
He smiled. "And how is that?"
She let her gaze drift over his features. "Gruff, soft-hearted, loyal to a fault. Says what he means, and," she playfully checked both directions as she leaned in toward him, "someone who dares to kiss me right out on the street."
"Like this?" He gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"That," she pointed out in disappointment, "was most decidedly not a Jack Kelly kiss, and if that's all you have to offer, I'm going to have to go somewhere else to get my kisses." She made to turn away from him.
Laughing, he grabbed her, bent her backwards over his arm and claimed her lips quite thoroughly with his own. "How was that?" he asked as he set her back on her feet.
She grabbed hold of his vest to keep herself steady and took a deep breath. "Ummm, quite satisfactory, I think." She looked up at him. "Can we do it again, just to be sure?"
He chuckled in satisfaction, and gently kissed her again. "We gotta save that for special occasions."
"Hmmm," her shoulders slumped in disappointment.
He laughed and pulled her close. "Let's get ya home before your father thinks I kidnapped you or somethin'."
They walked about a block when Kat told him, "You know, Darcy said something interesting tonight."
"What's that?"
"I was telling him about what my father had offered you –"
"Is that allowed? Won't he think you's rattin' out your father?"
"No. Darcy isn't like that. Besides, he's one of the fellows my father tried to buy off."
"What!" Jack came to a halt. "He ain't –"
She put a silencing finger on his lips. "Shhh. No. He isn't. He never was. He's my best friend, that's all. Our fathers hoped for more between us at one time because of the newspapers, but Darcy and I were never more than friends. I have never felt for Darcy what I feel when I'm with you. And he's never harbored feelings for me."
"Ya sure? I don't want no competition and I don't want to be seein' some other guy's girl."
She locked her hands together behind his back. "Jack Kelly, are you jealous?"
"Maybe so, but I's been thinkin' you's my girl, and I don't like feelin' like you might not be thinkin' the same 'bout me."
She kissed his chin. "Trust me, Jack. I don't go around kissing one fellow and stepping out with another. Ever since the strike, I've not only felt like I'm your girl, but I've been thinking you're my guy, too. There's no one I want to be with, and when we aren't together, I think about you almost all the time."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I gets worried sometimes."
"About what?"
"Them guys like Bill and Darcy or girls like that Cordy. How could you pick to be with me instead of with them and their perfect clothes and manners and proper speakin'? I's just afraid you's gonna realize what they are and what I am and leave me behind one day."
"Hold me," she ordered.
He complied, squeezing her tightly against him.
"I grew up with them, it's true, but that's how I know without a doubt that I want you, Jack Kelly, and not any of them. There's nothing wrong with your clothes or your speech, and I'll take your down-to-earth manners over their superficial rules and ways of being any old day." She looked up at him. "Didn't I promise I'd be by your side no matter where you went?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I meant it then, and I haven't changed my mind. The more time we spend together, the more I like you. And, Jack? I like you an awful lot," she confessed softly.
He took in her words and his expression changed from one of skepticism to one of pride. "That's good, 'cause I like you an awful lot, too."
"Good. Now, kiss me to seal the deal," she commanded.
"You gots a thing for kissin'?" he asked gently as he took her face in his hands.
"Just for kissing you. Do you have an objection to that?"
"Hell, no," he whispered hoarsely, and kissed her but good.
She whimpered when he broke the kiss, but he just chuckled and tucked her under his arm and continued on toward her house. After a moment or two, he asked, "So what did Darcy say?"
"Hmmm?"
"You said Darcy told ya somethin' interestin'."
"Did I? Oh, yes. I was telling him about the money father had offered you and he said that would make a great scholarship fund."
"What's that?"
"A scholarship is when someone who otherwise cannot afford to go to school gets funding to attend, usually based on grades at previous schools or community merit or some other sort of qualifying factors."
"So who'd he have in mind to scholarship for?"
"The newsies, I imagine. At least, that's who I thought of when he said that."
"But which one?"
"A scholarship fund is set up so that it can help more than one person who meets the qualifications. If, for example, we added a Newsies Scholarship as one of the benefits of being a member of the Union, then newsies who are members could apply, and we would review the applications and decide who gets the money."
"How much would they get?"
"However much we decide each scholarship is for."
"What do we do when the money runs out?"
"Hopefully, it won't run out."
"How's that work? You give it to the newsies, even in small bits, and it's gotta run out sometime."
"Perhaps. But that's why you set it up as a fund. I don't know anything about the particulars, btu Darcy does. He's a genius with money stuff. But, essentially, you put it in an investment fund so that it keeps growing. You can also ask for donations to add to the fund, too, so that helps keep it going. Private donors can assist as well."
"So, it goes in the bank, and you take it out in bits and pieces, and it still keeps getting bigger?"
"Well, you don't aim to give all of it away at one time. You'd set a limit of, say, a thousand dollars this year. You look over the applications and decide how to divide the money. That way, you help some newsies and a big chunk stays in the bank."
"And they hafta go to school?"
"Not necessarily. We can decide that the scholarship can be for whatever we want. The term 'scholarship' does traditionally mean school-related things, but we don't have to call it that if we want it to be for, say, helping newsies get a job besides selling papes."
"Like Race's fixin' shop?"
"Exactly. And it could be a low-interest loan program, or an outright grant. That's the great thing – it's our money, and we can decide how to use it."
"And where does all this money come from?"
"My father."
"He won't never agree to give any money to newsies for stuff like that."
"Well," she said slyly, "he did offer to give you a rather large sum of money, did he not?"
"Yeah, but that was to leave you."
"Did he specifically say you were to leave me? Or did he say you just had to leave?"
"What?"
She laughed. "Just tell me when he gives you the money, OK? And you have to take it when he gives it to you."
"Now hold on –"
"Jack, I am not asking you to leave me. Heavens to Betsy, no. If you try, I'll go with you, so be sure to buy two tickets to wherever you decide to go. What I'm saying is that my fathers thinks he has you over the coals, and we're going to show him that you are not the lowlife he seems to think you are."
"How's that gonna happen?"
"It'll take him giving you the money and you coming to dinner that very night."
"Oh, no. He don't like it when I's at your place."
"He'll just have to get used to it, won't he? Or he'll risk never seeing me again."
"Why's that?"
"Because, silly, I'm your girl." She poked his chest and scrunched her nose at him. "And if he doesn't want to see you, then he won't see me, either."
"You sure are somethin' else, Katherine Pulitzer." He hugged her close. "Does I really gotta come for dinner?"
"Yes, but I'll be there the whole time."
"As long as you's there, I guess it'll be OK."
They started walking again, Jack's arm around Kat's shoulders. "Two tickets, huh?"
"Yes. Two tickets."
He kissed the top of her head. "You's a gem, Kat."
Three days later, Kat was typing up an article when someone slapped something down beside her. She jumped and looked up to see Jack slumping down in the chair beside her desk.
"You keep it. I don't want it," he told her.
She chuckled and peeked inside the envelope. Sure enough, there was a check for ten thousand dollars made out to Jack Kelly. "Perfect!" she chortled. "What'd he say to you?"
"Said I was to leave town within a week. Tell no one, 'specially you, 'bout our conversation."
"What was it you were supposed to tell me when you suddenly decide to up and leave me?"
"He didn't tell me that. Guess he thought you weren't gonna notice," he said sullenly.
She leaned across the corner of the desk to look him directly in the eyes. "That ain't gonna happen, mister. You leave without me, and when I find you, we'll be havin' us some serious words."
He grinned and leaned closer to her. "That so?"
"You betcha," she pressed a quick peck on his lips then stood and handed him her coat. "Come on, let's go."
He held her coat as she shrugged into it. "Now?"
"Yes. I don't want him to be able to change his mind about this."
"I said it before, Kat, and I s'pose I'll be sayin' it lots more," he hooked their elbows and entwined their fingers.
"What's that?"
"Remind me to stay on your good side."
She laughed heartily, causing several people in the room to look up and wonder how the oddly-matched couple had come to be.
At Darcy's office, they explained the general idea of what they wanted, but that the Union leaders would have to vote on exactly how to use the funds.
"Not a problem," Darcy assured them. "I'll open an account for you so the money will be safe, then you can tell me what you want to do with it later."
"Will you set up a presentation?" Kat asked. "Something easy to understand, explaining the various options and how it all works?"
"Sure. I do that all the time. And with this much money, you'll want to know exactly what your options are. There will be plenty to choose from."
"We ain't stupid," Jack objected.
"No one is saying you are," Darcy assured him, "but finance can be as foreign a language to some as French or Italian, and part of my job is to make sure my clients understand what I'm telling them."
"You'll probably pick it up on the first try," Kat told Jack, "but I've never been good at understanding Darcy when he starts talking money stuff."
"Yes," Darcy chuckled. "The 'easy to understand' bit was Kat telling me to make it something even she could follow."
Jack looked at Kat, puzzled. "But you's real smart."
She smiled. "Thank you. However, my intelligence does not extend to matters of finance, and I'm smart enough to recognize that and let Darcy help me make those kinds of decisions."
Darcy leaned forward. "So, Kat. What scheme is your brilliant mind hatching?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Kat inquired coyly.
"Don't you play innocent with me," Darcy said. "This has all the earmarks of something you love digging your pretty little fingers into and making mischief."
Kat laughed. "Let's just say that I'm going to do my best to pull my father off of Jack's tail once and for all."
"Oh, I'd love to see that."
"Why don't you come to dinner tonight, then? It might help to have you there, actually."
"I'll be there with bells on," he promised.
Kat stood and the men stood with her. "We'll see you at eight, then." She took Jack's arm and they left Darcy's office.
Once on the sidewalk, Jack pulled Kat around to face him. "What is goin' on? What was he talkin' 'bout? What is you plannin'?"
"I don't have all the details worked out, yet. A lot of it will be playing things by ear, depending on father's reactions and such. But, by the end of the evening, he will realize that I will not be persuaded to accept courting by anyone other than you."
"What's that mean, just so's I can be sure."
"It means, Jack Kelly," she tapped his chin, "that my father will know tonight, once and for all, that you're my guy and I'm your girl, and he cannot do anything to change my mind about that."
He pulled her into his arms. "I hope so, Kat. I really do, 'cause I don't wanta lose you."
"Hey," she pulled back slightly to look up at him. "Don't worry. No matter what happens tonight, you'll still need to buy two tickets. OK?"
He tucked her back against his chest. "Two tickets. I like that. Just you and me, together."
She snuggled closer. "Precisely."