Mush stood in the Lodging House doorway and watched his friends leave the building. They were all heading off to their jobs. Not the usual newspaper jobs, but their real jobs. For instance, Blink worked at The Sun as a photographer and Jack was a journalist there. But, him, he was still just a newsboy.
"Well, not today," Mush called out to no one in particular.
In return for his morning wake-up call, he got a bunch of angry neighbors yelling down at him. But he didn't let that bother him. He had finally decided it was time to give up the easy but hard life of being a newsie.
"The first step," he mumbled, continuing to speak to himself, "is to actually find out where I can get a job and if I want a job there. I should go talk to Medda. She's the one who helped Skittery find that piano teacher job. Maybe she can find a job for me."
By the time he had decided that he definitely had to talk with Medda, he was at the Distribution Center. Buying half of his usual number of papes, he started to make his way down the street and to Irving Hall. He sold his last paper right outside the front entrance.
Looking up at the detailed sign of Medda, he whispered to himself, "Wow. You'd think that after the whole strike business we'd be allowed to enter through the front. Oh well!" He made his way into the alley and through the back door.
The backstage of Irving Hall never failed to amaze him. Each time he visited, it seemed to get larger and larger and the clothes lying around got grander and grander. There were about twenty dressing rooms back there, one for each singer. Medda's was the largest because she was the star and she owned the joint. It was the closest to the back door, too, so that the newsies didn't have to walk very far to find her when they chose to visit.
Knocking softly on her door, Mush left himself in. He saw Medda in the corner by a mirror, trying a new dress on.
"You look great, Medda," Mush said.
"Thank you, Mush." Medda disappeared behind a screen. But a few minutes later, she reappeared in her regular clothes. "What can I do for ya, kid?" "Well, this morning I was watching the guys leave the lodging house and I couldn't help but notice that they were all off to their new jobs. Me, I'm still a newsboy. Anyway, I decided it was high time that I got a real job, too. And that's when I remembered how you helped get Skittery a job. I thought maybe you could help me decide what to do." "Well, we'll have to examine your assets. You can read. Not a lot of kids out there can do that, you know? You're strong. Years of carrying papers'll do that. I'm thinking, Mush. It's just so hard. I don't want to steer you down the wrong path."
"I understand, Medda. Just tell me what you think I'd like to do the most and then I'll decide if I like it or not."
"Well, there is... oh no, you wouldn't want to do that," Medda mumbled.
"Tell me. You know I'm willing to give anything a chance."
"Well, an old friend of mine has this sister. Anyway, her sister's family is looking for a guy to do odd jobs around their house. I figure they'd like you. I mean, you can handle a lot of different things and you ain't so bad on the eyes, kid."
"That sounds perfect, Medda. Where do they live?"
"That's the thing. They're not exactly the kind of people who live in this part of the city. They live more uptown."
"So, you're telling me they're rich? I can handle that, Medda," Mush said.
"Well... I'm trying to tell you that they're really really rich. Like their family is set for another three generations. But you can handle that, right? Tell you what. I'll write their address down on a paper. Then, I'll call my friend and tell them I'm going to send you over to her sister's house tomorrow morning to interview for the job."
"Thanks Medda. You're the best," Mush said as he got up from his seat.
"Good luck to you, kid!" she called as he walked out of her dressing room.
The next day, Mush got up an hour earlier than Kloppman usually shuffled upstairs to wake the mass of them up. He took out the clothes that Medda had sent over for him to wear for the interview. They were brand new and smelled like a high-class department store. After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, he said goodbye to Kloppman and started the long walk across town.
About an hour later, he arrived at the Summers' house. Actually, it was better classified as a mansion. From the outside, it was visible that the estate was comprised of ten acres, a four-story house, two barns, stables and a gazebo. Mush began to get nervous. Why would a rich family want to hire him, an ex-newsie?
As he went through the front gate and neared the front door, it swung open. Standing there was a lovely lady. She looked to be about thrity-five and was definitely one of the prettiest women Mush had ever seen.
"Hello, you must be Shawn. Nina, that's my sister, told me you were going to stop by today so we could have a little chat. I'm Gabrielle Summers. Do come in," the pretty lady said.
"Wow, no one's really called me by my first name in years, Ms. Summers," he replied.
"You can call me Gabrielle. And what, might I ask, do people call you?"
"Mush. You see, I used to be a newsboy and we all sorta have weird nicknames. I don't even remember how mine came about. It just did and I was stuck with it."
"Oh, well, then we'll just have everyone call you Mush."
"It sounds like I've already been hired. Medda told me I'd have to come over here for an interview." "Well, yes, I did tell Ms. Larkson that I'd have to interview you. But I can already tell you're who I want for the job."
"Excuse my fowardness, ma'am. But what exactly is my job?"
"Oh! Well, you're going to be kind of like our groundskeeper slash butler. You'll be doing odd jobs that come up. For now, though, let's just get you acquainted with the grounds and the people."
Gabrielle took him around the grounds and introduced him to all the other workers. There was Kim the horse trainer, Daisy the maid, and Hugo the cook. Sydney the gardener was on personal leave that day so she told Mush he'd have to meet her some other day.
"We don't have a large staff but the staff we do have is very very good. It really doesn't take much to keep this place in order. Just about five people, believe it or not. Speaking of our staff, I think I'll have Daisy drop by the lodging house downtown and pick up your belongings. I don't mean to uproot you from your previous home. But we desperately need you here. It's not like you won't be seeing your friends again. You'll have your share of personal days and errands to run downtown. Plus, you're free to go anywhere for lunch you want. I hear you newsies like that quaint little restaurant. What was it's name? Ah yes, Tibby's. Well anyway, now that you've seen what the outside is like, let me show you the inside."
She took him through the first floor which was mainly guest rooms, a kitchen, sitting room, and a dining room. But when they hit the second floor, Mush started to notice the place got homelier.
"This is basically my two daughters' floor. There's Natalie's half. A library, her bedroom, a conservatory, and a den. Our little Natalie's the family brains. She plays the piano, sings, and reads books all day. Then, there's Samantha's half. Her bedroom, a ballet studio, another den, and a room for her cat. Samantha's the dancer. Plus, she has a real passion for animals. You'll meet the girl's later. If we proceed past their chambers, you'll find your room. I would have put you on the floor with the other workers, but Hugo's sister recently got into a bad situation and she's come to live with us. So, you got lucky and are going to be staying in a guest room. You look about my daughter's age, so you three'll be bound to get along. Oh! I'm sorry. I'm talking an awful lot, aren't I?"
"No, it's really alright. I'm just a bit too overwhelmed right now. I don't get to see a house like this everyday," Mush explained.
Gabrielle just smiled and led him up to the third floor. There was another kitchen up there, Gabrielle and her husband's bedroom, and a sitting room. "Not much," she said. "But it's quite cozy."
The fourth floor was the worker's apartments. Then, there was an attic which Gabrielle said was mostly for storage. Looking down at her watch, she realized the time. "Oh my gosh! It's almost dinner time. I'll have Hugo whip us up some sandwiches. I'd like to talk to you a little more. I'm sorry that my husband couldn't join us. But as you saw before, he's outside trying to help Kim break that new horse. And my girls, well, I have no idea where they are. They're always out and about. Victor, that's Mr. Summers, even though I call him by his first name you darn not. He'd be so furious. He'd be furious if he found out I let you call me by my first name. So, when he's around, you make sure you shift to the proper ma'am or Mrs. Summers. But between us, I'm Gabrielle. It's like that with the rest of the workers to. Well, anyway, what was I saying? Oh yes. Victor always has the girls out making appearances. He's always too busy to do it himself. So I shouldn't expect them home until late. You probably won't meet them until tomorrow."
By the time she was done talking, Hugo had made the sandwiches and they had just began eating them in the sitting room. The second they were done, Mr. Summers entered the room.
"Good evening, Gabrielle. Who might this charming lad be?"
"Victor, this is our new worker, Shawn, but most people call him Mush so I told him we would, too. Mush, this is Mr. Summers."
"Hello, sir," Mush said shifting to his polite voice.
"Hello. Now, I'm sure my wife gave you a tour and told you all the gossip about everything here. The reason I'm here is to talk to you about conduct. Will you excuse us, darling?"
"Of course." "Now, back to what I was saying. Your conduct here is of the utmost importance. You must ask cordious to any guests we might have. I'm not telling you to turn into a walking, talking "yes sir, yes ma'am". I just want you to make any guests feel like you really care about how they feel. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
The next hour went the same as the first few minutes. Mr. Summers set out a rule and Mush replied, "Yes, sir" or "Understood, sir." Finally, Mush was told the last rule.
"Now, Mush, it's time to tell you the most important rule of them all. You break this one and you're gone. No questions asked. You're just out of here. Okay. I love my daughters, you see. I'd do anything for them. That's why I try to keep them visiting their kind of people. I don't want to see you getting romantically involved with either. They're not of your station. All it could do is cause them pain and I will not see my daughters hurt. Now, I"m not telling you to completely ignore. No. I expect you three to become good friends. I mean, you're all each other's age. That's one reason I'm glad we're hiring you. You're going to expose my girls to a male perspective on things. I just don't want them exposed to much, do you understand me?"
"Absolutely, sir."
"Good. Well, it's getting late. Why don't you retire to your quarters?"
"Thank you, Mr. Summers," Mush said.
"For what, son?"
"For hiring me. My friend helped me figure out what job I was right for and we came up with this. I'm just thankful that you are allowing me to do what I didn't know that I really wanted to do before. If that makes any sense."
"Perfect. Oh! Before you leave, I wanted to tell you about tomorrow. Everyone's is awake by seven at the latest. I expect you'll do fine with that, considering the way of life you used to have. I also have a job for you tomorrow. Did you notice the tree in the backyard that was half falling down?"
"Yes, I did."
"Well, if the other half falls, it'll hit the house. So, all I want you to do tomorrow is saw off the branches and uproot the tree. I don't want you leaving a stump there so I left rope which you can tie around the stump and pull it out. Good luck! And welcome to the Summers house."
Mush waved goodnight to his employer and made his way downstairs to his room. On the way down the hall, he ran into yet another pretty girl. She looked exactly like Gabrielly only younger. She had curly blond hair which was braided away from her face. Her clothes were very delicate, exactly what a rich girl would wear.
"Hello, sir. What are you doing in the house at this time of night?" the girl asked.
"I'm the new groundskeeper slash butler. Me name's Mush. And you must be..."
"Samantha. The older one. I'm sorry you couldn't meet Natalie. She was exhausted by the time we got home and I made sure she went immediately to bed before she ran into something and hurt herself."
Mush chuckled softly to himself at the image of a girl like Samantha walking down the hall and suddenly hitting a wall.
"I didn't realize I was so humorous. You sure know how to make a girl feel good, Mush."
"It's not hard. You just listen to them and laugh when they say something funny. I grew up around a household of girls."
"Oh! You have sisters?"
"Not exactly. You see, I used to be a newsie and well, our lodging house is kind of co-ed. So I grew up around girls."
"You used to be a newsie? I love watching you guys sell your papers. You always look so carefree and happy. I've always wanted to talk to you guys and find out what exactly is so thrilling." "Tell you what. One of these days you can go to Tibby's with me and meet some of the guys. They'll sure be happy that I brought you. They can't get enough of the pretty girls who are out there."
"There you go again, you charmer. It's getting kind of late and I'm sure Father has a big first day planned for you."
"Well, good night. It was good meeting you. Maybe Natalie will be feeling better tomorrow and I'll be able to see if she can outdo the beauty of you and your mother."
"Jeez, you sure are good at this kind of stuff. Good night, Mush. I'll see you in the morning. Hey, why don't we have lunch together tomorrow? I'll have Hugo make us something and I'll bring it out to wherever my father has you working."
"Actually, he has me right in the backyard taking that tree down. But I'd love to have lunch with you. I can tell this is the beginning of a really good friendship. G'night!"
"Good night," Samantha called as she disappeared into her room.
Mush just chuckled as he headed down the hall into his room. The second his head touched the pillow, he was out like a light.
The next morning, Mush woke up bright and early. He quickly got dressed and stumbled into the downstairs kitchen. There he saw Daisy dishing out some eggs.
"Want some?" she asked. "I was just getting Miss Natalie breakfast. She's not really a morning person. But putting some food in front of her nose usually helps her wake up quicker."
"Oh, okay. Thanks. I'm going to need some food. Mr. Summers has me doing manual labor today."
"Oh! He always gives the new employees hard jobs at first. When I started, he had me dusting everything in this house. It took me a week to do it properly. It's just his way of testing you to see if you can put up with the stress."
"Henks," Mush said as he shoved a big spoonful of eggs into his mouth.
"Well, you're very welcome."
Once he was done, he set out to accomplish the job he was given. He wanted to show Mr. Summers he could do anything asked of him. He was starting to really want to keep this job. Hour after hour after hour passed. Finally, around four, he had sawed off every single branch of that tree and he had chopped the trunk down to its minimal height. Sighing, he picked up the rope and wrapped it around the trunk. Looking up for a moment, he saw Samantha coming towards him.
"Hi, Mush. Just thought you'd like something to drink. Hugo made some ice tea earlier."
"Thanks. I am getting a little hot. Um... would it embarass you if I took my shirt off?"
"No. We've had young workers here for my whole life. I've seen a guy's chest before."
"Okay." Mush slid his shirt off and couldn't help but laugh when he heard Samantha gasp. "What, Sam?"
"None of our other workers ever looked like you. Hey! What did you call me?"
"Sam. Do you not want me to call you by it?"
"No, I like it," she said as she layed down next to Mush on the grass. "From now on, I'll be Sam to you. Listen. I think I hear Father calling. He'd die if he saw me out here with the half-naked new worker."
Sam giggled as she sat up. Mush watched her as she walked back into the house. Then,sighing, he sat up and took a hold of the rope. He tugged and tugged and the stump slowly began to budge. Suddenly, he heard a stick snap behind. Standing, there watching him was a pretty girl wearing a white t-shirt and overalls. Her hair was unusually straight and a shade of brown that he had never seen.
"That must be Sydney, the gardener. Maybe she could help me pull this thing out. Sounds like she's used to getting her hands dirty," Mush thought to himself. Then, he yelled out loud across the lawn to her, "Hey! Don't just stand there. Come over and give me a hand."
The girl bounded over and grabbed the part of the rope that was in front of Mush. Together, they pulled for what seemed like an eternity. But finally, both began to feel it budge. When the stump finally decided to move, it moved rather quickly. They ripped it out of the ground so fast that they didn't have time to regain their balance. Mush ended up on top of the girl.
Knowing he should really get up, he quickly realized he couldn't. The reason why he couldn't was her eyes. They were a shade of blue that he had only seen when he was growing up in Maine. He just couldn't tear his eyes away from them. Finally, he snapped out of it when she cleared her throat.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced," she whispered.
"Oh, I'm Mush, the new groundskeeper slash bulter. And you are?"
"I'm Natalie Summers, the youngest daughter at this house."
"Oh my... I'm so sorry, Miss Summers. You see when I got here yesterday, your mother introduced me to the groundstaff only Sydney the gardener was away and so I assumed when I saw a girl wearing overalls which isn't something your average girl wears and your hair is straight and brown not curly and blonde like your mother and sister so I thought you were here because otherwise I would have never asked you to help me so you see... what's so funny?" Mush asked, very ashamed and very confused as to why she's laughing at him.
"Just the idea that you'd mistake me for Sydney. Mother must not have told you what Sydney looks like. Sydney's a seventy-year-old woman."
"Oh."
"Anyway, it's almost dinnertime. Father has a meeting tonight so we're all going to eat our meals seperately. I'm sure you've had a hard day and wish to relax. I'll tell Hugo you'll be eating dinner with me in my chambers. I'd like to learn more about you, Mush."
She held out her arm and he quickly looped it into his. It took them a few minutes because they were both very sore but they eventually made it up the stairs and into Natalie's den. The second they sat down, Hugo came in with their food.
"Thanks, Hugo," Natalie said. "I'm famished. So, Mush? I heard you used to be a newsie."
"Who told you that?"
"Samantha. She told me about meeting you last night. But I think my first encounter with you makes a much better tale."
"I am sorry about that. I really thought you were a... uh... seventy-year-old lady. But to answer your question, yes, I was a newsie before I came here."
"Wow. Your life must have been so exciting. Never answering to anybody. Living on a dime a day. Laughing and having fun all day."
"You make it sound glamorous. It wasn't. Sometimes, we had to steal food because we didn't sell enough papes that day to cover the charge. Everyday, we lost and gained newsies. They'd move on, or be taken away, or they'd even die. It was a hard life. But it did have its share of perks."
"I'd love to have that kind of freedom, though. Father keeps us locked away in this house. And when he does let us out, it's to make visits."
"Hey! Isn't your father going to be away tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Some client in Pennslyvania wants to talk with him. He's leaving tonight and won't get back until tomorrow morning. Why?"
"Well, your mother seems real nice so she'd agree to anything you girls want to do and your father wouldn't be around to say no."
"What are you trying to say?" Natalie asked, a smile spreading across her face at the sight of Mush's enthusiasm.
"Well, would you like to spend the day with me? I mean, I'll get the day off and we can go and be newsies. I have a little money so we can both buy papers. Then, we can eat lunch at Tibby's. It'll be great."
"It sounds great. I'm sure Mom will let me go. She loves it when I go out and see Manhattan. She really wants us to get more exposure to the real world. Jeez! It's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'll come in and wake you up. We have to leave early if we want to get papers."
"Early? I don't do early."
"Tell you what. We'll have Kim drive us down to Newspaper Row. That way you can get up a half an hour later. But it's still going to be early."
"Okay," she said. "I guess it's worth the sacrifice. See you tomorrow morning, Mush!"
Mush waved at her from the doorway and walked down the hall to his room. He flopped down onto his bed and stared at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts about his new job, the next day's events, and, most of all, Natalie Summers.
He was surprised to feel sun beating down onto his face. When he opened his eyes, he realized it was morning. "Wow," he whispered to himself. "I must have dozed off. Better go get Natalie up."
Mush knocked softly on her door but got no answer. The door was unlocked so he let himself in. He found Natalie sleeping in her bed. After snapping himself away from staring at her, he gently shook her shoulder. She woke up with a start.
"Huh? Mush! What are you doing here?" she cried out, suddenly very confused.
"We're going to sell papers today. Remember?"
"Oh. OH! I'm getting up. I'm getting up. I'll meet you downstairs in ten minutes."
"Oh and wear these," Mush said as he threw some of his clothes at her.
"Why?"
"Because no one's going to buy papers from a rich girl. You gotta look like you don't have money to make money."
Mush exited and closed the door behind him, chuckling at the fact that she was so sheltered from the real world. A few minutes later, he heard her footsteps pounding down the stairs. He tossed her some bread and said, "Ready to go?"
"This is my breakfast?"
"It's all I ever got to eat when I sold papers. And that bread was stale!"
"Okay okay. Let's go."
Mush and Natalie piled into the family car and Kim drove them downtown. As Mush was getting out of the car, he heard Blink exclaim, "Hey fellas! Look at that car."
"I'm not looking at the car," Race answered. "I'm looking at the girl in it!"
"And I'm looking at the guy getting out of it," said Mystic who was visiting the newsies for that morning while Skittery was away giving piano lessons. "Mush! How ya been?"
"Good, Em. Very good." Mush held his hand out and helped Natalie out of the car. "Guys and Mystic, this is Natalie Summers. She's the daughter of the man I work for now."
"Hello, miss," Blink said as he reached out and kissed her hands.
"Mush warned me that all of you were charmers but I didn't think it would be this bad."
"Well boys! I think we have a smart mouth on the Row," a visiting Spot called out.
"I guess that means she'll fit right in," Mush said. "Now if you'll excuse us, we need to get our papes."
Mush walked up to the window and got his usual one hundred. Natalie did exactly like he had showed her and received fifty. Mush had told her on the ride over to only get what she thought she could sell. He also told her not to be embarassed if she got a lot less than everyone else was getting. The newsies were veterans at the game of selling papes and she was just a beginner. But she felt that she could handle fifty. And if she couldn't, Mush would help her sell them.
They yelled their goodbyes at the mob of newsies and started down the road. Mush led her to Central Park. "It's the easiest place to sell. We usually send the rookies or the smaller ones here. Today, I guess you're the rookie so we sell her," he told her.
After Mush had explained what to do and how to improve the truth a few times, she started to sell. And boy did she sell! By the time Mush had sold about twenty of his papes, she was done.
"Well, that was a lot easier than you made it out to be."
"You're just lucky because you're blessed with beauty. The cuter you are, the easier it is to sell."
"So, that explains it!" she cried out.
"Explains what?"
"Why all the newsies were so handsome! Pardon my bluntness, but all the ugly ones couldn't make it. Samantha and I had always wondered why everytime we saw a newsie, they were so cute. Now we know."
"Listen. It's about lunchtime. That means we need to start making our way to Tibby's. That's where all the newsies eat. Their prices are cheap and their food ain't that bad."
"Nice way of putting it. Let's go."
A little while later, they walked through the door to the restaurant. Mush pointed out a table near the back where Blink, Race, Mystic, and Skittery were sitting. They walked over, greeted them, and sat down. Mush ordered for both of them and then they engaged themselves in a discussion on Blink's new girlfriend.
"So, I hear she's got a younger sister who's six years younger than her and six inches taller," Race cracked.
"I wouldn't be talking about lack of height, Midget!" Blink yelled back
Natalie leaned over to Mush and whispered, "It's a little stuffy in here. I think I'm going to go outside and get some fresh air."
"Okay. Just be careful. People out here aren't as nice as the people you've meet through your family," Mush warned her.
Natalie left the restaurant and started walking towards Newspaper Row. She figured she'd walk that way and then be able to turn around and come back without getting lost. As she was walking, she began to hear the sound of shoes clicking in rhythm with her stes behind her. As she quickened, so did they. But she was surprised to realize when she slowed down they continued to go fast. When she finally chanced a glance behind her, she saw two men running towards her. By the time she chose to run, they were too close to escape from.
"You're new around here, aren't you? You have to be. I'd remember seeing you. Are you lost?"
"Actually, I think I am. Do you know the way back to Tibby's?" Natalie asked the two men.
"Yes, actually, we do. I'm Oscar and this is Morris. We work down at the World. The newsies are always eating at Tibby's so we could find it for you if you want us too."
"That would be so great."
Natalie put her arms into theirs and they quickly led her back to the restaurant. Stopping outside the door, she turned to the guys and said, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Hey! We were wondering if you wanted to see Irving Hall. We could meet you in the Row in about an hour?"
"Sure, I'd love to."
Natalie waved and stepped into the restaurant. Mush immediately ran over to her.
"What were they saying to you?" Mush asked.
"Well, I kinda got lost and they showed me the way back. Then, they asked if I wanted to see some Hall. So, they're going to come meet me in an hour at Newspaper Row. Do you want to come?"
"You are not going anywhere with Oscar or Morris. They can't be trusted."
"I will do what I want to do. You may know this city better than I do. But that does not mean you have control over what I do. I am going to met Oscar and Morris and there's nothing you can do or say to change my mind."
Natalie stormed out of the restaurant and began to make her way to Newspaper Row. Since she was unfamiliar with the area, it took her an hour to make the ten minute walk. Every other step she took showed her something she had never seen in her neighborhood before. But she did make it to the Row eventually and the Delancey brothers were standing there, waiting. They smiled as she approached.
"Hello, Natalie. Glad to see you could make it," Oscar said as he steered her into an alley.
After a few minutes of walking, she commented, "Do we really have to take the alleys to get to this music hall you were taking me to?"
"Well, it's not really necessary," Moris answered. "It's just we didn't want any of your pesky newsie friends following you."
"Why not? I thought you guys were friends with the newsies."
"Not really. They never gave us a chance to get to know them," Oscar said.
"Well, that's unfair. Hey! Why are we stopping? This can't be the music hall."
"Shut up!" Morris whispered. "If you really wanted to see a music hall, you should have asked one of those newsie twerps. We're here to give you a more exciting ride."
Morris grabbed her arms and Oscar pushed them against the wall. Before Natalie could register what was happening, Oscar's lips and hands were all over her. He stopped for a moment and whispered into her ear.
"I've always wondered what a rich girl tasted like."
Natalie had just begun to scream when Oscar was ripped off of her. Then, she was flung to the ground across the alley. When her head cleared, she looked up and saw the Delanceys in a heap and Mush standing over her.
"I told you not to trust them," Mush said as he scooped her into his arms.
All she could do was smile up at her rescuer. Mush carried her all the way back to the Manhattan Newsboy Lodging House. He set her down on Blink's bunk and watched as she drifted off to sleep. Pulling a chair over, he, too, fell asleep.
When he woke up, the newsies were just returning to the lodging house. It was poker night so they all came home a little earlier than usual. Mush realized it was about time that he took Natalie home.
"Hey, guys," Mush whispered. "We have to go. But I'll be back. And maybe next time, I'll bring Sam."
"Who's Sam?" Blink asked.
"Sam is short for Samantha. And Samantha is Natalie's big sister. She's also a friend of mine. Anyway, I'll see you guys some time this week. I'll come by for lunch one of the days." Mush looked over at the sleeping Natalie. "God. She looks so peaceful. I just can't wake her. Guess the trip back is going to be a lot longer than I thought."
Mush scooped her up and nodded goodbye to his friends. A couple of hours later, he finally made it to the Summers' household. Smiling at Mrs. Summers and Sam, who were sitting outside, drinking some ice tea, he continued upstairs and set her down on her own bed. When he managed to pry himself away from her, he returned to the front stoop.
"So, what's wrong with Natalie?" Sam asked.
"Well, she got a little tired today. She had a run-in with some not so nice boys and it tuckered her out. For that past few hours, she's been sleeping at the Lodging House in Manhattan. When I realized it was late, I brought her right home."
"You don't have to explain your actions to us, Mush. We trust you. Did you enjoy your day off?" Gabrielle asked.
"Oh, I loved it. It was great getting to see my friends again. These guys are my family. I mean, they're the only ones I've lived with, well, before you. For years, it was only them and me. I really missed them."
"I can tell. Well, Mush, it's late. I think we should all be turning in," Gabrielle said.
The three walked upstairs and Sam and Mush waved goodbye on the second floor while Gabrielle continued on to the third floor. When she was out of view, Sam turned to Mush and slugged him.
"Why didn't you take me with you?" she cried.
"I...I...can we go to my room to talk?" Mush led her into his room and they sat down together on his bed. "The reason I only took Natalie is well, I like her. A lot. And I wanted some time alone with her to get to know her better."
"Mush.... nothing good can come of this. Didn't Father give you the lecture yet?"
"Yeah, he did. And I listened. I really did. It's just when my heart gets set on something it won't let up."
"And right now your heart's set on my little sister. Fine, I forgive you this time."
"I told the guys about you though. They made me promise that next time, I'll bring you both. And I will. Now then, it's late. Go to bed!"
"Good night, Mush," Sam called as she shut the door behind herself.
The next morning, Mush was woken up by banging and crashing downstairs. He quickly got dressed and ran down to see what was the matter. Hugo was running around the first floor kitchen whipping pots and pans everywhere.
"What's the matter?" Mush cried. "You're being so loud the whole house is bound to wake up."
"You'd be running around to your boss just told you that you had to make food for two hundred people in ten hours. Oh vay! What am I to do?"
"Settle down, Hugo. Tell me the whole story."
"Well, I got up to start breakfast, you know? Like I do everyday. Well, anyway, he comes waltzing and tells me the people from Pennslyvania are going to stay with us for a while and he wants to host a gala ball this evening. So, I have to whip up some elegant meal when I hardly have time to make a decent lunch. I do not know what I am going to do."
"It's okay, Hugo," Natalie said as she entered the room. "You're a culinary genius. You'll do whatever my father has asked of you. Anyway, I came in here because Father is calling for you Mush."
Mush smiled and followed Natalie to her father's study on the third floor.
"Why are you grinning so much?" she asked.
"No reason, Nate."
"Ohhhhh. So, I'm Nate to you now? That's okay. I like it. No one around her calls me anything but Young Miss and Natalie."
Finally, they reached the study door. Mr. Summers, who had heard their footsteps and talking, cried, "Come in!" Mush entered and sat down in the chair that Mr. Summers had indicated he wanted Mush to sit in.
"I'm sure you've heard Hugo by now. So I guess you know what's happening today. I need you to start preparing the mass dining room and our ballroom. They're in a seperate building across the lake. You probably haven't been out that far on the property yet, have you?"
"I'll take him there," Natalie offered. "And I guess I can stay and help him. I mean, I don't have anything to do until it's time to get ready."
"That'd be great. Now get to it you two!"
Natalie and Mush exited the room. They spent the whole day cleaning and polishing everything in sight. Once they were done, Natalie gave Mush a tour of that section of the grounds.
"And this is Lily Lake," Natalie said, as they ended up at the lake where they had started.
"That's an interesting name for a lake," Mush commented.
"Father let me name it. Lilies are my favorite flower. Plus, it's my middle name."
"It's a pretty name," Mush said as he stepped in closer to her.
"Um... I think it's about time for me to get ready for this little shin-dig. I'll... um... see you later," Natalie cried as she began to run in the direction of the house.
Mush just sighed and began to walk in the direction she had run. As he was walking up the stairs to his room, he ran into Mr. Summers.
"Hey, Mush. I have a favor to ask you. You see, at these balls, there tends to be a lot of eligible bachelors. So, things tend to get heated and people start fighting. Well, I know Samantha is old enough to take care of herself. She's been doing it for years. But Natalie... she's still too young to figure out how to get rid of unwanted attention. That's where you come in. I want you to escort Natalie and we'll tell everyone that you're her boyfriend. That way, no one will be rash and make a move on her."
"Whatever you say, sir."
"That's what I thought your response would be. I had Daisy find you a suit and it's laying on your bed right now. Get dressed and met us downstairs in the parlor Oh and remember. You're to do anything she asks of you."
Mush promptly got ready and walked downstairs. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Natalie. She looked a lot different than she did during the day. Whenever Mush saw her, she was always wearing pants. But she definitely wasn't wearing pants now. She was wearing a dark green silk evening gown that clearly accented her best attributes and her hair was whisked up into a intricate style that involved over fifty pearls. She smiled as she saw him staring at her.
"What are you all dressed up for?" she asked.
"Didn't your father tell you? He was afraid of you getting unwanted attention so he wanted me to pretend to be your boyfriend this evening."
"Father told me he got me a date but he never mentioned it was you. Oh well! This situation is fine by me. Let's go. It's time to make our grand entrance," she said, wiggling her eyebrows at him.
They walked arm in arm across the grounds to the ball room which was already overflowing with partygoers. When they got inside, Mush couldn't help but notice a good number of jaws drop.
"Everyone's staring at you," he whispered to Natalie.
"They're not just looking at me, Mush. You don't look half bad in that tuxedo," she whispered back.
He lead her over to a table reserved for the Summers' family and their guests. For the good part of an hour, Mush and Natalie sat there talking and ignoring the party that was happening around them. But people weren't ignoring them.
"Mr. Summers?" a young man called out. "I was wondering why your daughter doesn't seem to be involved with this ball. She hasn't even danced yet."
"She will. She's just very wrapped up in her new boyfriend, Shawn. Let me go remind her that there are others in this room."
Mr. Summers walked over to the table and cleared his throat. "Natalie! You know you're supposed to be active in all parties that we hold here. A guest just commented on how you weren't dancing. That is unacceptable. You must think towards your future at all times."
"Fine, father. You want me to dance. I'll dance. Come on, Mush."
Mr. Summers watched as his daughter grabbed Mush's hand and dragged him over to the conductor of the orchestra. After a few words with him, she took Mush into the middle of the floor. The guests all walked off the dance floor sensing that they were going to do some serious show-off dancing. Natalie walked to the opposite side of the dance floor as Mush. Gasps echoed through the hall when the band started playing some salsa music.
Natalie started tapping her foot. Then, she raised her hand and motioned with her finger telling Mush to come to her. He slid across the floor and stood up right in front of her. They started a very intricate dance that definitely something that should not be done at a high class gala ball. When they were done, they got applause, but that was only from the young men and women who had been staring at the couple all night.
"Let's get out of here," Natalie said. "I don't want to be around when my father finds a chance to talk to me alone."
"But it was worth it just to see some of those muckety-mucks' faces."
"You're right. C'mon! Let's wade around in the lake," Natalie said as she kicked her shoes off into the distance and pulled Mush's jacket off.
They walked hand in hand down the shore. After a while, she let go of his hand and ran into the water. When she was done splashing around, Mush commented, "Boy, that tide sure looks strong. It could suck you out into the middle of that lake."
"You're right. Maybe we should start to--"
The tide didn't allow her to finish her sentence. It sucked her right off her feet and pulled her farther and farther in. Mush reacted without thinking. He threw off his shoes, socks, and shirt and dived into the water. After a few minutes of blind searching, he finally grabbed onto something that felt like a girl's hand. Pulling whatever it was to the surface, he realized that it really was Natalie's hand. He fought the tide for what seemed like eternity but he eventually made it to shore. His fight for her life wasn't over yet. She wasn't breathing and all Mush knew was that she had to get air in her.
He breathed in her mouth over and over again. Nothing was working until all of the sudden, she coughed, sat up, and spit out a ton of water. She fell back down and Mush fell on top of her exhausted. They just laid there together for a few minutes. Every time Mush tried to get up, Natalie tried at the same exact second and they ended up tangled up on the ground. On the fifth time of getting up together, Mush's lips hit hers when they fell back down. Neither one said anything and before either knew it, they were kissing again only this one was a little bit longer than the first. Mush broke away from her and sat up.
"You know we can't do this," he whispered.
"I know," Natalie said as she pulled Mush back into her embrace.
After a few hours of just laying there in each others' armsand looking at the stars, they began to heard guests leaving.
"We have to get inside," Natalie whispered. "Come on!"
She dragged him into the nearby trees. Mush thought they were running away from the house but was amazed to find that she had led them right to it. They ran inside and up the stairs. Natalie suddenly screeched to a halt halfway up the stairs.
"I hear Father," she said. "We're going to have to go up the back way."
They ran through the kitchen and up the worker's stairway. They ran into Kim who told them she had been keeping Mr. Summers away from Natalie's room all night so that she could sneak in later. They thanked her and kept on running. As they reached Natalie's bedroom door, they could hear her father's footsteps sounding up the stairs and Hugo's insisting voice that "Mr. Summers needs to see to something in the kitchen right now."
Natalie kissed Mush quickly on the lips and whispered, "Go back down the way we came up. Pretend like you've been helping Hugo all night. I'm going to got to bed."
As she began to walk into her room, Mush pulled her back and kissed her again. When he finally let go, she smiled and locked the door behind her. Mush ran down the stairs just as Mr. Summers began to walk down the third floor hall.
"That was really close, mister," Hugo said as Mush entered the kitchen. "I have been telling Mr. Summers that you've been doing inventory in the pantry for hours. I think he's getting a little skeptical."
The rest of the night went smoothly. When Mr. Summers returned to the kitchen, he informed them that Natalie was upstairs sleeping soundly. Mush did do the imaginary inventory just so Hugo's lie would become the truth.
The next morning, Natalie woke up with a smile. She got dressed and began to hum as she walked down the hall.
"What are you so happy about?" Sam asked as she exited her bedroom.
"I had a wonderful night. Mush kissed me!"
"He what?!? Natalie, you know father's rule. He could get fired for this."
"Oh don't worry so much. He'll never know. I mean, you and me have a done a lot of things we shouldn't have. And he's never found out, has he?"
"No. But you two be careful. I don't want to see Mush be kicked out. He's gotten to be one of my best friends."
"I won't let Daddy kick him out. Now you go downstairs. I forgot something in my room. I'll be along shortly."
Natalie ran back into her room and put the forgotten hair clip in her hair. She hurried down the hall and to the bottom of the stairs to try and catch up with her sister. As she was about to step off the last step and into the dining room, a hand grabbed her by the waist. She was bout to cry out but another hand covered her mouth.
As she looked to see if anyone had seen her be pulled off the stairs, she felt someone begin to kiss her neck. She turned her head and kissed Mush on the lips. After a few minutes, she broke away. Standing beside the dining room door, she straightened herself up. Shooting a smile at Mush, she walked in to greet her parents.
This became a morning ritual to them. Every morning, they would greet each other with stolen kisses. They also had taken to eating a picnic lunch near the lake every day. Mr. Summers thought it was just two good friends spending time with one another. But soon he began to suspect it was much more.
One August afternoon, Mr. Summers told everyone he was going to his study to draw up some important legal papers. But he really snuck down to the lake to see what his daughter and Mush did all afternoon. He was surprised when he saw her laying on the ground with him, resting her head on his chest. Mr. Summers would have easily written it off as two friends being comfortable, but at that second, Natalie chose to sit up and kiss Mush.
Instead of doing what his gut instinct told him to and ripped his daughter off of that filthy street urchin, he returned to the house and his study to decide what to do with the matter. When he finally felt he was calm, he went to Mush's room and burst through the door.
"Get your stuff and get out of here. You are not welcome in my house."
"Wha?!? What's the matter? What did I do?" Mush asked.
"JUST GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!" Mr. Summers yelled as he threw Mush out the door. "I told you to stay away from my daughters. But you couldn't listen. You had to get involved with one of them. You could have had a good life and a good job here. But you chose to throw it away. Get out of this house!"
Meanwhile, Natalie and Samantha were upstairs reading books. When they heard the yelling, they both understood what was happening immediately.
"Stall them," Natalie said as she ran out of the room.
Samantha jumped into action. She ran downstair and began to ask questions. Her father tried to answer them but she was talking so quickly he couldn't even understand her. So he chose to ignore her and concentrate on kicking Mush out. In response to the failed attempt, she began to cry. Her mother ran and held her in her arms, which unknowingly restricted Samantha from doing something else to stop Mr. Summers. So, she used her last resort. She fainted.
Mr. Summers immediately forgot about Mush and ran to her. By the time he realized she was faking it, Natalie was running down the stairs.
"What is going on here?" she asked.
"I'm kicking this ungrateful filth out of the house," Mr. Summers answered.
"You are not kicking the man I love out of this house."
Everyone in the room gasped including Mush. He wrestled free of Mr. Summer's grip and ran to Natalie.
"Wh-what did you just say?"
"I love you, Mush. It just took me I had to think about you leaving forever to realize it. But I do love you."
"And I love you, Natalie Summers. But it's a little late now. I have to leave you for good."
"Unless..." Samantha added. She had finally realized what her little sister's plan was. And if Mush needed a little encouraging to realize it too, so be it.
Mush looked over at Natalie and saw the look in her eyes. It was pleading with him to do something that might affect both their lives but it would insure they'd be together. At that moment, he knew what she wanted him to do. He got down on one knee and said, "I always thought when the time came for me to do this, it would be very glamourous and the setting would be perfect. But I've come to realize just now that the setting or the mood doesn't really matter. All that matters is the one word that can change your life forever. So, Natalie, will you say that one word for me? Will you marry me?"
"Yes, I will marry you."
"No! I forbid you. You will not be taking my little girl away from a life she always dreamed of," Mr. Summer said.
"No, father, that's where you're wrong. I never dreamed of a life like this. You dreamed it for me. My dreams were always to grow up and find someone who really loves me. And I did. Just because he's different than the guy you had envisioned me marrying doesn't mean I'm not going to marry him. I'm not your little girl anymore. I've grown up right before your eyes and you've never noticed. I've made my decision, father. It's time for you to make yours." As she was saying this, she went to the top of the stairs and got the suitcases she had packed minutes earlier. "And if you insist upon kicking Mush out, know that you're kicking me out, too. So, father, what's it gonna be? Can you really live with yourself, knowing you're the sole reason your own daughter left her family?"
"No, I can't. You're right. You're in charge of your own life. If you and Mush still want to stay here, you have my blessing."
"Oh, thank you, father. You won't regret it!" Natalie cried.
She watched as everyone went their seperate ways. Mr. and Mrs. Summers went into the kitchen with Hugo to talk about the next day's breakfast. Kim and Sydney went outside to continue their work. Samantha went upstairs to read more of her book. That left Mush and Natalie all alone.
"So... we're getting married," Mush finally said. "Are you sad?"
"Sad?!? Why would I be sad? You just made me the happiest woman in the world!"
"Oh! So you really did want to get married? It wasn't just an attempt to keep your father from firing me?"
"Of course, I really wanted to marry you. I love you."
"I love you, too. So, no regrets?"
"None. You?"
"How can I regret ending up with the prettiest girl in the world?"
"I should have known. You're a charmer just like your newsie friends. I wonder what they would think of their little Mush getting married."
"I don't know. But I think it involves a bunch of wisecracks. They'll have to live with it though. Nothing's going to keep me from fulfilling your dream. I guess it's our dream now."