Love, and Friendship
Swifty sat on the edge of the bed, putting his clothes back on so that he could return to the Newsboy lodging house. He felt the newsgirls hand rub his back, he brushed it off , "Come on Task, that's enough."
Task pulled the sheet up to cover her chest, "I thought you……………."
Swifty laughed, "What, you couldn't have actually thought I liked you, you were just someone there."
Task sat there thinking of how she could allow Swifty, someone she thought she could trust use her like that, "You used me Swifty?"
Swifty stared at her, "We both enjoyed ourselves, now it's over," he left the sick room of the girls lodging house.
Task got out of bed and went to the bunk room, then got her clothes, then got ready for the day ahead, she avoided the other girls.
Trixie, who was her friend, and Skittery's sister, saw that Task was upset, "You okay Task," she followed as Tasks headed down stairs, then when the were near an alley, Trixie pulled Tasks in the alley, "What happened Tasks?"
Task wrapped her arms around her friend, "How could I be so dumb Trixie?"
Trixie started to worry, "What happened Task?"
"I can't believe I gave myself to that scum," Task began kicking a can hard against the wall, "I actually liked him, and he knew that, so he used it to his advantage."
Trixie grabbed Task and stared her in the face, "Who did you give yourself to?" She thought for a moment, "Was it Swifty?"
Task began to cry again, she nodded her head.
Trixie thought for a moment, and then began to comfort her friend, "You know Task, you need to stop crying, be strong don't get all worked up over some guy, especially Swifty."
Task nodded, "You right," she wiped her tears away, and Trixie and her headed to the D.O.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Newsboy Lodging House
Swifty walked into the washroom with a huge grin on his face, "Morning boys, how are you all this morning?"
Mush grinned, "You are in high spirits this morning Swifty, did something happen with Task, I saw you two leave together."
Swifty nodded, "Yeah she was great Mush."
Skittery, who had been listening, looked at Swifty, "So you two together Swifty?"
Swifty laughed, "I wouldn't ask her to be my girl even if you paid me, she was great in the sack I'll give her that much, but girls like that are only good for one thing."
Mush saw that Skittery was getting annoyed, he was getting annoyed as well, all the guys knew Swifty went from one girl to another, but he also thought Swifty actually liked Task, "I thought you actually liked Task."
Swifty left the wash room laughing, "She's isn't girlfriend material, she's is just a girl for when a guy needs some fun."
Skittery ran up behind Swifty, and pushed him down to the floor, "You are a bastard you know that, you don't deserve a girl like Tasks, I know Task better then you, and I know she wouln't have slept with you unless she cared for you," he thought for a moment, "You knew how she felt about you, you used that to your advantage, you make me sick Swifty!" Skittery soaked Swifty, and then headed down stairs to the D.O.
All the other guys just walked right over Swifty, as they to headed to the D.O. office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Distribution Office
Task, looked at Trixie, "You going to sale by Irving Hall today?"
Trixie smiled, "Of course I am, where are you sailing?"
Task shrugged her shoulder, she didn't even see Skittery coming up behind her.
Skittery wrapped his arm around Tasks shoulder, "You going to sale with me right Task?"
Task almost fell over when she felt Skittery's arm on her shoulder, "Skittery."
Skittery kicked him self on the inside, "Sorry didn't mean to scare you Task."
Dutchy walked up next to Trixie, and wrapped his arms around Her waist, "Hey there, how's my favorite girl doing today?"
Trixie grinned, "Fine, and how are you?"
Skittery whispered in Task ear, "You want to sale with me?"
Task nodded, Skittery was her true best friend, he was the one that introduced Task to the Newsie life, "I guess I could."
After they left the D.O., they headed towards Grand Central Station.
After they sold there papers, Task, and Skittery sat on a bench watching the passing people.
Skittery Slowly placed his arm around Task shoulder, "So Task, you know I was wondering if you might want to go to Irving Hall with me tonight, the Newsies are having a party celebrating it being one year since we won the strike."
Task shook her head, "I don't think so Skittery, I am going to just stay at the lodging house, I have a lot on my mind."
"I don't really want to go either, I think I just might stay in tonight too," Skittery leaned in to try to kiss Task.
Task stood up and stared at Skittery, "Skittery, what were you trying to do?"
Skittery stood up, "I like you, I want you to be my girl."
Task shook her head, she looked as if she was going to cry, "Skittery, you deserve better then me, you don't want to be with me after what I did."
Skittery swore at Swifty in his mind, "Task, Swifty is a jerk, I will never hurt you, I love you."
Task ran to the girls lodging house, she sat on the couch and began to cry.
Skittery followed her, "Task why did you run away from me?"
Task didn't answer.
Skittery sat beside her, pulled her into a hug, and just allowed her to cry into his chest.
"Why do you love me Skittery?" Task didn't look up.
Skittery smiled, "Because, you are a great friend, and you are always there to help another newsie, and you being beautiful is a small part of the reason," he gave her a couple of shy kisses.
Task wrapped her arms around Skittery's neck, and kisses him passionately, "I love you to Skittery."
Skittery deepened the kiss, he stared into her eyes, "I will never hurt you Task."
Task held Skittery's face in her hands, "I know you wont Skittery."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Three months later
Task sat on the couch with Trixie, "This can't be happening to me Trxie."
"Are you sure it isn't my brother?" Trixie stared at Tasks.
"Your brother and I never even slept together, Swifty was the one and only guy I ever slept with," Task stood up and faced Trixie,
"My brother loves you, I am sure he'll be there for you Tasks," Trixie stood up and hugged her friend.
Skittery came into the lodging house, and saw Tasks crying, he walked up to her, "What's the matter Task?"
Trixie looked at Task, "Tell him Task, you have to," she left the building when she saw Dutchy outside waiting.
Task sat down on the couch, then looked at Skittery, "I don't know how to tell you this Skittery."
Skittery took Task by her hands, "Task I will always be there for you doll, now what do you want to tell me?"
"I'm, I'm, I am having a baby," Task began to cry more.
Skittery knew that it was Swifty's baby, he knelt down in front of Task, and wrapped her in his arms, "We'll be okay, I will take care of you and this baby."
Task looked at Skittery, "I should tell Swifty, right?"
Skittery nodded, "Yeah. He does have the right to know, you want me to go with you?"
Task nodded, "That would be good."
Swifty was sitting at a bench in front of Tibby's when Skittery and Task found him, he looked up at the two, "How you two doing?"
Skittery didn't understand how Swifty could act like nothing happened, he pulled Task closer to him as they sat next to Swifty on the bench, she was practically on his lap.
Task stared at Skittery, and whispered in his ear, "Please loosen your grip, your hurting me."
Skittery loosened his grasp on Task, and glared at Swifty.
Task looked at Skittery, "I am having your baby from that one night from when we slept together."
Swifty stared at Task, "Are you sure it's mine?"
Task nodded, "Yes it is yours Swifty, I never slept with anyone else, you were my first and only guy I slept with."
Swifty leaned back, still staring at Task, "What are we going to do?"
Skittery stood up, and glared at Swifty, "Task, and I are going to get married and raise this kid!"
Swifty looked at Task, "This is my kid to you know Task."
Task nodded, "Yeah I know that, but I love Skittery."
Swifty paced back and forth, "Task please let me have a chance to be this babies father, I know I used you, but this kid is mine as much as yours, you can't keep me from not seeing my baby!
Task took Skittery's hand, then looked at Swifty, "What do I do?"
Swifty looked at Skitter, "I just want the chance to be at least like an uncle to my kid, you and Skittery could do all the raising."
Skittery nodded, then looked at Task, "It's up to you doll."
Task nodded at Swifty, "This kid will be in your life Swifty."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Six Month's Later
Skittery got a job at the loading docks, then married Task. He was on his way home to his wife, when he saw Swifty running up to him, "Swifty what's the matter?"
"The baby is coming, Task is calling for you, she told me to get you for her," Swifty followed Skittery, who was now running almost twenty paces from him.
When they got back to the small apartment, Swifty sat on the couch.
Skittery stared at Swifty, "What were you doing here Swifty?"
Swifty stared at the door, "I came to see how she was doing, I want my kied to be okay you know."
Skittery sat in an arm chair, then jumped up when he saw the doctor, "Is she okay, are they okay?"
The doctor smiled, "Yes your wife and baby are doing just fine, you could go in and see them Mr. Trission."
Skittery walked into the room, and found Task holding the new baby in her arms, "What did we have?"
Task smiled, "We have a healthy baby boy," she looked up at Skittery, "Swifty still here?"
Skittery nodded, "You want me to get him?"
Task shook her head then smiled, "Not just now, what should we call him?"
"We should call him Oliver, uhm," Skittery looked at Task, "Oliver, what?"
Swifty stood by the door, "Oliver Kevin Trission, sounds good."
Sklittery stared at Swifty, "Kevin?"
Swifty smiled down at his son, "Yeah after my father, I always wanted a child that had my middle name, because it was carried down through generations, and this kid is a Trission, you took care of his mother while she was pregnant, and through her whole life."
Task handed the baby to Skittery, "I like that name."
The doctor, who listened with interest, smiled at Task, "Oliver Kevin Trission is it?"
Task nodded, "Yeah."
Swifty sat on the edge of the bed, putting his clothes back on so that he could return to the Newsboy lodging house. He felt the newsgirls hand rub his back, he brushed it off , "Come on Task, that's enough."
Task pulled the sheet up to cover her chest, "I thought you……………."
Swifty laughed, "What, you couldn't have actually thought I liked you, you were just someone there."
Task sat there thinking of how she could allow Swifty, someone she thought she could trust use her like that, "You used me Swifty?"
Swifty stared at her, "We both enjoyed ourselves, now it's over," he left the sick room of the girls lodging house.
Task got out of bed and went to the bunk room, then got her clothes, then got ready for the day ahead, she avoided the other girls.
Trixie, who was her friend, and Skittery's sister, saw that Task was upset, "You okay Task," she followed as Tasks headed down stairs, then when the were near an alley, Trixie pulled Tasks in the alley, "What happened Tasks?"
Task wrapped her arms around her friend, "How could I be so dumb Trixie?"
Trixie started to worry, "What happened Task?"
"I can't believe I gave myself to that scum," Task began kicking a can hard against the wall, "I actually liked him, and he knew that, so he used it to his advantage."
Trixie grabbed Task and stared her in the face, "Who did you give yourself to?" She thought for a moment, "Was it Swifty?"
Task began to cry again, she nodded her head.
Trixie thought for a moment, and then began to comfort her friend, "You know Task, you need to stop crying, be strong don't get all worked up over some guy, especially Swifty."
Task nodded, "You right," she wiped her tears away, and Trixie and her headed to the D.O.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Newsboy Lodging House
Swifty walked into the washroom with a huge grin on his face, "Morning boys, how are you all this morning?"
Mush grinned, "You are in high spirits this morning Swifty, did something happen with Task, I saw you two leave together."
Swifty nodded, "Yeah she was great Mush."
Skittery, who had been listening, looked at Swifty, "So you two together Swifty?"
Swifty laughed, "I wouldn't ask her to be my girl even if you paid me, she was great in the sack I'll give her that much, but girls like that are only good for one thing."
Mush saw that Skittery was getting annoyed, he was getting annoyed as well, all the guys knew Swifty went from one girl to another, but he also thought Swifty actually liked Task, "I thought you actually liked Task."
Swifty left the wash room laughing, "She's isn't girlfriend material, she's is just a girl for when a guy needs some fun."
Skittery ran up behind Swifty, and pushed him down to the floor, "You are a bastard you know that, you don't deserve a girl like Tasks, I know Task better then you, and I know she wouln't have slept with you unless she cared for you," he thought for a moment, "You knew how she felt about you, you used that to your advantage, you make me sick Swifty!" Skittery soaked Swifty, and then headed down stairs to the D.O.
All the other guys just walked right over Swifty, as they to headed to the D.O. office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Distribution Office
Task, looked at Trixie, "You going to sale by Irving Hall today?"
Trixie smiled, "Of course I am, where are you sailing?"
Task shrugged her shoulder, she didn't even see Skittery coming up behind her.
Skittery wrapped his arm around Tasks shoulder, "You going to sale with me right Task?"
Task almost fell over when she felt Skittery's arm on her shoulder, "Skittery."
Skittery kicked him self on the inside, "Sorry didn't mean to scare you Task."
Dutchy walked up next to Trixie, and wrapped his arms around Her waist, "Hey there, how's my favorite girl doing today?"
Trixie grinned, "Fine, and how are you?"
Skittery whispered in Task ear, "You want to sale with me?"
Task nodded, Skittery was her true best friend, he was the one that introduced Task to the Newsie life, "I guess I could."
After they left the D.O., they headed towards Grand Central Station.
After they sold there papers, Task, and Skittery sat on a bench watching the passing people.
Skittery Slowly placed his arm around Task shoulder, "So Task, you know I was wondering if you might want to go to Irving Hall with me tonight, the Newsies are having a party celebrating it being one year since we won the strike."
Task shook her head, "I don't think so Skittery, I am going to just stay at the lodging house, I have a lot on my mind."
"I don't really want to go either, I think I just might stay in tonight too," Skittery leaned in to try to kiss Task.
Task stood up and stared at Skittery, "Skittery, what were you trying to do?"
Skittery stood up, "I like you, I want you to be my girl."
Task shook her head, she looked as if she was going to cry, "Skittery, you deserve better then me, you don't want to be with me after what I did."
Skittery swore at Swifty in his mind, "Task, Swifty is a jerk, I will never hurt you, I love you."
Task ran to the girls lodging house, she sat on the couch and began to cry.
Skittery followed her, "Task why did you run away from me?"
Task didn't answer.
Skittery sat beside her, pulled her into a hug, and just allowed her to cry into his chest.
"Why do you love me Skittery?" Task didn't look up.
Skittery smiled, "Because, you are a great friend, and you are always there to help another newsie, and you being beautiful is a small part of the reason," he gave her a couple of shy kisses.
Task wrapped her arms around Skittery's neck, and kisses him passionately, "I love you to Skittery."
Skittery deepened the kiss, he stared into her eyes, "I will never hurt you Task."
Task held Skittery's face in her hands, "I know you wont Skittery."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Three months later
Task sat on the couch with Trixie, "This can't be happening to me Trxie."
"Are you sure it isn't my brother?" Trixie stared at Tasks.
"Your brother and I never even slept together, Swifty was the one and only guy I ever slept with," Task stood up and faced Trixie,
"My brother loves you, I am sure he'll be there for you Tasks," Trixie stood up and hugged her friend.
Skittery came into the lodging house, and saw Tasks crying, he walked up to her, "What's the matter Task?"
Trixie looked at Task, "Tell him Task, you have to," she left the building when she saw Dutchy outside waiting.
Task sat down on the couch, then looked at Skittery, "I don't know how to tell you this Skittery."
Skittery took Task by her hands, "Task I will always be there for you doll, now what do you want to tell me?"
"I'm, I'm, I am having a baby," Task began to cry more.
Skittery knew that it was Swifty's baby, he knelt down in front of Task, and wrapped her in his arms, "We'll be okay, I will take care of you and this baby."
Task looked at Skittery, "I should tell Swifty, right?"
Skittery nodded, "Yeah. He does have the right to know, you want me to go with you?"
Task nodded, "That would be good."
Swifty was sitting at a bench in front of Tibby's when Skittery and Task found him, he looked up at the two, "How you two doing?"
Skittery didn't understand how Swifty could act like nothing happened, he pulled Task closer to him as they sat next to Swifty on the bench, she was practically on his lap.
Task stared at Skittery, and whispered in his ear, "Please loosen your grip, your hurting me."
Skittery loosened his grasp on Task, and glared at Swifty.
Task looked at Skittery, "I am having your baby from that one night from when we slept together."
Swifty stared at Task, "Are you sure it's mine?"
Task nodded, "Yes it is yours Swifty, I never slept with anyone else, you were my first and only guy I slept with."
Swifty leaned back, still staring at Task, "What are we going to do?"
Skittery stood up, and glared at Swifty, "Task, and I are going to get married and raise this kid!"
Swifty looked at Task, "This is my kid to you know Task."
Task nodded, "Yeah I know that, but I love Skittery."
Swifty paced back and forth, "Task please let me have a chance to be this babies father, I know I used you, but this kid is mine as much as yours, you can't keep me from not seeing my baby!
Task took Skittery's hand, then looked at Swifty, "What do I do?"
Swifty looked at Skitter, "I just want the chance to be at least like an uncle to my kid, you and Skittery could do all the raising."
Skittery nodded, then looked at Task, "It's up to you doll."
Task nodded at Swifty, "This kid will be in your life Swifty."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Six Month's Later
Skittery got a job at the loading docks, then married Task. He was on his way home to his wife, when he saw Swifty running up to him, "Swifty what's the matter?"
"The baby is coming, Task is calling for you, she told me to get you for her," Swifty followed Skittery, who was now running almost twenty paces from him.
When they got back to the small apartment, Swifty sat on the couch.
Skittery stared at Swifty, "What were you doing here Swifty?"
Swifty stared at the door, "I came to see how she was doing, I want my kied to be okay you know."
Skittery sat in an arm chair, then jumped up when he saw the doctor, "Is she okay, are they okay?"
The doctor smiled, "Yes your wife and baby are doing just fine, you could go in and see them Mr. Trission."
Skittery walked into the room, and found Task holding the new baby in her arms, "What did we have?"
Task smiled, "We have a healthy baby boy," she looked up at Skittery, "Swifty still here?"
Skittery nodded, "You want me to get him?"
Task shook her head then smiled, "Not just now, what should we call him?"
"We should call him Oliver, uhm," Skittery looked at Task, "Oliver, what?"
Swifty stood by the door, "Oliver Kevin Trission, sounds good."
Sklittery stared at Swifty, "Kevin?"
Swifty smiled down at his son, "Yeah after my father, I always wanted a child that had my middle name, because it was carried down through generations, and this kid is a Trission, you took care of his mother while she was pregnant, and through her whole life."
Task handed the baby to Skittery, "I like that name."
The doctor, who listened with interest, smiled at Task, "Oliver Kevin Trission is it?"
Task nodded, "Yeah."