(Note: This story can stand on its own, but it would be better if you read "Fer Sure" first.)
"Do I gotta do this?" Jack asked, looking up at the imposing exterior of the building with dread.
Katherine stopped a couple steps up and turned to look at him, hiding a smile. "Yes. It's a lovely house and I want to see it."
With a deep sigh of resignation, Jack made his way up the marble stairs, linking her arm in his as he passed her.
Horace Grenwald, their realtor, and Kat's friend since childhood, waited patiently just inside the heavy front door.
"Oh," Kat stood in the large foyer and looked around in wonder. It truly was a beautiful home, with marble floors, hardwood doors, and beautifully stained wood trim. To their left was a wide, curving staircase leading to the second floor. Several doors led out of the foyer to rooms waiting to be explored. Kat eagerly followed Horace from room to room; Jack tagged along at a more reluctant pace. The longer they were in the house, the more tense and withdrawn he became. When the tour was over, Kat stood discussing the home with Horace in the foyer. Jack stood by without saying anything, his expression becoming more mulish with each passing minute.
"You liked that room, didn't you, Jack?" Kat's question pulled him into the conversation he had been doing his best to ignore.
"What room?"
"The one just behind the front parlor. I thought it would be a nice room for you to use as a study."
He scoffed. "Yeah, like a newsie needs a study."
"Well, you never know."
He grunted. "We done here?"
"Just about. I just want to ask about the price?" She looked to Horace, who quoted the price both for renting the property and for purchasing it, as the owner was amenable to either option.
"You got to be kiddin' me!" Jack all but shouted. "That much money oughta be able to buy the entire city, not just one house!" He pinned Kat with a sharp look. "I ain't livin' here or nowhere like it!" He stormed out the front door.
Kat sighed.
Horace chuckled softly, lest Jack be within hearing distance. "You found yourself a live one, Katherine," he commented wryly. "You sure about this?"
"I know; he's wonderful," she said adoringly. "And yes. I think if he sees a couple of houses like this, he'll be better able to accept something less expensive. But I think he'd be this way about those if we didn't start out a little too formal."
"You may be right," Horace agreed. "I'd still like to know how it happened." He turned to lock the door behind him, then watched with Kat as Jack paced the sidewalk.
"I told you. I stumbled across the Newsie strike as it was beginning last July. He was their leader, and that's how we met. The rest just sort of happened. You don't always get to pick who you fall in love with."
Jack looked up just as she said that. "Yeah, or you'd'a had the sense to pick someone who could live in castles like these," he waved a hand at the grand house they'd just left. "But that ain't me, Kat," he glowered at her. "I ain't never gonna be able to live in a place like that, so you just better make up your mind what you want."
She reached up and placed her fingers on his mouth. "Shh," she commanded. "I've made up my mind, thank you very much, and I'm not likely to change it any time soon." Some of the fire left his eyes. "I could not live in a castle without you in it, and since you won't be comfortable in one, I guess I'll cross castles off my list of places I want to live. O.K.?"
He nodded.
"Good," she removed her fingers from his mouth. "Now kiss me."
"Why?"
"Because I like kissing you and I think I shall perish on the spot if you don't kiss me right this second." She pulled his head down to hers.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her thoroughly.
As they broke the kiss, Kat rested her arms on his chest and looked up at him. "Jack, we're getting married in just a couple of weeks."
"Yeah."
"We can't live at The Lodge, and I don't want to live in an apartment, so we have to find a house that we can both be happy in."
"Yeah, I gets it. But places like these make me feel like fightin' or somethin'. Reminds me of your father."
She laughed. "I can see that, so let's look for something a little less formal, shall we?"
"Yeah. O.K."
She hooked their arms together and looked at Horace. "No more castles, if you please, my good man. Let's move on to something a little cozier, shall we?"
He chuckled. "Your wish is my command."
Several hours later, Kat was getting fed up with Jack. He had a negative opinion about every house they'd seen: too big, too small, too old, too new, too many rooms, not enough rooms, too cheap, way too expensive. She was ready to beat him about the head with her bag.
"How about one more for today?" Horace asked, ever the essence of patience.
"Fine," agreed Kat resignedly.
"If I gotta," Jack consented in surly a tone.
Horace bundled them into his buggy and drove the few blocks to their next destination. Jack took Kat's hand in his. As frustrated with him as she was, she melted. That's one of the things she loved most about him, his ability to show his affection without worrying about appearances. In the world he'd grown up in, if you felt something for someone you showed them; good or bad, they knew how you felt. It was just that simple. Unlike her world, where everything was buried in innuendo, rumor, and veiled insults. Oh, not everyone was like that, but no one she knew would hold her hand so openly, much less kiss her on the sidewalk in full view of everyone under the sun. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Without releasing her hand, he raised his arm to wrap it around her and tuck her into his side. He kissed the top of her head. Her heart fluttered. She never would have guessed that the gruff, rough-spoken guy she first met could be such a romantic, though he'd deny it with every ounce of energy in him.
A few minutes later they pulled to a stop in front of a brownstone townhouse. "Here we are," Horace announced.
Jack looked up doubtfully. "It looks big."
"It's got more room than it appears to have from the outside," Horace admitted, "but it's a gem."
"Come on," urged Kat. "It's the last one of the day."
"Yeah, O.K.," Jack acquiesced, getting out of the buggy and lifting Kat down, keeping an arm around her waist as they headed to the front door.
"Hey, Jack!"
They turned and saw Race and Albert headed their way.
Jack's whole demeanor brightened. "Hey guys! How's it goin'?"
"Not bad. This where you gonna live?" Race tipped his head back to look all the way up at the roof three stories above him.
"Maybe. We's been lookin' at places today."
"Let's check it out," Albert suggested, following Horace in the door. "Hey, Kat!" He stopped and gave her a quick hug as he passed her. "Didn't see you hidin' behind Jack, here."
"Hi, Albert, Race. This is the last house we're looking at today. Want to help us decide?"
"Sure," Race said, following Albert who'd already gone inside. Jack hurried off after them.
Horace looked puzzled. "These are friends…?"
"They're fellow newsies, two of Jack's best friends," Kat explained, watching as they went from room to room, tossing out comments to each other. Jack and Albert raced up the stairs, Race close behind.
"Hiya!" came a greeting behind them.
Horace and Kat turned. "Crutchie!" Kat exclaimed, rushing to hug him. "What brings you here of all places?"
"I seen Albert and Race come in, but they didn't hear me shoutin' to wait up, so I just came on in since the door was open."
"Jack and I are looking for a place to live after we're married and this is one of the choices."
Crutchie looked around. "It's sure a nice place."
"Have a look around, if you like," Kat invited.
"Yeah?" he asked hopefully.
"Go for it," she smiled. "In fact…JACK," she bellowed. "You've got company!"
"What?" Jack yelled from behind a door somewhere upstairs. His head poked out over the bannister. "What'd you say?" he asked before he saw who was with her. "Crutchie!" He bounded down the stairs and threw his arms around his friend, who would have fallen if not for Jack already holding him up.
"Hiya, Jack."
Jack put his arm around Crutchie's shoulders and led him away, showing him the rooms he'd already explored, telling him the ups and downs of each one.
Kat grinned at the stunned look on Horace's face.
"He's a completely different man. I can see the attraction," he teased.
"They are his world," she explained, looking around the open entryway. It was simple, but had a lot of character, with hardwood floors and a wrought iron bannister traveling up the staircase and circling the open balcony circling the second floor. The ceiling above the second floor was visible from the entryway and was an elegant work of art with dark-stained rays of wood shooting out from an elaborate sun design. "Horace, this is lovely," she breathed.
"Hey, Jack, there's an indoor toilet!" came a shout from somewhere upstairs. "And it works!" Thundering footsteps echoed through the house as newsies scurried from wherever they'd been to see the marvel of indoor plumbing.
That got Kat to thinking. "If they're here now…" she returned to the top of the stoop outside and peered up and down the street. "Horace, where are we exactly?"
"Actually, Newspaper Row is not terribly far away. Just a few blocks in that direction," he waved his left arm to indicate the general direction of her father's newspaper office building.
"And Duane Street?"
"I believe it's just a few minutes' walk that way," he pointed off to the right.
"We'd be between them here?" she clapped her hands in excitement. "Please tell me the house is in good condition."
"It is."
"Crime?"
"This is a peaceful neighborhood. Not much happens here."
She headed back inside and spun around. "It's perfect! We'll take it!" she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek.
"Hey!" Jack cautioned menacingly, coming down the stairs. "Don't be makin' no moves on my girl." He wrapped a possessive arm around Kat's waist.
Horace smiled. "I think my wife might object to my doing that," he assured Jack.
"Yeah," Jack relaxed somewhat, but did not remove his arm.
She grinned up at him and kissed his cheek.
Horace showed them around the house, in and among various newsies that came and went as they shouted out the window to passing friends. Race, Albert, and Crutchie eventually joined them, not hesitating to offer opinions or ask questions along with Jack and Kat.
The tour ended in the kitchen. Crutchie hobbled over to a door no one had yet opened. It revealed a small office and bedroom area. "What's that for? Who needs a bedroom in the kitchen?"
"That's the housekeeper's room," Horace explained. "And on the other side, you'll see there's a Butler's Pantry and sleeping quarters as well."
"I thought you said this wasn't an upscale neighborhood," Kat asked.
"It isn't," Horace confirmed, "but neither is it poverty-stricken. The homes here tend to have staffs, albeit much smaller ones than those in wealthier homes. Usually just a housekeeper butler, cook, and a maid or two. Sometimes fewer than that, if they can find someone who can or will do more than one job. Many homes don't have live-in staff, but some, like this one have accommodations for such. The rooms on the third floor were intended to be staff bedrooms."
Jack poked his nose into both rooms. "Well, we won't be havin' no staff, so I guess they's wasted space."
Kat coughed. "Um, Jack, we are going to have to have a small staff."
All the men got quiet and stared at her, except Horace, whose eyes twinkled at what he knew she was about to say.
"We ain't gonna be no uppity people with servants," he declared.
"I'm fine with that," Kat agreed.
Jack relaxed.
"But we're going to have to have a staff of some sort."
"And just why is that?"
"Well, how are you expecting to eat once we've moved in?"
"You'll just cook something', I guess, I don't know."
"Jack, I don't know how to cook."
"How can a girl not know how to cook?" Albert asked incredulously.
"At my house, we had a cook on staff who had several people on his staff that prepared all the meals. I know how to plan a menu, but I cannot prepare any of the dishes on it."
"O.K., so's we get someone to cook for us. But that's all."
Kat didn't say anything.
Jack sighed. "What ain't you tellin' me?"
"I don't know the first thing about running a house."
"What's that mean?"
"I know how to consult with the housekeeper on what needs to be done and get an overall idea of how the house is running, but I have no idea how to actually perform any of the tasks involved."
Jack shrugged. "So?"
"I'm guessing you'll be wanting a clean home, clean clothes, clean dishes? Warm fires in the winter? Fresh sheets on the beds?"
"Yeah. Sounds good, I guess."
"Sounds like heaven," Race crooned.
"I'd like all those things, too," Kat said, "but I don't know how to do any of them."
"Why not?" Jack asked.
"It wasn't my job to need to know how to do them. It was the housekeeper's job. She and I met everyday to discuss what needed to be done, formulate menus for the day, and talk about budgets, but once she left, it was up to her to see that everything got done. I went about my day, generally attending journalism courses at the university or shadowing reporters at The World to see real reporters in action. I came home to cooked meals, clean clothes, and a tidy house, but I have no idea how any of it got done."
They were all looking at her with expressions varying from jealousy to disbelief. Jack looked around the kitchen longingly. "Damn, I was just beginning to like this place, too."
Kat stomped across the kitchen to stand in front of him. "Jack Kelly, it won't matter what size house, apartment, or hotel we live in, I still won't know how to cook or clean. No matter where we live, we're going to have to have people to do those things."
"But it don't seem right, havin' people do that kind of stuff for you."
"O.K., then, you do it instead."
"But, I gotta work, and I don't know how to clean no clothes, neither."
"Then how do you propose we get them done? I work, too, remember?"
He glowered at her for a moment, growling low in his throat, before expelling a frustrated breath as he pulled her into an embrace. "I hates it when you's right, you know that?"
She giggled and kissed his chin. "Yup. I know. You like this house?"
"I guess so. Guys? You like it?"
"Looks good to me," Crutchie affirmed.
"It's got a great kitchen," Albert commented longingly. "Maybe your cook'll show me how to use the stove?"
"I'm sure it could be arranged," Kat agreed.
"Long as you two don't go all hoi polloi on us, having butlers and such, I like it," Race said.
"You better watch the hoi polloi talk," Jack warned, "or you might end up as the butler!"
"Hey! Not me! I ain't high falutin' enough to be no butler," Race protested, and they all laughed.
Kat looked up at Jack. "Well…?" she asked expectantly.
Jack looked from Horace to Kat and back again. "I guess we'll take it," he said.
Cheers erupted from everyone in the kitchen.
"Shall we celebrate with dinner at Jacobi's?" Kat asked.
"Sure, why not?" Jack agreed readily
"Your treat?" Albert suggested with a sly grin.
Kat laughed.
"No, you moocher, it's on you," Jack grabbed Albert in a headlock and fist rubbed his head, "but I'll gives ya the money to cover it," and they headed to the front of the house, Race and Crutchie following.
"How many will your buggy hold, Horace," Kat asked following the others to the front door.
"I think we can all fit, if we're creative, as long as this place isn't too far away."
"It's just a couple blocks away, I think," Kat looked at Crutchie for confirmation.
They confirmed it, and after emptying the house of any stray newsies still exploring, they all set off to Jacobi's for a celebratory dinner.