Thank you to all who reviewed and read the first chapter, this one is a little shorter but is emotionally heavy so bear with me! Also forgot this on the first but I do not own Newsies or their characters as I am a poor college student! Hope you enjoy and your reviews are wonderful.
"Are you sure you're doing all right Katherine? We can go home if you aren't feeling well."
"Jack, I've told you I'm fine, can we please just enjoy our night?"
"Of course."
Jack had really planned well for this night and he wanted it to go off without a hitch. Their dinner had been delicious, even if Katherine was distracted, he was admittedly distracted by the most tender roast pork he had ever tasted, so he couldn't really blame her. On their way back home he planned to take her on a special walk through Central Park, they would stop at the fountain in the middle of the park and spend some time just staring at the sky. The clear, sparkling black sky. So open, so full of possibilities. It was like a canvas, waiting for him to connect the dots on his new life.
"Jack, this isn't the way back to my apartment."
"I knows, I was thinkin' maybe we'se could go for a walk through the park…"
"You are a hopeless romantic Jack Kelly."
"Guilty as charged, Ace."
He moved in for his favorite feeling in the world. There was nothing like the feeling of her lips in his. The soft and delicate movements. The intricacies and subtleties of every touch, every move, every moment.
"Come on!" Jack beckoned as he raced into the park ahead of her.
"Ugh, Jack!"
He wrapped his weathered hands around her waist and wrestled her to the ground. Giggling they lay, surrounded by a canopy of trees. The stars were shining brightly. Hopeful. Brilliant. Beautiful. They shone of what could be. It was time. It had to be. The "what ifs" swirled like a tornado through Jack's head. But he couldn't keep this a secret any longer.
"Why don't you get out of bed, you piece of sh…"
"Thomas, he's sick you know that!"
"Woman, if he can't work in my house then what is his use in my house?"
"But Thomas…"
"And you learn who is the head of this house!"
She fell like a rock to the floor. Unmoving.
"Mom!" Peter cried, he rolled out of bed to help but the polio had left his leg crippled, he could barely stand himself.
"Man up, boy!" his father screamed. "She can help herself."
"Dad she's not breathing, please we have to…"
"You have to get your damn act together!"
The first kick left a stinging pain as Peter crumpled to the floor. He kicked again. And again. And again. And again.
"You are worthless," his father sneered, spitting in his face.
Peter crawled to the door, grabbed his father's walking stick, braced himself and turned to leave behind his home, his hellish nightmare, but still his home. His father didn't notice him open the door, he was too busy examining the bottom of another bottle.
"I love you mommy," Peter whispered as he closed the door on his unconscious mother and his only family.
Crutchie woke shivering and in tears. The dreams. He dreamt of the night he left almost every week. Seven years had passed. Was his mother still alive? Had his father drunk himself to death? Did they even care that he was gone?
He curled up in his blanket and prayed for happier dreams. He thought of Jack and Katherine. There he found hope. They were his new family and unlike his old, they loved him. Not the kind of love where they just give you a place to live, but along with all the newsies, they accepted him and cared for him. They made him feel like he was home.
"Hey Ace, I've had something that's been on my mind for's awhile."
"Yes Jack."
"Katherine, I was wonderin'," he sat up on one knee and pulled out of his pocket the most beautiful ring he could find, "if you would be my wife?"
