Hello honeys, I really don't have anything to say so read ahead and please review. Like seriously please. Review.
much love, layla
Katherine should have been at home, finishing the article that was due in a week. But she was walking across Brooklyn Bridge, arm in arm with Jack Kelly.
He had burst into her apartment that morning, beaming while he watched her do up the last buttons of her blouse.
"Ace, we gotta go to Brooklyn today." He exclaimed kissing her good morning.
She frowned, still smiling at his excitement. He was like a puppy. "No, I have an article on human trafficking. I'm staying home today."
"But the boys and I were gonna go to the docks, cool off with Spot Conlon and his flock."
The idea did seem tempting to Katherine. It was summer in New York, therefore sticky and hot and practically unbearable in her heavy skirts. But she had to finish to her article. "Jack, I wish I could-"
"I'll help you finish it tonight," he offered. "We'll get dinner from that Italian place on 61st and make it a date."
"That does sound nice." She smiled. She shook her head in disbelief, marvelling at the ways Jack had changed her from when they had first met. "Ok, just give me a minute to get changed."
Katherine hadn't ever been to Brooklyn, throughout her childhood her parents had warned her it was dangerous, not a place for a young lady to be loitering around in. But now she was older, and she was in the company of Jack, she was more than happy to see the place.
They stepped onto the docks, where the Manhattan Newsies had already arrived before them. They mixed in with the scene of the Brooklyn boys, some already in the water, some sitting and talking with bottles of ale in their hands.
"Hey Spot!" Jack called up to a look out deck. A boy not much younger than Jack, tanned with sterling eyes looked over the side. Katherine immediately recognised him as Spot Conlon, king of the Brooklyn Newsies.
"Well if it ain't Jack Kelly in the flesh." He smiled climbing down to ruffle Jack's already unruly hair before tackling him in a hug. He then acknowledged Katherine beside Jack, taking her hand to kiss her knuckles. "Miss Katherine Pulitzer."
"Hello Spot." She smiled. She was about to take her hand back, but Spot clasped it firmly, his eyes fixating on her sparkling engagement ring. "You's are gettin' hitched." He said softly.
"Surprise." Jack chuckled.
Spot let her hand go, a smile stretched across his face. "Congrats to you both. And I'll keep my mouth shut don't you worry."
Relief warmed through out Jack and Katherine. They were going to tell everyone sooner or later, but preferably in their own means of time.
Spot lead them over to where he and various other boys had set up their things on the edge of the docks. They recognised Specs, Race and Davey along with a few of the other Brooklyn boys gathered round in what seemed to be a poker game. However lying in the sun was a girl, her eyes covered by large cat eye sunglasses and dressed only in a white singlet and houndstooth patterned shorts lying on her back. She must have been asleep for she didn't say hello when the others did as Jack and Katherine sat down.
Spot laughed at the girl, then leant over to tug on her blonde ponytail and kiss her forehead. "We's got company Ang, you can't sun bake forever."
She frowned and took off her sunglasses, squinting from the sun as she shuffled up. "Ok, who's stayed and who's left since I fell asleep?"
She did a quick headcount. "Race, Specs, Tasty, Dave, Sasquatch... And Jack, you weren't here before." Her eyes caught Katherine and she smiled slightly. "Jack, don't tell me Manhattan has a girl newsie too now."
"Nah Angie, this is Katherine. She wrote our story back in the strike. She ain't no newsie."
"Good. I ain't fond of competition." Angie paused before looking at Jack. "And she'd be some competition."
Katherine managed to raise her lips in a half smile. She found Angie intimidating sure, but like every other Newsie, she knew that she meant well.
They sat in the sun for almost an hour, dangling their legs in the water, lying on one another as pillows and generally talked. Katherine got to know Sasquatch and Tasty, the other boys in the group. Sasquatch was stocky built with hands almost three times the size of her own, however he was sweet in every word he said, not wanting to ever offend. Tasty on the other hand was scrawny, he said only a few sentences between eating from other's food scraps, and seemed to enjoy taking in the conversation and not participating. Katherine liked them both.
She was lying down with her head in Jack's lap and her legs on Davey's own outstretched ones, listening to Angie tell some outrageous story about her and Spot. She almost laughed thinking of what she looked like. Only in an underskirt and a camisole, lying on two boys on the docks of Brooklyn.
"And then Spot broke the poor guy's cheek with his stupid cane, and totally cock blocked me!" Angie laughed, finishing her story.
"And for good reason," Spot muttered. "You's are my girl. Not some prick from Harlem's."
"Oh stop it Spot. I ain't anybody's property. And if I's was anybody's property it'd be Brooklyn's."
Katherine smiled as Angie rolled her eyes when he kissed her ear in hope of redemption. It was like seeing a much wilder version of herself and Jack, what it could be if she wasn't raised the way she was. But it didn't matter, he was going to marry her after all. Just saying that in her head made her want to squeal aloud. In a few months or so, she'd be Mrs. Katherine Kelly, free of Pulitzer for the rest of her life. She knew he'd end up moving into her apartment for good, then who knows, they might even have children. She sighed happily, until She felt Jack squeeze middle suddenly, waking her from her reverie.
"Ace!" He laughed. "I'm talking to ya!"
"Hm? Sorry." She said.
He shook his head. "We're gonna get in the water. Did ya wanna come?"
"The water? Oh, no Jack, you go. I don't think I'd be able to explain to my neighbours why I came home soaking wet. These are my only clothes you know."
"Your loss." He pulled her off him and Davey and then stood with the other boys, kissing her nose before he walked to the other side of the dock. She laughed as she caught a glimpse of him on the other side, pull his shirt off completely unaware of Spot, who was coming up behind to tackle him into the water. Spot head locked him and they both fell in with a splash.
"Idiots." Angie muttered, smirking.
"That's for sure." Replied Katherine. "You'd think they'd learn that after three bottles of ale, their capability to stay a float would not be as strong as they think."
Angie let out a laugh, sliding back down into her resting position from previously. "So how'd you wind up with Jack Kelly anyhow?"
Katherine shrugged. "I hated him when I first met him, he was so cocky and obnoxious, and then I got to know him better. He cared so much about his boys in Manhattan, trying to make their jobs better for them with the strike. I guess he kinda grew on me."
"And don't tell me you didn't go for the face as well."
"That too." She sighed, raising her brows. "How'd you end up with Spot? I mean, you are together, right?"
"Yeah, ya could call it that. We's was newsies together as kids, in the same neighbourhood. We both had reputations I guess. I was the only female that we's was aware of in New York selling papes, and he had everyone believe he ruled them." She paused to fiddle with her sunglasses in her lap. "He's good to me though. As much as I tell him I ain't his property, I still like to think that we make a good pair."
Katherine smiled. "I like it too. When you both are so different, but you can link because you care about each other so much. I mean, I come from a family that practically owns the city and there he is, spending his last few cents trying to buy me flowers after his rounds."
Angie grinned, and then looked down at Katherine's hand. "So you're gonna marry him?" She saw Katherine's face light in shock, so she rolled her green eyes and took Katherine's hand. "I saw the the rock on ya finger."
"Is it really that obvious? Maybe I should just put it in my pocket-"
"Katherine! Don't take it off. It's beautiful and ya should be happy showing it to people."
Katherine sighed, and began to twist the gold band on her finger. "I wish it were that easy. My parents don't know, and they hate Jack." She laughed sheerly. "God! I don't even know what I'll say to them."
"Just tell em. They's can't stop you."
Katherine frowned and looked down at the water. Angie obviously hadn't ever heard the word of blessings. How she was going to get one out of her father, Katherine had no clue.
A faint ripple surfaced on the dark water in front of them, Jack rising from it. His dark hair was jet black in the wet, which he pushed back off his forehead sloppily. "Hiya." He said, his smile disappearing as he lowered his head down, so Katherine could only see his green eyes. They reflected the deep tinge of blue in water, making them look as if he'd just stuck his fingers in electrical sockets.
"Hello." She leaned on her knees to kiss his lips lightly. If Angie weren't behind her, she would have been more voluntary to show affection to her boy in the water. But she held her ground. Remembering her manners, Katherine gently pulled back.
"I was going to go order sandwiches for you and the boys," she smiled while raking a hand through his slick hair. "Did you guys have any preferences?"
"Katherine that'll be a lot of money." He frowned.
"I can afford it Jack. Now go ask your boys what they want."
He sighed, rolled his eyes and turned back to where at least twenty or thirty of the Manhattan boys looked like they were all trying to drown each other. "Hey!" He yelled. "Ace is getting you boys sandwiches, which do you want?"
The seizing seemed to stop and they all quickly called a string of pastramis and Swiss turkeys.
"I'll be back in a minute," Katherine called out to them. "Try not to drown each other before you get your lunch."
"No promises Plums!" She heard Race respond, proceeding to head lock Spec's who was struggling to get out of his grip. Katherine just shook her head and laughed.
Katherine walked with Crutchie to the deli nearby the water. She'd asked Angie to come, but she had wanted to continue sleeping. Crutchie of course couldn't swim with his leg, so he limped on his good leg, with the aid of his crutch, down the boardwalk with Katherine.
"You have lots of work at your apartment, huh Kathy?" Crutchie frowned beside her.
Katherine shook her head. "Jack and I are going to do a big cram session tonight. He said we could make a date of it, so I'm ok with it."
"You getting fettuccini carbonara from Maroni's?" He smiled.
"How did you know? It's my favourite."
Crutchie looked to the floor, cheeks red. "I shouldn't tell you but, you're kinda all Jack talks about when we're at the lodging house. If it ain't ya pretty face, intelligence or independency, he yaks on about ya favourite things and how he's gonna buy them for ya when he gets the money."
Katherine's heart melted on the inside, but she kept it in, exchanging it for a laugh instead. "I'm sorry you guys have to hear about me so much."
"Nah, it's a lot better than Romeo trying to tell us about his dream girl. Believe me Kathy we'd much rather hear about you."
They walked to the deli in silence after that, until Crutchie spoke up.
"He proposed didn't he?" He asked, a glint in his eyes.
Katherine pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, smiling slightly. "How'd you know Crutch?"
"Jack told me he was going to do it, I didn't think he actually would." He let out a breathy laugh. "Ya shoulda seen him try to practice on me though. He's such a sap."
"It's one of his best assets."
"Yeah that and seducing reporters who's parents would kill him if they heard word that he's was gonna marry their daughter."
"I'll tell them, don't worry." She reassured him. "It might just be after the honeymoon."
They returned back to the docks later, arms full with paper bags.
Katherine waved her arms above her head, and Crutchie helped her call them all in.
Swimming inland, they hoisted themselves up, until they were one big soaking wet mob, desperate to get their promised lunch.
She was handing out the pastramis, when Jack came over, his foot long sandwich wedge in his mouth. If he wasn't bare chested and wet, she would have found it cute, but he pulled her to him from behind, and she was cold.
"Jack!" Katherine squeaked. "You're getting me wet."
Jack shrugged, taking his sandwich out of his mouth and rested his chin on her shoulder. "You'll drip dry."
"Hey plums, why ain't you in the water?" Race asked, turkey sandwich in hand as he pointed it at her accusingly.
Davey, next to him, pushed the sandwich down and frowned at Race. "Leave her alone. Katherine's a lady, Race. And she's gotta stay lady like, and you can't do that swimming in Brooklyn with a bunch of Newsboys."
Race scowled. "Please, like Plums ever acted like a lady. She hangs with our crowd remember? Besides, I think she's only stayin' dry 'cause she can't paddle to save 'er life."
Jack narrowed his eyes, pulling Katherine in close to defend her. "Ace can swim. She told me she grew up swimming in Pulitzer's fountain at their house."
Katherine giggled at the memory. From the age of three, her way of entertainment was the driveway fountain. It was deep and full of goldfish and lilies, perfect for avoiding her nanny who came running to find her before Pulitzer realised his daughter was missing.
Katherine sighed, she was going to show Race.
She took out the gold comb that was keeping her hair in place, handing it to Jack. She proceeded to take off her shoes, camisole and skirt, until she stood only in a flimsy bralette and her powder pink satin undershorts. She strode from Jack's arms to the water, smiling smugly.
If it weren't for her long auburn hair, Katherine would have been uncomfortable standing at the edge of the pontoon in her underwear but it hung underneath her rib cage, covering most of her belly that was exposed. Without a moment to lose, Katherine took a breath and plunged into the water in a somersault.
The boys stared wide at where Katherine once had been standing. If they thought Jack looked distressed they had another thing coming looking at Race's face.
"I-I didn't think she'd do it." He murmured. "Oh shit, what the hell have I done?"
Jack kept looking at the spot still rippling where she had jumped into. It had been a minute since they saw her. "Ya killed Katherine." He murmured. Then he looked at Race directly in the eye and broke the eerie calmness of his tone. "RACE YA KILLED KATHERINE!"
"Hey, hey. It wasn't me entirely. I mean she did kinda drown herself. It was like suicide, yeah?" He tried to be jovial, as Jack cornered him on the pontoon.
"Suicide? MY FIANCÉ DIDN'T COMMIT GOD DAMN SUICIDE RACE. YOU MADE HER FEEL BAD AND SHE JUMPED TO PROVE HER POINT."
The rest of the newsboys eyes lit up in confusion. "Fiancé? Jack and Katherine ain't engaged." Murmured Specs to Spot and Angie. They both looked at each other, not knowing whether or not to let the secret out.
In that moment, the water below them erupted, as Katherine broke the surface. She caught a breath and grinning, slicked her soaked hair back. "I told you so Race!" She exclaimed. His face drained in relief, for he was not going to be killed by Jack. Jack though bared his teeth in a matching grin to Katherine's and he almost cried.
"Ace, you stupid, stupid girl." He cried, lifting her torso from the water. He pulled her wet body into his arms where he was on his knees on the planks and squeezed her so hard, she thought she might collapse. "Don't ever scare me like that again."
"Oh, Jack!" She squeaked. "I'm not dying. Let go of me."
He refused to, burying his face in her drenched hair. "Stop talking for once, would ya Ace?"
When they had all dried out, they walked to the Brooklyn bridge. They aligned themselves on the railings, sitting next to one another so that their legs dangled off the side.
Jack had his arm protectively around Katherine's waist, on his guard after the last ordeal. Next to them were Spot and Angie, and on the other side Specs and Race.
Specs glanced to Katherine and Jack, smirking. " So what's this about fiancés I hear?" He said it loud enough for everyone to hear, and they all called out to agree with Specs.
Jack sighed, smiling before kissing Katherine's cheek. Now was a better time to tell his boys rather then never. "We're gonna get married." He paused, looking out to the river beneath them. "I don't know when, but we are."
"So it could be tomorrow we see Kathy in a veil?" Crutchie laughed. "Or in five years when you two finally get a blessing from Pulitzer?"
"Like hell Pulitzer would agree. Especially if it's Jack asking, he ain't gonna cave in to some broke street ass." Spot said.
Angie raised her eyebrow at him. "Spot, it takes a great deal for a man to even propose to a girl, Jack at the moment is better than all those other men in high end jobs, who forget their girls even exist."
"Thanks Ang." Jack chuckled.
"No worries cowboy." She brushed him off before turning back to Spot. "Besides Spot, maybe ya should take advice from Jack, I mean, it is every girl's dream to be proposed to."
"You tellin' me to propose to ya Ang?" He raised his voice.
Katherine expected her to cower, but Angie spat back just as aggravated. "I ain't tellin' ya nothin' Conlon! You'd be too pig headed to listen to me anyway!"
"Well maybe I'm just too pigheaded to take ya to that jazz club tomorrow night like ya asked me too!"
"Michael god damn Conlon, you wouldn't dare!"
"Yeah? Maybe I wou-"
Katherine tired of the banter, cut in. "Alright! Would you both quit it? You both have plenty of time to discuss your wedding details if there are any, just please keep the peace."
They both stared back at her, not saying a word, the anger slowly disappearing from their gaze.
It wasn't until Spot chuckled lowly, that the silence hasted. "Ya got ya self a keeper here Kelly."
