Autumn, 1894
"Get up, kid!"
Butch hoisted Romeo over his shoulder, headed for the washroom.
"No, no!" Romeo protested. "I'm up! Look, I'm up."
Butch set him down, grinning. "Okay," he said. "But only 'cause you'se the new kid. Hey, Kelly!" he called, catching sight of Jack still in bed. "Get your lazy butt outta bed! Carryin' the banner!"
Romeo couldn't help but laugh as the leader made his rounds, greeting, waking, and teasing his boys, always with a smile on his face. After a few days in the Lodge House he was getting used to Butch's older brother routine. All the boys were like that, really. The older ones teased the younger ones and vice versa, but no one else was allowed to lay a finger on them. Butch himself had gotten into dozens of fights defending his boys. Race's announcement that he and Romeo were brothers was not an uncommon one. Jack and Crutchie were practically inseparable. Crutchie and Race teased each other every day getting ready. Yes, there were lots of brothers in the Lodge House.
"Whaddaya think 'bout today?" Romeo asked as he and Jack entered the distribution center. "Good sellin' day?"
"Geez, kid, lemme read the headline first," Jack responded with a grin. Even though he was only twelve, Jack was widely known for making a headline out of anything and selling his load of papes no matter what. As the headline was written on the blackboard, he made a big show of examining the sun, checking the wind, and surveying up and down the street.
"Good sellin' day," he announced finally. "Seventy papes."
As Romeo bought his usual thirty he squinted up at the board, trying to make out the headline. He wasn't the best reader, but given enough time he could figure it out. There was a big word in today's headline, though.
New im... immi...?
"New immigration building constructed," Race read loudly from across the courtyard. "What a snoozer! We'd do better makin' up our own."
Immigration. That was it.
Romeo glanced up in time to see Race send him a quick wink. A slow smile spread across his face. It was nice to know that somebody had his back.
"Fifty papes for Crutchie?" the Italian said, sending the blonde-haired boy a grin. "C'mon, we both know the limp sells half of those."
"That ain't true, Race, I am a delight!" Crutchie said stubbornly.
Race laughed, throwing his arm around his friend's neck. "Ya ready, Romeo?" he called.
Romeo slung his bag over his shoulder. "Ready as I'll ever be. Carryin' the banner?"
Race grinned back. "Carryin' the banner."
They had fallen into a routine over the past week or so. Romeo would walk with Race as far as the Brooklyn Bridge before heading off to his own selling spot in Central Park. They would meet for lunch at Jacobi's with the other boys, sell the rest of the day's papes, and meet each other at the Lodge House at sundown.
"I heard ya wake up last night," Race said briefly.
Romeo glanced up. "Huh? Oh, yeah." He shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'se been havin' these dreams, ever since the Refuge."
"Every night?" Race interjected.
"Well, yeah..."
"Rome, I'se a real light sleeper," Race said. "Heck, I'll prob'ly be up anyway. If ya want, I can-"
Romeo scowled. "I don't want your pity," he said.
Race sighed. "Romeo," he said, reaching for his arm.
Romeo reacted, pushing him hard in the chest, but the older boy barely wobbled.
"Romeo!" he said again, taking hold of him by the shoulders. "I ain't offerin' ya pity. I'se offerin' ya help. That's what brothers do, right?"
Romeo shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "I dunno," he said. "I ain't never had a brother before."
"Brothers look out for each other," Race explained. "We'se family. Ya know how those work, right?"
Romeo perked up. "Yeah," he said. "I had me one of those once."
Race sent him a sideways grin. "You'se already heard 'bout my family," he said. "Tell me 'bout yours."
Romeo smiled slightly, remembering. "Ain't much ta say, really," he said. "Me, Mama and Pa. Our dog. We lived upstate, in the country. Only moved ta the Bronx afta Mama died. She never did like the city, but Pa was from here."
"The country, huh?" Race said, bumping Romeo's shoulder with his. "What was the dog's name?"
Romeo laughed. "Spot."
Race spat out his cigar, laughing so hard he almost choked. "Spot?" he gasped.
"Yeah," Romeo answered, wondering what the heck was so funny.
"Spot is the name of the future Brooklyn leader," Race explained when he had calmed down enough to speak. "Spot Conlon. Knockout's been trainin' the kid up since he was 'bout nine years old. When he takes over, he'll be the most feared kid in New Yawk. And he shares a name with your dog."
He dissolved into giggles again, and his laughter seemed to be contagious. "Don't tell him," Romeo begged, feeling a laugh rising up in his throat.
Anyone who passed by must have thought they were insane- two ragged newsboys dying of laughter on a Manhattan street corner.
"I won't tell," Race promised, crossing his heart. He glanced up at the sky. "I gotta get ta Sheepshead if I wanna catch the mornin' races. Meet ya at lunch?"
Romeo started to nod, but got distracted by a pretty girl walking past.
"Excuse me, miss!" he called, taking of his cap. "I think somethin's wrong with my eyes. I can't keep 'em offa you."
Race rolled his eyes as the lady gushed over Romeo and bought a paper. "Prob'ly payin' him twice what it's worth," he muttered. "Kid's a natural."
Romeo snapped awake, sitting up and breathing hard. Where was he? All he could see was darkness and there was a dull ache in his back.
Darkness. Pain. The Refuge.
"Race," he whimpered.
He heard bed springs creak above him, and then Race's voice spoke out in the darkness. "You'se okay, kid. You'se in the Lodge House, 'member?"
The Lodge House.
As his senses calmed down, he was aware of details he had missed before. The steady, even breathing of the other boys, the noises of the city out the window, the lack of hunger pangs in his stomach.
"Thanks, Race," he murmured, laying back down. He winced as the skin of his back made contact with the mattress and turned onto his side.
"Aw, anytime, Romeo," Race said above him. "Ain't no big deal."
"It is to me," Romeo insisted, starting to drift off. "Love ya, Race."
He could hear the smile in Race's words. "Love ya, too, kid."
(A/N): Hello, lovely people! Special thanks to Obsessed2k17 for reviewing, and to Sheila Prior for reviewing, favoriting, and following! Big thank yous also to my newsie friends Flash and Trip! Seriously, they gave me my Newsie nickname and everything. They're cool.
I finally chose a cover art for this story! It's a picture I drew of Ben Cook as Racetrack and Andy Richardson as Romeo. (Speaking of Ben Cook as Racetrack, I watched Newsies Live and it was even more amazing than I remembered.) As always, if anyone has requests they want incorporated into the story (this or another) I'd love to hear them!
Obsessed2k17: Your request has been heard, and it'll come into play in the next chapter.
Please read, review, favorite, follow, and keep carryin' the banner!
-Peggs
