A week went by and for Emma things were going great. She had never but her father, her mother was always coming and going, and her uncles were scumbags. Crutchie and Jack were the closest thing she had ever had to a real family.
Every day, either her or Crutchie (depending on whoever got up first) would go at and get breakfast and then they all headed down to buy their newspapers together. Emma now new the tricks and the streets well enough and began to sell on her own. But every day after her and Crutchie sold all of their newspapers, which was usually around five o'clock, they would go meet each other at the fountain where Crutchie first taught her how to sell newspapers. From there they would go get food for dinner and head back to the rooftop.
She had once asked the boys, "Do you guys need me to leave?" The two had looked puzzled. "I can go find a new place to stay." Jack laughed, "Listen Emma," he had said. "You are no burden. You're neat, you share your income, and get up and get me breakfast in the morning. You're fine." So she continued to live with the boys.
One morning she woke up quite early to raindrops plopping on her cheek. She quickly got up and tied the rolled up tarp to each railing so that it was a roof and kept them dry. As she was it on the last railing Crutchie began to stir. He sat up stretching his arms in the air and examined Emma's tarp job. "Nice job." He said. "Thanks." She replied as she began to put on her boots. "You wanna come with me to go get breakfast?" He gave her a smile, nodded, and began to put on his boots. Emma tucked her hair into her hat and began to climb down the ladder.
"Wow," though Crutchie as he watched Emma climb down. "She is one heck of a girl." He grabbed his crutch, crawled over to the ladder, and began to climb down one rung at a time.
When he finally reached the bottom Emma asked him, "So, do you wanna do bagels today?" "Sure." He replied and began to hobble away. They stopped at their usual stand to purchase the bagels and headed back. "It's a crummy day today isn't it?" said Crutchie. "Makes it harder to sell papers, no one wants to be outside for long today." Emma nodded. "I don't even wanna be out here." She said to him.
When they reached the rooftop Jack was awake and already ready to go. "Let's walk and eat." He said to them. "On a day with crummy weather like this you wanna be out first, not last." So they all climbed back down the ladder and at the bottom Emma handed everyone their bagel. Jack led the way to the building with Crutchie lagging behind. Emma stopped and waited for him. "You ok?" she asked. He gave a quick nod. "I must've just slept on it funny." He said still continuing to hobble along. "It's nothing it happens every once in a while."
They arrived at the building and were the first Newsies there so they all sat down on a bench. Just a few minutes later all of the Newsies showed up and Jack, Emma, and Crutchie got up quickly and made it to about 4th or 5th in line. "Ah geez." Moaned Crutchie looking into the distance. "What?" asked Emma who had a curious look on her face. "Dang it!" cried Jack slapping his forehead he walked over to go talk to some of the other boys. "It's the Delancey brothers Emma." Said Crutchie. "I was hoping they is gone for good." Emma looked over towards the direction of the Delancey brothers and gasped loudly, she then leaned against the concrete wall and slid to the floor.
"I know they's bad but they ain't that bad to look at." Crutchie joked. He looked down at Emma and when he saw the terrified expression on her face he crouched down onto the floor in front of her. "Hey, he asked. "What's wrong?" She took a deep breath. "It can't be them." She whispered. "It just can't." Crutchie gave her an odd look. "Do you know them?" he asked her. "They're," she said really scared, "They're my uncles."
Crutchie was shocked. "The Delancey brothers are your uncles?" he cried. Emma gulped, "I didn't know that their last name was Delancey. When I spoke to them it was Uncle Oscar and Uncle Morris." "They're terrible!" Crutchie exclaimed. "How can they be your uncles?" Emma shuddered and said, "They're my dad's brothers, my only living relatives. You're right, they are terrible, the worst is when they-'' "When they get out their brass knuckles." Said Emma and Crutchie at the same time. Crutchie looked into Emma's eyes and for the first time since he had found her saw pain and fear in her eyes.
"It's gonna be ok." Crutchie told her. "Nobody has realized that you were a girl yet, why would they?" Emma shook her head, "I don't think I can do this." She said. "If they recognize me they'll take me back and…" she looked at the ground and took a deep breath. "I can't go back Crutchie. I won't make it." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, he said softly. "Look at me." She looked up at his face. "There is no way in hell that we would let anything happen to you. Every boy in this room absolutely hates the Delancey brothers with all their guts, if they so much as laid a finger on you they would get a good soaken trust me."
She smiled and looked past him at the Delanceys who were standing next to Weasel looking just as tough and nasty as they did when she had lived with them for that short period of time. "Thanks Crutchie." She said as she stood up. She held out a hand to Crutchie to help him up. He gladly took it and then leaned on his crutch. Jack walked back over and could see the worried expression on both of their faces. "What 'sup?" he asked them.
Crutchie and Emma looked at each other. "The Delanceys are her uncles." Crutchie said. "They cannot not recognize me!" Emma said quickly. "If they do," she paused. "I don't know what will happen." Jack nodded and clenched his jaw. "I outta just soak'em now." He rolled up his sleeves but Emma put her hand on his arm. "No," she said quietly. "That will just draw attention. I'll just-'' She was interrupted by Weasel who yelled, "Newsies line up!" Her eyes went wide and she turned to Crutchie, "What do I do?" "Wow," thought Crutchie. "She is really scared of these guys. What did they do to her?" He reached for her hand and held it. "It's going to be okay," he said calmly. "Just act as if nothing is wrong and you is just buyin your papes."
"Ok." She said taking a deep breath. "I can do this." He let go of her hand and turned around so that he was facing the front of the line. When it was his turn he took out his money and let it fall on the table. "Twenty papes please Weasel." He said coolly. Weasel growled and handed him his papers. Emma took a tentative step forward. Her uncles' backs were turned to her so she quickly said, "Twenty papers please." And set her coins on the table. Weasel handed her the papers and she backed away quickly just as Oscar was turning around and bumped into him. "Eh!" he shouted. He looked her straight in the eyes. "Oh God he recognizes me!" thought Emma panicking. "Watch where you're going!" he said shoving her to the floor and walking out of the building with Morris.
"Are you ok?!" Crutchie said hobbling over as fast as he could and offering her his hand. She took it and stood up. "I thought for sure that he was going to recognize me." She said in shocked daze, she shook her head to snap out of it. "Let's just go and get outta here." He nodded and the two headed out of the building to go sell.