Chapter 7: Internal Strife
A/N: Sorry it's been so long. I hope that this makes up for everything! Read on!
7.7.7.7
Bitter winds battered the old Orphanage for the next week. Fireplaces went unlit in order to preserve what precious little wood they had. The inside of the Orphanage felt like an icebox that had cold air blowing through it. The girls tried their hardest not to complain, but after a while their firm resolve dissipated.
To add to the problem, Madame Ashworth was worse than ever before. During the day she drank heavily and mercilessly abused her charges.
"Two-Bit," Madame slurred. "Git over here."
From beneath her long black bangs, Two-Bit eyed Madame. "Dere's no way she' gettin' me," she muttered. Taking a last look at Kit, Two-Bit turned and bolted for the front door.
Stumbling after here, Madame was shrieking, "You little bitch! How dare you!" Halfway to the door, she collapsed and passed out cold, much to the relief of the remaining girls.
Rearranging Elenora on her hip, Kit surveyed the scene. She handed Ele (as she was called) to Song. "Tricks, you an' me'll put Madame in her room. Maybe she'll sleep forevah. Da rest a yous'll get back to eating yer lunch." Despite her brusqueness, Kit meant kindly, and the girls knew this. They were also aware of the terrible stress that she was under.
The dead weight of Madame was carried away and forgotten for the rest of the day. Without Madame breathing down their backs, he girls were able to do their chores with more efficiency.
Deciding to take a break form her work, Tricks questioned Kit, "You's got any ideah where Bit went?"
"Me best guess is dat she went straight ta da Newsies. Mush'll take care a her dere." Gathering Ele from Song, Kit made her way upstairs to where Moon was.
7.7.7.7
Two-Bit's feet pounded the snowy streets as she ran through Manhattan. Not once had she looked behind her. She had little care for the rich people that she startled along her way. The singular thought that coursed through her mind was, "Get ta Mush." Her body shook with cold because she had left all of her things, including her coat at the Orphanage.
Bolting through the front of the Manhattan Lodging House, Two-Bit nearly frightened Kloppman to death.
"Two-Bit, why are you here?' Kloppman moved out from behind the desk to confront the shaking girl.
All she could manage was, "Madame... crazy..." before bolting up the rickety steps to the bunk room. She burst through the door, causing everyone present to look up.
Spot looked up from the poker game he was playing. "Well, well, what have we heah?"
"Back off Spot," Mush snapped while sending what he thought was an evil glare in Spot's direction. "Wha's wrong, Bit?"
"I jus' couldn't deal anymore. Madame's finally lost it." She scanned the room, comfortable in the midst of all the Manhattan Newsies. "Mind if I stay?"
"'Course not," Jack said from beside Spot. "Stay as long as ya like; no bettah place in town. An' Spotty me boy, youse can't do nothin' 'bout it."
Exhausted from her troubles, Two-Bit made her way to an open bunk. She flopped down, kicked off her shoes and immediately fell asleep. She dreamt of nothing, only sleeping soundly.
"Wonder what Madame did dis time," Race pondered. "Musta been awful fer Bit ta come runnin'"
"We ain't gonna question. She's one a Kit's goils; she knows wha' she's doin'." After speaking his piece, Jack returned to the poker game. As usual, he was losing horridly and Racetrack was naturally winning. Spot thought he was winning, but then again, his ego was so big that he couldn't tell the difference.
While they were playing, Race's mind would occasionally wander. He wondered about how he would get his next meal; he wondered what the headline would be for tomorrow. More importantly, he wondered what was happening at the High Street Orphanage.
7.7.7.7
After allowing Two-Bit to run off, Kit slowly made her way up the stairs, carefully avoiding the holes in the rotting wooded steps. Little Elenora quietly slept as Kit walked. Watching Ele's face made Kit's heart break. "Ta be innocent again..." she wondered out loud. She knew that Elenora's innocence would not last long in the Orphanage.
Coming upon the sick-room, which was actually no more than a slightly large closet, Kit walked in. Lying in the small bed was Moon. Recently, due to both her living conditions and the awful weather, Moon had taken ill. Kit was unsure of what ailed her "little sister," but she cared for her lovingly nonetheless.
"Tow-Bit got away." Kit watched Moon's pale face brighten slightly.
"Good fer her. Jus' wha' she needed." Moon gave a slight cough which brought about a series that racked her thin body.
Kitten set Ele down and got to work. She bathed Moon's forehead with cool water and made a soothing tea for her to drink. All the while, Kit was wrestling with her own internal demons. Never once did she speak them aloud, but Moon's perception was keen.
"Kit, dere's somethin' dat youse been keepin' ta yer self. Ya ain't gonna fix anythin' by stayin' locked up." Moon waited for Kit to ease up. Having Kit express what was on her mind was no easy task.
Some considerable time passes before Kit stopped fidgeting. Sitting on the end of the bed she said, "Promise me dat youse won't say nothin'."
"Promise."
Taking a deep breath, Kit allowed everything to pour out. "Foistly, dere's da fact dat youse is sick. An' dat scares me cuz dere's a real good chance dat you'll die." As she spoke, a few tears leaked from her eyes. "Den dere's everythin' dat goin' on wid da Orphanage. Madame's horrid an' she's nevah gonna stop. Unlike Two-Bit, I just can't run away from all a dis. I need ta be heah. I's runnin' dis place an' I look aftah all da goils dat come though. I've gotta do so much around heah dat it's driving me mad! All I wanna do is stop it all. I should a left dis place when Madame Whitefield died. I's been living' me whole life in dis hell. I don't know if I can keep doin' dis fer much longer..."
Quietly, Moon listened to everything that Kit said. She understood exactly what Kit meant. "Keep holdin' on. Somethin's gotta happen soon. An' don't you worry bout me."
Kit opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the door flying open. In the doorway stood an out of breath Tricks, panic blazing in her eyes.
Everything that she was going through was immediately forgotten as she asked Tricks what was wrong. Tricks' breathless explanation was less than welcome and expected.
"WHAT?! Da city inspectah's heah, now? Why?"
"He didn' say. We's got Madame locked away so dat she ain't seen. Youse gotta be da woman in charge heah." Tricks looked hopefully at Kit.
Kitten thought for a moment. She needed a solid lie that could not be cracked open, and that she could easily remember it the next time this man came around. Finally coming up with what she hoped was a secure enough lie, she gathered up Elenora. Before walking downstairs, Kit changed into a simple working woman's skirt and blouse with an apron to look her assigned part. Once ready, Kit made her way down to meet the dreaded official.
"Hello, sir." She greeted the middle-aged balding man in a crisp business suit. "May I ask the nature of your visit?" She hoped against hope that her common accent was not showing through what she hoped was educated speech.
The official smiled at Kit, mis-aligned teeth the center of attention. "You must be the owner. My name is Mr. Parks. Your name would be...?"
Kit gave the first name that came to her, which was not her own. "Fiona Kelley."
"Well, Miss Kelley, I'm here to inspect your facility. If you would be so kind as to show me around." He was not asking, she was demanding.
"With slight hesitation, Kit answered, "Certainly."
She led Mr. Parks about, explaining a few things along the way. "You must excuse the mess. I recently became the Mistress here. We're in the process of renovating. The previous Mistress did not maintain the building as she should have."
"I can see that. And I am certain that you will do much better." Mr. Parks took a long look at Kit. "I have noticed that you are carrying a baby girl. Is she one of your charges?"
"She is my daughter." Kit turned her eyes down to look at Ele, trying to avoid Mr. Parks' calculating gaze.
"Where's the father?" he asked with some malice.
Kit glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly supper time. Quickly, she fabricated something. "He should be returning shortly." Silently, she prayed that one of the Manhattan Newsies would walk in.
Almost as if he knew she needed him, Jack Kelley walked in, obviously looking for a free meal. He almost froze when he saw Mr. Parks observing his actions.
"Ah, Mr. Kelley. Your wife was just telling me about your charming daughter."
Knowing better than to respond immediately to the question, Jack went over to display his 'husbandly affection.' Kit immediately launched into a barely audible explanation as it appeared as the two fussed over Elenora. "My name is Fiona, this is Elenora, and I'm the Mistress."
Aloud Kit said, "Did you have a good day at work?"
"Where do you work?" Mr. Parks cut in. He eagerly leaned in, making it seem that he wanted to catch them in a lie.
"I work in a newspaper office." To Kit he said, "Work was fine. Everyone asked how you and Elenora were doing."
Eventually, Mr. Parks left, leaving the Orphanage alone. Kit was grateful to Jack for playing along. Even the other girls were glad that Jack had easily followed the charade. He merely said that it came with the territory. When he asked for an explanation as to what was wrong, they were all guarded with their answers. They felt that their situation should be dealt with by them alone.
The day's incidents were just a few of the many that would befall the unobtrusive High Street Orphanage.
7.7.7.7
A/N: Hey, give me your thoughts on what you think is gonna happen! I'd like to know, maybe I could incorporate some of your thoughts into later chaps! Toodles!
Aelia