Chapter 9: Beginning Anew

Kit and her girls were woken the next morning by Kloppman rousing the Newsies from their beds. For such a small old man, he could certainly make a ruckus. In the early morning sunlight, the girls began to explore the attic room.

"Well ain't dis da fine life!" Tricks proclaims from a doorway by the stairs. "We's got our own washroom!" She steps aside to reveal a small washroom. It is a bit grimy from disuse, but a good scrubbing would make it useable once again.

As much as she didn't want to dash their hopes, Kit felt that she had to be the voice of reason. "Don't get too excited, girls. We don't know if we can stay or not. I gotta talk to Kloppman once he gets the Newsies out da door."

She walks over to the bunk closest to the fire. Cocooned in blankets lies Moon, only her pale face visible. "How ya feelin' today, hun?"

"Its not so bad, once I got warmed up. If I can stay where it's warm, I might be able ta get bettah." Her pale grey eyes reflected the firelight, reminding Kit of something Moon had said a few days prior.

"Moon, a few days ago, you said that somethin' was gonna happen. Did you know dat da fire was goin' to start?"

Moon reaches out and idly strokes Ele's hair. "I had no idea dat a fire would set us free. I only had faith dat we couldn't be stuck wid Madame forever." She pauses, letting out a cough that shakes her thin body. "I also have faith dat I'll get bettah. Just let me stay somewhere safe an' warm an' you'll see. I'll get bettah."

Kit smiles softly at Moon. "I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best."

"Yer best is all we ever asked of you."

Kit stood, smoothed Moon's blankets, gathered up Ele and headed for the stairs. Over her shoulder she said, "You lot behave. I'm gonna talk ta Kloppman 'bout our options." As she walks down the stairs, she is nearly run over by Two-Bit."

"Did it really burn down?"

"Bit, where you been?"

Two-Bit laughs. "I's been heah wid da Newsies. Mush told me dis mornin' dat you goils were heah. Did da Orphanage really burn down?"

Kit is momentarily overwhelmed by Two-Bit's exuberance. "Yes, da Orphanage burned down. I have no idea if Madame is alive or not. And right now, I really need ta talk ta Kloppman about the options for da girls." Without letting Two-Bit say anything in response, Kit fled down the stairs.

She regretted being sharp with Two-Bit, but Kit's head was all muddled. Her conversation with Moon had shaken her, especially after such a harrowing night. Her main concern at the present moment was not gossip, but ensuring that the girls she had sworn to take care of had a place to live.

When she got to the first floor, she saw that Kloppman's office door was open wide and welcoming. Yet, with her thoughts straying to dark corners, Kit did not think holding a conversation that would determine her future was the best to have just yet. Instead, she grabbed a coat off the coat rack, and plunged out into the freezing morning air. The month of March was viciously holding on to the last of the winter freeze. With Ele tucked safely inside the coat, Kit let herself wander the New York City streets aimlessly.

Once or twice, she passes a familiar Newsie face, but never went close enough that they would recognize her. The fire at the Orphanage had brought up painful memories of her past. How many more fires must I endure, she wondered. Round and round in a ceaseless dance, her thoughts swirled. How will I care for the girls? Where will we stay? How will we afford to live? Can we survive? When her hand touched a cold metal gate, Kit finally came out of her dark thoughts and looked at where she was.

Before her stands a small church cemetery, tucked into a quiet part of the lower class neighborhood. She unlatches the gate and walks down the small cobblestone path to the last row of graves. Five headstones in from the right is the place of Madame Whitefield's eternal rest. As she set her eyes on the headstone, the overwhelming confusion and fear finally consumes Kit. She collapses to her knees and begins to sob. Inside her coat, little Elenora clutches the woman she has come to identify as mother.

For some reason, Race chose today not to sell down at Sheepshead. Instead, he wandered about the city, hawking papes as he went. It gave him a sense of nostalgia for when he first became a Newsie many years ago. He turned the corner and came upon the familiar sight of St. Gabriel's Church. Seeing the church reminded him of the parents he lost as a young boy. They were buried in the churchyard, he remembered.

Kneeling by the grave of his parents, he was suddenly startled by a piercing wail coming from within the graveyard. With a start, he stands up straight, his guard up. Though he scoffed at ghost stories, a small part of him still believed in the tales. In the back corner of the yard, hidden by the shadow of a building was a hunched figure. Once again the wail came.

Moving closer, he recognized the shock of strawberry blonde hair that stood out starkly against the shadows and dark coat.

"Kit?"

The hunched figure raises its head and turns to look at the person who addressed it. Kit's tearstained face looks mournfully up at Racetrack. "I can't do this anymore, Race." She then collapses into another fit of tears.

Racetrack sits down on the cold cobblestone beside her. Awkwardly, he wraps an arm around her shoulders. Offering comfort to a sobbing young woman is an entirely new experience for Racetrack. After a while of silent comfort, Kit's sobs subside into sniffles.

Pulling her head out of Race's shoulder she asks, "How is it dat you always seem to know where ta find me?"

Race scratches the back of his head as he thinks. "I can't say. So wha's got yer pretty face covered in tears?"

"I jus' feel so lost, Race. The girls expect me to look after 'em and keep 'em safe. Dat's a lotta responsibility. On top a dat, I've gotta look afta Elenora too. I hate da uncertainty dat comes with bein' an orphan. I'm sure you understand."

Indeed Race did. "Me parents died when I was five, an' none a me relatives wanted me. So, I was tossed out inta da streets. I's been on dese streets longer den most a da Newsies in da city. It wasn't til I joined up wid da Manhattan boys dat I found a safe place ta sleep every night."

"What am I gonna do?" Kit lamented.

Race stood and jammed his hat on his head. "Step one: dry dose eye an' stand up. Step 2: we talk ta Kloppman. I'm sure he'd let you goils stay in da attic. Step four: you stop worrin' 'bout what you don' know." Race put his hands on his hips and chewed his cigar while looking down at Kit.

Kit wiped the sleeve of the coat across her dripping nose and eyes. What Race said made sense. It made so much sense that she nearly kicked herself for not thinking of it on her own. Taking a deep breath, she hauls herself to her feet. Elenora pokes her little head out of Kit's jacket and makes a happy gurgling sound when her huge eyes set on Racetrack.

"Sorry sweetcheeks," he says to Elenora with a pat on her head, "I'm too old for ya."

Elenora sticks a small hand out of Kit's coat and tries to grab at Race's cigar.

Slipping an arm through Race's, Kit looks at him with a bright smile and says, "Shall we head home then?"

"I'll take ya da scenic route."

It was not until much later that Racetrack, Kit, and Elenora returned to the Lodging House. As they enter through the door, Kloppman comes out of his office, wiping his hands on a rag. "Ah, just the girl I wanted to see."

Kit casts a nervous glace at Race, who merely pushes her towards Kloppman's office. He slips away upstairs, hoping to find someone there dumb enough to get into a dice game with him.

"Mr. Kloppman, I greatly appreciate what ya did for me girls. I don't wish ta be a bother, so I was wonderin' if you knew of any girls' houses we could go to?"

"Now stop right there young lady. You're not going anywhere. My boys are pleased as punch that you've escaped that awful orphanage and ended up at their lodging house. I'm more than willing to let you and the girls stay. But I do have a few conditions. I'd like to be able to get this place running properly again. Your girls can do the cleaning and cooking in order to earn your keep. Once things are under control, your girls can find other means of earning their keep if they so desire."

Kit raises an eyebrow at Kloppman. It was more than she ever expected. However, there was a small detail missing. "Wha' 'bout me, sir?"

"You, my dear, will take over the day to day management. I know you have a knack for it. You'll oversee the grocery shopping, chores, etc that will keep this place running. Clear?"

"It's wonderful, sir. Thank you so much. Da girls will be so pleased when dey find out!" Mindful of Ele, Kit wrapped Kloppman in a warm hug.

Walking upstairs to join Race, Kit silently rejoiced. Finally, everything was starting to look up. She had not failed in her promise to the girls, and a stable life was before her. She felt rejuvenated, and able to confront any future issues with a little more strength.