Rae: If I got them together the story would be over. That wouldn't be any
fun, so just be patient ;-)
Marron: *is not fooled by the icecream* My Spot! *grabs him back*
TaursPrincess: Kidnap two, I want one! And no green is not Spot's color, but I do love making him wear it!
Stripes McKee: excellent use of exclamation points. I feel so loved :-)
Yanchi: My Spot! You're just delusional if you think he loves you, cause he doesn't. He loves ME!!!
Half: Spot's not in love yet. But he's getting there. I like Tavish too, but not as much as I like Spot ;-)
sab: He wasn't singing it, he was remembering when Duchess sang it. Maybe that wasn't too clear . . . I dunno, I try.
Loud Mouth: Glad you like it, here's more :-)
****
Over the next two weeks, Duchess came to feel very at home among the Brooklyn newsies. They filled the place that had been empty when she left her own newsies in Richmond. Brooklyn stuck together, so she was friends with everyone of course, but some of the group became special friends. Books, Emma, Matches, Bluejay, Secrets, Blues, but especially Spot. People were constantly speculating that they were a couple, but it wasn't like that. They always sold together and talked openly about most things. Duchess quickly came to look upon Spot as her best friend, and he felt the same way about her. Neither of them would admit to the niggling feeling that they could be something more, not even to themselves.
One evening, after a hard day of selling, the newsies were relaxing in the Lobby when Books approached Duchess. "Hey, Duch, can I talk to you?" she asked, tugging her sleeve nervously.
"Sure, Books." Duchess shot a questioning look at her friend as they made their way to the privacy of the girl's bunkroom. Once there, Books shut the door then turned to face Duchess.
"Duchess, I just wanted to say thanks," Books began.
"Thanks for what?" Duchess asked bewildered.
"Thanks for being friends with Spot. He's never had a real close friend like you are before."
"But Spot's got tons of friends."
"Well, yeah, I guess, but they're all so intimidated by the fact that he's the leader of Brooklyn that they can't really get close to him. You're not like that."
"Well what about you?"
Books smiled. "Well I'm not intimidated by him of course. But it's not the same, cause I'm his sister."
Duchess wasn't sure quite what to say to this. "Well . . . you're welcome, I guess," she finally replied. The two girls looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, then Books opened the door and they returned to the lobby.
***
Three days after that conversation, the newsies' selling was cut short by a sudden thunderstorm shortly after noon. They raced back to the lodging house from all over Brooklyn, holding their extra papes, if they had them, over their heads like umbrellas. As they came in, they occupied themselves with various indoor activities. Spot got a poker game going, and most of the group was engaged in either participating or watching. He tried to get Duchess to join the fun, but Blues was teaching her a new gospel song, and she couldn't be persuaded. Among the other newsies not involved in the game were Books, who was reading, and Candy, who was doing her best to separate a licorice stick from Emma who was rather attached to it.
All these activities came to an abrupt halt when the door to the lodging house swung open and banged against the wall. In the doorway, a woman's figure was silhouetted against the stormy sky. The assembled newsies stared in shock. Spot was the first to find his voice. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" He demanded in his King of Brooklyn voice. The woman entered the lobby and set down a large, heavy looking carpet bag. She was tall and thin, and looked to be in her late twenties. Her brown hair was twisted up into a knot on top of her head and witty intelligence sparkled in her grey eyes. "Why yes I would like to come in," she said, as thought responding to a gracious invitation, "How kind of you to ask. My name is Karen Mayfield and I am the new proprietress of this lodging house."
Spot looked slightly embarrassed, but held on to his arrogant attitude. "What are you talking about? We don't need a proprie- pro- whatever it is."
"Proprietress," Books supplied, "And Spot's right, we don't need one."
Karen was not daunted. "I'm afraid the Children's Aid Society thinks differently," she informed them unflinchingly, "Someone would have been sent sooner, but we were only just informed that that Mr. Carlton left last month."
"And good riddance!" Spot said emphatically. This time Karen looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, yes. I'll admit that from what I've been told, Mr. Carlton was not the best choice-"
"Not the best choice?" Books demanded incredulously, "He charges us double and lets the place go to Hell in a handbasket, and you say he wasn't the best choice? Damn right he wasn't the best choice!"
"Books!" Spot exclaimed, shocked at his sister's language.
"Sorry Spot, but it's true."
Karen Mayfield looked shocked as well. "Well, I certainly hadn't been told any of this!" she exclaimed indignantly, "I can assure you I am nothing like that odious man."
Spot looked around at his newsies. Books and Duchess both gave him encouraging nods. "All right, lady," he finally conceded, "You can stay, but if there's any funny business like before, we'll make sure you can't wait to leave." His eyes went cold grey with this last warning. Karen didn't look in the least intimidated.
"Very well, we have a deal then, Mr . . ." she trailed off questioningly as she extended her hand to shake.
"Conlon, Spot Conlon," Spot responded, spitting in his palm before shaking with her. Karen was obviously disgusted, but managed to finish the hand shake. "Pleased to meet you Mr. Conlon," she said.
"And you, Miss Mayfield," he responded, smirking, now playing the gentleman. Spot looked back at the other newsies, inclining his head in the direction of their new proprietress. At this they all got up and introduced themselves.
****
All right, I know, another action packed chapter, but gimme a break! I working on it! Next chapter is gonna be awesome! Much action, I promise. But I'll only post it if you review, so go, hit the button! You know you want to :-)
Marron: *is not fooled by the icecream* My Spot! *grabs him back*
TaursPrincess: Kidnap two, I want one! And no green is not Spot's color, but I do love making him wear it!
Stripes McKee: excellent use of exclamation points. I feel so loved :-)
Yanchi: My Spot! You're just delusional if you think he loves you, cause he doesn't. He loves ME!!!
Half: Spot's not in love yet. But he's getting there. I like Tavish too, but not as much as I like Spot ;-)
sab: He wasn't singing it, he was remembering when Duchess sang it. Maybe that wasn't too clear . . . I dunno, I try.
Loud Mouth: Glad you like it, here's more :-)
****
Over the next two weeks, Duchess came to feel very at home among the Brooklyn newsies. They filled the place that had been empty when she left her own newsies in Richmond. Brooklyn stuck together, so she was friends with everyone of course, but some of the group became special friends. Books, Emma, Matches, Bluejay, Secrets, Blues, but especially Spot. People were constantly speculating that they were a couple, but it wasn't like that. They always sold together and talked openly about most things. Duchess quickly came to look upon Spot as her best friend, and he felt the same way about her. Neither of them would admit to the niggling feeling that they could be something more, not even to themselves.
One evening, after a hard day of selling, the newsies were relaxing in the Lobby when Books approached Duchess. "Hey, Duch, can I talk to you?" she asked, tugging her sleeve nervously.
"Sure, Books." Duchess shot a questioning look at her friend as they made their way to the privacy of the girl's bunkroom. Once there, Books shut the door then turned to face Duchess.
"Duchess, I just wanted to say thanks," Books began.
"Thanks for what?" Duchess asked bewildered.
"Thanks for being friends with Spot. He's never had a real close friend like you are before."
"But Spot's got tons of friends."
"Well, yeah, I guess, but they're all so intimidated by the fact that he's the leader of Brooklyn that they can't really get close to him. You're not like that."
"Well what about you?"
Books smiled. "Well I'm not intimidated by him of course. But it's not the same, cause I'm his sister."
Duchess wasn't sure quite what to say to this. "Well . . . you're welcome, I guess," she finally replied. The two girls looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, then Books opened the door and they returned to the lobby.
***
Three days after that conversation, the newsies' selling was cut short by a sudden thunderstorm shortly after noon. They raced back to the lodging house from all over Brooklyn, holding their extra papes, if they had them, over their heads like umbrellas. As they came in, they occupied themselves with various indoor activities. Spot got a poker game going, and most of the group was engaged in either participating or watching. He tried to get Duchess to join the fun, but Blues was teaching her a new gospel song, and she couldn't be persuaded. Among the other newsies not involved in the game were Books, who was reading, and Candy, who was doing her best to separate a licorice stick from Emma who was rather attached to it.
All these activities came to an abrupt halt when the door to the lodging house swung open and banged against the wall. In the doorway, a woman's figure was silhouetted against the stormy sky. The assembled newsies stared in shock. Spot was the first to find his voice. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" He demanded in his King of Brooklyn voice. The woman entered the lobby and set down a large, heavy looking carpet bag. She was tall and thin, and looked to be in her late twenties. Her brown hair was twisted up into a knot on top of her head and witty intelligence sparkled in her grey eyes. "Why yes I would like to come in," she said, as thought responding to a gracious invitation, "How kind of you to ask. My name is Karen Mayfield and I am the new proprietress of this lodging house."
Spot looked slightly embarrassed, but held on to his arrogant attitude. "What are you talking about? We don't need a proprie- pro- whatever it is."
"Proprietress," Books supplied, "And Spot's right, we don't need one."
Karen was not daunted. "I'm afraid the Children's Aid Society thinks differently," she informed them unflinchingly, "Someone would have been sent sooner, but we were only just informed that that Mr. Carlton left last month."
"And good riddance!" Spot said emphatically. This time Karen looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, yes. I'll admit that from what I've been told, Mr. Carlton was not the best choice-"
"Not the best choice?" Books demanded incredulously, "He charges us double and lets the place go to Hell in a handbasket, and you say he wasn't the best choice? Damn right he wasn't the best choice!"
"Books!" Spot exclaimed, shocked at his sister's language.
"Sorry Spot, but it's true."
Karen Mayfield looked shocked as well. "Well, I certainly hadn't been told any of this!" she exclaimed indignantly, "I can assure you I am nothing like that odious man."
Spot looked around at his newsies. Books and Duchess both gave him encouraging nods. "All right, lady," he finally conceded, "You can stay, but if there's any funny business like before, we'll make sure you can't wait to leave." His eyes went cold grey with this last warning. Karen didn't look in the least intimidated.
"Very well, we have a deal then, Mr . . ." she trailed off questioningly as she extended her hand to shake.
"Conlon, Spot Conlon," Spot responded, spitting in his palm before shaking with her. Karen was obviously disgusted, but managed to finish the hand shake. "Pleased to meet you Mr. Conlon," she said.
"And you, Miss Mayfield," he responded, smirking, now playing the gentleman. Spot looked back at the other newsies, inclining his head in the direction of their new proprietress. At this they all got up and introduced themselves.
****
All right, I know, another action packed chapter, but gimme a break! I working on it! Next chapter is gonna be awesome! Much action, I promise. But I'll only post it if you review, so go, hit the button! You know you want to :-)
