Chapter 11
Baby paced across Medda's dressing room for over an hour. Medda remained sitting at her vanity, slipping whiskey to help calm her nerves. The two remained silent, hoping for some sign of news, anything to let them know that the boys were ok. But no sign came.
When the sounds of the theater slowly died down for the night, no sign came.
When the sun began to peak through the window, no sign came.
When the jostling sound of workers cleaning up from the previous night filled the air, no sign came.
In fact it was nearly lunch time before they finally got word. A soft knock at the door caused both women to jump up in shock. They both froze, not really knowing if they could trust who was on the other side of the door, not knowing if they wanted to know the truth.
After a moment of silence, the door creaked open.
"Medda? Baby? You two in here?" Spot stuck his head around the frame slowly.
"Spot! You are alright! How are the others? Did you all get out okay?" Medda jumped up and hugged the boy, attacking him with questions without giving him a chance to respond.
Spot looked over Medda's shoulders and locked eyes with Baby. She knew in that moment that it was Jack. She grabbed her chest and sat down on a nearby fainting couch trying desperately to breath. She felt as though her chest was failing her; as though her lungs no longer worked.
Spot detached himself from Medda and walked over to Baby, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I tried my best, but we were all surrounded. He is in the refuge now; three years."
Baby froze and looked up into Spot's eyes. She could see the sorrow that he felt, but at that moment, it meant nothing to her. She stood up, eye to eye with Spot, and shoved him as hard as she could. He fell backward over Medda's vanity stool, causing Medda to shriek and jump to help him up. If Baby was not so furious, she would have laughed that she had just caused the 'almighty Spot Conlon' to fall on his bum.
Spot jumped up, attempting to regain some sense of control in the situation. "What the hell was that for?!" he yelled at her.
"You were suppose to help him!" she shoved him again but this time he was ready for it. "You said you would bring him back!" she shoved again. "I thought I could trust you!" She began pounding on his chest, but lack of sleep and emotional stress caused her to do little more damage than a toddler as she broke down and started to cry.
Spot awkwardly hugged her in an attempt to comfort her. He looked back at Medda pleading for assistance. Medda remained frozen for a moment, shocked at Baby's emotional outpour. She had know Baby for years now and had never seen her show this kind of emotion.
Medda looked back over at Spot who looked like he might scream at any moment. Taking pity on the poor boy, Medda cautiously walked over to Baby and peeled her off of him. "Shh, Baby. Everything will be fine. You know Jack, he will be out in no time."
"Denton is having lunch with the boys over at Tibby's. He paid for all of us to get out, maybe he is working to get Jack out too," Spot supplied.
Baby looked up to Spot with hope in her eyes. "You really think so?"
"It's possible," he looked toward Medda and the two shared a look. If Denton was able to buy Jack's way out, we would have already. But neither of them wanted to admit that to Baby.
Medda reached over and gave Baby a small hug, "Go with Spot and find out what is going on and let me know. And Baby, be strong, I know you can handle anything."
Baby pulled back and gave Medda a small smile. She knew she had to be strong, for Jack.
By the time Spot and Baby got back to the lodging house, David was in the foyer ranting about Denton and a plan. The room fell silent when they walked in, no one really knowing what to say.
"So," Baby attempted to break the awkward silence, "When are we getting Jack back?"
David gave a small smile, "We are breaking him out tonight."
"But what about Denton?" Baby questioned.
"He abandoned us," David spat out.
Baby looked around the room, everyone seemed stressed and angry, losing Jack affected everyone. "Well, let's hear the plan then!" Baby spoke out, hoping to get everyone's spirits up. They all spent the rest of the afternoon planning and replanning the escape. David took lead and worked to come up with five different alternate plans, just to make sure they covered any possible circumstance.
As night fell, a small group left, leaving everyone else to wait anxiously. Baby went out on the fire escape; she couldn't handle listening to everyone question and debate the success of the group. However, they weren't gone long. In fact, it was under thirty minutes when most of them returned.
Baby remained outside the window, listening to them explain how Jack was being escorted somewhere and David followed.
"So," Spot crawled out onto the fire escape and sat down next to Baby. "Sounds like it is all up to the Walking Mouth."
Baby looked over at him, partly considering what he just said, partly wondering when she had given him permission of join her. She thought about responding, but there was nothing left for either of them to say.
They sat in silence for over an hour, just staring out at the city. They almost didn't even notice the calm that fell in the bunkroom behind them. When they turned they saw David walk in, alone. He looked around the room but didn't say a word. His eyes fell on Baby and he began to head in her direction. Blink jumped up to intercept him, wanting to hear the news, but David just kept moving forward across the room.
He climbed out onto the fire escape and shut the window. Baby could see that something had him tense, more so that she had ever seen from the boy.
"What happened, Dave? Did ya fail?" Spot remarked harshly.
"No. I got him out." David replied tightly.
Baby stood up and forced David to turn and look at her. "You did! Where is he?"
"You know him better than anyone else, Baby." David was refusing to look her in the eye but there was something about his mannerism, like pure rage was pouring from him. "Can you explain why he wouldn't want to escape?" At this, David finally looked up into Baby's eyes. He wanted to know what he was missing, what he didn't understand.
"What?!" Baby look a small step back and sat down on the step. She didn't understand.
"What are you saying Dave?" Spot demanded.
"I'm saying, I helped him escape but he chose to go back!" Dave barked out. The three newsies stood in shocked silence, not knowing where to go from here.
Author's Note:
Reviews are wonderful, just saying! ;p
