A/N: Can you believe this chapter took almost a month to write? Unbelievable . . .

Disclaimer: Newsies still ain't mine.

Chapter 14

December 13th was approaching which meant I needed to get ready for Saint Lucia's Day. Since Uncle Leo was Italian, I knew I would have to explain the Swedish traditions we always did each Christmas. Since the holidays were beginning I had to work extra hard at the shop. With some money that I saved up I was able to buy a simple white dress and a red sash. Uncle Leo pointed out that he could have bought them for me but I had not wanted him to. This was my gift to the girls. Minnie helped me make the wreath. After a bath, Susanna helped me wrap my hair into two braided loops around my ears.

The older girls were so excited about Saint Lucia's Day that it was hard getting them into bed. I finally did and went to bed, telling Susanna to wake me up at six o' clock so I could get ready. As I lay in bed my thoughts turned to Mush . . . Thomas. What was he going to do for Christmas? Lounge around the Lodging House smoking with the other newsies that had no home? That was no way to spend a Christmas.

Just then I had an idea. I wanted to get up and tell Uncle Leo; I was so excited about it. But I knew I had to stay in bed so that I would be able to do the Processional without falling asleep on my feet. And so I turned over and went to sleep.

Early in the morning, I got up and Susanna helped me into my white dress. She tied a beautiful bow with the sash around my waist and placed the wreath on top of my head. We took down my braids and wavy curls rippled down my back. Susanna beamed at me.

"You look beautiful, Miss Margaret," she told me.

I blushed slightly. "Is the breakfast ready?"

Just then Mrs. Thompson, her graying hair pulled back in a long braid and wearing a calico sleep robe, bustled in with a tray full of coffee and cakes. I took it with a smile and took a deep breath. Susanna nodded encouragingly and opened the door. I opened my mouth and began singing.

"Så mörk är natten i midvinterid,
men se, då naikas Lucia."

The first room I entered was Florence's and Mary's. Florence sat up straight in bed as soon as she heard my voice and gave a cry of delight, clapping her hands. Mary looked up sleepily, rubbing her eyes and then blinking at me in wonder.

"Hon kommer, den goda, med ljuset hit.
Hon kommer med hälsning om julefrid."

They took their cakes and coffee and then followed me into across the hall into Rose and Anna's room. They were awake instantly, clapping their hands and singing along.

"Hon kommer med ljus i sin krona."

Taking their own coffee and cakes, they joined the processional to Minnie's room where the babies and her slept. We quieted down this part so as to not wake up Ruth, Lillian, and Helen. Minnie was up and grinning. Rose handed her a cup and a cake and Minnie joined the group. Susanna then stayed behind to watch the babies.

"I morka natten i midvinterid,

vi halsa dig, vana Lucia."

Uncle Leo's room was last. His eyes were twinkling as all of us girls sang to him. Anna brought him his cake and coffee. The girls gathered on his bed as I continued to sing.

"Valkommen, du goda, med ljuset hit.
Valkommen med halsning om julefrid.
Valkommen med ljus i din krona."

The girls and even Uncle Leo sang the last verse with me in English.

"Lucia is coming this midwinter might,
when all is dark and cold.
She's coming and wearing
a crown of light.
She wishes for peace at
Christmastime.
She's bringing you light and joy."

The girls cheered and I grinned. I had forgotten how much fun being Saint Lucia had been. It felt good to be celebrating, not worrying about whether or not the girls would have enough to eat or books for school. But this reminded me of Mush and I turned to Uncle Leo. The girls were now eating their cakes and drinking their coffee while talking to each other excitedly.

"Uncle, I had an idea, if you don't mind, about what we could do this Christmas in order to include Mush—Thomas."

"What's your idea, girl?"

"Well," I shuffled my bare feet. "Could we have a Christmas party? We could invite all the newsies, from Brooklyn and Manhattan."

Uncle Leo looked thoughtful. He scratched his chin and glanced at the girls. Minnie was tickling Mary who was almost shrieking with laughter, Rose and Anna and Florence were having a pillow fight. I suddenly regretted giving them coffee this early in the morning. Uncle Leo chuckled softly before turning back to me.

"That sounds like a fine idea. Let's have it Christmas Eve and Thomas can stay overnight. You can give out the invitations this week."

I hugged him tightly. "Oh thank you Uncle!"

Florence then hit me in the head with a pillow and I had to retaliate. The rest of the morning was spent in laughter.

00000000

For the next eleven days Uncle Leo spoiled us rotten. He took us to see the Nutcracker Ballet, to buy the Christmas tree, and bought us all Christmas dresses. On the fifth day he took us ice skating. The younger girls skated near Uncle Leo who stayed in his wheelchair off to the side. Ruth, Lilly, and Helen stayed at home with Susanna and Daisy. Albert was with us, to push Uncle Leo's chair. Minnie and I skated around nearer to the middle of the lake.

I was demonstrating to Minnie how to do a figure eight, when I spun into someone. My arms whirled in circles as I tried to keep my balance. The person I had run into steadied me and I turned to thank him or her. I was greeted by laughing green eyes and a wide grin. I skated back so I could see him better and Minnie skated up next to me.

"Slick? What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.

"Not only me," he said, gesturing to the side.

There, one sweater sleeve flapping in the wind, was Cricket. I gave a cry of delight and enveloped him in a tight hug. He grinned up at me and then looked to the side to where Minnie was waiting for me. I remembered her and gestured her forward.

"Slick, Cricket, this is my little sister, Minnie."

Slick tipped his cap to Minnie and she giggled slightly. Cricket nodded to her and then began skating in small circles, waiting for Slick I suppose. I noticed Minnie watching him from underneath her eyelashes and stifled a laugh. Cricket had better watch out, I mused. Minnie was a cute girl and Cricket wasn't so bad looking himself.

I chuckled quietly before turning back to Slick.

"Where's Spot?"

Slick rubbed his nose with a knuckle. "Back at the Lodging House. Cricket wanted to come skate during our break before we got to go sell the noon papes."

"Oh." I couldn't help but sound disappointed.

Slick gave me a grin. I then remembered the Christmas Eve party and promptly invited Slick and Cricket.

"Spread the word about it," I told them. "All the Brooklyn and Manhattan newsies are welcome."

Slick and Cricket exchanged a grin. "Will there be food?" Slick wanted to know.

I rolled my eyes. "Knowing my family, yes there will be a lot of food."

Slick and Cricket grinned at each other again. "Then count us in!"

I gave a little laugh and waved as Minnie and I skated back to the other girls. The rest of the day was spent in frivolity. Our Christmas tree stood ten feet tall in the Gold room. We had to get Albert to stand on a chair in order to place the star on the top. We decorated it with cranberries and paper snowflakes along with candles and tinsel. Feeling mischievous, Rose and Anna fixed mistletoe above the door. They giggled over it for about an hour afterwards and kept making Mary go in and out of the door so they could cover her bewildered little face with kisses.

After the tree was finished, we sat around the fireplace and drank hot cocoa with sugar cookies. Florence gave us her own rendition of the Dance of the Sugar Plum fairy. Rose and Anna enjoyed it immensely and began laughing and throwing cookie chunks at her. Soon she had forgotten about dancing and was concentrating on catching the cookie bits in her mouth. Minnie and I giggled at them and Uncle Leo laughed so hard he had to ask for a handkerchief to wipe away his tears.

Mary began yawning soon after that and I announced that it was bedtime. Rose, Anna, and Florence protested, but Minnie helped me usher them upstairs after they kissed Uncle Leo goodnight. I carried Mary and after they were all in their dressing gowns, I got each one into bed. I stayed a few minutes in Minnie's room, saying goodnight to each of the babies and Susanna. When I turned to leave, Minnie called me back.

"Why didn't Cricket speak to us?" she asked, her wide blue eyes bright and questioning.

I gave her a small smile. "Because he doesn't talk, honey."

"He can't talk?" She seemed skeptical of the idea.

I sat down on her bed across from her. "Well, he can, he just doesn't. He had an . . . emotional trauma when he was younger, and he hasn't spoken since. Except in nightmares."

"Oh." She looked thoughtful now. "Why does he only have one arm?"

"He was in a fight and the doctor had to cut it off." This brought back feelings of guilt, but I pushed them away, remembering what Spot had told me.

"Oh."

When she didn't ask anything else, I kissed her forehead and told her goodnight. She said goodnight softly, and I could see her mind was elsewhere. I smiled secretly to myself. I was glad Minnie was experiencing these feelings for the first time now where I could be there to guide her and protect her. Thinking of Minnie's crush on Cricket reminded me of my own crush on Spot. I sincerely hoped that he would be able to make it to the party. I had not spoken to him in a long time. Of course I had seen him around, and he still walked me home every night I worked, but I could never seem to bring up the subject of us.

The latest night he had walked me home I almost spoke up. He had been walking beside me, hands deep in his pockets, staring straight ahead. I had glanced at him once or twice but he never looked over at me. I remember sighing deeply before the commotion started.

I think the man was drunk. He was staggering and spoke in a loud voice. Right away I could sense Spot tensing beside me. The man was probably in his early twenties and he headed straight for me. I stopped abruptly but Spot grabbed my arm and forced me to keep walking. The man followed us, shouting obscenities and offensive sayings at both me and Spot. Then the drunk man reached forward and grabbed at my hair which was in a long braid down my back.

Spot lost it then. He turned and nailed a punch on the man's nose so hard I could hear the bone crunch. I winced and the man reeled back, clutching at his face. Spot gave him another punch in the gut, and then kneed him in the groin. The man doubled over in pain and Spot hurried back to me. Grabbing my hand, he started walked quickly, practically dragging me along. My heart was pounding in my chest, my throat, and my head.

When we were safely away from the drunk man, we slowed back to a walk. Spot turned to me and asked if I were okay. I could only nod dumbly, breathing heavily. He nodded back absently and faced forward again. It wasn't until I was back in the Mansion and heading toward my room that I realized he had never let go of my hand.

I shook my head, thinking back on it now I realize how much of a fool I must have seemed to him. But he had not seemed to care. I remembered what Slick had told me about Spot. What were his reasons for not talking about us? I determined I would find out at the party.

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