Hi guys! Um... Happy New Year! Wow, I haven't updated this since July, and I am SO SO sorry about that. This chapter had just been kinda difficult to write, and I procrastinated for so long. But, in return, this chapter is pretty long, so I do hope this will make up for it... Please?
Race waited for the door to open, if it would at all. He wasn't quite sure what to expect on the other side. He had heard two completely different things about the Karlin family. The father did cause Romeo to run away and tried to force Stars to marry for money, but the mother had helped Romeo when he was injured and seemed to be on Stars' side, for the most part.
He held Stars' hand even tighter, feeling more nervous by the second. Romeo was sort of hiding behind him, Race realized that he was probably the most terrified about this confrontation out of them.
They had only been waiting there for thirty seconds at most, but it felt like hours. Race was tempted to just turn around and run in the opposite direction, as far from the dark blue door as possible. He was about to go back down the steps, and then-
And then the door opened.
Race was met by a woman in her early forties, her dark hair in a messy bun and bags under her eyes. He noticed Romeo look a step down the stairs like he was trying to keep the woman from noticing him.
"Lydia?" The woman stared at Stars, turning rather pale. Stars squeezed Race's one more time before letting go, taking off her cap.
"Hi, Mother."
Romeo stood behind them awkwardly, tapping his foot and waiting to see if someone was going to notice him, talk to him. He wanted someone to, and yet, he felt to scared to go up to his parents himself. He hadn't seen them, really seen them, since he was nine. To them, he was just "Tony Higgins," the impersonator of his brother.
"Lydia," His mother kept whispering into Stars' short hair. Romeo stared at Race nervously.
"Just talk to her," He murmured. Romeo swallowed a gulp of air. He stepped forward, tapping Stars on her shoulder.
"Mama?" Romeo's voice was barely above a whisper. Stars shook herself out of her mother's grasp, stepping back to the side of Race. His mother stared at him with wide eyes, looking as though she couldn't comprehend that Romeo was in front of her. He stared back, the same wide eyed expression on his face. Race and Stars clasped their hands together, standing off to the side of the porch. There was a stunned silence, before-
"Matthew," Mrs. Karlin breathed. The tears that she had been trying to hold back poured down her face like a waterfall.
"Mama," Romeo wrapped his arms around his mother, the first time he had in years. Mrs. Karlin held him tightly, stroking his tangled black hair. "Mama, I'm sorry."
"My baby," Mrs. Karlin and Romeo fell to their knees, still holding onto each other. "My son. My beautiful, Matthew."
"It's Romeo now, Mama," Romeo smiled softly. His mother released him slowly, wiping his tears away with her small warm hands.
"You did always like that play," Mrs. Karlin laughed.
"Ya' used to read it to me." Romeo remembered vividly.
Stars and Race looked to each other. Stars was smiling. Race could see the happy tears in her eyes. He bit the inside of cheek, confused.
"Why are you crying?" He whispered.
"Cuz I haven't seen my family like this in four years." She replied, wiping her tears quickly with her shirt sleeve.
"Anna? Who was at the door?" A new voice asked from inside. Romeo stood up quickly, Mrs. Karlin following suit. Stars took off her hat smoothing out her rat's nest of hair.
"Who is it?" Race whispered, wonderingly.
"Take your hat off, you're gonna wanna make a good impression." She said.
A man with salt and pepper hair appeared at the doorway. Race immediately straightened his back, snatching his cap off of his head. Stars was right. He was going to want to make a good impression on this man. That is, if he wanted to keep dating his daughter.
"Peter," Mrs. Karlin dusted off her skirt, gripping Romeo's hand.
"L-Lydia," Mr. Karlin stammered, staring past Romeo, and barely noticing Race was there.
"Father," Stars nodded curtly.
"It's, uh, it's good to see you again," He said. "We missed… I missed you."
"Likewise," She didn't move from Race's side.
Mr. Karlin noticed Romeo. He smiled at him. "Hello, Mr. Higgins."
"Um, hi?" Race piped up from where he was. It was the first time either of the adults noticed he was even there. Mr. Karlin looked between Romeo and Race, obviously confused.
"Hello, Papa." Romeo said clearly, sticking his hand out. His father stared at Romeo's outstretched hand as if it was going to fall off and crawl into the house.
"Ma-" Romeo smiled sheepishly. "Matthew…"
He didn't shake Romeo's hand. Stars watched as her proud father broke down and held her little brother so tightly that she was waiting for his head to pop off.
"Please, come inside," Mrs. Karlin said, ushering them inside, eyeing Race warily.
"Thank you, ma'am," He said, trying to make his rough accent sound a bit more refined.
The living room was enormous, although the three were comparing that to the familiar rooms in the lodging house, which even the largest one was cramped and way too small for the amount of boys, and two girls, that lived there.
Race, Romeo, and Stars settled themselves on the velvet covered sofa; Mr. and Mrs. Karlin taking the two seats across from them.
"I'm sorry, before we do anything, who might you be?" Mrs. Karlin asked, her deep brown eyes analyzing Race.
"I'm Antonio, ma'am." Race said nervously. "Antonio Higgins. My friends call me Tony." And Race. He wanted to add, but felt that he shouldn't bring up his other name.
"I see," Mrs. Karlin regarded him warmly. "And I see where Matthew got the name from."
"And what do you do for a living, Tony?" It was Mr. Karlin's turn to question him.
"I'm… I'm a newsie, sir. In lower Manhattan."
"Is that where you've been, Matthew? All this time, and that's where you've been?" Mrs. Karlin asked. Romeo stared at the carpeted floor, shrugging.
"How long have you been a 'newsie', Tony?"
Race bit his cheek again. "Since I was around seven, sir."
"Seven?" Mrs. Karlin said incredulously. "Where were your parents during all of this?"
"They died, ma'am," Race whispered. "Nine years ago."
"I-I'm sorry," Mrs. Karlin said. Stars squeezed Race's hand comfortingly.
"Lydia," Mr. Karlin said sharply. Stars drew her hand away, looking up at her father. "And is this, where you… disappeared to?" Stars noticed how carefully her father chose his words.
"Yes," She said simply. Race noticed that she didn't add the part where they had met up and he had convinced her to join. He wanted to silently thank her for that. Looking back, it might have just been smarter to have taken Stars back to her home. "I've been with Race and Romeo for the past two weeks." Except for that time I got arrested, She thought.
"Race?" Mrs. Karlin raised an eyebrow.
"It's my uh… nickname, ma'am. Very few of us at the lodging house still go by our birth names."
"Alright," Mr. Karlin seemed to be making a mental list of things to ask him, like they were just interrogating him. "Race, what exactly is your affiliation with my... son?"
Race looked to Romeo, who smirked, nodding for him to continue. "He's my best friend, sir. My brother, more like."
"And my daughter?"
That answer was a little bit harder. "She's uh-"
"We're old friends," Stars jumped in quickly. "Sorry, Mother, but we met about two years ago. I helped him out with something, and in return," She winked at him. "He helped me."
"Lydia, why didn't you tell us about this?" Mrs. Karlin wondered. Stars shrugged.
"It didn't really cross my mind, Mother."
"One more thing," Mr. Karlin looked interested. "You said your last name was 'Higgins', correct? Are you related to Jason Higgins? The jockey?"
Race nodded slowly. "He was born Giuseppe Hiligatzzi, but yeah, sir. He was my father."
"Great jockey. Too bad about what happened to him-"
"Peter, please," Mrs. Karlin noticed the glint in Race's blue eyes dull out. "I would like to speak to, Tony, alone."
"Of course," Mr. Karlin said quickly. "There's a few things the children and I need to catch up on."
"Actually, Father," Stars said, standing up. "I need to pack some stuff up before we go back to the lodging house." Everyone froze, staring at Stars. "What?"
"You're gonna go back?" Mrs. Karlin choked out. Stars met eyes with Romeo, and mentally, they came up with the same answer.
"Course I'm gonna go back, Mother."
"We both will be, Mama," Romeo said. Both of the Karlins looked hurt. "We's made a pretty good livin' back in Manhattan."
"Selling newspapers?" Mr. Karlin laughed. "I doubt that." Race felt uncomfortable.
"You'd be surprised the amount of money ya' get if ya' really try," He muttered.
"But what about home? This is your home, both of yours," Mrs. Karlin tried to reason.
"I'm sorry, Mother, but the lodging house is our home. I love you, both of you, but bein' a newsie is like bein' the friggin' king of New York. And I ain't gonna change my mind on that, ya' can be damn sure about that."
"Lydia-"
"I'm sorry, Mother," Stars said. "But they're my brothers. And-" Her deep brown eyes met Race's bright blue ones. "And I love them." Stars started up the staircase, but stopped halfway up. "Oh, and I go by Stars now. Very few of us at the lodging house still go by our birth names."
Race watched her go. He was about to go after her, but felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Excuse me," Mrs. Karlin said, gesturing towards the study a few doors down. "Would you please come with me?"
Race cleared his throat, standing up. "Of course, ma'am." He looked back at Romeo. "I'll see ya' in a few minutes." He whispered. I hope.
Romeo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, suddenly wishing he had gone upstairs with Stars. His father had stood up, and was circling the room. Romeo didn't feel like he could move. He felt himself shaking. He hadn't been alone with his father in four years. He had taken four years for him to barely repress the memories, the nightmares, and here was his worst one, standing right in front of him.
"So, I've heard you go by Romeo now," Mr. Karlin said. Romeo managed a weak smile.
"Yeah, that's what the boys call me," He replied, shrugging. Mr. Karlin chuckled.
"And you couldn't have gotten a better nickname than the little lover boy who kills himself?" Romeo bit his lip nervously. This wasn't going to end well.
"Well… I like my name…" He protested meekly. "It's my favorite play." Romeo didn't like the way Mr. Karlin was laughing. He didn't think this was funny.
"Of course you'd like it. You always liked that kind of thing."
"Well, yeah, I-I guess," Romeo rubbed the back of his neck. "Shakespeare was fun to read."
"You really haven't changed, have you?" He looked up at his father, confused.
"Whaddaya' mean?" He asked.
"You're still that small, scrawny little boy that ran away from home because he couldn't take a punch. The little boy who needed to hide behind girl because he wasn't able to take care of himself. The little boy who wasn't brave enough protect himself." Romeo gripped the edge of the sofa tightly. Mr. Karlin knelt down so they were eye level.
"Stars, Lydia, she told me you had changed. That you had been trying to be a better person for our family."
"That's correct, boy," Mr. Karlin grabbed Romeo by the collar, standing him up straight. "But you're not my family."
Romeo struggled against Mr. Karlin, pushing against his strong hands. "Let go of me," He hissed. Mr. Karlin shoved him away. Romeo stumbled against a side table, falling onto the floor.
"Go," Romeo breathed in heavily, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He wanted to get back up and push his father right back, but he couldn't. He couldn't stand back up. "Go back to your family. Because, you sure as hell haven't gotten one here."
Romeo got to his feet, his entire body feeling like lead. "I hate you." He spat out. Mr. Karlin's hand shot out, catching the side of Romeo's cheek with his fist. Romeo hit the floor again.
"Get out." His father stepped over him, going up the staircase. Romeo sighed, not moving.
"Mrs. Karlin, ma'am, I need to apologize." Race was pacing back and forth, trying to sprew out as much as he could get out in a single breath. "I know that I should have taken Stars, er Lydia, straight home after she came to me. I should not have gotten her involved in our jobs, especially not now, and when I found out that Romeo, er, Matthew was her little brother, I should have made sure that they both went straight back home and-"
"Do you love my daughter?" Mrs. Karlin asked, cutting him off. Race froze, staring at the woman.
"I… uh…" He gulped quickly, not knowing what to say.
"My father married me off to a man over five years my senior because he was willing to give the most amount of money for my hand. I wasn't strong enough to tell my family that I loved someone else, a young man who worked at the dock, who was trying to save enough money for us to elope together. I was a married woman long before that was able to happen. I do not want that for my daughter. So I will ask you again," Mrs. Karlin's deep brown eyes poured into Race. "Do you love my daughter?"
Race met the woman's eyes, nodding. "Yes ma'am. I love your daughter. More than anything, more than anyone. I love her."
"That's all I needed to know," Mrs. Karlin smiled at him. "You seem like a great boy, Race. My daughter deserves a great boy."
"Ma'am, your daughter doesn't deserve me," Race tapped his foot against the floor. "Lydia deserves someone who will be able to take care of her, to provide for her when life happens. I barely make enough to buy myself dinner, there's no way I could protect her."
"Tell me, Race. In all the time you have known my daughter, have you ever felt that she needed to be protected?"
Despite the situation, Race's signature smirk returned. "That's a very fair point, ma'am."
"I don't want my daughter to live with someone she doesn't love in order to please her father. If Lydia really loves you, and you love her, then we will get along just fine." Mrs. Karlin stuck out her hand. "Usually the father is supposed to give the permission but…"
Race's smirk turned to a genuine grin. "Ya' mean…"
"Just make sure she doesn't do anything too rash," Mrs. Karlin advised. Race took the woman's hand, and shook it.
Stars gathered as many extra pairs of clothes she could, and shoved it into her messenger bag. Her room was exactly the way she had left it; it seemed like no one had come into there since she had left. Stars was okay with that. She didn't like people sifting through her things.
She got down on her knees, fishing out a small wooden box from under her bed. She opened it, taking out a crumpled piece of paper, with messy handwriting scribbled across it.
Being Rescued and Playing the Game
By: A One Tony Higgins
She rescued me once
And I thought I'd never see her again
She rescued me twice
And I thought the same
But when she rescued me a third time
Then a fourth and then a fifth
That is when I started
To understand this game
This was a game I had never played before
One I could didn't understand
It was a giant gamble
But not one I was sure to win
Because this one stole my love
Before I could play my cards
So it's my turn to be the rescuer
And my turn to win the game
With my love of the dark hard beauty
My life will never be the same
Stars laughed at the silly poem Race had given her a year into their secret endeavor. She folded it up, sticking it into her pocket.
There was a unfamiliar sounding click behind her. Stars turned around. She flinched, staring down the barrel of a gun.
"Hello, Miss Lydia," The voice sounded familiar, but she didn't look up fast enough to match a face. She felt a hard hit against the side of her head, then the cold wooden floor.
And there you have it. What a great (or something like that) way to start the next part of I Got Midtown. And before this story gets any further, I really gotta thank my BFF, Miss CassieKeys for helping me come up with this next plot. She is amazing, and you all should go check out some of her stuff. Anyways, please review! Until next time!
Newsies forever, second to none!