Sorry for not updating in a while, I've just been pretty busy.
Now on with the chapter!
"I don't know," Fiddler says again, and starts fiddling with the leather patch on her suspenders. "All I knows is that one day, I wakes up battered and bruised on the street ta Mush and Specs shaking me. They took me back here, and everyone took me in and took care of me, and I became a newsie."
"So you don't remember anything of your past life?" asks Davey.
"Nope," she says, a little quieter this time, and I can hear her breathing become heavier as she fiddles more noticeably with her patch.
"So then where'd you learn how to play the fiddle if you don't remember anything before you became a newsie?" Davey asks, clearly interested, but not paying any attention to what Fiddler is doing.
"I don't know," she says for the third time, this one barely audible. She looks down at her feet, and starts breathing even quicker and heavier. That's when I know I have to do something.
"You okay?" I ask quietly. She shakes her head. Davey starts to ask another question, but I cut him off by saying, "Hey Davey, I think that's enough questions. C'mon," I say in a quieter voice to Fiddler. I stand her up and we walk out of the room.
"What's wrong?" I ask her when we arrive at the bunkroom, genuinely concerned. Fiddler hasn't this many attacks since she first came to the lodging house from the street.
"I... I... I," she stutters, then takes a deep breath and says, "When Davey asked me how I knew how to play the fiddle, I saw this boy's face in my head. I don't remember seein' it before but somehow I recognized him. Do ya think he might be from my past?" she asks.
This comes as a total surprise to me. Normally thinking about trying to remember her past gets her worked up, but she's never said anything about seeing someone's face before. But come to think of it, earlier today she said she'd heard screams in her head. Could she really be remembering some of her past? I don't know, but I do know that I have to say something.
"Maybe you's jus' tired," I say. "We've all had a rough past few days. Why dontcha go ta bed and get a good night's rest. I'm sure you'll be better in the morning."
"Okay," she says, and I relax when her face eases up.
"G'night," I say, as I leave the room.
"G'night!" she calls after me.
I climb down the stairs and slip back into the group, where Henry is rambling on about the menu at his dad's old deli. I sit down next to him and Elmer, who gives me a relieved look and says, "Hey JoJo, how 'bout ya tell Davey and Les about you now?" There's sighs of relief as everyone turns their attention to me.
"Okay," I say. "So first, there's my real name which is a mouthful, so beware! It's Josephino Jorgelino de la Guerra."
My words are met with resounding silence, and a few white faces from Davey, Les, and a few others who didn't know my real name. I just laugh and say, "Like I said, a mouthful! So my story isn't that excitin' compared to most of the other boys. Basically I's was left on the doorstep of a church, and the nuns took me in and raised me. About four years ago I finally convinced 'em to let me go and make a livin' for myself as a newsie, and now 'ere I am!"
No one expected what came out of Les' mouth next, and needless to say, Davey looked absolutely horrified when Les said, "So, are you Fiddler's boyfriend or somethin'?" Race started laughing so hard he fell off the chair he was sitting on, and Albert stood up and started clapping. Whether he was applauding Les' words or Race's display, no one knew.
Jack forcefully sat Race back down on the chair, and shut up Albert's clapping and the few sparse snickers around the room. After a few seconds of silence in which Davey turned bright red, I turn to Les and say, "No, Les. I'm not Fiddler's boyfriend, and Fiddler's not my goilfriend. I'm what I like to call her mouth and guard."
Les makes a confused face, and I explain to him, "That means when she needs to talk, I talk for her, and wheneva someone starts ta think she's a goil, I'm there ta smooth things out, or even fight 'em off. I'm also her sellin' partner. Got that kid?" He nods his head. "Good."
Things settle down more as Elmer starts rambling about his siblings, when suddenly a scream comes from upstairs.
Ooooooooooh... What's happening with Fiddler? You'll just have to read the next chapter (when I write it!) to find out! See ya next time!