Author's Note: Hello, everybody! I am sorry it has been a while since I've published anything! This is a little story I wrote a couple months back, and decided to just publish it. Again, though- if you have not read Hello, Beautiful, this story is quite a spoiler for it.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this!
I do not own Newsies or its characters. (Even if I wish I could).
Jack Kelly wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"Should we have lunch now, Jack?" Julia, his mother, asked.
"Yes." he agreed, setting his axe down.
Julia set down her shears and basket. "What should we make?"
"How 'bout somethin' simple? Like, sandwiches?"
"All right."
As the two headed into Julia's home, she inquired, "So, how are you liking it here in Santa Fe, Jack?"
"It's great!" he smiled, putting his arm around his mother.
"Are you missing Katherine a lot?"
Jack teared up a little bit at the thought of his beautiful, wonderful wife.
She'd let him come here from New York.
They loved each other, so much.
And she loved me enough to let me go.
"Jack?"
"Sorry," he apologized, glancing down at his mother. "But, um... Yeah. I's do miss her a lot."
"You should write to her."
Jack nodded. "I should. 'Specially 'cause hers birthday is in a couple weeks."
Arriving inside, Jack and Julia washed their hands, then assembled their sandwiches.
They sat down at the thick wooden table, eating and talking.
"Hey, Jack?"
"Yes?"
"What do you miss most about Katherine?"
Jack thought for a moment.
He missed so many things about her.
Her long, curly auburn locks.
Her smile.
The skip in her step.
The way she looked at him.
"I's miss her eyes most."
"Her eyes?" Julia asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.
Jack nodded. "Yeah. She's got beautiful eyes. They's like the color of chocolate," he said, rather dreamily in Julia's opinion.
Honestly, Jack felt like crying.
He really, really missed Katherine.
It had been almost an entire month since Jack had arrived in Santa Fe.
Sure, it was beautiful.
Tall mountains.
Green grass.
Wonderful sunsets.
All sorts of interesting creatures.
But the thing that was missing?
Well, the person that was missing.
Katherine.
"Jack, how about you go take a break? Go lie down?" Julia suggested, seeing the foggy look in Jack's eyes.
"Okay." he said softly, standing with his plate. He placed it in the sink, then headed into his little room.
Jack wearily climbed the small ladder that led to his loft bed.
But climbing a ladder only reminded him of the rooftop back home- uh, back in New York.
The rooftop was the place where he and Katherine had shared their first two kisses.
Jack thought about how beautiful she'd looked, standing right there on the rooftop, a little blush creeping into her cheeks.
He smiled, spreading out onto the loft bed.
The rooftop was also the place where he had proposed to Katherine only three weeks after the strike ended.
She was beautiful on that night, too.
She was always beautiful.
Jack suddenly sat up, reaching toward the bottom of his bed and grabbing his pencil and a piece of paper; two things he always had handy.
He wanted to write a letter to Katherine.
But the problem was, he didn't know how to write, save for a few selective words and names.
Jack climbed down from his perch on his loft bed and left his room, heading back into the kitchen.
"Julia?"
"Yes, Jack?"
"Could you-Could you help me's write a letter to Kath?"
Julia smiled. "Of course, son."
Jack sat down at the table.
"What would you like to start with?" asked Julia.
"Um, probably, "Dear Katherine". No, no. Wait. "Dear, Ace"." Jack decided.
"May I ask- why do you call her "Ace"?"
Jack smiled. "She tolds me once that she was the ace up my sleeve. And she is." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "She also said that wherever I's went, she'd be right by my side. But she ain't." he said tearfully.
Julia gave him a sad smile. "She does love you a lot- but I guess she didn't think she was ready to move all the way out West to Santa Fe."
Jack nodded. "I's guess I can't blame her; it's a big deal."
"It is." Julia agreed. "Now, about your letter..."
An hour later, the letter was finished:
Dear Ace,
Happy berthday! (At least, I hope it's you's berthday. I's don't know if my letter arived in time). I hope you's doing okay there in New York. Tell everybody there I said hey. And tell Medda I sent her a letter too! Santa Fe is awsome. It has beutiful sunsets and tall mountens. Me and Julia's having a good time working on her ranch- oh yeah, Julia says hi to you, by the way. I miss you, my beutiful Katherine. I's been thinkin' about you a lot. I hope you won't forget that I love you, becuse I always do. I hope I can see you soon. But I's need a bit more money to buy a traine ticket. I love you so much, Plumber.
Love,
Your Beutiful Jack
"Do you think she'll like it?" asked Jack, as he and Julia headed to the nearby post office.
"She'll love it, Jack." Julia said comfortingly.
"I hope so."
About three weeks later, Jack and Julia had just finished milking the cows in the barn, and now they were on their way inside.
As Julia and Jack approached the ranch-style house, they saw a man standing on the front porch, holding something small and rectangular in his hand.
"Hello, sir!" Julia called.
The man turned to look at Julia and Jack. "Hello, Miss. Hello, Sir. This is addressed to your ranch." He handed an envelope to Julia.
"Thank you."
The postman left, and Julia and Jack headed indoors.
"So, who's writin'?" asked Jack, washing his hands.
Julia read the back of the envelope.
Her face broke into a wide grin.
As Jack dried his hands on a towel, Julia said, "Why don't you see for yourself?"
"But I can't read-" Jack started, as Julia thrust the envelope into his hands.
Jack's brows furrowed.
He couldn't read this-
Katherine Kelly
Jack gasped.
This letter was from his wife!
"Katherine!" he exclaimed, opening the envelope as fast as humanly possible. He unfolded the letter. "D-Dear... Jack." He glanced up at Julia and shrugged. "That's all I's can read."
She nodded, gently taking the letter from Jack. "I'll read it to you."
Dear Jack,
Thank you for the birthday wishes. (Your letter did arrive on my birthday, by the way.) I'm doing okay here. I told everyone that you said, "Hey", and Medda got your letter. And I'm glad you like Santa Fe, and working with Julia. Speaking of Julia, tell her I said hello. I miss you a lot, too, Jack; I would never forget that you love me. I love you so, so much, sweetie. I also hope to see you soon. I miss your beautiful face, Jackie. Keep thinking of me when you miss me; I'll be thinking of you, too. I love you.
Love,
Katherine (or, Ace)
When Julia was finished reading the letter, she smiled at Jack.
He smiled back. "I love her." he said under his breath.
"Goodbye, Father. Goodbye, Mother." Katherine waved to her parents, then headed outside.
The late February air whistled around her as she walked home.
Katherine shivered, pulling her coat tighter around herself.
Suddenly, Katherine felt saddened.
Jack hated the cold.
He always had.
Katherine took in an icy breath, then began to walk home faster.
When she arrived home, she pulled off her boots and coat, then started a fire in the fireplace.
Katherine sat down on the couch, rubbing her hands together to warm them.
Jack's hugs could warm her any day.
She shivered, rubbing her arms now.
Oh, she missed Jack so much.
She loved him.
She needed him.
Katherine shot up from her seat on the couch, filled a bucket with water from the sink, and put the fire out.
She ran into the entryway, admired Jack's drawing of the two of them, then slipped into her boots and coat.
Then she locked the front door, and ran.
Where was she running?
Initially, she didn't know.
But it wasn't a surprise when Katherine found herself in front of the Newsboys' Lodging House.
She wasn't going to head inside, though.
She was heading up.
Up to the rooftop.
Katherine started up the metal steps.
This was the place where she and Jack had shared their first kiss.
Ans second.
And others, too.
Katherine climbed up the metal ladder, and then she was there.
She leaned against the railing, looking out at the bustling city below.
She closed her eyes and let the breeze blow on her cold, cherry-colored face.
She imagined that Jack was right behind her, and he wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you, beautiful."
"I love you too, Jack."
"Hey, Kath?"
"Yes?"
"Can I kiss you?"
"Yes."
Katherine felt a frigid tear slide down her cheek.
Jack wasn't here.
She quietly sniffed, then swiped the tear away.
She lowered herself into the corner, wrapping her arms around her knees.
Half an hour later, she fell asleep.
Katherine buried her face into her hands as she burned her oatmeal- again.
Jack was the cook.
She placed the pot of burnt oatmeal in the sink, then opened the icebox and grabbed some eggs out.
Several minutes later, she was eating scrambled eggs.
And drinking coffee.
She could make coffee.
Katherine squinted as sunlight streamed in through one of the kitchen windows.
By now, it was April first.
Katherine hadn't heard from Jack since her birthday.
She missed him so much.
She hoped he was all right.
Katherine finished up her eggs and coffee, grabbed her bag from the parlor, then left for work.
Jack slipped all of his sketches of Katherine into his duffel bag.
"I'm going to miss you, Jack."
He turned around to see Julia standing in the doorway.
Jack gave her a sad smile.
"I know; I's gon' miss you too, Julia." He closed his bag, then walked over to his mother, squeezing her so hard that he lifted her off the ground.
Julia squeezed him back. "I love you, son."
His eyes filled with tears. "I love you too, Julia." He gently set her down.
"Aren't you excited to go back?" Julia asked.
Jack nodded. "I'm so excited to see my Katherine."
Jack leaned his forehead against the warm glass of the windowpane as everyone else took their seats on board the train.
He was going home.
He was going to see his wife.
Katherine.
Jack felt a smile come onto his face.
"All aboard!" yelled the conductor.
The last few passengers settled in, and then the train began to move.
As it slowly chugged out of the station, Jack cranked opened the window beside him and smiled as Julia waved to him.
She had tears in her eyes.
Jack waved back to her, calling, "I love you, Julia."
He sniffled as she responded, "I love you too, Jack."
Katherine held one of Jack's drawings in her hand.
A beautiful drawing.
A drawing of the two of them.
They were hugging.
Jack was whispering something into Katherine's ear, and she was smiling, a twinkle in her eye.
Katherine loved this drawing.
She loved all of Jack's drawings.
Katherine gently laid the wonderful rendering on the kitchen table, then stood, taking her plate and mug to the sink.
As she got ready for work, she whispered to herself, "I love you, my beautiful Jack."
Jack opened his eyes.
"Lower Manhattan, folks! We have arrived! Step out of the train if this is your stop!"
Jack blinked a couple times, then quickly stood, grabbing his bag from an overhead shelf.
He thanked the conductor, then stepped out of the train.
He took in a long, deep breath.
He was here.
Lower Manhattan.
The place where he belonged.
The place where Katherine was.
Home.
Jack began to walk rapidly out of the train station, extremely eager to go see his wife- his best friend.
He hurried through the streets, smiling at all of the familiar sights, despite the rain coming on.
Jacobi's Deli, the Newsboys' Lodging House, the World building, the Sun building, Patrick's, the church, Medda's theater...
The house.
Jack ran towards it.
He tried the front door, and, much to his surprise, it was unlocked.
Jack burst inside.
"Katherine, I'm home!"
No reply.
Jack's brows furrowed.
"Kath?" he asked, looking left at his drawing hanging on the wall, then glancing right into the living room. "Ace?"
Jack walked through the living room, then went straight into the kitchen.
"Plumber?"
Jack's eyes widened and he dropped his bag as he saw her through the glass windowpanes of the back door.
She was lying down in the grass, even though the rain was picking up.
Jack moved towards the door and softly opened it, then closed it behind himself.
He quietly walked towards Katherine.
When he was ten feet away from her, maybe nine feet, he breathed,
"Hello, beautiful."
A/N: Thanks for reading, everyone! Over and out!