Chapter 5
The first morning in Manhattan without Becca dawned. Kloppman resumed his chore of waking the boys up in the morning. Jack again woke with a start to Kloppman's voice. He flew out of his bed and was halfway down the hall when he remembered where Becca was, or wasn't. He halted, turned dejectedly around, and trudged into the bathroom. The other newsies watched the entire scene, but no one dared to say anything for fear that it would only make Jack more upset. As they were heading out of the Lodging House, Blink decided that someone ought to talk with Jack, just to make sure he was okay.
"Hey, Cowboy," he smacked Jack on the back in a friendly way. (like guys do when they greet each other. I never understood it. It's like 'hey, glad to see you, let me give you a bruise on your back'…yeah don't listen to me, it's 7:40 in the morning and I'm rambling). "Ya want a sellin' partnah foah taday?"
"I t'ought ya sold with Mush," replied Jack glumly.
"I do, but we talked and if ya want someone ta sell with ya taday I can sell with ya." Jack stared at Blink,
"T'is ain't 'cuz ya think I'm all depressed and ya want ta cheer me up, is it?"
"It may be. Ya gotta admit, yoah actin' kinda like Skittery." Jack scowled at Blink, but didn't answer him. The sandy-haired newsie shook his head and began to walk away. "Well, if ya evah need anyt'in', wese all heah…and try not ta be down in t'e dumps t'e entire time till she gets back. She'd smack ya upside t'e head if she knew how depressin' yoah actin'." Jack's scowl disappeared as Blink left. He treaded to the Distribution Office with something to mull over for the morning.
***
Jack and Blink weren't the only ones mentioning Skittery that morning. Clover and Ebony, however, were discussing him in greater detail. "Come on, Clover, spill! Ya haven't said a woid 'bout him since t'at day at Tibby's!"
"That's because nothing else has happened. There isn't anything more to say."
"T'ere's no way ya could have told me everyt'in."
"Ebony," Clover whirled around in exasperation on the eighteen-year-old. The heat and Becca's absence combined to make everyone, including Clover, snappier than usual. Not to mention that Ebony had been pestering Clover about Skittery ever since she had admitted to an interest in him. Suddenly, a bulb flicked on in Clover's head. "Alright, I'll tell you everything about Skittery if you tell me everything about Spot." Ebony reeled back in shock. She almost dropped the cup that the nuns had given her, and nearly missed the roll they were trying to give her.
"T'ere's nuttin' ta tell," she hissed, not daring to speak his name with so many others around to hear it.
"Oh please, Ebony," pressed Clover, eyes dancing. "There's nothing for you to tell about Spot the same way I have nothing to say about Skittery." Ebony's eyes darted around apprehensively at all the newsies surrounding her, hoping no one was overhearing their conversation. She gave in,
"Fine." Ebony grabbed Clover's arm and pulled her down the street, away from everyone else. Clover munched her roll, waiting for what Ebony had to say, resembling someone crunching popcorn during the previews before a movie.
"Well?" Ebony made a face, like someone had poured thick cough syrup down her throat. The very idea of saying what she was about to say nauseated her.
"I don't hate Spot." Clover's face fell,
"That's all? That can't be--"
"T'at's all. He proved ta me t'at he can be human around anyone if he chooses ta. I can't hate him, 'specially not a guy that cares foah Becca t'e way he does. But I don't like him." Clover opened her mouth to reply, but Ebony wasn't finished. A thought had occurred to her, and she had seemingly forgotten about Clover's presence.
"Alt'ough, he was decent ta me only 'cuz I told him he wouldn't be. He had ta show me t'at t'e mighty Spot Conlon can conquah anyt'in t'rown at him. He had ta prove t'at he's t'e best. Arg, he makes me so mad! I take t'at back, I DO hate him!" Ebony threw down the remainder of her roll and stomped off to get her papers. Shaking her head, Clover ran to catch up with her best friend.
***
Skittery was sitting with Specs, Snitch, and Bumlets at Tibby's. Only today, he hadn't joined in on the conversation. Instead, he ate his lunch and stared out the window silently. Since this wasn't uncommon for their friend to do, the others left him alone. They knew it was best to do so when he was in one of his moods.
***
Hazel was in a booth with Clover and Ebony. She had been warned earlier by the former not to mention a certain Brooklyn newsie, even in passing, or the latter would start again on her list of the evils of Spot Conlon. Clover had unwillingly received the entire twenty minute sermon that morning. Having been warned, Hazel stayed away from the subject, watching Clover play her usual game of 'try to not let the others notice that I keep glancing at Skittery.'
"It is really obvious," Hazel burst out, though not loudly. Clover turned back to her friends and sighed, picking at her food.
"I just wish I could go up there and talk to him, but I wouldn't have anything to say. We're so different…sure, we're friends, but whenever we've talked it's always been casual conversation. Nothing real. And he's not in the mood for talking today, anyway."
"When IS he in the mood?" muttered Ebony.
"Ebony," Hazel scolded. She turned back to Clover, only to see that she was watching Skittery again. Sighing, Hazel directed her attention back to her lunch.
***
Skittery was idly watching people pass by Tibby's when a certain figure caught his eye. He felt his heart miss a beat--it wasn't possible, was it? He hadn't seen her for 14 years, and she should be dead, but she certainly looked like she could be. No, he was seeing things. These sort of thoughts had been on his mind ever since Becca arrived, but especially since Thomas Conlon had shown up out of the blue. He was just imagining it.
Still…he had been really cynical for a long time. Should he allow his pessimism to ruin what could be a chance that he probably wouldn't even have again? Making up his mind, Skittery grabbed his hat and proceeded to leave Tibby's. "I'm goin' foah a walk," he informed the others. No one batted an eye or even bothered to look up. Leaving like that wasn't out of character for Skittery when he was in this mood. Protesting would only anger him.
***
Clover looked up to see Skittery leaving. Deciding that it was now or never (to make at least some form of connection with him), she said to her friends, "I'm going after him, just say I had something to do," and hurried outside. She caught Skittery about to walk into the street. "Hey Skittery!" she cried, "where are you going?" Skittery turned, an urgent look on his face.
"Aftah hoir," he pointed. Clover followed his finger.
"Who is she?"
"My sistah," Clover was floored, and it was evident.
"Your sister?" Skittery's eyes swerved back over to where his sister was standing. Good. She was still there, talking to someone.
"Well, I don't know foah shoah t'at she's my sistah, but look at hoir! She looks like me, and even moah like my mot'ah! What if she wasn't on t'at train when it derailed?" Clover began to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She did not want to do what she had to do--she was never one to crush someone's hopes, sometimes hope was all a person had. But it would only hurt Skittery more if that wasn't his sister, which it most likely wasn't.
"Skittery," she voiced, slowly, softly, pulling him onto the sidewalk. Skittery was getting impatient.
"What?"
"Skittery, she's not your sister. I mean, she could be, possibly, maybe, but the chances…" The newsboy's eyes flashed,
"Why not? Jack found Becca, and what were t'e chances foah t'at? T'en t'ey found t'eir grandpa, with small chances, and it turned out t'ey were related to Spot! T'ey've had so much luck, why shouldn't it woik with me? I need ta find out if she is or isn't. And she is, she has ta be."
Skittery freed himself from Clover's grip on his arm and headed intently across the street to where his sister was. Clover watched him go, heart sinking. She may have a positive outlook on life, but she was a realist. If that wasn't Skitttery's sister, it would crush him. And Clover didn't know if Skittery could handle any more disappointment in life.