I just want to make a little note of something here: if this story, chapter, whatever, begins to seem like maybe I'm slipping or not paying as much attention or it's not as good or something like that, here's why. About a week or two ago I got this awesome idea (well, at least I thought it was awesome, and the people that I've told so far have liked it and given me go-ahead's) for a story. I'm not gonna say what it is now, but this story has been gaining more and more of my thought and becoming clearer and clearer. Needless to say, I still love Light Into Darkness very much and will see it through to the end, but if the writing seems like it's not as focused, that's why.
Chapter 9
Clover and Skittery made their way back to Duane Street. They had spent the rest of the afternoon (since it was too late to go buy papers after their discussion at the gravestones) sitting on a bench in the graveyard. Skittery explained why he had been so melancholy all these years.
"There was never anyone to tell me not to be that way, 'least not until I met Blink and Dutchy. That wasn't until years after I got to the orphanage. Then, it was too late, I was already cynical, and didn't know how to turn back. Not that I would have really wanted to, anyway. So I just pretended to be more lighthearted than I really was, and that's what I've been doing all these years. Everyone's known that I'm glum, but no one's ever known how much until you."
"The others would be there for you, Skittery, you know that. They've all been through similar experiences. They just didn't know how bad you've been feeling."
"But now I don't need to tell them, do I? I mean, I told you. Isn't that enough?"
"Yes, it is. But it might help you to tell the others if you're having trouble healing. The more people you have to rely on, the better." Skittery didn't answer her. He was still uncomfortable with opening up to people. Clover left it at that. He'd progressed far enough for that day, no need to push him any further until at least tomorrow. Clover and Skittery were not surprised to find a group of newsgirls hanging around the Newsboys Lodging House. That was not an uncommon occurrence. Clover's eyebrows did raise to see Hazel pacing outside the door, however.
"Hey, Hazel!" she called. Hazel's eyes sparkled briefly to see Clover walking over with Skittery. She shot a glance to Ebony, who's own eyes sparkled. Hazel soon returned to pacing, though.
"I'm gonna go inside," Skittery whispered to Clover. "I need time…"
"It's alright. I understand." As Skittery trudged inside, Clover observed that he appeared to be somewhat back to normal. He was re-establishing the walls that he had worked so hard to build, then torn down. At least the walls seemed to be temporary this time, and not as strong as before. Right then, Ebony strode over to Clover and asked her what happened that afternoon. Clover answered her, glowing with triumph. "He opened up!" her voice contained as much excitement as you can get into a whisper.
"Opened up? What d'ya mean by opened up?"
"He told me what happened to make him so brooding all of these years. And he's willing to let me help him heal!" Ebony's eyebrows arched,
"And this is what's got ya so thrilled? All this mental and emotional stuff? I don't find that too excitin'."
"That all depends on how you look at it. But enough of that--what's wrong with Hazel?"
"Aw, she ain't stopped pacin' since Jack left foah Medda's, and I don't think she's gonna stop till he gets back."
"Why?"
"He went ta Medda's ta see if Becca send a telegraph back yet."
"Ah." Suddenly, Hazel stopped and stiffened. She spotted Jack coming towards the Lodging House. Hazel sped over to where he was and took the relieved grin on his face as a good sign.
"So she's there?" Jack held up a piece of paper--the telegraph.
"Yeah, she's there. Arrived fine 'round lunch, and it wasn't half an hour 'fore she found Dave." Hazel smiled,
"How cute." Jack's grin turned lopsided,
"Yeah, I guess it is." Jack turned his attention to Clover, "how's Skitts?"
"He'll be okay." Clover answered. Feeling quite content with everything, she strolled to the Newsgirls Lodging House.
THREE WEEKS LATER
Scene: Kingston.
David walked out of his school building to find Becca waiting for him hold a previously opened envelope. "Hey," she greeted him. "How's school going?"
"Normal enough," he replied. "We start the testing in two days…but let's not talk about that. Who's the letter from?"
"Clover," Becca responded. Dave took note of a certain twinkle in her eyes.
"What's going on?" he asked. Becca could hardly contain her excitement,
"You would not believe what's going on down there! I cannot believe we're missing all of this! And this happened two weeks ago, I wonder what it's like now!" Dave led Becca over to a bench,
"Well, are you going to read that or not?"
"Okay, okay, I'm reading." Becca pulled the letter out of the envelope and began.
Dear Becca,
You told me to write, so I'm writing. And you can go ahead and read all of this letter to Dave--I enclosed a separate letter for all of our "girl talk." Anyway, I hope the both of you are having fun, and tell Dave that all of us wish him the best of luck. I suppose you'd like to know what we've been doing with ourselves. And I'm also guessing that you're expecting to hear "same old, same old." Well, it's not. You're going to be so mad when you find out what you've missed, although if things keep heading in the direction they're going in now, it will be a common occurrence so you'll see it before long, 'cause I know you'll be coming back in a little over a week. But there's just something about seeing it, then hearing it, for the first time that's so amazing.
If I know you well enough, which I do, you're about to kill me if I don't tell you what "it" is. Actually, "it" is two things, and for "it" to make any sense, I'm going to have to tell you a little story. I'll try to condense it as much as possible. Oh and by the way, I have Skittery's permission to write everything that I've written in here.
The day after you left, Skittery was sitting in Tibby's when he saw someone who he could have sworn was his sister. Or at least what his sister would have looked like. She died 14 years ago with Skittery's parents when the train they were on derailed. It turned out that this young woman, Emilia, was not Skittery's sister. That really hurt Skittery, seeing as how he got his hopes all up, something he never did, only to have them deflated.
To make a long story short, I got Skittery to open up to me and he decided to try and heal. It wasn't an easy process or anything, and it's still going on, but it is not painstakingly slow, either. Then, a few days ago, Skittery came into Tibby's. He was one of the last of us to arrive, having just missed the main group that stampedes in each day. Dutchy said hi to him, and Skittery said hi back. And smiled. Sure, Skittery's smiled before, but not like this. A genuine smile. Nothing dazzling, but a real smile, nothing like the pretend smiles he used to flash around all the time. It just about stunned everyone, but they recovered quickly and didn't make a big deal out of it because they didn't want to make Skittery uncomfortable. So that was "it" number one.
"Wow," Dave murmured, "she did it. You've been trying to get a real smile out of him for almost a year."
"I know!" Becca replied, "isn't this great? But that's not all." She resumed reading.
Then, this afternoon, "it" number two happened. And it floored everyone. Jack was joking around about something, I don't even remember what now. Probably doing one of his Pulitzer impressions again, where he waves his hands around in all those wild directions. Anyway, he laughed. Skittery, I mean, not Jack. It was a real, genuine, amused, happy, contented laugh. Once again, not one of those fake laughs that he used to throw around. Everyone noticed the difference. It was dead silent in the restaurant. Others had laughed at Jack's joke too, but Skittery's just stood out because no one had heard Skitts laugh like that before.
Wow, what happened sounds a lot less amazing on paper. I guess it's just one of those things that you have to be there for. I think you kind of get it, though. With the way things are going, I'm sure the both of you will see a smile and/or a laugh or two, real ones, out of Skittery next time you're here. And Becca, the other stuff you wanted me to write is in the other letter. I hope the both of you are having a great time!
Love,
Clover.
"That's great!" cried Dave. "But what 'other stuff'?" Becca grinned at Dave mysteriously,
"Girl stuff. Not for the ears of anyone of the male race." She quickly folded up the envelope and shoved it out of Dave's reach in her pocket. "C'mon, let's go get lunch."
***
That night, Becca sat in her bed with her knees folded up to her chest. She pulled the other letter of Clover's out of its envelope. Having been so elated over the news of what was in the first letter, Becca hadn't gotten to the second. Now, she read (silently).
Hey Becca!
I'm sure that when you told me to write "all about" Skittery, the "all about" included to write about how I feel about him if anything changes. I haven't talked to anyone else about this yet because I want to know your take on the matter first. Mostly everyone else wants to know just to know, but I know you can offer real insight on everything.
I don't know if I liked him from the beginning or not. I was definitely drawn to him from the perspective of wanting to brighten the dark cloud he was walking around under. I may have liked him a little, but I'm really not sure. But recently, especially with this new side to Skittery that I've never seen before appearing, I know for sure that I like him. Ugh, listen to me, I sound like a giggling schoolgirl gossiping off to the side of the playground. Oh well. It's just this new side to Skittery is, well, Skitts. I mean, the nickname fits so much better now than it did before. It's a funny, almost light-hearted, but also serious side. Skittery is a very deep person. He's still got a long way to go until he heals properly, but you can already see a significant difference.
But I can't let Skittery know that I feel this way. Because then he may think that the only reason I pushed him to open up and heal was to get closer to him, which you know and I know and Hazel and Ebony know that isn't true. But something like that would completely destroy the trust Skittery has in me, and I can't let that happen, take that chance. If he came out and said something, that would be different. If only I could see into his mind…but I shouldn't dwell on this. I just needed to vent. I'm taking your approach on the whole matter. If something happens, something happens. It would have to be through Skittery, though. I'd rather leave it at a friendship than mess up our friendship.
Well, you can send a reply letter if you want, but you'll probably get here before it will so don't feel like you have to or anything. Can't wait to see you again! I know Jack really misses you, and so does Spot, but you know he won't admit it to anyone but Jack.
See you soon!
Clover
Becca finished the letter and put it on the nightstand by her bed. With a knowing grin on her face, she drifted off to sleep.