"What do you mean I can't sell?!" Glorianna raged the next morning. Things hadn't seemed so bad after shed had a long talk with Bites and Flute the night before and a long sleep. She had awakened that morning feeling refreshed and ready to face anything, even the mean streets of Brooklyn. At least that was until Spot informed her she'd have to stay inside for the entirety of her stay in Brooklyn, "What am I supposed to do around the lodging house all day, Spot?!"
"I don't care what ya do, help Mr. Crandles, sleep, play cards, do ya hair, just don't leave dis house, ya heah? I'm serious, Priss."
"Of all the insufferable, stupid, nonsensical-"
"Just stop ya tirade right dere, Priss. It ain't gonna do ya no good. I made my mind up and dats dat. I'm supposed ta keep ya safe and dat means you don't leave dis place!" He shouted grabbing her shoulders, "Got dat? Any numbah of people could see ya out dere and ya'd be in ya father's clutches by nightfall. Is dat what you want?" He asked angrily, his hands biting into her shoulders.
She shook her head angrily, her cheeks showing angry splotches of red, "You know very well that I don't!"
He released her and turned away, "Good. Then don't leave this place. I'll make sure da boys know dats cleah, 'case ya get odder ideas in dat crazy head a your's."
Her eyes flashed, "I said I wouldn't leave, Spot! But you're not my jailer! There is no need-"
"Just hush up! What's said is said, I don't wanna argue about it no more. This is my territory and what I say goes! I swear, sometimes you're too stupid and stubborn for your own good!"
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her self. It didn't work, "I hate you so much!" She growled angrily, frustrated and turned on her heel and marched away from him.
"Yeah, well da feelin' is mutual!" He yelled back at her. He turned to find Bites and Gospel staring at him like he was mad, "And not a woid outta you two either, you got dat! I wasn't kidding yesterday when I said I'd kick ya outta Brooklyn!" And with that he stomped off to get his papers.
Gospel's eyebrows raised, "Yikes…" He said softly.
Bites nodded, "Tell me about it. Maybe I should go talk ta Caro 'bout dis."
Gospel smiled, "Hey, dat's a great idea. We get her to stay over dere den t'ings won't be so tense wid Spot. At this rate the two of em would end up killing each other."
---
Glorianna spent the day helping Mr. Crandles, the owner of the lodging house, just like Spot had suggested. She swept, did dishes, made beds, washed laundry and other household chores that were long over due, the whole while she ranted and raved angrily in her head about Spot's treatment of her.
Mr. Crandles poked his head into Spots room where the new girl, Glorianna, stood holding one of his shirts and stared vacantly at the collar, fingering one of the buttons. He cleared his throat and she jumped.
"Oh, um, sorry, didn't mean ta scare ya there, Missy. I was just wonderin' where ya'd takin' off to."
She smiled, and blushing, put down the shirt, "I was just picking up things in here. You don't have to worry about me trying to run of." She said softly
"I've never seen dis place so clean. It's a miracle. I don't usually have much energy for cleanin' and the like. Heck, the boys don't even know the meanin' of scrub and sweep." He said with a grin, "It's been real nice havin' ya here today."
She smiled at the kindly old man, "I did feel pretty useful for one of the first times in my life." She admitted quietly, "I just hate being told what to do. Especially by Spot."
He put a gnarled, old hand on her shoulder, patting it gently, "Yeah, he can get mighty irritating at times, but 'e means well. The best way is to not back down. He'd never hurt a lady." He smiled, "Or an old man, thank the heavens." He said jokingly.
She giggled, "You're afraid of, Spot?"
He shook his head and sighed dramatically, "Anyone in their right mind is scared of the almighty, Spot Conlon." Then he rolled his eyes.
She shook her head, laughter making her shoulders, "And that's the gospel truth."
Gospel walked in at that moment, a smile in his eyes, "You snakin' my lines, Glori?"
She grinned at him, "Who me?"
He smiled at her, "What'cha been up too all day? This old man workin' you like a slave? You let me know and I'll rough him up good."
Mr. Crandles smiled kindly at the gentle giant, "Who me? Nah." And walked out of the room with a smile still lighting his features.
Glorianna grinned, "I like him."
Gospel nodded, "Yeah, me too. He's been like a father to most of us. Well… more like a grandfather, cause he is a bit on in ages."
Glorianna giggled, "Gosp…"
He smiled, "So what have you been up to all day?"
She started walking out of Spot's room and Gospel followed her, "I've been helping out Mr. Crandles, cleaning mostly."
"No wonder da place looks so good."
"Why are you back so early?"
"Ah, Spot was getting on my noives, so I left him to sell by hisself. Day is almost ovah though, most everybody'll be back soon."
She nodded as she made her way into the small kitchen behind the front lobby and sat at the wooden table there, "Gospel, can I ask you a personal question?"
Gospel nodded, sitting across from her, "Shoot."
"How'd you and Spot meet?" She questioned.
Gospel leaned on his massive forearms and thought for a moment, "Let's see, we was about seven, I 'spose. I was living in an old Catholic church in the upper part of town. Father Henry had taken me in when I was 'round two or t'ree. My mom just sorta left me dere, I guess. Nothin' but a note attached with my name scrawled on it, Benjamin. Father Henry took a liking to me and kept me around. I pretty much did odd jobs 'round da church. I took a liking to the gospel music they used to sing dere. I used to hum it all da time when I foist became a newsie, cause I'd get noivous and it'd calm me. Dat's why dey call me Gospel. Well, back ta Spot, one Sunday I saw him come in wid his ma and pa. He was all starched up in a crisp white Sunday shirt wid his hair combed back an' everythin'. He looked real serious standing between his folks. His dad looked awful tired and sad, his Mom, angry and cold. I was kinda curious, cause he resembled anudder boy I knew, who'd just gotten control of da Brooklyn newsies, named Checkers. Well, turns out dis kid is Check's brother."
"Spot mentioned a brother once. Where is he?" She questioned.
"Checkers died 'bout t'ree or four years back."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Anyway, I told Checkers and he had me give a note to Spot da next Sunday. We talked a bit and we just sorta clicked. Became fast friends. He used to come to the church a lot aftah he got finished woikin' and didn't want ta go home to da fightin' dere."
"Working? At seven?"
"Yeah, he used to work at sweatshops to get more money for his ma. She was real hard, cruel too. A real spoiled rich type. Spot tried so hard to pleaser 'er, but it was like she hated 'im or somethin."
"Oh… is that why he hates me?" She asked softly, staring at her hands, her expression fragile, "Because I remind him of his mother."
"You think he hates you?" Gospel asked, eyes wide.
"Doesn't he?" She whispered, "He surely acts like it. Said as much this morning. Of course, so did I, but he just makes me so angry sometimes that I can't even think straight."
Gospel shook his head, "Nah, Glori, he doesn't hate you any more than you hate him." He answered, reaching across the table and taking one of her tiny hands into his larger ones, "Not for a second."
Her eyes watered, "Then why is he so cruel all the time. One minute he's the most charming person alive, the next he talks to me as though I'm ruining his life just for daring to be alive."
Gospel shrugged, "I…I guess you'll have to ask him that."
She was silent for a moment, "So…so what happened after that? After you guys started talking?"
"Well, it stayed that way for about t'ree years, til we was nine. Spot would come over after a hard days woik and we'd play cards and checkers wid his brother, who would also stop by sometimes. Den one day Spot's ma just up an' took off. Spot was crushed. He came and told me all about, saying how his dad sorta when crazy when he saw the note and started breaking stuff and yelling. Spot was real scared. I told him I'd take him to his brother that night, but he said his brother and mother had already left his pa, he couldn't too."
"What happened then?"
"Well, Spot came home from the sweatshop one night to find his dad dead, he had killed hisself. He walked out and never looked back. He came here and I went with him to be a newsy."
"You left the church?"
"Yeah, I couldn't let Spot go it alone," he said softly, "He was so liddle and scrawny. I've always been big and sturdy, I figured I could take care of 'im."
She smiled, "And you pretty much have, huh?"
Gospel grinned, "That's the gospel truth. But don't think for a minute dat Spot couldn't fight for 'imself, he just had ta learn foist."
She smiled, "I wouldn't dare."
Spot walked into the kitchen then and stared at their clasped hands in the center of the table "Well ain't dis a cozy scene. Whatta you guys up to, Gosp?" His voice was cold and biting. Gospel released her hand and got up slowly, "Nothin' much, Spot. Just talking." He winked and Glori, "Nice talkin' with ya, Glori." He said and walked out of the kitchen.
Spot turned coldly to Glorianna, "Don't'chu dare play wid him. He don't need some hoidy-toidy rich goil playin' with his feelin's and den runnin' out on 'im. I won't have someone like you hoit 'im dat way."
Glorianna's eyes narrowed, "How dare you! How dare you presume that you know a thing about my feelings or me. You don't know a thing about it, Spot. So just shut up. You know, not all women are like your mother. Some care more about the person then their standings, some want more then money, some want love, something you obviously know nothing about!" She yelled and tried to march past him.
He grabbed a hold of her arm, spinning her around quickly, his fingers biting into her hand, "Don't speak about my mudder, you don't' know a thing about any of it! I know more about love den you, I know what it's like to woik and woik for someone's love and have them walk out on ya! I'm da one dat stood around and became a parent to my parent, to my pa, only ta 'ave him leave me too, just like her. He wasn't strong enough but I am!" He was shaking her as he yelled, unmindful of the fact that tears were streaming down her cheeks, "You see what it feels like to hold ya brotha's head in your lap, your only livin' relation, as he slowly bleeds away his life, pointlessly for territory, in some stupid alley. You see what it's like to lose everythin' and then you can come back an' judge me! 'Til den just keep ya nose outta my business and stay away from me!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks and she reached up to touch his cheek, "Spot…I'm sorr-
He slapped away her hand, "Don't touch me, Priss. I don't need ya pity and I don't need you! Just get away." He said angrily and stomped away from her, the sound of his door slamming could be head as he got to his room.
Glorianna slumped dejectedly on the table, then resting her cheeks in her palms she cried her heart out for all the things about Spot Conlon and she didn't understand and never would.