It was not long before Chesapeake and Jack were known about Manhattan
and Brooklyn as an item. Meaning, that they weren't officially
exclusive, but Jack would quietly and secretly crucify anybody
who made an obvious move in the direction of "his" girl.
Chesapeake was naïve to all this, and dated whom she pleased
, seldom quitting her dreamy gazing at stars and smelling of flowers
to realize that she was falling for Jack. She had many friends,
but they all hesitated to question her judgment in dating other
boys to her face. In truth, she had simply never thought about
the fact that someone from Manhattan might be meant for her.
After a few months, one December evening, in the bunkroom the boys talked about their girls. "Bareley evah fight. She knows dat I love 'er," Jack said about Chesa, "At foist we made it every night, but I don' wanna bug 'er about it... She jest 'as a funny way a' lovin' me." A few of the boys couldn't look Jack in the face that night.
Meanwhile in the girls' bunkroom,
the girls discussed their guys. Firecracker giggled and all the
girls laughed about she and Mush. "So, what about you, Chesa,"
she asked, "How are things with you and Jack?"
Chesa laughed, "What do you mean, Fire? Jack and I aren't
going together... I mean..." She paused, "He doesn't
date a lot of girls, but that's just how he is, right?" Silence
fell. The girls shook their heads hadly.
"So you's ken imajin ouah surprise now dat he ain't datin' nobody else," Bittersweet interjected.
Chesa shook her head, backing away, mentally, from the issue- in denial, "That's impossible. I still go with Skittery... and Chip and a bunch of other boys.... Why....? Wha...?"
"Maybe you oughta tawk ta him about dat..." Blaze suggested, giving Chesapeake a gentle push towards the door.
Still bewildered, Chesa headed for the boys bunkroom. She stood in the doorway, apprehensive thoughts zipping around her brain. She knit her brow and batted her eyelashes. "Um... Jack?" she finally spoke up.
Silence fell, "What baby?"
"Can I talk to you.... In private?" The boys hooted and yelled as Jack and Ches climbed out the window onto the fire escape, then continued up to the roof.
"Ken I ast what dis is awl about?" Jack said softly, slipping his hand around Chesapeake's waist and sitting down on a crate. Chesa wrung her hands nervously and whimpered. He kissed her cheek in an attempt to comfort whatever might be worrying her. "I love you," he said, finally, "So whatevah it is... its okay... we'll get t'rough it, tageddah."
Guilt assaulted Chesa's heart- he loved her and she realized she loved him, too. She had betrayed him. Her face slowly crumpled and she began to cry. "Jack... I have to tell you something..." He wiped a tear from her cheek; she cried harder. "I've been seeing other guys."
He was shocked. He was stunned. Most of all, he was hurt, "What?"
"I didn't realize what you wanted... that I wanted it, too... for it to be just you and me," she scooted closer to him and sniffled pathetically, "I'm sorry..."
She kissed him- a deep, long, drawn out kiss. He wanted her; she wanted him; this was what it was all about. He ran his fingers through her hair as he had so many other nights when they made love. Chesa pressed in close to him, nibbling his hear, kissing his neck. They kissed again, with more intensity. Jack moved his hand to unbutton her shirt, stretching the fabric around the pearl buttons. The hairs on her arms stood up against the December cold, but she was filled with a warmth she could not describe. He pulled away from her to look at her chest and stomach, so thin from living here on the streets with so little money and comfort. He thought of another ruffian boy, homeless or nearly, running his newsprint stained hand over those milky-white breasts and was so appalled he had to look away. "Love ridden I've looked at you..." he said, "Wid da focus I gave ta my birthday candles. I wished on da lidded grey flames undah yoah brow... an' baby I wished foah you. An' nobody'll see when you are lyin' in yoah bed an' I wanna crawl in wid you... but I'll cry instead." Chesapeake began to cry again, but Jack had started and he couldn't stop now, "I want yoah warm... but it will only make me coldah when its ovah... So I can't tanight, Baby... no, not 'Baby' anymoah, if I need ya I'll jist use yoah simple name." She tried to kiss him through her sobs, but he pushed her back, "Only kisses on da cheek from now on, an' in a liddle while you'll only haveta wave."
Chesapeake watched as he climbed
down the fire escape, trying to remain strong, though it was obvious
how much he had been hurt. She sat on the roof, shirt unbuttoned,
hair tangled, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "But
I love you..." she whispered.
BACK TO THE CAVERN
