Part 9: Just Visiting



Cricket and Hawkeye strolled along the sidewalk in late afternoon. All their newspapers were gone, and it was time to pay a visit to the doctor's office. Hawkeye had been quiet most of the day even for lunch. He'd never been this cold to her before. As they walked, Cricket keep turning to her friend, smiling…just to see if she could catch his attention. It worked.

"What do you want, Meery-Jane?"

Cricket's daunting smile turned softer. "Just want to know why you being so quiet. You're never been like this toward me."

Hawkeye stopped short of the corner and grabbed Cricket's arm, stopping her to. Cricket turned her eyes to him, cautiously. "I don't like it when you and Dice and Doll and Chaos go out scrounging up money in dangerous places." So it was only half the truth. A corner on the busy Manhattan streets wasn't the exact right place to discuss love and like.

"Duncan…" Cricket whined, pulling her arm from his grasp. "You know the reason why we do that. It's not going to last much longer. The doctor bill is close to being paid off."

"I know. But, that doesn't mean another one of our newsies will get sick and need medical attention." Hawkeye's eyes were grave with concern. He knew there probably wasn't a better way to make quick money. Even if all the newsies in the lodging house combine their money together, it wouldn't pay for the bill from the doctor. By the desperation in Cricket's eyes, an alternative came to mind.

"Look here, Meery-Jane. Next time you goils go off doing your little show in the taverns. Tell me so I can come. It'll make me feel better to be there protectin' yall."

A small smile creaked on Cricket's lips. "Is that it?"

"Well, yeah." Hawkeye kicked himself mentally. He hated lying to his old friend, but it was just temporary. He was glad that for her next trip to the taverns, he'd be able to know and go too.

They strolled up to the doctor's office a few minutes later, and walked inside.

***

"I'm glad it's not Sunday" Jack murmured as he walked through the cemetery gates. It'd taken him all day, but he was there. Dusk was already setting on New York City when he finally gained enough courage to make his way there. He'd asked Crutchy where Sarah's gravestone was after his encounter with David that morning.

Jack wavered through the lined gravestones till he found the right one. It was small with only the words "Sarah Elizabeth Jacobs: 1882-1900". He bent down on one knee, touching the stone gently. She was lying there…just like in the alleyway.

"Sarah" he spoke softly, laying the single yellow daisy in front of the gravestone. "I miss you. I-I'm sorry it took so long for me to visit. I've been gone. I.." He sighed, taking a deep breath. "I wish I could tell you how sorry I am for letting that happen to you. I wish I could change things…"

Jack raised his head abruptly at the crunching sound behind him. He whirled around. There, standing above him, was David Jacobs. Jack's face soon shaded white at the sight of his once close friend. David wore the same ghastly expression.

It seemed like an eternity of silence passed before either one of them spoke. All the emotion of the tragic events that happen so long ago was erupting inside each man's souls.

David's eyes grew distance the longer they stared at one another. Finally, he said, "What are you doing here?"

The venom was more than visible in his voice. Jack winced inwardly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'm payin' my respect to Sarah."

That received a bitter snort. "Like you did in the alleyway where she was murdered."

Jack slapped his hands on his knees, and stood up. "Now Dave…"

"David" the curled headed man corrected.

"David." Jack nodded. "I have just the same right to be here as you do. I thought you only came here on Sundaes."

"What?" David was semi-taken aback that Jack Kelly - who hadn't showed his face in NYC in almost ten years - knew he only visited the cemetery on Sundaes. "How do you know that?"

"I've been by the old lodging house. Crutchy told me."

David lowered his head, shaking it intensely. "I don't…I don't believe this! How long have you been in town? I thought you left for good then I see you wandering around in front of my bookstore. Now you're here at my sister's grave. You don't deserve to be here!"

"I deserve to be here as much as you do, David!" Jack stepped forward, standing a couple feet from David. "I loved her too! I felt the same pain you did when we lost her! I know it's my fault she's dead and there ain't nothing I can do about it! As much as I wish I could, I can't bring her back." The depth of his words he just spoke suddenly sank into the burning emotion inside his being. Jack sank to his knees in front of David, staring down at the ground. "I can't bring her back. I loved her. I want her, but she's not here." His breathing became more rapid and visible in his chest as the first tears he had shed in a long time fell. The shaking from the deep sobs started in his shoulders.

David stood there above him. All the pain he had been going through for so long was now being seen through Jack. As much as he wanted to kneel down and let out his emotions with his once friend, the nagging pride-filled voice in his mind told him what to do instead. David turned on his heel and walked away from the trembling man.