1 Chapter Five
"I know. Kid Blink told me she ditched him, and I figured it out." Jack sighed. He had hoped Spot would listen when he told him Fidget and Singah were hands-off- no seducing. What he hadn't counted on was Spot actually falling in love with one of them- least of all Singah.
"How'd ya figure, Jack?" Race wanted to know- the only way he'd known was seeing the two together.
"I asked Trolley where Spot was. He'd been actin' weird, and… I saw Spot watchin' her and followin' her outta da restaurant."
"I tink yous gonna need a talk wid her when she gets back, Cowboy. She ain't just lookin' at him- dey's involved." Race flinched- somehow he didn't think Singah was gonna let him off if Jack already knew- and dat goil hit hard!
"And I tink Spot's gonna need a "talkin'" to too. HE knows da rules about her and Fidg. Tomorrow, cause Spot ain't gonna let Singah walk home now." Dark had fallen, and Spot best of all knew the dangers of Brooklyn at night. Not even an experienced fighter like Singah was safe if she was female. –Tomorrow,- Jack told himself. –Tomorrow.-
***
Singah woke up with a start. –SHIT!- she thought. She couldn't remember where she was, and why she wasn't exactly fully dressed. Looking around, she saw Spot, sitting in the morning sun. He was watching her worriedly, like he wasn't sure if she was gonna be mad at him.
"Mornin', Singah. Sleep good?" he asked.
"Yeah. Yous?"
"Fine. Singah, you ain't regrettin' nuttin, are yous? I ain't gonna fergive meself if ya do."
"No, Spot, I ain't nevah gonna regret dis." He breathed a sigh of relief- Cowboy wouldn't kill him nearly as dead now- and he wouldn't be beating himself up about it either.
"Spot, come 'ere. I don' wanna be so far away." He obliged, and sat down next to her. Once they were comfortable, Singah asked him about his charm, the key he always wore, that was hanging against his chest right then.
"Spot, where'd ya get dis? I ain't nevah seen you wid out it."
"It was me muddah's, from her house in Ireland. She gave it to me when I was jus' little. Told me to always keep it safe." She worried that this was bringing up painful memories, but he seemed fine.
"My turn, Singah. Where'd ya get the scar?" There was a scar on her right shoulder. She shivered, remembering the night she had come to the Manhattan Lodging House. She'd heard from the other orphans that the leader, Cowboy, would help kids when they got hurt, and she was hurt bad.
"Dat's from the night Jack and Race found me in front of the Lodging House. Some mug in da streets was after me. He caught me, and was trying to rape me. I fought him off, but he stabbed me wid his knife. Dat's why I came to the House- I hoid Cowboy would help kids when dey got hurt. Dey fixed me up, and I was a newsie from dat day on."
"That bastard. If I knew who he was, I'd kill him. How old was you?"
"I was five, I tink. I ain't sure."
"That bastard." he repeated. Spot hated the perverts that preyed on little kids- they couldn't defend themselves. He meant it too- if he had known the man, he would have killed him. "So Jacky-boy took ya in?"
"Yeah. Dat's right aftah he took in Fidg. He found her starvin' in da streets, and she tried to steal his food. He tinks of us as sistahs."
"Yeah, I know. You know, we is in for one hell of a fight when we tell da others. Jacky-boy told me that I wasn't to come near you or Fidg. He didn't want yous getting' hoit."
"I figured as much. But I trust you, Spot. You ain't nevah gonna hoit me, is ya?"
"Nevah. I'd kill meself before I'd hoit you on purpose, and I'd nevah let no one hoit you again." He wouldn't either. He'd never loved anyone like Singah before, and was willing to go to the end of the world and back for her. "But now it's time to face da lions, sweetheart. We's gotta tell your family of ovah-protective bruddahs dat we'se in love." He turned around to let her get dressed, and put his shirt on.
"Ready." Singah declared. Spot turned around, stuck his gold-tipped cane in his belt, and with a kiss, they left the warehouse. Hand in hand, the couple started off towards Jack and the Manhattan Lodging House.
***
By the time Spot and Singah had reached the Lodging house, almost all the newsies under Jack's command had seen them together, among them Kid Blink. He was livid, but kept his distance. He didn't know what was going on, but he'd find out soon.
As they made their way up the steps, Singah grew nervous. What if Jack forbid them to be together. –Singah, don't be stupid. You'se is 16, old enough to make yer own decisions. Don' let da Cowboy scare ya.- "Ready?" she asked Spot, who she realized was as nervous as she was.
"Yeah, as ready as I'll evah be. You?"
"Yeah. Let's do dis." Together they pushed open the doors of the House, and entered. The stairs to the bunk room were lined with newsies, all watching them. They knew Jack wasn't happy about this, but they were curious. Was the fearless, womanizing leader of Brooklyn actually in love with the Cowboy's kid sister? It sure looked it, and they couldn't wait to hear the fight that was surely going to take place in a few minutes.
When they reached to top of the stairs, they crossed the hall to the bunk room. Waiting outside the door was Blink. He looked furious and hurt.
"Why da hell you wid him, Singah? Wasn't you happy bein' my goil?"
"I'se sorry, Blink, but I didn't love yous; I love Spot." And it was true. She had liked Blink well enough, but she didn't love him.
"I'se sorry, too, Singah. Ya know, I hope you had fun wid him, cause Jack ain't nevah gonna let you two stay together."
"Leave her alone, Blink. Ya can't have loved her if dis is how you'se treatin' her." Spot was angry that Blink was being so cruel to Singah. It wasn't her fault she loved him, not Blink.
"You is in for it too, Spot. Jack ain't happy 'bout you disobeyin' him." Blink had venom in his voice and eye. If Jack hadn't given orders that he wasn't to be touched, Blink surely would have tried to soak him.
"Blink! Send them in!" They heard Jack's voice through the door. Blink opened the door, allowing them entry to the room where Jack and Race awaited them.
***
"Singah, come 'ere." Jack ordered her. "You was stupid. Get away from him. Now." Logically, there was no point in arguing when Jack had that tone in his voice, but Singah stood her ground. "Singah. Get. Ovah. Here. Now."
"No, Jack, I ain't gonna. You may be a lot oldah, and raised me, but I'se all grown up now. You can't order me around anymore."
Deciding to ignore her for the time being, Jack turned to Spot. "Conlon, what da hell do yous tink you was doin? I told you to stay way from her."
"Jacky-boy, you told me not to seduce her, and I did no such thing. I love her, Jacky-boy, and she loves me. And dere ain't no one gonna take me away from her unless she tells me to go." He held Singah closer.
"And I ain't nevah gonna do dat, Jack. I love Spot." She was quaking in her tattered shoes. She had never faced down Jack before, and it was a fearsome thing.
"Race, get her ovah here. She ain't goin' nowhere till we gets dis sorted out." Racetrack moved from where he was standing beside Jack to grab her arm and move her away from Spot.
"Race, you traitor. You told him you saw, din't ya." When he flushed, she declared, "I knew it. You'se couldn't keep a secret if your life depended on it." With that, she hauled back and punched him as hard as she could in the face. Race wheeled backwards, crashing into one of the bunks, yelping in pain. "Do you really tink I'se is gonna let you take me away? You'se is stupider dan I thought, Jack." She didn't know what she was doing, insulting him like that, but she couldn't help herself.
"You little…" Jack got up and stalked across the room, his every move exuding rage. When he tried to grab her away from Spot, she held on tighter to him. But when she felt him tense up, preparing to hit Jack, she let go and jumped to the side, just in time to get out of the way of Spot's fist, rocketing into Jack's stomach. Suddenly, the two leaders started fighting in the worst display of violence seen since the strike.
"Stop it! You're hurting him!" Singah screamed, not knowing to whom she was yelling. She was really worried about both of them, for though Jack was by far the larger boy, Spot was the toughest, most expert fighter in the ranks of New York newsies.
Finally, the boys sprang apart, breathing heavily. "Stop it! Jack, fuck off! You'se don' control me anymore. I'se not scared of you'se." Actually, that was a bare-faced lie, and they all knew it, but they let it go.
"Fine. Ya know what? If you'se wanna go wid dat son of a bitch, fine. If you do, nevah show yer face at dis house again. You ain't wanted here no more. Spot, if you evah come to Manhattan again, I'se gonna have my newsies beat the crap outta ya. I nevah wanna see you two again."
"Jack…" Racetrack protested from where he sat on the floor, clutching his face. "You don' really mean dat. You'se just pissed. Don' say nuttin' you'se gonna regret."
"Shut da hell up, Race. She brought dis on herself. Singah, if he hoits you, don' come crawlin' to me. I ain't responsible for yous no more. Get out now."
"Jack…" Singah protested.
"Jacky-boy, don' do dis- it's me you'se really pissed at, not her. Let her alone. I'se promise to nevah come here, but let her come. She ain't done nuttin' wrong!" Spot protested the unfair decision. He knew Jack was just mad. He didn't really mean most of it, but once said, it was hard to take back. Singah was already in tears beside him.
"I said what I said- leave, now, before I soak ya both." With that, Jack turned his back on the lovers. His eyes were filled with tears of rage and sorrow, but he kept still, pretending to ignore Singah's soft sobs and Spot's labored breathing. Soon, they turned and walked slowly out the door.
"Jack Kelly, you'se is da meanest, most fucked-up newsie dis town has evah seen. You'se is gonna regret this, or my name ain't Racetrack Higgins." Race got up and stormed out of the room. Downstairs, Singah was saying goodbye to her friends. He caught her arm, turned her around, and hugged her. "He doesn' mean it, Singah. Don' worry. We'll get him to change his mind, even if we'se gotta soak him."
"Tanks, Race. I'll miss yous. I'll miss all of yous."
"Come on, Singah, let's go home." With a nod goodbye to Race, Spot led Singah out of the Manhattan Lodging House. As they walked away from the building Singah had grown up in, she looked back and up at the window of the bunk room. She saw Jack standing there, face stony.
"Good bye, Jack," she whispered. "I'll miss yous."
"I know. Kid Blink told me she ditched him, and I figured it out." Jack sighed. He had hoped Spot would listen when he told him Fidget and Singah were hands-off- no seducing. What he hadn't counted on was Spot actually falling in love with one of them- least of all Singah.
"How'd ya figure, Jack?" Race wanted to know- the only way he'd known was seeing the two together.
"I asked Trolley where Spot was. He'd been actin' weird, and… I saw Spot watchin' her and followin' her outta da restaurant."
"I tink yous gonna need a talk wid her when she gets back, Cowboy. She ain't just lookin' at him- dey's involved." Race flinched- somehow he didn't think Singah was gonna let him off if Jack already knew- and dat goil hit hard!
"And I tink Spot's gonna need a "talkin'" to too. HE knows da rules about her and Fidg. Tomorrow, cause Spot ain't gonna let Singah walk home now." Dark had fallen, and Spot best of all knew the dangers of Brooklyn at night. Not even an experienced fighter like Singah was safe if she was female. –Tomorrow,- Jack told himself. –Tomorrow.-
***
Singah woke up with a start. –SHIT!- she thought. She couldn't remember where she was, and why she wasn't exactly fully dressed. Looking around, she saw Spot, sitting in the morning sun. He was watching her worriedly, like he wasn't sure if she was gonna be mad at him.
"Mornin', Singah. Sleep good?" he asked.
"Yeah. Yous?"
"Fine. Singah, you ain't regrettin' nuttin, are yous? I ain't gonna fergive meself if ya do."
"No, Spot, I ain't nevah gonna regret dis." He breathed a sigh of relief- Cowboy wouldn't kill him nearly as dead now- and he wouldn't be beating himself up about it either.
"Spot, come 'ere. I don' wanna be so far away." He obliged, and sat down next to her. Once they were comfortable, Singah asked him about his charm, the key he always wore, that was hanging against his chest right then.
"Spot, where'd ya get dis? I ain't nevah seen you wid out it."
"It was me muddah's, from her house in Ireland. She gave it to me when I was jus' little. Told me to always keep it safe." She worried that this was bringing up painful memories, but he seemed fine.
"My turn, Singah. Where'd ya get the scar?" There was a scar on her right shoulder. She shivered, remembering the night she had come to the Manhattan Lodging House. She'd heard from the other orphans that the leader, Cowboy, would help kids when they got hurt, and she was hurt bad.
"Dat's from the night Jack and Race found me in front of the Lodging House. Some mug in da streets was after me. He caught me, and was trying to rape me. I fought him off, but he stabbed me wid his knife. Dat's why I came to the House- I hoid Cowboy would help kids when dey got hurt. Dey fixed me up, and I was a newsie from dat day on."
"That bastard. If I knew who he was, I'd kill him. How old was you?"
"I was five, I tink. I ain't sure."
"That bastard." he repeated. Spot hated the perverts that preyed on little kids- they couldn't defend themselves. He meant it too- if he had known the man, he would have killed him. "So Jacky-boy took ya in?"
"Yeah. Dat's right aftah he took in Fidg. He found her starvin' in da streets, and she tried to steal his food. He tinks of us as sistahs."
"Yeah, I know. You know, we is in for one hell of a fight when we tell da others. Jacky-boy told me that I wasn't to come near you or Fidg. He didn't want yous getting' hoit."
"I figured as much. But I trust you, Spot. You ain't nevah gonna hoit me, is ya?"
"Nevah. I'd kill meself before I'd hoit you on purpose, and I'd nevah let no one hoit you again." He wouldn't either. He'd never loved anyone like Singah before, and was willing to go to the end of the world and back for her. "But now it's time to face da lions, sweetheart. We's gotta tell your family of ovah-protective bruddahs dat we'se in love." He turned around to let her get dressed, and put his shirt on.
"Ready." Singah declared. Spot turned around, stuck his gold-tipped cane in his belt, and with a kiss, they left the warehouse. Hand in hand, the couple started off towards Jack and the Manhattan Lodging House.
***
By the time Spot and Singah had reached the Lodging house, almost all the newsies under Jack's command had seen them together, among them Kid Blink. He was livid, but kept his distance. He didn't know what was going on, but he'd find out soon.
As they made their way up the steps, Singah grew nervous. What if Jack forbid them to be together. –Singah, don't be stupid. You'se is 16, old enough to make yer own decisions. Don' let da Cowboy scare ya.- "Ready?" she asked Spot, who she realized was as nervous as she was.
"Yeah, as ready as I'll evah be. You?"
"Yeah. Let's do dis." Together they pushed open the doors of the House, and entered. The stairs to the bunk room were lined with newsies, all watching them. They knew Jack wasn't happy about this, but they were curious. Was the fearless, womanizing leader of Brooklyn actually in love with the Cowboy's kid sister? It sure looked it, and they couldn't wait to hear the fight that was surely going to take place in a few minutes.
When they reached to top of the stairs, they crossed the hall to the bunk room. Waiting outside the door was Blink. He looked furious and hurt.
"Why da hell you wid him, Singah? Wasn't you happy bein' my goil?"
"I'se sorry, Blink, but I didn't love yous; I love Spot." And it was true. She had liked Blink well enough, but she didn't love him.
"I'se sorry, too, Singah. Ya know, I hope you had fun wid him, cause Jack ain't nevah gonna let you two stay together."
"Leave her alone, Blink. Ya can't have loved her if dis is how you'se treatin' her." Spot was angry that Blink was being so cruel to Singah. It wasn't her fault she loved him, not Blink.
"You is in for it too, Spot. Jack ain't happy 'bout you disobeyin' him." Blink had venom in his voice and eye. If Jack hadn't given orders that he wasn't to be touched, Blink surely would have tried to soak him.
"Blink! Send them in!" They heard Jack's voice through the door. Blink opened the door, allowing them entry to the room where Jack and Race awaited them.
***
"Singah, come 'ere." Jack ordered her. "You was stupid. Get away from him. Now." Logically, there was no point in arguing when Jack had that tone in his voice, but Singah stood her ground. "Singah. Get. Ovah. Here. Now."
"No, Jack, I ain't gonna. You may be a lot oldah, and raised me, but I'se all grown up now. You can't order me around anymore."
Deciding to ignore her for the time being, Jack turned to Spot. "Conlon, what da hell do yous tink you was doin? I told you to stay way from her."
"Jacky-boy, you told me not to seduce her, and I did no such thing. I love her, Jacky-boy, and she loves me. And dere ain't no one gonna take me away from her unless she tells me to go." He held Singah closer.
"And I ain't nevah gonna do dat, Jack. I love Spot." She was quaking in her tattered shoes. She had never faced down Jack before, and it was a fearsome thing.
"Race, get her ovah here. She ain't goin' nowhere till we gets dis sorted out." Racetrack moved from where he was standing beside Jack to grab her arm and move her away from Spot.
"Race, you traitor. You told him you saw, din't ya." When he flushed, she declared, "I knew it. You'se couldn't keep a secret if your life depended on it." With that, she hauled back and punched him as hard as she could in the face. Race wheeled backwards, crashing into one of the bunks, yelping in pain. "Do you really tink I'se is gonna let you take me away? You'se is stupider dan I thought, Jack." She didn't know what she was doing, insulting him like that, but she couldn't help herself.
"You little…" Jack got up and stalked across the room, his every move exuding rage. When he tried to grab her away from Spot, she held on tighter to him. But when she felt him tense up, preparing to hit Jack, she let go and jumped to the side, just in time to get out of the way of Spot's fist, rocketing into Jack's stomach. Suddenly, the two leaders started fighting in the worst display of violence seen since the strike.
"Stop it! You're hurting him!" Singah screamed, not knowing to whom she was yelling. She was really worried about both of them, for though Jack was by far the larger boy, Spot was the toughest, most expert fighter in the ranks of New York newsies.
Finally, the boys sprang apart, breathing heavily. "Stop it! Jack, fuck off! You'se don' control me anymore. I'se not scared of you'se." Actually, that was a bare-faced lie, and they all knew it, but they let it go.
"Fine. Ya know what? If you'se wanna go wid dat son of a bitch, fine. If you do, nevah show yer face at dis house again. You ain't wanted here no more. Spot, if you evah come to Manhattan again, I'se gonna have my newsies beat the crap outta ya. I nevah wanna see you two again."
"Jack…" Racetrack protested from where he sat on the floor, clutching his face. "You don' really mean dat. You'se just pissed. Don' say nuttin' you'se gonna regret."
"Shut da hell up, Race. She brought dis on herself. Singah, if he hoits you, don' come crawlin' to me. I ain't responsible for yous no more. Get out now."
"Jack…" Singah protested.
"Jacky-boy, don' do dis- it's me you'se really pissed at, not her. Let her alone. I'se promise to nevah come here, but let her come. She ain't done nuttin' wrong!" Spot protested the unfair decision. He knew Jack was just mad. He didn't really mean most of it, but once said, it was hard to take back. Singah was already in tears beside him.
"I said what I said- leave, now, before I soak ya both." With that, Jack turned his back on the lovers. His eyes were filled with tears of rage and sorrow, but he kept still, pretending to ignore Singah's soft sobs and Spot's labored breathing. Soon, they turned and walked slowly out the door.
"Jack Kelly, you'se is da meanest, most fucked-up newsie dis town has evah seen. You'se is gonna regret this, or my name ain't Racetrack Higgins." Race got up and stormed out of the room. Downstairs, Singah was saying goodbye to her friends. He caught her arm, turned her around, and hugged her. "He doesn' mean it, Singah. Don' worry. We'll get him to change his mind, even if we'se gotta soak him."
"Tanks, Race. I'll miss yous. I'll miss all of yous."
"Come on, Singah, let's go home." With a nod goodbye to Race, Spot led Singah out of the Manhattan Lodging House. As they walked away from the building Singah had grown up in, she looked back and up at the window of the bunk room. She saw Jack standing there, face stony.
"Good bye, Jack," she whispered. "I'll miss yous."