Chapter 7
When we returned, we found Amanda asleep on her/Jack's bed with an ice pack on her foot and Jack sitting at the edge of the bed reading his Santa Fe brochure.
"Hey Jack, is she alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, the doc said it's only twisted and should heal fast as long as we keep the swelling down," he responded.
"How's Mel?"
"The doc stitched her up, gave her a bandage, and some ice for the bruise forming on her cheek. Said he'd be back here in a week to check on everybody," he said. I was about to ask where she was, but Jack answered it for me; "and I think she's on the roof with Spot."
I smiled, then I stretched and yawned. I didn't realize how tired I was, but I wasn't ready to go to bed yet. So I sat out on the fire escape and thought about all that had happened in only two days. It was crazy; it didn't make any sense, but I couldn't complain. I was surrounded by a bunch of guys from a different time and I was going to help give a whole bunch of girls a voice with this strike. My thoughts were interrupted by a rumbling from the inside, the rest of the newsies were returning. I decided to climb up to the roof and bug Mel. She was telling Spot all about how their strike was made into a "flickah" in our times and more stuff about the future. "Hey guys," I said.
"Oh hey Robyn! What's up?" Mel asked. "Is Amanda alright? The doc fixed me up first and Spot wanted to talk to me, so I didn't get to find out what happened to Amanda."
"She's alright, but right now she is asleep. Oh, and yes the factory girls want to strike," I replied.
"Good…..Are Lily and Sniffles back then?" she asked.
"Yup"
"Are they ok?"
"Yes, but ummm…. Sniffles stayed with Mush and I don't know if they have returned yet."
Melanie giggled. We heard a "hey Mush, want to join the game?" probably from Racetrack.
"Speak of the devil," I said.
"I'll be back. I got to ask Lily and Sniffles something," Mel said as she bounded excitedly back into the lodging house before we could say another word.
Spot is not my favorite person in the world. He is Melanie's. Conversation was a little awkward.
Spot rocked back and forth on his toes. "Hi," he said nonchalantly.
I replied the same to him. The silence was deafening.
"What are they going to do next?" he asked.
"I don't know. I don't think we've planned it yet. Which probably means they're planning it right now." I answered.
"We should get going then," he moved towards the fire escape.
"No wait. I have a question." I caught up with him. We stopped at the edge of the building. I planned my words carefully.
"Mel's kind of shy."
He laughed. "That's not a question." But he waited.
"I'm just letting you know."
"You aren't exactly outgoing either. Bumlets has been trying really hard-"
I was flustered, "it's not about me. I was going to ask you if you liked her."
His famous smirk crossed his face, but he didn't say anything. Then he leapt over the edge and down the fire escape. I shook my head and gingerly made my way down the creaking fire escape.
Everyone was gathered around the table listening to Lily and Sniffles. Lily was pointing at Kid Blink, "you'll talk to Denton and we'll continue to talk to the factory girls. Good night everyone. The meeting of Save the Factory Workers is now adjourned." With that she slammed her fist on the table like a gavel to end the meeting. "Ouch!" Then the poker game started.
I walked over to Amanda and Mel who were sitting on top of Amanda's bed.
"Well you two spent a long time up there! What happened?" Amanda asked.
"I find myself remarkably tired. See you all in the morning." I said ignoring Amanda's question.
"But….but….but Robyn," Melanie protested.
I just yawned and walked to my bed. Bumlets appeared. "Hello," he said.
"Did you want the bed tonight? I'll sleep on the floor."
"No, no. We got some extra beds from the attic for you all."
"Thanks." Oh. I was faintly disappointed that the sharing the bed option was no longer available. But I was tired and fell asleep on to an unclaimed bed instantly.
When we returned, we found Amanda asleep on her/Jack's bed with an ice pack on her foot and Jack sitting at the edge of the bed reading his Santa Fe brochure.
"Hey Jack, is she alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, the doc said it's only twisted and should heal fast as long as we keep the swelling down," he responded.
"How's Mel?"
"The doc stitched her up, gave her a bandage, and some ice for the bruise forming on her cheek. Said he'd be back here in a week to check on everybody," he said. I was about to ask where she was, but Jack answered it for me; "and I think she's on the roof with Spot."
I smiled, then I stretched and yawned. I didn't realize how tired I was, but I wasn't ready to go to bed yet. So I sat out on the fire escape and thought about all that had happened in only two days. It was crazy; it didn't make any sense, but I couldn't complain. I was surrounded by a bunch of guys from a different time and I was going to help give a whole bunch of girls a voice with this strike. My thoughts were interrupted by a rumbling from the inside, the rest of the newsies were returning. I decided to climb up to the roof and bug Mel. She was telling Spot all about how their strike was made into a "flickah" in our times and more stuff about the future. "Hey guys," I said.
"Oh hey Robyn! What's up?" Mel asked. "Is Amanda alright? The doc fixed me up first and Spot wanted to talk to me, so I didn't get to find out what happened to Amanda."
"She's alright, but right now she is asleep. Oh, and yes the factory girls want to strike," I replied.
"Good…..Are Lily and Sniffles back then?" she asked.
"Yup"
"Are they ok?"
"Yes, but ummm…. Sniffles stayed with Mush and I don't know if they have returned yet."
Melanie giggled. We heard a "hey Mush, want to join the game?" probably from Racetrack.
"Speak of the devil," I said.
"I'll be back. I got to ask Lily and Sniffles something," Mel said as she bounded excitedly back into the lodging house before we could say another word.
Spot is not my favorite person in the world. He is Melanie's. Conversation was a little awkward.
Spot rocked back and forth on his toes. "Hi," he said nonchalantly.
I replied the same to him. The silence was deafening.
"What are they going to do next?" he asked.
"I don't know. I don't think we've planned it yet. Which probably means they're planning it right now." I answered.
"We should get going then," he moved towards the fire escape.
"No wait. I have a question." I caught up with him. We stopped at the edge of the building. I planned my words carefully.
"Mel's kind of shy."
He laughed. "That's not a question." But he waited.
"I'm just letting you know."
"You aren't exactly outgoing either. Bumlets has been trying really hard-"
I was flustered, "it's not about me. I was going to ask you if you liked her."
His famous smirk crossed his face, but he didn't say anything. Then he leapt over the edge and down the fire escape. I shook my head and gingerly made my way down the creaking fire escape.
Everyone was gathered around the table listening to Lily and Sniffles. Lily was pointing at Kid Blink, "you'll talk to Denton and we'll continue to talk to the factory girls. Good night everyone. The meeting of Save the Factory Workers is now adjourned." With that she slammed her fist on the table like a gavel to end the meeting. "Ouch!" Then the poker game started.
I walked over to Amanda and Mel who were sitting on top of Amanda's bed.
"Well you two spent a long time up there! What happened?" Amanda asked.
"I find myself remarkably tired. See you all in the morning." I said ignoring Amanda's question.
"But….but….but Robyn," Melanie protested.
I just yawned and walked to my bed. Bumlets appeared. "Hello," he said.
"Did you want the bed tonight? I'll sleep on the floor."
"No, no. We got some extra beds from the attic for you all."
"Thanks." Oh. I was faintly disappointed that the sharing the bed option was no longer available. But I was tired and fell asleep on to an unclaimed bed instantly.