Chapter: III First Impressions
"Excuse me, do you know of Jack Kelly?" It is mid after noon a couple days later and Lady is in Manhattan, New York. Lady has been searching all morning for the Manhattan newsy.
"Yeah, I might know him." Replies a guy with the same type of hat as Smokes.
"What do ya want wid him?" Says another.
"He knows my friend, Smokes from Cincinnati." Both of the guys look at each other and smile.
"Maybe I'se Jack Kelly." Says the tallest.
"Are you?" She asks a bit confused.
"Yeah. What can I'se do for ya toots?"
"Toots?"
"Oh, I'se sorry miss,"
"Lady."
"lady?" Both questions simultaneously.
"It's what my friends call me." The two nod.
"Is their anywhere I can get some food?"
"Follow us, Lady." In a mocking way, they let her pass. She is beginning to not trust them so much. They lead her to a place called Tibby's. It is full of boys, mostly newsies, and some of them look familiar. She sits in a chair across from the two.
"So why aren't you sellin' papers?" She inquires.
"We'se don't sell on Wednesdays. Isn't dat right Jack?"
"Well, you guys can go if ya want, I'm fine now." She fiddles with her bracelet.
"No, we're fine here sweet face." She scrunches her brows together and looks at them. A guy dressed in a gray vest, wearing a red bandanna around his neck, and has blonde hair to his blue eyes, approaches them.
"Whose yer lady friend?" He sets his black cowboy hat on his head. Lady extends her hand.
"Call me Lady." He smiles.
"Ja,"
"Beat it Cowboy." Morris rose from his chair. He began scratching the hair on his face when he pulls it back, but before he has contact with Jack's face Jack he blocks it, and hits him in the gut. After a few more blows from Jack, both Delancey brothers are on the floor. Lady stands before them in disbelief.
"Mis. yer hat." Lady looks over to see a boy with dark hair and eyes, holding her hat, which must have fallen during all the ruckus. He looks very familiar to her.
"Thank you Bumlets."
"How'd you'se know me name?"
"I don't know." She replies as Oscar takes her hand and starts to pull.
"We'll see ya lateh Kelly."
"Kelly!?!" She looks over at Jack.
"Yeah me names Jack Kelly."
"Then who are you?" All the newsies look at the Delanceies, who are getting up from the floor in silence.
"Morris and Oscar Delancey." Jack answers for them.
"Oscar Delancey! As in Mr. Wiesel's nephew?"
"Well, who are you'se, lady?" Oscar questions, and everyone is silent.
"Madison." A voice answers from behind her. She looks at Bumlets astounded.
"How'd you'se know her name?" Racetrack asks lighting up a cigar.
"I'se don't know."
"Madison Riker?" Oscar inquires. She nods.
"Yer my wife!"
"No, I don't think so."
"Wait a minute, yer Smokes Ocean's goil." Jack pulls a letter out of his pocket.
"Let's go Madison." Oscar harshly commands.
"I uh,"
"I'm sure yer father will want ta know yer here." Morris comments. Lady looks down, she hadn't thought about her family.
"Okay, I'm coming." She gives a glance to Bumlets and the other newsies. On the way to the Delanceies' she stays behind them. She tries to think of something anything to get out, of her predicament. The next few days she spends listening to Morris and Oscar talk bad about the newsies and stories. She also spends it defending herself from advances from not really Oscar, but Morris.
"Hey Miss. Uh Lady!" Lady turns to face Jack. The arrogant, hot headed guy from the Delanceies' stories. She could hardly believe that Smokes is friends with him.
"What do you want?" She turns.
"I'se just wanted to makes sure you'se are okay, Dat dose Delanceies' ain't puttin',"
"I'm sure. Listen Jack, you may have everyone else fooled but, I'm not. I've heard all about you. And those Delanceies as you call them are about to be my family,"
"Are you'se serious?"
"Do I have a choice? I will only hurt people if I don't. Other than that it's just me. Not that any of it's your business." Lady walks away, only to occasionally see the newsies every now and then. Jack begins to worry. He has promised his friend that he would make sure she was okay and he isn't able to do that when she won't even trust, or talk to him.