Chapter 32

"What? You found my father?!?!" Bristles screamed in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?!?!"

Sunny looked at her, a painted look on her face.

"Bristles, that man ain't your father,"

"But you just said…"

"Oh, he's your fathah awright, your imposter fathah!" Jack declared angrily.

Bristles looked confused. "wha…"

Race cut her off immediately, tryin to explain and comfort her.

"This is what we've hoird from Sunny…few days ago, Blink and Sunny met this guy who said he was youah pop. Now, we ain't knowin too much about that, but he offered a good deal of money ta dem, and ya know, youah boithday's comin up and we need money foah ya presents,"

"Yeah, Bristles, we care about ya," Hope said. Bristles sat still now and she was listening quietly.

"So what is it about this man that you met?"

"Well," Sunny said, with a pained look on her face, "Blink was takin a walk one day and he saw Mr. Fathah with your favorite person…"

"You mean…"

"Grinds,"

Bristles' eyes got wide, and her mouth opened, but what came out of her mouth did not show the sense of panic that she was having inside her.

"How did you know this?"

Sunny looked down. "I was warried about him so I followed him," Racetrack and Jack's eyebrows raised ever so slightly, but neither of them made any smart remarks. Right now was not the time for that. Bristles' face started getting pale.

"You were with him before, weren't you?"

Tears fell from Sunny's eyes. "Yeah…"

Bristles eyes had tears in them also. "Then why isn't he here with us right now?"

"Because…"

"Tell me,"

"Because…"

"JUST TELL ME!" Bristles screamed, half sobbing.

"Grinds caught him…" Sunny trailed off, she couldn't say anymore. The room was silent, except for the sounds of Sunny, Hope, and Bristles' crying. The guy newsies were quiet, not saying anything.

"Do ya think that we should…we should go find him?"

"Race, ya know dat Blink ain't gonna make it out there, I mean you seen the guys dat Grinds has got in his hands,"

Sunny stopped sobbing, and stood up. She looked at the other newsies quietly, then she walked out the door.

"Sunny, what're ya doin?" Hope called out. Sunny turned and looked at her.

"I'm goin to find Blink. I'm not walkin out on him."