David had just been walking to work when he saw the most bizarre sight. A
young woman, dressed in a green evening gown with her hair disheveld and
her makeup smeared, ran right passed him. Actually, she elbowed him out of
her way before running past him.
David had a sister, so he knew how women could over react, how the stupidest little problems could throw them into a frenzy. He almost continued on to his new job as a clerk for the Port Authority, but like always, his conscience got the better of him. He turned around and looked for the raccoon-eyed girl. After walking a block, he scanned the area around him. Dead end. Unless she took the bridge over to Brooklyn…
Just then, a flash of green caught his eye. He squinted to make sure he was seeing things correctly through the early morning fog. Was she on the railing of the bridge? He started toward the bridge when the wind picked up and blew his hat right off his head. He bent down to retrieve it, and as he looked up, she had disappeared altogether.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Life didn't flash before her eyes, instead she saw everything around her in slow motion. As the wind picked up, it threw Ophelia off balance, but as is the body's natural reaction, she flung out her hands, frantically reaching for something to hold onto. Her left hand found a support cable and clung to it. The momentum of her fall threw her right side over her left, which was anchored by the cable, so that she hit the bridge itself with her face. She slid down the slanted support cable desperately grabbing at anything tangible with her right hand. Finally, a knot in the cable halted her slide, but swung her around again and slammed her back into a giant metal truss.
And there she clung onto the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge for dear life, hanging on with two shaking hands, above the shimmering river below. The sun had just come up, and its brilliance was blinding. Ophelia didn't want to die.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It seemed likie Timmy's mother had adopted Sadie as her personal assistant. Sadie wasn't sure if she should keep looking for another job or not. Mrs. Michelson kept her plenty busy running errands and accompanying her on social calls. That morning, Mrs. Michelson asked her to deliver invitations to a Ladies' Afternoon Tea. She had no place to turn her down, even though Mush was visiting, and she didn't want to miss him.
As she slipped out the servant's door, she caught a glimpse of the two men in the sitting room. They were both very absorbed in the discussion. Timmy was especially animated, his dark hair flipping about, and his Irish accent coming out. What worried her was Mush's facial expression. He looked very disturbed, and very deep in thought.
Sadie shuffled down the dirt streets. She couldn't get Mush's expression out of her mind. Maybe he was upset because he was so close to being out of the boxing championships. Maybe there was something she could do.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Timmy always seized an opportunity when it was available. That is precisely the reason his position rivaled even the Mannigan sons, who were blood relatives, in the Family. Mush's proposition at breakfast had opened a new door.
He had already helped Sadie out of the kindness of his heart. But now Mush wanted something too, and Timmy had every right to ask for a favor in return.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Kid Blink was sleeping in. He was out late the night before and lay on his top bunk all twisted up in his sheets. He was pulled out of his sleep when something hit the bunk hard. He jumped up, thinking it was an earthquake, and scrambled over to the edge of the bed just to see Race shaking it.
"What in da hell do ya think you'se doin'?"
Race looked up. He looked like hell. Dark brown circles underlined his eyes, and his skin was deathly pale. "Have you seen Opie?"
Blink blinked (!) confusedly. Race must be desperate. How would he know where she was? He'd only met her twice. "Nah. What's wrong wit ya? What happened?"
Race shook his head. "I dunno what happened. And I cain't find nobody."
David had a sister, so he knew how women could over react, how the stupidest little problems could throw them into a frenzy. He almost continued on to his new job as a clerk for the Port Authority, but like always, his conscience got the better of him. He turned around and looked for the raccoon-eyed girl. After walking a block, he scanned the area around him. Dead end. Unless she took the bridge over to Brooklyn…
Just then, a flash of green caught his eye. He squinted to make sure he was seeing things correctly through the early morning fog. Was she on the railing of the bridge? He started toward the bridge when the wind picked up and blew his hat right off his head. He bent down to retrieve it, and as he looked up, she had disappeared altogether.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Life didn't flash before her eyes, instead she saw everything around her in slow motion. As the wind picked up, it threw Ophelia off balance, but as is the body's natural reaction, she flung out her hands, frantically reaching for something to hold onto. Her left hand found a support cable and clung to it. The momentum of her fall threw her right side over her left, which was anchored by the cable, so that she hit the bridge itself with her face. She slid down the slanted support cable desperately grabbing at anything tangible with her right hand. Finally, a knot in the cable halted her slide, but swung her around again and slammed her back into a giant metal truss.
And there she clung onto the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge for dear life, hanging on with two shaking hands, above the shimmering river below. The sun had just come up, and its brilliance was blinding. Ophelia didn't want to die.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It seemed likie Timmy's mother had adopted Sadie as her personal assistant. Sadie wasn't sure if she should keep looking for another job or not. Mrs. Michelson kept her plenty busy running errands and accompanying her on social calls. That morning, Mrs. Michelson asked her to deliver invitations to a Ladies' Afternoon Tea. She had no place to turn her down, even though Mush was visiting, and she didn't want to miss him.
As she slipped out the servant's door, she caught a glimpse of the two men in the sitting room. They were both very absorbed in the discussion. Timmy was especially animated, his dark hair flipping about, and his Irish accent coming out. What worried her was Mush's facial expression. He looked very disturbed, and very deep in thought.
Sadie shuffled down the dirt streets. She couldn't get Mush's expression out of her mind. Maybe he was upset because he was so close to being out of the boxing championships. Maybe there was something she could do.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Timmy always seized an opportunity when it was available. That is precisely the reason his position rivaled even the Mannigan sons, who were blood relatives, in the Family. Mush's proposition at breakfast had opened a new door.
He had already helped Sadie out of the kindness of his heart. But now Mush wanted something too, and Timmy had every right to ask for a favor in return.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Kid Blink was sleeping in. He was out late the night before and lay on his top bunk all twisted up in his sheets. He was pulled out of his sleep when something hit the bunk hard. He jumped up, thinking it was an earthquake, and scrambled over to the edge of the bed just to see Race shaking it.
"What in da hell do ya think you'se doin'?"
Race looked up. He looked like hell. Dark brown circles underlined his eyes, and his skin was deathly pale. "Have you seen Opie?"
Blink blinked (!) confusedly. Race must be desperate. How would he know where she was? He'd only met her twice. "Nah. What's wrong wit ya? What happened?"
Race shook his head. "I dunno what happened. And I cain't find nobody."