AN: I'm back in full force. Hopefully I'll have this story done before
Valentine's Day. Thanks to those who have reviewed. And now for a bit of
RB: I get to go see the real Craig and Crale on Friday. I love vacation
time. Anyway that is all. Here is the next part.
Mills was the first to wake up the next morning. It had taken her a while to fall asleep with Cray snoring in her ear but she had finally managed it, at least until he snorted. Now she was awake and she really didn't want to be. Last night had been interesting but Kit did have a point. They had just pushed the kids off on her because she was so good with them. And Mills did admit to herself it had to do with the fact that taking care of the kids reminded her too much of the family she had lost 2 years before. But she wasn't going to dwell on that, this was a chance for a new start and she wasn't going to let that chance go to waste.
Mills stood up, careful not to disturb either Jolly or Cray who were still asleep and went over to where her bag was searching for a washcloth to clean off some of the soot that had collected over the past week on the train. Her searching woke up Kit. "Oh Kit I'm sorry, didn't mean to wake youse up."
Kit sat up and stretched, "That's okay, what are you looking for?"
"A washcloth. I feel so gross." Mills said as she triumphantly pulled out what she was looking for. "Here it is. So what youse planning on doing today?"
"Well hadn't really thought about it past reading, why?" Kit stood up seeing the mischievous look in Mills' eyes.
"Why don't we get Tack and leave the guys with the kids?" Mills smiled deviously as she pointed to Tack.
Kit bit back a grin as she nodded. She walked over to Tack and gently shook her trying not to wake up Swan or either of the little girls. When she opened her eyes Kit put a finger to her lips and motioned her to get up. Tack's eyes clouded with confusion as she extracted herself from the grasp of Two Bit. "Hey we're going to sorta leave the kids with the boys. Come on before they wake up." Tack's eyes lit in anticipation as the ladies snuck out leaving behind 3 guys and 4 children, the poor guys.
The girls got out of the car without laughing and stepped into the dinning car giggling. "Can youse believe it? Wes got out of there and they ain't gonna expect a thing." Mills commented as they went to sit at a table near the other end of the car.
"I almost wish I could be there to see the guys' faces." Kit stopped for a second, "Almost. So what we gonna do since we have the morning to ourselves?"
"I feel like just taking my time and relaxing. No amount of persuading is getting me back to those seats before I have to. I know let's play Spill.*" Tack said as she began to dig into her food. Both Kit and Mills nodded in agreement. "So Kit how good a kisser is Spot, spill."
Kit felt her cheeks redden; "Now why would I tell you how good a kisser my guy was?"
"Cause youse been avoiding the question and wes both wanna know." Mills supplied around a bite of toast.
"He has been the most wanted guy in all of Brooklyn and I don't think his looks were the only reason for that." Kit pointed out, trying to avoid the question.
"That don't answer the question Kit. Now spill." Mills looked at her friend pointedly.
"He's a thjlkjdn" Kit mumbled.
"I didn't quite hear you Kit." Tack teased watching Kit get redder.
"He's a 10 okay? Happy now you know how good a kisser he is my turn." Kit looked between the two of her friends trying to figure out who would have a better story to tell. "Alright Mills I wanna know how the guys found out you were a girl, spill."
It was Mills' turn to blush, "Fine I'll tell you. I got found out after my first run in with the Delancy's. The guys to me to this doctor, don't know how they was gonna pay for it and then they found out Ise a goil and they flipped. Took a while for me to win back their trust. If Ise known goils could be newsies it wouldn't had been so bad." Mills decided to get the attention off of her and turned to Tack, "My turn, Ise gonna spare Kit from reviling any more details, yet. So Tack why youse have so much trouble looking guys in the face? Spill."
Tack had a feeling this question was going to come sooner or later, but still was a bit flustered. "Well um, I guess it has to do with my father. He was half Cherokee and his father had expected all females to show proper respect to the men. Well my father felt the same way so he drilled it into my mother and me for as long as I can remember. I don't think I ever looked him in the eye ever. He also had a temper and was mad about my mother giving him three girls instead of sons like he wanted. One night he had got really drunk and started hitting me.
After he passed out my mother made a decision and made me get together all we could carry between the two of us then we took the girls and left. We came to the city because my mother had lived here as a child and remembered being happy here. But she got really sick last winter and died less than a month ago. So now here I am 15 and raising two little girls. I am glad to get out of the city though, I don't all the buildings and people." Tack shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her plate wondering what her friends were thinking.
Kit was the first to talk, "I never thought how crowded the city really was till now. But I still don't want to go back."
Tack looked up curious, "Why? I still can't believe you came to the city, I would have done anything to stay back on our mountain, if my father wasn't there anymore I mean."
Kit looked down at her plate, "I have a lot of bad memories and things associated with home. Funny I still call it home even though I don't want to go back. Part of the reason I don't want to go back is because of a guy."
Both Mills and Tack had trouble keeping the shocked looks off their faces. "Yeah there is a guy back home, we were engaged and stuff, but before I left he broke it off. His name is Jeremy, but we all called him Buddha. The summer before I left I had some trouble with these two guys, Shoe and Frost. Shoe wanted to date me and I said no, so one night he and Frost jumped Jeremy and me as we was coming home from a date. They soaked him good and Jeremy's brother Josh blamed me for it.
Well after that I had gone back to my uncle's farm, but when Cray came to get me to see Jeremy my uncle threw me out. He never approved of Jeremy or of me working as a newsie in town. Said it wasn't proper. Well after me and Cray got back into town I saw Jeremy and he said that he no longer loved me and didn't want to marry me anymore. And the next day Cray, Swan and I all split town.
I am worried about what Jeremy is going to do if I show up with a boyfriend, and what my uncle is going to say to me. I saw the telegram, he is only asking for the guys, not me. I guess I am a bit anxious, but who knows it might all work out anyway."
Mills looked down at her plate, "Kit I didn't realize that your troubles had started before Baltimore. Well if youse don't want to go out to the farm I'd be happy to stay with youse in town."
"So would I, I am not sure I want to meet your uncle, even if he is the guy's father."
"Sid isn't a horrible man. I know he loved me in some odd fashion, otherwise he wouldn't have been so worried, but he has ideas about life that he won't change. That is probably why we never really got along." Kit explained before changing the subject, "Well I am done, and it is almost noon. Want to go see how the guys are thriving back there?"
Mills broke into a wicked smile and Tack nodded in agreement, "Sure why not." The girls left the money for their meal on the table and headed back to their seats. They all felt a bit closer now and were feeling quite relaxed from a morning without the guys or the children screaming in their ears.
What waited for them back at their seats was a shock. Instead of three exhausted guys and four bored children they found four children crowded around Cray who was reading and Spot and Swan playing war. The two guys playing cards were happy to include the girls and soon they were playing poker. The afternoon went well, the kids still asked their why questions, but they didn't whine about being bored or fight amongst themselves. The girls were amazed until it was time to put the kids to bed.
"Spot." Jolly motioned for the older boy to come over then asked in a stage whisper. "When do wes get our nickels?"
Kit heard the question and looked at Spot waiting for his answer.
"Jolly youse not supposed to say anything." Spot tried unsuccessfully to dodge Kit's questioning look.
"Jolly what did the guys promise you nickels for?" Kit sat down on Jolly's bench and pulled him into her lap.
"Well after they saw youse goils was gone they told us if wes behaved and didn't whine or ask to many questions wes could get a nickel each."
Kit fought to keep a smile off her face, "Oh really. Well you know what. If you all behave until we get to off the train you'll get a nickel each day we have left. But if not, Spot still owes you guys your nickel for today. Sound good to all of you?"
All of the kids nodded while Spot looked a bit put out.
"Now Spot you told these kids if they behaved they would get a nickel, they behaved they deserve their nickel. So if they continue to behave why can't they get more nickels? I am not sure I like bribing them to behave but it is better than the alternative. Ain't it?"
"yeah sure. You aren't the one out the money."
"Should have thought of that before hand." Kit smirked before settling down on her bench next to Bait. Spot glared but didn't say anything more as the kids all drifted off to sleep.
Mills was the first to wake up the next morning. It had taken her a while to fall asleep with Cray snoring in her ear but she had finally managed it, at least until he snorted. Now she was awake and she really didn't want to be. Last night had been interesting but Kit did have a point. They had just pushed the kids off on her because she was so good with them. And Mills did admit to herself it had to do with the fact that taking care of the kids reminded her too much of the family she had lost 2 years before. But she wasn't going to dwell on that, this was a chance for a new start and she wasn't going to let that chance go to waste.
Mills stood up, careful not to disturb either Jolly or Cray who were still asleep and went over to where her bag was searching for a washcloth to clean off some of the soot that had collected over the past week on the train. Her searching woke up Kit. "Oh Kit I'm sorry, didn't mean to wake youse up."
Kit sat up and stretched, "That's okay, what are you looking for?"
"A washcloth. I feel so gross." Mills said as she triumphantly pulled out what she was looking for. "Here it is. So what youse planning on doing today?"
"Well hadn't really thought about it past reading, why?" Kit stood up seeing the mischievous look in Mills' eyes.
"Why don't we get Tack and leave the guys with the kids?" Mills smiled deviously as she pointed to Tack.
Kit bit back a grin as she nodded. She walked over to Tack and gently shook her trying not to wake up Swan or either of the little girls. When she opened her eyes Kit put a finger to her lips and motioned her to get up. Tack's eyes clouded with confusion as she extracted herself from the grasp of Two Bit. "Hey we're going to sorta leave the kids with the boys. Come on before they wake up." Tack's eyes lit in anticipation as the ladies snuck out leaving behind 3 guys and 4 children, the poor guys.
The girls got out of the car without laughing and stepped into the dinning car giggling. "Can youse believe it? Wes got out of there and they ain't gonna expect a thing." Mills commented as they went to sit at a table near the other end of the car.
"I almost wish I could be there to see the guys' faces." Kit stopped for a second, "Almost. So what we gonna do since we have the morning to ourselves?"
"I feel like just taking my time and relaxing. No amount of persuading is getting me back to those seats before I have to. I know let's play Spill.*" Tack said as she began to dig into her food. Both Kit and Mills nodded in agreement. "So Kit how good a kisser is Spot, spill."
Kit felt her cheeks redden; "Now why would I tell you how good a kisser my guy was?"
"Cause youse been avoiding the question and wes both wanna know." Mills supplied around a bite of toast.
"He has been the most wanted guy in all of Brooklyn and I don't think his looks were the only reason for that." Kit pointed out, trying to avoid the question.
"That don't answer the question Kit. Now spill." Mills looked at her friend pointedly.
"He's a thjlkjdn" Kit mumbled.
"I didn't quite hear you Kit." Tack teased watching Kit get redder.
"He's a 10 okay? Happy now you know how good a kisser he is my turn." Kit looked between the two of her friends trying to figure out who would have a better story to tell. "Alright Mills I wanna know how the guys found out you were a girl, spill."
It was Mills' turn to blush, "Fine I'll tell you. I got found out after my first run in with the Delancy's. The guys to me to this doctor, don't know how they was gonna pay for it and then they found out Ise a goil and they flipped. Took a while for me to win back their trust. If Ise known goils could be newsies it wouldn't had been so bad." Mills decided to get the attention off of her and turned to Tack, "My turn, Ise gonna spare Kit from reviling any more details, yet. So Tack why youse have so much trouble looking guys in the face? Spill."
Tack had a feeling this question was going to come sooner or later, but still was a bit flustered. "Well um, I guess it has to do with my father. He was half Cherokee and his father had expected all females to show proper respect to the men. Well my father felt the same way so he drilled it into my mother and me for as long as I can remember. I don't think I ever looked him in the eye ever. He also had a temper and was mad about my mother giving him three girls instead of sons like he wanted. One night he had got really drunk and started hitting me.
After he passed out my mother made a decision and made me get together all we could carry between the two of us then we took the girls and left. We came to the city because my mother had lived here as a child and remembered being happy here. But she got really sick last winter and died less than a month ago. So now here I am 15 and raising two little girls. I am glad to get out of the city though, I don't all the buildings and people." Tack shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her plate wondering what her friends were thinking.
Kit was the first to talk, "I never thought how crowded the city really was till now. But I still don't want to go back."
Tack looked up curious, "Why? I still can't believe you came to the city, I would have done anything to stay back on our mountain, if my father wasn't there anymore I mean."
Kit looked down at her plate, "I have a lot of bad memories and things associated with home. Funny I still call it home even though I don't want to go back. Part of the reason I don't want to go back is because of a guy."
Both Mills and Tack had trouble keeping the shocked looks off their faces. "Yeah there is a guy back home, we were engaged and stuff, but before I left he broke it off. His name is Jeremy, but we all called him Buddha. The summer before I left I had some trouble with these two guys, Shoe and Frost. Shoe wanted to date me and I said no, so one night he and Frost jumped Jeremy and me as we was coming home from a date. They soaked him good and Jeremy's brother Josh blamed me for it.
Well after that I had gone back to my uncle's farm, but when Cray came to get me to see Jeremy my uncle threw me out. He never approved of Jeremy or of me working as a newsie in town. Said it wasn't proper. Well after me and Cray got back into town I saw Jeremy and he said that he no longer loved me and didn't want to marry me anymore. And the next day Cray, Swan and I all split town.
I am worried about what Jeremy is going to do if I show up with a boyfriend, and what my uncle is going to say to me. I saw the telegram, he is only asking for the guys, not me. I guess I am a bit anxious, but who knows it might all work out anyway."
Mills looked down at her plate, "Kit I didn't realize that your troubles had started before Baltimore. Well if youse don't want to go out to the farm I'd be happy to stay with youse in town."
"So would I, I am not sure I want to meet your uncle, even if he is the guy's father."
"Sid isn't a horrible man. I know he loved me in some odd fashion, otherwise he wouldn't have been so worried, but he has ideas about life that he won't change. That is probably why we never really got along." Kit explained before changing the subject, "Well I am done, and it is almost noon. Want to go see how the guys are thriving back there?"
Mills broke into a wicked smile and Tack nodded in agreement, "Sure why not." The girls left the money for their meal on the table and headed back to their seats. They all felt a bit closer now and were feeling quite relaxed from a morning without the guys or the children screaming in their ears.
What waited for them back at their seats was a shock. Instead of three exhausted guys and four bored children they found four children crowded around Cray who was reading and Spot and Swan playing war. The two guys playing cards were happy to include the girls and soon they were playing poker. The afternoon went well, the kids still asked their why questions, but they didn't whine about being bored or fight amongst themselves. The girls were amazed until it was time to put the kids to bed.
"Spot." Jolly motioned for the older boy to come over then asked in a stage whisper. "When do wes get our nickels?"
Kit heard the question and looked at Spot waiting for his answer.
"Jolly youse not supposed to say anything." Spot tried unsuccessfully to dodge Kit's questioning look.
"Jolly what did the guys promise you nickels for?" Kit sat down on Jolly's bench and pulled him into her lap.
"Well after they saw youse goils was gone they told us if wes behaved and didn't whine or ask to many questions wes could get a nickel each."
Kit fought to keep a smile off her face, "Oh really. Well you know what. If you all behave until we get to off the train you'll get a nickel each day we have left. But if not, Spot still owes you guys your nickel for today. Sound good to all of you?"
All of the kids nodded while Spot looked a bit put out.
"Now Spot you told these kids if they behaved they would get a nickel, they behaved they deserve their nickel. So if they continue to behave why can't they get more nickels? I am not sure I like bribing them to behave but it is better than the alternative. Ain't it?"
"yeah sure. You aren't the one out the money."
"Should have thought of that before hand." Kit smirked before settling down on her bench next to Bait. Spot glared but didn't say anything more as the kids all drifted off to sleep.