Chapter 5
Kit has been married to Spot for four months and has quit working as a newsie. She is now babysitting for single working mothers and cleaning the Manhattan and Brooklyn Lodging houses twice a month. This way she earns money and sees all the boys she loves.
The sun shines through the windows of the riverside apartment that she and Spot live in together. It is nine in the morning and Kit is just waking up. She curses herself as she crawls out of the warm bed and gets dressed. It was the fourth time this week she had slept late. Normally she would wake up with Spot, who still works for The World as a newsie, and clean up the apartment before setting off to baby-sit.
After several minutes of searching, she finds her pants under the large king size bed. She remembers that she is cleaning the lodging house in Manhattan today and wonders whether or not she should do it. She is feeling sick to her stomach again today and is sure Kloppman will understand. Kit shakes that thought out of her mind as she washes her face and pulls on her suspenders. It's in the back of her mind to see a doctor but she figures it's just a stomach virus that's been going around. She pulls her hair up into an untidy ponytail on the top of her head, and shoves her cap on just as she leaves her apartment.
She brushes an escaped lock of chocolate hair out of her face as she crosses a street and greets Spot with a kiss.
"Moinin' sweet 'eart. Where ya off to taday?"
Kit squints up at the sky and places her hands on her hips, "Moinin'? It's almost eleven. I slept late agin'." She smiles at him, "I'm goin' ta Man'attan taday. So I prolly won' be home til late. You know how dos' boys are."
Spot kisses her nose, "I'm shoire your jus' tired from all da woik you'se been doin lately. Yeah, I know how dos' boys are. Have fun."
((
Kit is half-way across the Brooklyn Bridge before she starts to get tired. This walk was beginning to stretch out for miles in front of her. She pushes her tiredness aside and arrives in Manhattan just in time for lunch.
Tibby's is packed by the time Mush and Race walk in for lunch. They both pull up chairs at a table with Blink, Jack, Snipeshooter and a few other boys.
Mush sits down and orders a sandwich, "Anyone hoid from Kit lately?"
Most of the boys just shake their heads no but Blink smiles, "She's sposed ta be cleanin' da lodging house ta day."
"Ya know what dat means boys?" Race's smile brightens as the group says in unison, "Dinna"
A boy walks into the restaurant looking tired and worn out, the Manhattan group turns to look at him. Mush lets out a low-whistle, "wonda' what happened to him."
"Yeah, he looks loik he got woiked ova' pretty bad." Race interjects.
As if the boy was waiting for his cue, he takes off his hat and long chocolate brown curls tumble past his shoulders.
Mush jumps up, "It's Kit." He rushes over to her, catches her just as she is about to faint, and carries her over to the table.
Jack wipes her face with a cool rag and helps her drink a glass of water. "Kit what's wrong wit' you? You look worn out."
"It's jus' da heat." She downs a glass of water and sighs seemingly back to normal. "You boys hoid about any type of virus goin' around lately?"
Jack shakes his head along with the other boys, "Nah, not us. Why?"
"Well, I've been sick lately." She looks at the worried boys, "Nah, not like dat but jus'.well I don' know. I've been wakin' up late all week. It's like I haven' got no energy no mores. And I've been real sick ta me stomach." She looks at Jack's smirk, as it soon spreads to the entire table, and she frowns.
Jack turns to a small kid, "Hey, I'se gonna give you'se two bits if you'se run ta Brooklyn and get Spot Conlon for me. Just tell him dat Jack needs ta toilk to him immediately." The kid runs off in the direction of Brooklyn.
Kit looks at Jack and the rest of the boys with speculation turning Race, "Explain dere odd behaviah, please." Race leans over and whispers something in her ear that no one else can hear. Kit gasps and looks at him shaking her head, "no."
Race smiles and hugs her, "Yes.yes yes yes."
***
Spot is sitting at the docks talking with Tip when a little boy runs up to him. Spot looks at the boy in question.
"Jack Kelley sent me heah. You'se are needed in Man'attan immediately. Kit came inta Tibby's and almost passed out."
Spot jumps up and is running by the time his feet touch the ground.
***
Spot slides into restaurant, sees Kit and runs over to her. Kneeling down in front of her and taking her flushed face in his hands, he sighs in relief, "T'ank God you'se alroight." Kit just smiles at him and brushes a lock of dirty blond hair off his forehead. Spot turns to Jack, puzzled, "What was da emoigency?"
Jack just smiles and Race speaks for him, "Ask ya li'l wife dere."
Kit laughs softly and begins ta cry, "I'm goin' ta have a baby - We are goin' ta have a baby."
Spot just stands in shock for a moment. A baby, wow. My li'l wife is goin' ta have a baby.a baby? Skittery jumps up and slides a chair underneath Spot just as he sits down heavily. "A baby?" his voice so quiet Kit has to lean in to hear him.
Her face falls from a delicate smile to a worried frown, "You don' wanna baby, Spot?
Spot kisses her hard on the mouth, "Don' you eva' think that. Eva! I want dis baby more din anyt'ing."
The table erupts in cheers as Spot hugs his wife tightly.
Kit smiles, "Well boys, I betta be getting' to woik, You'se all are messy." She stands and Spot grabs her hand.
"Oh no you'se don'. You moight hoit your self or sumt'in'"
Kit just pats his hand, "I'll be fine." She then turns and heads off in the direction of the lodging house.
***
Months pass as Kit's abdomen grows. When she is five months along, she is showing enough that everyone knows.
Kit wakes up at eight thirty on Saturday, crawls out of bed and looks for the heavy wool skirt Mrs. Jacobs had given her. December has snuck up on her and her boy's pants don't look decent. She braids her hair into two French braids and then sets off to see Spot.
After saying good morning to Spot, much to Spot's disapproval, she walks in the direction of Manhattan. Spot doesn't want her working anymore but she insists. They do, after all, need the money.
Kit walks into the lodging house to see all the boys there. "What's going on?" She pushes through the sea of boys and into Kloppman's room and office. Jack is standing next to Kloppman who is lying on the bed, taken over with pneumonia. "Jack, what's wrong with him?"
Jack wipes his eyes, "He's dying Kit. He caught pneumonia and now he's dying."
Kit bounds across the room, as quick as she can due to her current condition, "You can't die. You have all dese boys ta take care of, what about dem?" kneels by his bed.
Kloppman takes her small warm hand into his large cold one, "Take over the Lodging house for me. You can cook and they all love you so much already." He moves her hand and places it on her swollen abdomen, "with every death in the world there is a birth. Take care of your baby, love it with all your heart, and keep it safe." The old man takes in his last breath and his wrinkled hand goes limp as Kit holds it.
Kit stands as Jack opens his arms to her, gently stroking her hair to calm her sobbing, "shh.it's alright." Jack holds her for a few minutes before leading her out into the lobby and closing the door behind him. He passes Kit over to Mush and Race. "Blink I want you to call the funeral home, Kloppman has passed away." Most of the boys cross themselves and walk out of the lodging house. Jack runs a hand over his eyes as Blink leaves.
The only sound now is Kit's muffled sobs.
***
Kit agreed to run the lodging house after she had talked it over with Spot. He and Kit are now living at the lodging house, in the owner's quarters at the back of the house. They have their king size bed in the largest bedroom and their own washroom connected to it. Spot is looking for work in Manhattan and is working as a newsie until he finds one.
After Kloppman's funeral, everyone heads back to the lodging house. Kit cooks dinner and they all sit down to a silent meal.
***
Medda hosts a New Year's Eve party at Irving hall and invites, as usual, everyone.
Kit sits at the front desk of the lodging house, her feet propped up on a stool and a newspaper resting on her swollen belly as she reads it.
Jack walks into the lodging house, kisses Kit's cheek and leans against the desk. "Guess what."
Kit sits up and puts the newspaper on the desk, smiling, "What?"
"Medda is holding her annuahl New Year's Eve party at Irving hall. Aren' ya excited?"
"Ecstatic." Kit stands, puts a hand to her back, and walks into the kitchen. "How does spaghetti sound for dinna?"
"Wondafuhl. Why do I do I doubt dat foist ruhmahrk?"
"Jack look at me. I'm not da prettiest goil in Man'attan anymor'.
Jack looks at her long brown curls, red lips, sapphire eyes and swollen belly, "Kit the on'y t'ing dat has changed about ya is da child dat is growin in you. Which makes you'se all da mor' beautuhfuhl." He hugs her and then walks out of the lodging how, yelling over his shoulder, "chocolate cake please."
She laughs and throws an oven mitt at him, then walks up the stairs to pick up the bunkroom and washroom before the rest of the boys get there.
***
On Friday Kit, Spot and the rest of the boys head off to Irving hall. Kit is wearing a pretty blue dress, her hair pulled up halfway and a permanent look of laughter in her eyes. The boys chatter on about nothing in particular as Kit squeezes Spot's hand in excitement. It is the first time Kit had been out since getting married.
The noisy group of boys walks into the Hall and scatters in different directions, each looking for a dance partner and setting off to the dance floor. A group of boys from Queens walks up to Spot and Kit. Kit takes in a sharp breath as they walk up. Spot glares at them hard, "Yeah, what do you want?"
The leader of the small group speaks up holds up his hands in innocence, "Nuttin' Spot, we'se was just wonderin' who the beutuhfuhl goil you have with you was. Dat's all."
Kit looks at them in disbelief. Did they really not recognize her?
Spot smirks, "I would loik you'se all ta meet my wife, Kit O'Connell- Conlon."
Kit smiles brightly and puts her hand out to shake, "How do ya do boys? I believe we've already met."
The boys numbly shake her hand, "It..you..how? You look diffuhrent." Glancing down at her stomach.
"Hmm." Kit puts a hand to her swollen belly and says with sarcasm, "Really now? I didn' even notice."
Spot smiles and leads her away to sit at a table.
The night dwindles slowly as Kit watches everyone dancing, with envy. Finally, feeling too tired to stay at the party much longer, Kit whispers to Spot, who is in the middle of a Poker game, "I'm famished, see ya at home?"
Spot turns and kisses her cheek, "ya want me ta get someone ta take ya"
"Nah, I'll be fine." Kit then kisses him and leaves the hall, heading straight for the lodging house.
Kit has been married to Spot for four months and has quit working as a newsie. She is now babysitting for single working mothers and cleaning the Manhattan and Brooklyn Lodging houses twice a month. This way she earns money and sees all the boys she loves.
The sun shines through the windows of the riverside apartment that she and Spot live in together. It is nine in the morning and Kit is just waking up. She curses herself as she crawls out of the warm bed and gets dressed. It was the fourth time this week she had slept late. Normally she would wake up with Spot, who still works for The World as a newsie, and clean up the apartment before setting off to baby-sit.
After several minutes of searching, she finds her pants under the large king size bed. She remembers that she is cleaning the lodging house in Manhattan today and wonders whether or not she should do it. She is feeling sick to her stomach again today and is sure Kloppman will understand. Kit shakes that thought out of her mind as she washes her face and pulls on her suspenders. It's in the back of her mind to see a doctor but she figures it's just a stomach virus that's been going around. She pulls her hair up into an untidy ponytail on the top of her head, and shoves her cap on just as she leaves her apartment.
She brushes an escaped lock of chocolate hair out of her face as she crosses a street and greets Spot with a kiss.
"Moinin' sweet 'eart. Where ya off to taday?"
Kit squints up at the sky and places her hands on her hips, "Moinin'? It's almost eleven. I slept late agin'." She smiles at him, "I'm goin' ta Man'attan taday. So I prolly won' be home til late. You know how dos' boys are."
Spot kisses her nose, "I'm shoire your jus' tired from all da woik you'se been doin lately. Yeah, I know how dos' boys are. Have fun."
((
Kit is half-way across the Brooklyn Bridge before she starts to get tired. This walk was beginning to stretch out for miles in front of her. She pushes her tiredness aside and arrives in Manhattan just in time for lunch.
Tibby's is packed by the time Mush and Race walk in for lunch. They both pull up chairs at a table with Blink, Jack, Snipeshooter and a few other boys.
Mush sits down and orders a sandwich, "Anyone hoid from Kit lately?"
Most of the boys just shake their heads no but Blink smiles, "She's sposed ta be cleanin' da lodging house ta day."
"Ya know what dat means boys?" Race's smile brightens as the group says in unison, "Dinna"
A boy walks into the restaurant looking tired and worn out, the Manhattan group turns to look at him. Mush lets out a low-whistle, "wonda' what happened to him."
"Yeah, he looks loik he got woiked ova' pretty bad." Race interjects.
As if the boy was waiting for his cue, he takes off his hat and long chocolate brown curls tumble past his shoulders.
Mush jumps up, "It's Kit." He rushes over to her, catches her just as she is about to faint, and carries her over to the table.
Jack wipes her face with a cool rag and helps her drink a glass of water. "Kit what's wrong wit' you? You look worn out."
"It's jus' da heat." She downs a glass of water and sighs seemingly back to normal. "You boys hoid about any type of virus goin' around lately?"
Jack shakes his head along with the other boys, "Nah, not us. Why?"
"Well, I've been sick lately." She looks at the worried boys, "Nah, not like dat but jus'.well I don' know. I've been wakin' up late all week. It's like I haven' got no energy no mores. And I've been real sick ta me stomach." She looks at Jack's smirk, as it soon spreads to the entire table, and she frowns.
Jack turns to a small kid, "Hey, I'se gonna give you'se two bits if you'se run ta Brooklyn and get Spot Conlon for me. Just tell him dat Jack needs ta toilk to him immediately." The kid runs off in the direction of Brooklyn.
Kit looks at Jack and the rest of the boys with speculation turning Race, "Explain dere odd behaviah, please." Race leans over and whispers something in her ear that no one else can hear. Kit gasps and looks at him shaking her head, "no."
Race smiles and hugs her, "Yes.yes yes yes."
***
Spot is sitting at the docks talking with Tip when a little boy runs up to him. Spot looks at the boy in question.
"Jack Kelley sent me heah. You'se are needed in Man'attan immediately. Kit came inta Tibby's and almost passed out."
Spot jumps up and is running by the time his feet touch the ground.
***
Spot slides into restaurant, sees Kit and runs over to her. Kneeling down in front of her and taking her flushed face in his hands, he sighs in relief, "T'ank God you'se alroight." Kit just smiles at him and brushes a lock of dirty blond hair off his forehead. Spot turns to Jack, puzzled, "What was da emoigency?"
Jack just smiles and Race speaks for him, "Ask ya li'l wife dere."
Kit laughs softly and begins ta cry, "I'm goin' ta have a baby - We are goin' ta have a baby."
Spot just stands in shock for a moment. A baby, wow. My li'l wife is goin' ta have a baby.a baby? Skittery jumps up and slides a chair underneath Spot just as he sits down heavily. "A baby?" his voice so quiet Kit has to lean in to hear him.
Her face falls from a delicate smile to a worried frown, "You don' wanna baby, Spot?
Spot kisses her hard on the mouth, "Don' you eva' think that. Eva! I want dis baby more din anyt'ing."
The table erupts in cheers as Spot hugs his wife tightly.
Kit smiles, "Well boys, I betta be getting' to woik, You'se all are messy." She stands and Spot grabs her hand.
"Oh no you'se don'. You moight hoit your self or sumt'in'"
Kit just pats his hand, "I'll be fine." She then turns and heads off in the direction of the lodging house.
***
Months pass as Kit's abdomen grows. When she is five months along, she is showing enough that everyone knows.
Kit wakes up at eight thirty on Saturday, crawls out of bed and looks for the heavy wool skirt Mrs. Jacobs had given her. December has snuck up on her and her boy's pants don't look decent. She braids her hair into two French braids and then sets off to see Spot.
After saying good morning to Spot, much to Spot's disapproval, she walks in the direction of Manhattan. Spot doesn't want her working anymore but she insists. They do, after all, need the money.
Kit walks into the lodging house to see all the boys there. "What's going on?" She pushes through the sea of boys and into Kloppman's room and office. Jack is standing next to Kloppman who is lying on the bed, taken over with pneumonia. "Jack, what's wrong with him?"
Jack wipes his eyes, "He's dying Kit. He caught pneumonia and now he's dying."
Kit bounds across the room, as quick as she can due to her current condition, "You can't die. You have all dese boys ta take care of, what about dem?" kneels by his bed.
Kloppman takes her small warm hand into his large cold one, "Take over the Lodging house for me. You can cook and they all love you so much already." He moves her hand and places it on her swollen abdomen, "with every death in the world there is a birth. Take care of your baby, love it with all your heart, and keep it safe." The old man takes in his last breath and his wrinkled hand goes limp as Kit holds it.
Kit stands as Jack opens his arms to her, gently stroking her hair to calm her sobbing, "shh.it's alright." Jack holds her for a few minutes before leading her out into the lobby and closing the door behind him. He passes Kit over to Mush and Race. "Blink I want you to call the funeral home, Kloppman has passed away." Most of the boys cross themselves and walk out of the lodging house. Jack runs a hand over his eyes as Blink leaves.
The only sound now is Kit's muffled sobs.
***
Kit agreed to run the lodging house after she had talked it over with Spot. He and Kit are now living at the lodging house, in the owner's quarters at the back of the house. They have their king size bed in the largest bedroom and their own washroom connected to it. Spot is looking for work in Manhattan and is working as a newsie until he finds one.
After Kloppman's funeral, everyone heads back to the lodging house. Kit cooks dinner and they all sit down to a silent meal.
***
Medda hosts a New Year's Eve party at Irving hall and invites, as usual, everyone.
Kit sits at the front desk of the lodging house, her feet propped up on a stool and a newspaper resting on her swollen belly as she reads it.
Jack walks into the lodging house, kisses Kit's cheek and leans against the desk. "Guess what."
Kit sits up and puts the newspaper on the desk, smiling, "What?"
"Medda is holding her annuahl New Year's Eve party at Irving hall. Aren' ya excited?"
"Ecstatic." Kit stands, puts a hand to her back, and walks into the kitchen. "How does spaghetti sound for dinna?"
"Wondafuhl. Why do I do I doubt dat foist ruhmahrk?"
"Jack look at me. I'm not da prettiest goil in Man'attan anymor'.
Jack looks at her long brown curls, red lips, sapphire eyes and swollen belly, "Kit the on'y t'ing dat has changed about ya is da child dat is growin in you. Which makes you'se all da mor' beautuhfuhl." He hugs her and then walks out of the lodging how, yelling over his shoulder, "chocolate cake please."
She laughs and throws an oven mitt at him, then walks up the stairs to pick up the bunkroom and washroom before the rest of the boys get there.
***
On Friday Kit, Spot and the rest of the boys head off to Irving hall. Kit is wearing a pretty blue dress, her hair pulled up halfway and a permanent look of laughter in her eyes. The boys chatter on about nothing in particular as Kit squeezes Spot's hand in excitement. It is the first time Kit had been out since getting married.
The noisy group of boys walks into the Hall and scatters in different directions, each looking for a dance partner and setting off to the dance floor. A group of boys from Queens walks up to Spot and Kit. Kit takes in a sharp breath as they walk up. Spot glares at them hard, "Yeah, what do you want?"
The leader of the small group speaks up holds up his hands in innocence, "Nuttin' Spot, we'se was just wonderin' who the beutuhfuhl goil you have with you was. Dat's all."
Kit looks at them in disbelief. Did they really not recognize her?
Spot smirks, "I would loik you'se all ta meet my wife, Kit O'Connell- Conlon."
Kit smiles brightly and puts her hand out to shake, "How do ya do boys? I believe we've already met."
The boys numbly shake her hand, "It..you..how? You look diffuhrent." Glancing down at her stomach.
"Hmm." Kit puts a hand to her swollen belly and says with sarcasm, "Really now? I didn' even notice."
Spot smiles and leads her away to sit at a table.
The night dwindles slowly as Kit watches everyone dancing, with envy. Finally, feeling too tired to stay at the party much longer, Kit whispers to Spot, who is in the middle of a Poker game, "I'm famished, see ya at home?"
Spot turns and kisses her cheek, "ya want me ta get someone ta take ya"
"Nah, I'll be fine." Kit then kisses him and leaves the hall, heading straight for the lodging house.