"It's good to see you up and about, Kiddo," Jack said about 2 weeks
after Ella's illness.
"I would have gone crazy cooped up in that room if it hadn't been for
Blink and David," Ella said, laughing.
"I think we should celebrate, have a big reunion of all the Manhattan
newsies," David said as he got up to help Blink with the supper
dishes.
"Good idea Dave. We can get little "boidies" to get the word out.
We'll have it next week at Irving Hall. It'll be the biggest party the
newsies have had since the strike rally," Jack said eagerly.
"If we're going to have a party, I'll need to get some fabric for a
new dress. Do you know of a place where I could buy some?" Ella asked
handing Blink her plate.
"I knows a place, I'll take ya dere in da morning," Blink said with a
gentle smile that went all the way to his ice blue eye.
"Great! I'm pretty tired so I think I'll turn in now. 'Night
everybody."
Ella kissed her brother on the cheek and went to bed. The next day
Blink woke up bright and early and had breakfast waiting when Ella
came skipping in with a smile on her face. He noticed her clothing
matched her vibrant mood. She wore a white shirtwaist and a pale
yellow skirt. She had a small cluster of daisies pinned on her
shirtwaist.
"Good morning! Isn't it gorgeous outside today? I envy the birds. They
get to fly all over the city and see everything," Ella rambled.
"Good morning to you 2. I'm guessing you slept well. Why don't you
take a breath and have some breakfast," Blink said laughing at her
enthusiasm.
They cheerfully sat down and ate the breakfast Blink had fixed. After
they did the dishes, Blink escorted Ella to the dry goods store.
"What color fabric do you think I should get?" Ella said as she began
to prowl through the aisles of brightly colored fabrics.
"Why don't you get something in blue? Or white?"
"All right. You go sit outside. I want my dress to be a complete
surprise."
Half an hour later Ella emerged with a large lumpy bundle.
"Is there anything else you need?" Blink asked taking the package from
Ella and drawing her hand through the crook of his arm.
"Nothing I can think of."
"Let's go to Central Park and walk around. The flowers should be in
full bloom," Blink suggested.
"But don't you have to work?" Ella asked with a mischievous glint in
her sapphire blue eyes.
"Who cares about work? It's a beautiful day and I'm out with the
sweetest girl in the world and I'm gonna make da most of it. Come on!"
Blink said grapping her hand and dragging her with him as he ran down
the street, both laughing like little children. They spent the day
walking through the park, talking and laughing. When they finally
walked back to Blink's apartment, David was waiting outside.
"Hey Blink. Ella, could I talk to you for a minute?" David asked when
they reached the building.
"Sure Dave. Blink, why don't you take this stuff upstairs? I'll be
right up."
Blink nodded, eyeing David suspiciously.
"This won't take long," David said after Blink went into the building.
" I was just wondering if I could have the honor of escorting you to
the dance?"
"Well. umm." Ella stammered. If Blink wanted to take me, he would have
asked today. David is a sweet guy; he'd be fun to go to a party with.
She thought. "I'd love it if you would be my escort Dave," she said
firmly. "I'd love to stay and talk but I promised Blink I'd help cook
supper. I'll see you later."
"What did Dave want?" Blink asked when Ella entered the apartment.
"He offered to be my escort to the dance and I accepted, that's all,"
Ella said trying an apron over her skirt and started to cut up the
vegetables Blink had set on the table.
"You're going to the dance with Dave?"
"Well yes. I mean no one had asked me and I didn't want to not have an
escort to a party that was being held in my honor. Why do you have
that look on your face Blink? You look like a little kid whose dog
just died."
"No reason. I guess I didn't expect anyone to ask you to the dance is
all."
"WHY? Why would nobody ask me to the dance? Am I not pretty enough?
Not smart enough?" Ella said angrily, her temper getting the better of
her.
"No, that's not what I meant!" Blink said reaching over to make her
look at him.
"You know what, I'm going to bed," she said jerking away.
"Ella, wait, please let me explain."
"On second thought, I think I'll go see Sarah. Tell Jack I'll probably
stay there until the party," Ella said as she stuffed some clothes
into a carpetbag.
With out looking back she stormed out the door. She did stay with
Sarah until the party. The 2 girls spent the days working on their
dresses and becoming very good friends. Ella avoided Blink entirely.
On the night of dance David arrived promptly on time. Jack was with
him and they both whisked the girls Irving Hall for the party. Blink
was sitting at a table alone deep in thought when the 2 couples
entered. He grew angry at the sight of Ella's arm through David's, her
smiling and laughing with David like she had with him. He looked
around and found a girl who wasn't dancing and asked her to dance.
Ella scanned the hall trying to find Blink so she could apologize.
When she found him, all thoughts of apologizing flew out of her mind.
He was waltzing with a smiling honey blonde who was flirting
outrageously with him. What's more her was flirting back. Jealousy
reared its head; she grabbed David's hand and pulled him onto the
dance floor. It took her an hour of dancing to cool off. When she
finally did, she made up her mind to do in the first place.
"David, I've had a wonderful time, but I can't keep pretending. I
think I'm in love with Blink and I need to know if he loves me. Don't
be mad, you're one of my dearest friends but I have to be true to my
heart."
Kissing his cheek, Ella pushed her way through the crowd to find
Blink. When she finally found him he was up on the roof.
"Blink?" She said tentatively touching his shoulder.
"Ella? Oh God, I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you think I didn't
think you were pretty, because I think you're beautiful. I was just
surprised. I was planning to ask you when you came in."
"Blink-" Ella started.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you. I could kick myself for
hurting you. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you ,
because you are my life," he said as he leaned over and gave her the
sweetest, most loving kiss she had ever experienced. He continued on.
" If I didn't have you to love my heart would cease to beat. Will you
do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked holding out a simple
diamond ring.
"Oh Blink," she gasped tears of happiness in her eyes," Of course I'd
love nothing more than to marry you. I love you so much!"
" I love you too, Angel."
As she slipped the ring on, to Blink, she had never looked more
beautiful. The full moon cast a silvery light over the roof. Her light
brown hair seemed to take on a radiant glow. Her light blue dress made
her blue eyes, so full of love for him, seem like 2 sapphires to
Blink. Smiling, he leaned over and kissed her again, letting all the
emotions inside of him fill that kiss.
And as all good stories go,
They Lived Happily Ever After!
after Ella's illness.
"I would have gone crazy cooped up in that room if it hadn't been for
Blink and David," Ella said, laughing.
"I think we should celebrate, have a big reunion of all the Manhattan
newsies," David said as he got up to help Blink with the supper
dishes.
"Good idea Dave. We can get little "boidies" to get the word out.
We'll have it next week at Irving Hall. It'll be the biggest party the
newsies have had since the strike rally," Jack said eagerly.
"If we're going to have a party, I'll need to get some fabric for a
new dress. Do you know of a place where I could buy some?" Ella asked
handing Blink her plate.
"I knows a place, I'll take ya dere in da morning," Blink said with a
gentle smile that went all the way to his ice blue eye.
"Great! I'm pretty tired so I think I'll turn in now. 'Night
everybody."
Ella kissed her brother on the cheek and went to bed. The next day
Blink woke up bright and early and had breakfast waiting when Ella
came skipping in with a smile on her face. He noticed her clothing
matched her vibrant mood. She wore a white shirtwaist and a pale
yellow skirt. She had a small cluster of daisies pinned on her
shirtwaist.
"Good morning! Isn't it gorgeous outside today? I envy the birds. They
get to fly all over the city and see everything," Ella rambled.
"Good morning to you 2. I'm guessing you slept well. Why don't you
take a breath and have some breakfast," Blink said laughing at her
enthusiasm.
They cheerfully sat down and ate the breakfast Blink had fixed. After
they did the dishes, Blink escorted Ella to the dry goods store.
"What color fabric do you think I should get?" Ella said as she began
to prowl through the aisles of brightly colored fabrics.
"Why don't you get something in blue? Or white?"
"All right. You go sit outside. I want my dress to be a complete
surprise."
Half an hour later Ella emerged with a large lumpy bundle.
"Is there anything else you need?" Blink asked taking the package from
Ella and drawing her hand through the crook of his arm.
"Nothing I can think of."
"Let's go to Central Park and walk around. The flowers should be in
full bloom," Blink suggested.
"But don't you have to work?" Ella asked with a mischievous glint in
her sapphire blue eyes.
"Who cares about work? It's a beautiful day and I'm out with the
sweetest girl in the world and I'm gonna make da most of it. Come on!"
Blink said grapping her hand and dragging her with him as he ran down
the street, both laughing like little children. They spent the day
walking through the park, talking and laughing. When they finally
walked back to Blink's apartment, David was waiting outside.
"Hey Blink. Ella, could I talk to you for a minute?" David asked when
they reached the building.
"Sure Dave. Blink, why don't you take this stuff upstairs? I'll be
right up."
Blink nodded, eyeing David suspiciously.
"This won't take long," David said after Blink went into the building.
" I was just wondering if I could have the honor of escorting you to
the dance?"
"Well. umm." Ella stammered. If Blink wanted to take me, he would have
asked today. David is a sweet guy; he'd be fun to go to a party with.
She thought. "I'd love it if you would be my escort Dave," she said
firmly. "I'd love to stay and talk but I promised Blink I'd help cook
supper. I'll see you later."
"What did Dave want?" Blink asked when Ella entered the apartment.
"He offered to be my escort to the dance and I accepted, that's all,"
Ella said trying an apron over her skirt and started to cut up the
vegetables Blink had set on the table.
"You're going to the dance with Dave?"
"Well yes. I mean no one had asked me and I didn't want to not have an
escort to a party that was being held in my honor. Why do you have
that look on your face Blink? You look like a little kid whose dog
just died."
"No reason. I guess I didn't expect anyone to ask you to the dance is
all."
"WHY? Why would nobody ask me to the dance? Am I not pretty enough?
Not smart enough?" Ella said angrily, her temper getting the better of
her.
"No, that's not what I meant!" Blink said reaching over to make her
look at him.
"You know what, I'm going to bed," she said jerking away.
"Ella, wait, please let me explain."
"On second thought, I think I'll go see Sarah. Tell Jack I'll probably
stay there until the party," Ella said as she stuffed some clothes
into a carpetbag.
With out looking back she stormed out the door. She did stay with
Sarah until the party. The 2 girls spent the days working on their
dresses and becoming very good friends. Ella avoided Blink entirely.
On the night of dance David arrived promptly on time. Jack was with
him and they both whisked the girls Irving Hall for the party. Blink
was sitting at a table alone deep in thought when the 2 couples
entered. He grew angry at the sight of Ella's arm through David's, her
smiling and laughing with David like she had with him. He looked
around and found a girl who wasn't dancing and asked her to dance.
Ella scanned the hall trying to find Blink so she could apologize.
When she found him, all thoughts of apologizing flew out of her mind.
He was waltzing with a smiling honey blonde who was flirting
outrageously with him. What's more her was flirting back. Jealousy
reared its head; she grabbed David's hand and pulled him onto the
dance floor. It took her an hour of dancing to cool off. When she
finally did, she made up her mind to do in the first place.
"David, I've had a wonderful time, but I can't keep pretending. I
think I'm in love with Blink and I need to know if he loves me. Don't
be mad, you're one of my dearest friends but I have to be true to my
heart."
Kissing his cheek, Ella pushed her way through the crowd to find
Blink. When she finally found him he was up on the roof.
"Blink?" She said tentatively touching his shoulder.
"Ella? Oh God, I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you think I didn't
think you were pretty, because I think you're beautiful. I was just
surprised. I was planning to ask you when you came in."
"Blink-" Ella started.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you. I could kick myself for
hurting you. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you ,
because you are my life," he said as he leaned over and gave her the
sweetest, most loving kiss she had ever experienced. He continued on.
" If I didn't have you to love my heart would cease to beat. Will you
do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked holding out a simple
diamond ring.
"Oh Blink," she gasped tears of happiness in her eyes," Of course I'd
love nothing more than to marry you. I love you so much!"
" I love you too, Angel."
As she slipped the ring on, to Blink, she had never looked more
beautiful. The full moon cast a silvery light over the roof. Her light
brown hair seemed to take on a radiant glow. Her light blue dress made
her blue eyes, so full of love for him, seem like 2 sapphires to
Blink. Smiling, he leaned over and kissed her again, letting all the
emotions inside of him fill that kiss.
And as all good stories go,
They Lived Happily Ever After!