Disclaimers: After all this, I STILL don't own those sexy newsboys.
Chapter Twenty
After three weeks, Moira had still not adjusted to living in Maine. For starters, she didn't like living by the water, and never had- even in Boston. Secondly, she was lonely. Elizabeth sent her two letters a week, but it wasn't the same as having someone around she could actually talk to.
She was living in the teachers quarters of the school, which was empty due to summer term. It was nice to finally live by herself, but very quiet. Life with the newsies had taught her to appreciate silence when she had it- but now it was drowning her. The other teachers were very kind and hospitable, but Moira really had no one that she could connect with, no one to be friends with.
It was cold, too. The third week of June, and it was cold. Not freezing, but cool enough that Moira needed a sweater if she wanted to walk around town. The only positive aspect of Portland was how well she was being paid for not doing anything at all. She was making twenty dollars a week, simply for being there, living at the school. She found it odd, not to mention an obscene amount of money, but said nothing, not wanting to upset anyone.
It was raining. Moira had wanted to go down town to buy another set of stationery, to send the boys a letter, but if it was raining, there was no point. She sat down at the table in her apartment and dealt out a game of solitaire. Wishing she was loosing at poker, she placed the red seven on the black eight. There was knock on the door, she rose and opened it, surprised to see the postman, handing her not only the usual letter that came on Saturdays, but a medium-sized box.
She thanked him and tore open the letter, deciding to read it aloud to herself, just hear someone speaking,
"Dearest Moira,
I realize that you may find my rush of correspondence a bit alarming, being as we have only met one time. But I look upon you as a friend, and I have a feeling you may be a bit lonely up in Portland.
New York misses you, my dear Moira Bailey. I have been spending more time in Manhattan lately, looking for your Jack and David. I am sad to report that I haven't been able to find either. I even went as far as to ask one of the other newsies if they knew them, but he told me that they had gone to Santa Fe. Perhaps that makes sense to you, I couldn't make anything of it.
Very well, onto the box. I saw it in a little shop when I was in Paris a few months ago and immediately thought of you. It will look beautiful on you. Enjoy it, and wear it when you visit New York.
Fondly,
Elizabeth"
Moira set the letter down. Jack and David had gone to Santa Fe? Jack and David had gone to Santa Fe? She sat down for a minute, absorbing the information. They had just gone? Just like that? Scanning the words over again, Moira suddenly felt foolish. She had just packed up and left, without a moment's notice to anyone, where did it say they weren't allowed to do the same? In a way, she thought, it made a bit of sense. Jack had always wanted to go to Santa Fe- that's where he got his nickname, Cowboy, after all, so it made sense that he would go after all these years. But David? David, with his love of books and sensible thinking…what good would he be on a ranch? There were two sorts of people in this world; the sort who worked with their minds, and those who worked with their hands. Jack was the latter , he would fair fine in New Mexico. But David…that just confused her to no end.
Still puzzled, Moira put the letter aside and turned her attention to the box that had accompanied the letter. She lifted the lid and pushed away the paper that rested on top, to reveal a square of pink, lacy fabric. Moira pulled the fabric out of the box by the corners and realized it was a summer dress. Quite a beautiful summer dress, that was the color the orchids in Central Park. She took it to the mirror and held it up to herself, admiring it. With a small smile, Moira quickly changed into her new dress and looked at herself in the mirror.
It was light pink with a pink lace overlay, short capped sleeves, and lace at the bottom where it just grazed the floor. She had seen somewhere that the 'new trend' in Paris was the straight skirt, something that she had never worn. Twirling around, Moira saw that the skirt stayed put, and did not flare out in the slightest. It was kind of an odd feeling. She giggled, realizing how stupid she must look, spinning around in front of a mirror, and changed back into the clothes she had been wearing.
She sat down and glanced over the letter again. Jack and David had gone to Santa Fe. Enjoy it, and wear it when you visit New York. Elizabeth's words of parting. Moira looked at the words, then at the dress they were referring too. Wear it when you visit New York. She sighed and looked out the window- when would that be?
***
Jack wanted to die. He'd been in Santa Fe for almost a month and his body had yet to adjust to the new schedule he and David had to follow. They woke up at four-thirty, splashed cold water on their faces, ate breakfast, and then were sent to work until five thirty with the other ranch-hands, doing daily chores and working with the cattle.
He didn't mind ranching, and the open space of Santa Fe was breathtaking after spending eighteen years in New York City. However, waking up before dawn and working under the scorching sun all day was not making him a happy ranch-hand. Now, Jack had expected to work, there was no doubt about it, he knew that he would have to 'earn his keep,' but sheer exhaustion- stumbling into bed too tired to move, was something he hadn't counted on. He liked to work- but not having the need to fall over and never get up again would be nice.
David, on the other hand, had completely shocked him. He loved Santa Fe. Jack had never seen him so happy after working so hard. Of course, Jack rarely saw David anymore. The family whose ranch they were hired onto had a daughter, Kora. She was quite pretty, long curly hair, brown eyes, and she loved to read- which was perfect for David- needless to say, they were hardly ever apart. Jack didn't mind, it was good for David to get his mind off of Moira.
Moira. Jack was doing his best not to think of her. How soft her hands always were, the smell of her hair, her laugh, her eyes…he slammed another nail into the fence he'd been mending. Thinking about Moira was painful. So was breaking you back underneath the blazing sun for twelve hours a day- but at the moment, he'd take physical pain over emotional.
He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and looked at the long line of fence he had yet to fix. It seemed to go on for miles. And beyond the fence were just miles more of open space. Miles and miles of nothing. Jack stared off down the row of fence. If the sun was hot enough, and he hadn't been drinking enough water, he could almost see the old skyline in the distance. Perhaps he missed it more than he'd thought. Jack quickly shook the thought from his head and pounded another nail into the fence. He was in Santa Fe, now, where he'd always dreamt of going. He was there now. And that's where he planned to stay.
***
"So how are you, my dear girl?" Elizabeth asked, two weeks into Moira's first semester. She was standing by the windows, watching Moira drum her fingers on the end table to the right of the cream sofa.
"Fine, I suppose. Nothing out of the ordinary. How are you?"
"Oh, just frustrated. I've gotten another letter from that damn painter in Paris." Moira had to laugh, Elizabeth's life was full of international lovers and admirers, it amazed her.
"What did he want this time?"
"Me to marry him. Can you believe it?"
"How this one approach you?"
"Just another letter filled with senseless poetry and promises he can't keep." Elizabeth produced a letter from her silk bag and set it in front of Moira, who skimmed it, laughing.
"You never cease to amaze me, Elizabeth, never."
"Why is that, my sweet?"
"You have men all over the world contending for your affections, how do you keep up with all of them?"
"Darling, the trick is not to get attached to any of them. It's very easy to forget someone you never let yourself care about." Moira sighed at that and stared out the window, where it was raining again,
"I wish I could do that."
"Goodness." Elizabeth sat next to her friend on the couch. "You're not still upset about that newsie chap, are you?" Silence, and a look from Moira told her all she needed to know. She sighed and took another letter from her clutch, "Your postman gave this to me to bring to you. Maybe it's good news." She added hopefully.
Checking the postmark, Moira sighed and slid her nail under the seal, breaking it and pulling out the letter. A glance at the loopy handwriting told her it was from her mother- and a letter from her mother was rarely good news. She read it quickly and then passed it to Elizabeth with mixed emotions.
"She's getting married again?" Her British friend asked, confused.
"Yes. That's what she says. To a baron. A titled English gentleman- as if I would expect anything less for Kathryn." Moira told her, not sure if she felt bitter or just generally upset. This wasn't surprising. Kathryn Kloppman- Bailey was not one to go very long without being on a man's arm.
"Well, what's wrong with that?"
"I don't know." She sighed again. "Mother's gone. Jack's gone. David's gone. Sarah's gone…I just feel like my life in New York meant nothing at all."
"You mustn't say things like that!" Elizabeth scolded, taking Moira's hands. "Of course it meant something. You fell in love! You made best friends…you met me for goodness sakes!" They laughed for a minute before sobering again. "You're not happy here, are you?" Moira shook her head, feeling tears come to her eyes. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, my dear, sweet, lovely Moira. Well, if you're not happy, then there is absolutely no reason why you have to stay here."
Moira pulled away, "what are you talking about?" She asked, confused.
"I'm talking about finding you a replacement, hiring you at my school, and bringing you home. To New York. Where you belong."
"Elizabeth! It's not that easy! I have to stay here- I have a job now, remember?" Moira exclaimed, frustrated.
"Yes, a job at a school that is in a partnership with the school that I happen to be headmistress of."
"What are you implying?" She asked, watching helplessly as Elizabeth stood up, straightened her suit, and started toward the door.
"Wait here. I shall return." The young redheaded woman told her mysteriously, closing the door behind her without another word…
Three hours later, Elizabeth strolled back into the apartment to find Moira playing solitaire in udder boredom.
"You have to stay until they can find a replacement." She told her in way of greeting.
"Well how long will that be?"
"They said they will most likely have someone as early as the end of October." Elizabeth wore a smile of victory as Moira stood up and hugged her. She was leaving Maine, she was going to be a teacher at Sutherton, and she was goin home.
***
As David strolled into the room he and Jack were sharing one night in early September, he saw his roommate throwing things into a beaten up suitcase.
"What are you doing?" He asked, startling his packing companion. Jack shrugged. "You're leaving?"
"Looks dat way don't it?" Jack replied, with an air of sarcasm and threw his last shirt into this case before closing it up.
"Why? I thought you loved it here. I thought…"
"Well, ya t'ought wrong, Davey."
"You don't like it here?"
"I don't know. Santa Fe…just ain't wad I t'ought it would be, ya know?" David nodded, slowly with understanding.
"Where are you going to go?"
"Where else?" Jack laughed. "Bein' out here made me realize wad a true New Yorker I am." It was David's turn to laugh,
"A true New Yorker, huh?"
"T'rough and t'rough."
"Do the Masons know you're leaving?" He asked, referring to the family who owned the ranch.
"Yeah. I talked ta Mr. Mason taday. They gots enough help with me gone- not ta worry."
"Do you have money for a ticket home?"
"Davey- stop worryin' so much! I gots everyt'ing unda control." Jack sighed and looked around the room. "So I guess de only question I gots is are ya comin' wid me?"
David pursed his lips together. It would be good to go home again, to see his family and all the other newsies- but something inside him told him that his home wasn't there anymore. Out here, he was in no one's shadow, he could work as hard as he wanted without anyone worrying about him…and he had Kora out here. "No. I think I'll stay here." The two men smiled at one another, "thanks for the offer though."
"Anytime, Davey, anytime." Jack extended his hand, but quickly dropped it and pulled David into a hug. "Take care of yaself."
"You too." They let each other go, and Jack picked up his suitcase and headed out the door.
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Mreh- I know that I'm way overly critical, but I don't like this chapter much. And, looking at the last line…I don't like it at all. But LORD! This thing followed me around like Samara in The Ring. Not fun. And now it's over. And I'm on to chapter 21. Enjoy, and as always, REVIEW!
