Memories Forgotten Will Always Be Remembered
Chapter 3
New Beginnings
Icy stared in disbelief as she walked through the door and dropped her trunk on the floor. The place was a madhouse! She wanted to scream and run back home. Spot came up behind her and hugged her shoulders.
"Geeze, what's dis?" he asked incredulously. "I knew dere was dis many goils on da street, but really... I didn't t'ink dat da bulls would get dem all so soon."
"T'anks, Spot," she replied sarcastically to her cousin. "I'm glad ya came wit' me, ya know... Ta give me moral support an' all."
He punched her shoulder playfully. "No problem! Just tell me when ya get ta know all dese goils... I might wanna get ta know 'em."
"How lovely!" She sat down on her trunk with a loud thud. "Just da motivation dat I need. I'm gonna be miserable enough. When am I gonna see ya? Or Davey? From what I hear about da manager heah, she ain't gonna allow anyt'ing 'impropah'. An' dat includes havin' boys anywheah around, I'm sure."
Spot kneeled down next to her. "Give it up, Icy. Remember, dese goils ain't like Ashley was before. Dey…knows about da streets as well as you do. Maybe ya can learn somethin' from dem. Give it a chance. But we really will miss ya."
Icy wanted to cry. Spot was never this gentle with her. Under normal circumstances, she was sure he would have yelled at her to suck it up and to be tough. She looked at him and realized suddenly that she was crying. Not trusting her own voice, she waited for him to say something.
"Suck it up, Icy!" he yelled suddenly, causing her to jump backwards on her trunk. Spot laughed and stood. "I knew ya was waitin' for dat!" he said. "I could see it in your eyes."
Icy screamed and tackled him.
"Ya bum!" she yelled. "I'm gonna soak ya!"
Spot just laughed and more than successfully held his own against the girl. Icy was so caught up in wrestling with her cousin that she didn't notice the approaching figure.
"Excuse me," the woman said. "Ahem! Excuse me! EXCUSE ME!"
Icy and Spot finally heard her and turned, looking up at her from their interesting positions. Spot jumped to his feet and mumbled an apology and Icy stood and pulled down her shirt, trying to smooth it and her hair at the same time.
The woman rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"I take it that you are the girl here?" she asked Icy in a patronizing tone.
Icy's face flushed as she nodded strongly. The woman cleared her throat and continued.
"Then now is the time you learn some manners. When you are asked a question, respond verbally and with respect. That includes saying 'ma'am' and 'sir', if you please, which we will make sure you do."
She tapped her foot and waited. "Excuse me, miss, but you still have not told me if you will be staying here."
Spot stepped forward. "If ya'd pardon me, I t'ink she did. Are ya blind or somethin'?"
"Young man," the woman replied in an frigidly, "if you try to undermine my authority, I feel that you will not be able to come back to visit your girlfriend." She emphasized the last word.
Icy stared in disbelief for the millionth time that day. "Goilfriend? Wha? Not a chance, lady. He's my cousin!"
"Regardless, he shan't be allowed to return unless it's at the proper visiting hours." The lady looked in the book she was carrying. "We don't have time to stand here arguing. Listen, I need your name so I can show you to your bunk before you cause anymore ruckus here. Your cousin may come up to help you put your things away, but then he must leave. Name please."
Icy sighed and shot a look of despair at Spot, who looked so angry that he couldn't speak. Icy knew her cousin well enough that she knew he would explode soon and she didn't want to have anyone around to see that.
"My name is Icy Conlon. I'm from da Brooklyn boys lodgin' house."
The woman looked in her book and smiled smugly.
"I see. Come along." She started to walk upstairs.
Icy and Spot looked at each other, Spot's eyes flashing angrily.
"Ya ain't goin' up dere!" he whispered fiercely. "Dere is no way I'se is gonna let ya stay heah! We didn't fight dis for so long ta give up! WHY DIDN'T YA LIE TA HER?"
Icy grabbed her trunk and walked quickly towards the stairs where the woman was waiting impatiently.
"Cause it wouldn't've solved nothin'. If ya'd t'ink about it, ya'd realize dat. Dey would've just found me again, ya know dat."
"I'll get ya out one day," Spot said. "I'll get ahold of Davey and Cowboy..." He trailed off as they got closer to the stairs. "We'll talk later."
The woman started up the stairs again. Without turning around, she said, "My name is Miss Miller. You may call me Miss Miller or ma'am and nothing else." They had arrived at the top of the stairs. "This way please, Miss Conlon," Miss Miller said, obvious contempt in her voice for Icy's last name.
The cousins followed her lead into a small, cramped bunkroom, filled with loud, and some crying, girls. Boys stood around, not knowing exactly what to do. Icy looked around in amazement.
"Dis cannot be happenin'," she whispered. "Tell me dis isn't happenin', Spot! I know some of these goils! And most of them I don't, but to live like dis!"
"We have more room back home," said a voice from behind them. Icy turned around and saw Thunder and Keaton. It was apparent that Thunder had been crying-- lines from her tears streaked her cheeks.
"I want to go back home," Thunder continued.
Miss Miller turned around and spoke harshly. "What? This is your home now, and you'd better get used to it! The government is just trying to help you out."
"Well, it's a stupid idea," said Keaton. "It's not gonna work."
"Young man," Miss Miller said, "isn't it time you left? I think it is. Let's see... Visiting hours are starting next Tuesday. You can come back after 7 pm, no earlier."
Thunder burst into tears. "You can't make him leave yet! I love him, no! You can't make him leave!"
She threw her arms around his waist and sobbed into his chest. "Just because you're bitter doesn't mean you have to run our lives like some sort of militia. No... Don't make him leave..."
Icy looked over at Spot. His face was red from what she knew to be suppressed anger. As tough as he was, Spot had a soft spot for people being treated unfairly. "It's de're fault dat dey make me angry," he had said once. "I can't help it dat I respond by bein' angry. Dey should know bettah dan ta do dat in front of me."
Icy focused her attention back on her friends. Miss Miller was actually trying to pry Thunder away from Keaton.
"Miss, he must go," Miss Miller was saying. Icy's gaze locked with Miss Miller's. "Miss Conlon, please, talk some sense into your friend!"
Icy gave Miss Miller a withering look and walked over to Thunder and Keaton.
"Thundah," she whispered softly. "It'll be all right. You can see him soon, tomorrow if you want to. Dey can't keep us locked up heah all day long. Dey gotta let us go, an' when dey do, we'll go straight home for a while. We'll sell wit' da boys. It'll be just da same! It'll be ok, Thundah, it's not like we'se gonna be all alone heah. We've got each othah."
Icy could see Thunder's grip on Keaton lessen. She stepped back as Thunder released him.
"I love ya," Thunder whispered softly.
"I love you, too," he said back.
Icy looked at Miss Miller.
"Can I please know what bunk is mine so I can put my stuff away?"
Miss Miller shrugged. "You're over in that side of the room. Pick a bed out of those four. I think your friend is over there somewhere. And, oh yes, both of you girls need to put on skirts. You can change over in the bathing room."
Spot stepped forward. "Skoits? Last time Icy wore a skoit, she almost fell ovah. She don't know how ta weah a skoit."
Miss Miller shrugged. "Doesn't matter. She'll have to learn. Now, Miss Conlon, if you'll kindly bring your trunk over there. Then say goodbye to your cousin, and you," she said to Thunder, "say goodbye to your boyfriend. Right now, if you please."
Icy grabbed her trunk and started pulling it across the room. She looked over her shoulder and saw Thunder tearily hug Keaton goodbye. Icy turned to her cousin.
"Spot, this is a maximum security prison! Visitin' hours? What's up wit' dat? And SKOITS?"
"Hey, don't worry," said a small girl before Spot could answer. "They're not so bad. The boys REALLY like them."
Her voice was smooth and seductive as she looked at Spot.
Icy shivered. "Good for da boys!" she retorted. "But really, Spot, I'm gonna hate it here. An' I'll miss all ya guys an' my old life."
Spot smiled. "We'll be heah for ya. Just call one of our names, and we'll come an' get ya out. Somehow."
He glanced down at the floor.
"I'd bettah get goin' in case dat witch ovah dere screws up my chances of 'visitin' you. Dis place is really lousy."
Icy wanted to cry again. "I'll see ya tomorrow, Spot. Wait for me, but not too long in case I can't make it. Distribution square. Yeah. Tell Davey ta come an' visit me sometime. An' everyone else. Tuesdays, 'aftah 7 pm, no earliah'," she mocked Miss Miller.
Spot gave her a light punch to her stomach.
"Cya latah, little goil."
He walked away and passed Thunder, who was walking away from Keaton's retreating figure.
Thunder approached Icy.
"That was hard," the girl whispered. "I nevah thought I'd hafta say goodbye ta him."
Icy put a comforting arm around Thunder's shoulder.
"It's not goobye, Thundah, it really ain't. We'll still be able ta sell wit' da boys an' be able ta see dem. We just won't be able ta... Live da same way. We hafta wear skoits now, but dat's ok! An' da only time we really won't be able ta see dem is at night. Unless we sneak out which is highly possible."
"Yeah, but Keaton won't be there, ya know? Sometimes ya just need ta be wit' someone, those times when ya wake up in da middle of da night an' just have a longin' to be held an' stuff, or ta just know dat if ya need dem they'll be there."
Thunder's voice rose in intensity. "Didn't you ever feel that wit' Davey?"
Icy looked at her friend in amazement. "Yeah, but ya gotta remembah, Davey is from Manhattan. I nevah gotta see 'im as much as you see Keaton. Even now, you'll still get ta see da guy dat ya like, youse boyfriend, more than I evah get to see Davey, cause at least youse both is in Brooklyn."
Thunder sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I forgot about dat. Well, if you've been able ta make it, I can make it too, right?"
"Yeah! So uh, which one is your bed?" Icy asked.
Thunder pointed to a bunk three rows over.
"I'm on da top bed. Some fallen goil is undahneath me. Her name is too long for me ta remembah, an' I don't know if I really wanna get to know her good enough ta know her name."
"How lovely," Icy replied in a dry voice. "Millah said I have ta be in one of these two bunks."
"Then hurry up an' put your sheet on one," Thunder said. "It doesn't look like anyone else is heah yet. An' I'd get a bottom bed, if ya have da chance."
Icy looked at the bunks. "I t'ink i'll get dis top one heah. It'll give me more privacy, ya know? I can just crawl up dere an' get away from people."
She walked over to her trunk and dragged it over to the end of the bunk. Pulling out her sheet, she said, "Heya, Thundah, help me wit' dis." The two girls succeeded in getting the sheet onto the bed.
When they finished, Icy sat down on the floor.
"I'm so tired for some reason. I have no idea why, eithah. I t'ink i'm just emotionally drained." She saw Miss Miller approaching and groaned. "Wait, don't tell me, I'm not allowed ta sit on da floor, right?" she said to Thundah, who giggled as Icy struggled to her feet.
"I see you have most of your things situated. Unfortunately, your unit mates haven't arrived, so you'll have to be by yourself tonight. Dinner is at 7, so be there if you want to eat. After that is a meeting for you girls that are here, which you are required to attend. You may not leave or be out of the lodging house after 11 pm. But until the meeting tonight, you are free to leave, as long as you wear a skirt." Miss Miller sounded like a machine, rattling off all the things she was required to.
"We can go anywheah as long as we'se is back by 8?" Icy asked.
"Did I just not say that?" Miss Miller demanded to know. "If you cannot listen without repeating what I say then maybe you shouldn't be allowed out at all tonight."
"Uh, no... I don't think so," Icy quickly replied. She grabbed Thunder's arm and pulled her towards the stairs.
"Thanks!" she yelled over her shoulder.
Miss Miller cleared her throat loudly. "Skirts!" she reminded them.
Icy stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh yeah..." She ran back to her trunk, rummaged around, pulled out a skirt, and in one quick motion pulled it over her pants.
"Ready!" she announced.
"Be back by eight," Icy heard Miss Miller yell as she and Thunder ran out the door.
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"Davey, you are too much," Icy said as she hit her boyfriend's arm. He grinned widely and hugged her.
She struggled and broke free.
"Don't think dat you can make me weakah by doin' dat!"
"But I know I can," David replied. "What'd I do to deserve this... this injustice?"
"Ya know what ya did!" Icy replied, struggling not to smile.
David sighed loudly. "Oh well, I can't remember. You'll have to explain."
"Comin' inta da Lodgin' House an' pickin' me up ovah your shouldah an' runnin' off? Does that help?"
"Uh, just a little bit." He sat down and pulled her into his lap. "So tell me, how do you think things are going to work out? Do you think you're going to like it?"
"Not a chance!" Icy leaned on his shoulder. "T'ings are organized like crazy. An' still it's wild! Da goil dat has a bed around mine is fallen an' tried ta seduce Spot. Den ya have da little goils like Ashley was dat ran away at da wrong time, an' now dey'se cryin' cause dey hafta live wit' da fallen goils an' bullies. So dey'll leave soon, I bet. But it ain't gonna woik. Da city acts like it knows what ta do. But nothin' is gonna change. I mena, I've found a way ta not wear a skoit. Dey're gonna find ways ta get back out on da streets, I mean... It's not dat hard ta sneak out, I bet."
"Yeah, you're right, but I'm pretty sure that they'll see their mistake sooner or later," said David. "It'll be ok, Icy, just give it a chance."
"That's what Spot said," Icy said dryly. "Den 'e met Millah. She's da Zenig or Kloppman of da Brooklyn Goils. I bet she comes up wit' a really sappy name for us just ta make us miserable, ya know, all cute an' puppie dogs. She's horrible! Makin' us wear skoits."
"You'll make it through. She has to follow what the city told her to do."
"Davey, why did we fight for so long against dis? Why? Because we knew it ain't right, dat's why! Listen, I ain't gonna sit around an' watch my city fall apart an' reputation ruined just cause da city wants ta group all da true newsies tagethah wit' da bums out dere! Dere isn't gonna be a union heah anymore! It's gonna be da originals against da othahs dat don't give a care. An' I'm just supposed ta sit back, follow rules, an' go along like a good little goil? Is dat what ya want, David?"
"Icy, no, I want you to be... safe. And that's not going to be easy. But I mean, look, the boys have the same thing happening. And do you see them complaining about it?"
Icy got up off his lap and faced him, eyes flashing wildly.
"Do you live wit' dem, Davey? No. Do you have ta be dere, Davey? No. Ya only have to show up when ya want to, ya only have ta be around who ya want to, ya can pick an' choose. An' yeah, da boys are gettin' da street kids, an' yeah, dey aren't complainin' as much, but da rules haven't changed for dem. Othah dan bein' in at a certain time, everythin' is da same. An' believe me, da boys ain't happy about it, eithah! Dey are da ones dat'll have to go back every single day an' put up wit' things. An' you, all ya have to do is sit back an' watch from youse nice little apartment in youse nice little room dat ya have ALL TA YOURSELF!"
She walked off to a spot a few feet away, leaving David sitting there. Her mind was going crazy. She remembered when, three months ago, the city had announced that this plan was going to be enforced. She remembered the anger that Spot had expressed, that all the boys had expressed, and how she and Thunder and the other Brooklyn newsgirls had sat in a state of stunned silence, not even wanting to breathe. She remembered how the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, even the Harlem boys had organized rallies and protests so that the girls wouldn't have to go. And she remembered that it had done nothing. The summons still came. And they still had to go. But the important thing was that they hadn't given up, they had fought for right until the last bitter moment. And David had been at the forefront of the whole thing, helping as much as he could. She sighed and turned around. He was still sitting there, just looking at her. She walked over to him.
"I'm really sorry," she whispered.
He laughed and stood up, pulling her into an embrace. Stepping back, he clasped both her hands in his.
"Guess this is what happens when you have two people that are really stubborn."
"Yeah."
David hugged her to his chest and she closed her eyes wanting to cry.
"So, Icy, I didn't know that you even owned a skirt," she heard him say.
She let go of his waist and stepped back, a smile lighting her face.
"Yeah, well, there are a few t'ings dat ya don't know about me. But the skoit, well… let's just say it was a gift from a friend that I thought I might use as a towel or something one day. Guess it actually came in handy, huh?
David grinned and pulled out his watch. "Hey, it's almost 7 30. Let's get back to the LH, okay? We can get Thunder and get you girls back home so you don't get into trouble. No use making it more miserable than it has to be."
"Ok," Icy said grudgingly. "Let's go."
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"Bye, guys!" the girls yelled to the newsies. "We'll see ya tamorrow."
Icy and Thunder walked back to the girls' LH in mostly silence. Thunder finally cleared her throat and began to speak.
"Davey didn't wanna walk us back?"
"He did, but I didn't want 'im to," Icy replied. "I don't want 'im ta see what it's like right now."
"I undahstand."
Thunder paused.
"I wondah what da meetin' is gonna be like?"
"It's gonna be horrible, but dere are reasons for it, I guess. Let's just go in an' see."
AN-- in the next chapter.... CONFLICT! DRAMA!!! And maybe a slight twist added.... Hehehehehee! NO MORE SKIRTS!!! Wait... :) ok, i'm rambling! Please review this chappie cause I haven't been writing in quite a while! Thanks!