A Change in Brooklyn Chapter 10: Unexpected Visitor, a newsies fanfic

Chapter Ten: Unexpected Visitor

The strike being completed, the Brooklyn newsies invited their Manhattan friends over to celebrate. Anyone who had a girl (or a guy) was encouraged to bring her (or him) along; several took up this offer. Jack brought David's pretty older sister Sarah, Tower introduced his long-time girlfriend Karen to everyone, and Mush shyly ushered a beautiful young woman to the dock.

"Heya, Mush!" Stealthy greeted him. "Who's dis?"

"Ya know da dress shop across from aw distruhbution centuh?" Mush motioned to the young lady. "Dis is da ownuh's daughtuh! I met her right afore da strike."

"Wonduhful! Pleased ta meet ya… uh…" Stealthy trailed off as he realized Mush hadn't told him her name yet.

"Samantha. Samantha James," Mush supplied.

"But please call me Sam!" the brown-haired girl informed the Brooklyn newsie, shaking hands with him as Brigid walked up.

"Hi, Sketch!" Mush cried as he gave her a hug. He repeated all he'd said to Stealthy, and Brigid immediately warmed up to the tomboy girl who was only a year older then her. Just as Brigid was about to strike up a conversation with Samantha, Spot approached them and the girl went ballistic.

"ERIC?!" she squealed. Spot stopped dead in his tracks and gaped with utter shock. "Eric Chad Conlon?!" The girl drifted from Mush's side and froze a foot away from the Brooklyn leader, a gigantic smile spread wide across her face.

"How… how do ya know me name?!" Spot faltered in a fearful manner.

Samantha's face fell slightly as she reached out and touched Spot's arm. All eyes were on them as she quietly implored, "Don't ya remembuh? It's me!"

A light of recognition appeared in Spot's eyes and he exclaimed, "SAM!!!", twirling the girl around and letting out a jovial laugh. He set her down and kissed her cheek as she teared up. The two started talking at an incredible speed, and the other newsies could only catch wisps of their conversation, something about "what happened?" and "where is Mark?"

Brigid couldn't help but break in. "Whoa! Hold it! Spot, who is dis?! We's all waitin' fa an expluhnation yet!" Mush nodded emphatically.

The 16-year-old put an arm around Samantha's waist and declared, "Samantha heah is me sistuh!"

A cry of both surprise and delight was emitted from the large group and they all pressed in around the siblings. Mush ran over to Samantha and their chatter was incomprehensible. Spot was being bombarded with questions and pats on the back, but Brigid still stood where she was, her feet refusing to movie and her mind not wanting to tell them to. Spot caught her eyes and saw the disappointed look in them, and as soon as she sulked off he pushed his way through the crowd and trotted after her.

"Brig! What is it?" he asked with concern, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and only stalked on faster. He frowned and continued, "What's da problem?"

"You!!!" Brigid snapped as she entered the empty warehouse.

Spot held his hands in front of him. "What?! What'd I do???"

"Ev'ryt'in'!!!" Brigid cried as she whirled to glare at him with a bitter and penetrating scowl. "So… youse name's Eric, huh?"

Spot shrugged. "Yeah…"

"Unbelievable!" The blonde threw her hands up in the air. "Ya lied ta me! Ya lied ta all of us!"

"No, I didn't!" Spot defended himself. "Ya nevuh axed me if dis was me real name or not, AN' ya nevuh axed me if I had family, so deh's no way I could've lied!"

"But don't ya t'ink dat by not tellin' us it causes mo' damage den if ya did? It's like livin' a lie!" She gave him a pitiful expression and put her hand over her heart. "I's hoit, Spot. I's hoit real bad."

"What makes ya so special?" Spot demanded, face starting to turn red.

"Oh, I don't know! Maybe it's 'cause I's da foist goil newsie ya evuh had, or 'cause we's best friends, or 'cause ya always ask me ta do all youse chores fa ya."

"I do not!!!"

"Yes, ya do! Do ya realize jus' how many times ya've axed me ta wash ya clothes when ya go ta play games? Or how many times I's had ta clean dis doity place up when ya go swimmin' wid da uddas??? At least Towuh and Stealthy aw kind enough ta help me. An' now all us goils aw tawgets of ya laziness; it ain't jus' me anymo'!"

"Dat's bullshit!!!" Spot yelled. "I do chores jus' as much as ya an' da goils do!"

"NO, ya don't, an' STOP SWEAHIN'!!!" Brigid screamed.

"I's gunna do what I WANT!!!"

The livid girl pointed an accusing finger at him, only centimeters from his face. "I's had it wid ya! One day ya can be da nicest guy in da woild, an' da next I's wishin' we'd nevuh met! You aw selfish, highfalutin', demandin', ovuhbearin', an' jus' a pathetic tightwad!!!"

"Ya ain't so poifect yaself deh, little miss Sketch!" Spot roared. "I's nevuh seen someone so pawticuluh, so borin', so disgustingly GOOD!!!"

"Call me off me trolley, but I's radduh be sweet den sour!"

"If ya have such a problem wid me, den leave! Jus' LEAVE, Brigid Nelson!!!" Spot bellowed, pointing his cane towards the door.

"Maybe I will!!!" she screeched, stuffing her belongings into her drawstring bag and charging out the door. Mudpie nearly skid into her legs when Brigid halted at the door just long enough to holler, "Dat was da foist wise t'ing I's evuh hoid ya say, Spot Conlon!!!"