Chapter 11
Ch-Ch-Changes
Kloppman agreed to let Olivia stay in the small part of the basement that was sectioned off into a bedroom for about the same amount as the Newsies paid. The room was small and drab, but it was her own. It had one narrow window right below the ceiling and one small bed, with a wooden crate as a nightstand next to it. At the end of the bed she kept the old spare trunk that Jack had so generously given her to store clothes in. The rules were that the boys couldn't have a girl in the lodging house after 9:00 PM, so Olivia had to be down in her room by that time as well. She was to use the Newsie's bathroom, but not at the same time as they were in there. This was just fine with her; she had a large basin of water in her room that she could wash her face and brush her teeth with in the mornings, and she could take a bath any time she wanted in the Newsie bathroom, as long as they weren't there.
This living arrangement worked well. Olivia continued to sell papes with Mush and Kid, and now the tension between her and Mush was gone. As an added bonus, selling papes as a girl seemed to be more profitable, as she was the only girl Newsie in most of Manhattan. Her feminine wiles came in handy when selling to men, both young and old.
* * * * *
"Hey, Mushy-boy, I heah tomorrah's Olivia's boithday," Jack approached Mush before bed one night.
Mush nodded and offered him a seat next to him on the bunk. "She'll be seventeen."
"I was thinkin, maybe we should have a little get tagetha for her. Ya know, a little party," Jack said. "Whatdaya think'a dat?"
"Sounds great," Mush said. "Where can it be?"
Jack shrugged. "Well, if I'da known before, I coulda got Medda's place for us. But I think we could go ta Tibby's or have it heah on such short notice."
Mush nodded. "Tibby's would be good. You think they can make a cake?"
"Sure dey can," Jack replied. He paused for a moment, looking as though he was deep in thought. "Ya think I should invite Spot?" he asked. A mischievous grin crept upon his lips.
Mush chuckled. "Only if ya wants to see what a war looks like."
Jack laughed. "Yeah I heah ol' Spot is goin wid Maybelle now. Blink must not be too happy bout dat."
"Yeah," Mush nodded. "I hates Spot for what he did to Olivia. I really do," he said quietly.
"Me too." Jack agreed. "Spot's a good guy, but he got no common sense when it comes to da opposite sex," he shrugged. There were a few minutes of silence until Jack got up the courage to ask Mush what he really wanted to. "So, uh, Mush…do you still like Olivia?"
Mush shrugged. "Acourse I like her…"
"No no, I mean…remember how ya told me ya loved her?" Jack asked him. "Do ya still?"
Mush sighed. "I've tried to forget about it."
Jack shook his head. "So dat's a yes."
"You could take it that way…" Mush shrugged.
Jack nodded. "Why don'tcha do anything about it? I mean it's been ovah two months since she and Spot broke up."
"I dunno, Jack. I just feel like she couldn't nevah like me that way," Mush replied, wringing his hands. He knew that Olivia wanted someone that could give her life drama. Mush just wasn't that guy, and never could be. He wondered if she could accept him just as he was.
"Well ya nevah know until ya ask," Jack told him. "I just don't want ta see ya lose ya chance wid her. Cuz, she's a beautiful, and smart goil, any guy would love ta go wid her." Jack patted Mush on the leg before he got up and started to walk away.
"Jack," Mush called after him. Jack turned around. "I…I don't wanna lose me chance either," he said quietly.
"Does dat mean ya wants me help?" Jack asked him.
"Well…how could ya help me?" Mush questioned.
Jack grinned. "Well, heah's da plan, Mushy boy…"
