***** A/N -
Thanks again Lemon Drops for your reviews!! I'm glad you like it and are still reading. I'll try to make the chapters longer for ya (
Treble- Thank you as well. I read your story and those are kind words coming from you. I hope you are still writing, I'd like to read something else of yours.
Angelfish7- Don't worry, I'll keep the chapters comin' (
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Sadie found herself climbing the stairs to get to Sam and Becca's floor about twenty minutes after her exchange with Spot. The doors to the two bunkrooms were open, and cigarette smoke wafted out along with boisterous shouts and laughter. A few whistles followed her down the hall as she strode towards Becca's door, jaw clenched. Someone made a rude comment, and Sadie made an obscene gesture with her hand she had learned from one of Jeremiah's friends in Boston. A shocked silence ascended before she heard someone laughing appreciatively.
"She showed you Snot," she heard Spot Conlon say before he started laughing again. Flushing with an absurd pleasure at having shown one of them up, she sailed up the stairs to the next floor. Delicious smells assaulted her nose and made her stomach remember that it hadn't eaten all day. Becca was setting their small table, and Sam sat dandling Daniel on his knee, making him chortle with laughter. Their apartment was about the same size as before, it had a little kitchen, a dining area, a small living room, two bedrooms and a washroom.
"So what do you think, Sadie?" Sadie dropped down onto the worn sofa and made a mock serious face at Sam.
"Well it certainly is different than home," she said laughing. Sam grinned, and winked. Becca looked displeased about the whole affair, and Sam shared a secret worried glance with Sadie. Sadie hoped Becca would grow to be okay with the arrangement. She knew her motherly instincts would take over and she'd be fussing over the newsboys instead of resenting them.
"Dinner," Becca called finally. They all joined around the table, Sadie's stomach rumbling. Becca giggled at the sound, and gave her a generous helping of meat, potatoes and cabbage. Sadie could barely wait for them to say 'Grace' before digging in.
Sam belched appreciatively and patted his stomach before pushing his chair back slightly. Before Becca could get a cross-word out, Sadie echoed him, and looked at Sam solemnly.
"I agree." Becca dissolved into a fit of laughter. Suddenly they all jumped as they heard a loud smash from down below, and yelling. Sam leapt up and thudded down the stairs. Sadie followed, Becca staying behind to keep an eye on Daniel. Flinging the door open, they stopped in their tracks
A boy was leaning against the wall with a bloody nose and Spot had another stopped against the opposite wall, held there with his cane. Death would have run from the chilly look on his thin face as he berated the bigger, older boy for going after the smaller one.
"You can fight all you want, but it's getting late and he's two times smaller than you Mumbles. Don't start shit right under my nose and not expect me to step in. Calm the fuck down or else you're out for the night." The older boy glared at Spot before shaking his head and promising he would behave. Spot let him away from the wall and slapped his cane against the back of the boy's legs as he returned to the bunkroom. Mumbles yelped and shot into the room. Spot snickered and told the younger boy to tilt back his head and pinch the top of his nose to stop the blood.
"What time is it Sam?" Sam started and looked at his pocket watch.
"It's almost eight o'clock. The doors will be locked by ten each night, okay Spot?" The boy tilted his head in agreement and hollered into the bunkrooms, making Sadie jump.
"You louses hear dat? Ten o'clock each night or else you can find somewhere to sleep that ain't here." If anyone had anything to say about it, they were going to wait till Spot couldn't hear because no one said anything except a chorus of 'Okay Spot'. Spot gave Sam a mock bow, which Sam returned just as sarcastically. Spot's mouth quirked up at the older man.
"We're going to get along just fine, Mr. McAllen. I can tell." Sam smiled slightly at the younger boy.
"I'm sure we will Mr. Conlon. Now if you'll excuse me." Bidding Sadie goodnight, he went back upstairs to Becca and the baby. Spot struck a match against the wall and lit a cigarette. Holding out the pouch that contained a few rolled smokes to Sadie, he smirked, as she shook her head, No. Sadie eyed him consideringly as he glowered back, silently inhaling and exhaling.
"What's your problem," he finally shot at her, irritated with the staring. Cocking her head, she smiled without any warmth at him.
"I was just wondering how someone gets to be as miserable as you obviously are." She didn't have time to take a breath before he was an inch away from her face, blowing a cloud of smoke straight at her. Coughing, she batted the pungent smoke away, her eyes tearing up.
"In case you didn't notice, nobody talks to me that way. Especially a skinny little nothing like yo'self. Watch ya mouth girlie." With that he turned on his heel and walked into his little room, smoke trailing behind him. Furious, Sadie stalked down the stairs to her own room, where she tossed and turned for most of the night, finally giving up on sleep as the sky outside her tiny window turned pearly gray with dawn's light.
Raising her head, she groaned inwardly. She was supposed to go looking for work today. If worse came to worse, she could get another position at a Brooklyn orphanage. Sitting up in bed, she felt around for her shawl that she had draped over her thin blanket. Pulling it on over her nightgown, she stumbled down the hallway towards the small washroom in her hallway. Splashing water over her face, she twisted her hair into a loose bun and studied herself in the smudged mirror.
Tired gray eyes blinked back at her above her slightly upturned pert nose. Her face was thin, making her cheekbones more pronounced. She had a scar that sliced neatly through her right eyebrow and went halfway down the side of her face. She had gotten that one by falling down a flight of stairs in Boston and landing on a bottle. Hearing voices, she finished up in the wash room and poked her head around the doorjamb.
The newsboys were trudging out the front door yawning, lighting up cigarettes or cigars, and talking to one another. Sadie was shocked that they got up this early. It had to have been a little after five in the morning. Darting into her room, she pulled her skirt on over her nightgown and wrapped her shawl securely around her upper body. As she exited her room again, she saw the last of the boys leaving, Spot bringing up the rear herding them with his cane. He wore his cap pulled down low, and his red suspenders hung off the sides of his pants.
"C'mon ya bums, we're late."
"Late? It's not even five-thirty in the morning and you're late?" Spot's head whipped around and he sneered at her.
"What're you following us around?"
"I couldn't sleep." Sadie fell instep beside him as they shut the front door and started walking down the sidewalk. The smaller boys stayed near Spot as well. One of them was the one who had gotten a bloody nose from Mumbles the night before. Sadie noticed Spot kept the little boys in his sights as they blearily walked along.
"Your friend Sam seems like he's a okay guy." Sadie nodded and curled her lip slightly as Spot lit a cigarette up and discarded the match.
"What're you doing today then?" Sadie looked over to see him eyeing her, his cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth. He looked as tired as the rest, but at least his eyes were friendlier than the night before.
"Looking for work. There's no way I can walk to Manhattan in time to get to the orphanage where I used to work." Spot pointed towards a gray stone building as they passed it.
"Some nuns run an orphanage there. Might be able to pick up a job if they need help. I'd let you sell papers, but I don't like girls selling. Unlike some other territories." She couldn't help but notice the disgust in his voice and see it on his face.
"Why don't you like it? Seems fair to me that a girl can do the same job as a boy." Spot's mouth quirked up and he chuckled, exhaling a stream of blue smoke from his nostrils in spurts. Sadie giggled, and he looked at her surprised.
"You looked like a picture of a dragon I saw in a book once." This time his smile was full and real, and she was astounded at the change in his features it brought about. He actually looked handsome and approachable. But his face quickly turned distant and angry once more as he explained.
" Girls distract the boys from doing their work. It's all well and good if it's a skirt just passing by on the street. These boys don't stand a chance with a respectable girl so I ain't worried about them wasting their time trying. The only girls they can get come out at night. If I let girls work with us, than they'd be around constantly. Messing with the boys' heads and just causing all sorts of mayhem that ain't needed." Sadie frowned at his bitterness.
"I don't think that's necessarily true. If the other boroughs have girls working for them, and they don't have problems, then why.."
"I don't want to talk about it." His sharp words cut her off, and indicated that the discussion was over. Sadie's mouth thinned into a displeased line and she abruptly crossed the street and headed towards the orphanage Spot had pointed out a few minutes before. Throwing a look over her shoulder, she saw him standing there, his arms crossed, cane hanging out of a belt loop. Their eyes met, and held for a second before he flicked his cigarette into the street and continued walking. Muttering to herself, she sat on the steps of the orphanage to wait until it was a proper time to knock on the heavy oak door.
Thanks again Lemon Drops for your reviews!! I'm glad you like it and are still reading. I'll try to make the chapters longer for ya (
Treble- Thank you as well. I read your story and those are kind words coming from you. I hope you are still writing, I'd like to read something else of yours.
Angelfish7- Don't worry, I'll keep the chapters comin' (
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Sadie found herself climbing the stairs to get to Sam and Becca's floor about twenty minutes after her exchange with Spot. The doors to the two bunkrooms were open, and cigarette smoke wafted out along with boisterous shouts and laughter. A few whistles followed her down the hall as she strode towards Becca's door, jaw clenched. Someone made a rude comment, and Sadie made an obscene gesture with her hand she had learned from one of Jeremiah's friends in Boston. A shocked silence ascended before she heard someone laughing appreciatively.
"She showed you Snot," she heard Spot Conlon say before he started laughing again. Flushing with an absurd pleasure at having shown one of them up, she sailed up the stairs to the next floor. Delicious smells assaulted her nose and made her stomach remember that it hadn't eaten all day. Becca was setting their small table, and Sam sat dandling Daniel on his knee, making him chortle with laughter. Their apartment was about the same size as before, it had a little kitchen, a dining area, a small living room, two bedrooms and a washroom.
"So what do you think, Sadie?" Sadie dropped down onto the worn sofa and made a mock serious face at Sam.
"Well it certainly is different than home," she said laughing. Sam grinned, and winked. Becca looked displeased about the whole affair, and Sam shared a secret worried glance with Sadie. Sadie hoped Becca would grow to be okay with the arrangement. She knew her motherly instincts would take over and she'd be fussing over the newsboys instead of resenting them.
"Dinner," Becca called finally. They all joined around the table, Sadie's stomach rumbling. Becca giggled at the sound, and gave her a generous helping of meat, potatoes and cabbage. Sadie could barely wait for them to say 'Grace' before digging in.
Sam belched appreciatively and patted his stomach before pushing his chair back slightly. Before Becca could get a cross-word out, Sadie echoed him, and looked at Sam solemnly.
"I agree." Becca dissolved into a fit of laughter. Suddenly they all jumped as they heard a loud smash from down below, and yelling. Sam leapt up and thudded down the stairs. Sadie followed, Becca staying behind to keep an eye on Daniel. Flinging the door open, they stopped in their tracks
A boy was leaning against the wall with a bloody nose and Spot had another stopped against the opposite wall, held there with his cane. Death would have run from the chilly look on his thin face as he berated the bigger, older boy for going after the smaller one.
"You can fight all you want, but it's getting late and he's two times smaller than you Mumbles. Don't start shit right under my nose and not expect me to step in. Calm the fuck down or else you're out for the night." The older boy glared at Spot before shaking his head and promising he would behave. Spot let him away from the wall and slapped his cane against the back of the boy's legs as he returned to the bunkroom. Mumbles yelped and shot into the room. Spot snickered and told the younger boy to tilt back his head and pinch the top of his nose to stop the blood.
"What time is it Sam?" Sam started and looked at his pocket watch.
"It's almost eight o'clock. The doors will be locked by ten each night, okay Spot?" The boy tilted his head in agreement and hollered into the bunkrooms, making Sadie jump.
"You louses hear dat? Ten o'clock each night or else you can find somewhere to sleep that ain't here." If anyone had anything to say about it, they were going to wait till Spot couldn't hear because no one said anything except a chorus of 'Okay Spot'. Spot gave Sam a mock bow, which Sam returned just as sarcastically. Spot's mouth quirked up at the older man.
"We're going to get along just fine, Mr. McAllen. I can tell." Sam smiled slightly at the younger boy.
"I'm sure we will Mr. Conlon. Now if you'll excuse me." Bidding Sadie goodnight, he went back upstairs to Becca and the baby. Spot struck a match against the wall and lit a cigarette. Holding out the pouch that contained a few rolled smokes to Sadie, he smirked, as she shook her head, No. Sadie eyed him consideringly as he glowered back, silently inhaling and exhaling.
"What's your problem," he finally shot at her, irritated with the staring. Cocking her head, she smiled without any warmth at him.
"I was just wondering how someone gets to be as miserable as you obviously are." She didn't have time to take a breath before he was an inch away from her face, blowing a cloud of smoke straight at her. Coughing, she batted the pungent smoke away, her eyes tearing up.
"In case you didn't notice, nobody talks to me that way. Especially a skinny little nothing like yo'self. Watch ya mouth girlie." With that he turned on his heel and walked into his little room, smoke trailing behind him. Furious, Sadie stalked down the stairs to her own room, where she tossed and turned for most of the night, finally giving up on sleep as the sky outside her tiny window turned pearly gray with dawn's light.
Raising her head, she groaned inwardly. She was supposed to go looking for work today. If worse came to worse, she could get another position at a Brooklyn orphanage. Sitting up in bed, she felt around for her shawl that she had draped over her thin blanket. Pulling it on over her nightgown, she stumbled down the hallway towards the small washroom in her hallway. Splashing water over her face, she twisted her hair into a loose bun and studied herself in the smudged mirror.
Tired gray eyes blinked back at her above her slightly upturned pert nose. Her face was thin, making her cheekbones more pronounced. She had a scar that sliced neatly through her right eyebrow and went halfway down the side of her face. She had gotten that one by falling down a flight of stairs in Boston and landing on a bottle. Hearing voices, she finished up in the wash room and poked her head around the doorjamb.
The newsboys were trudging out the front door yawning, lighting up cigarettes or cigars, and talking to one another. Sadie was shocked that they got up this early. It had to have been a little after five in the morning. Darting into her room, she pulled her skirt on over her nightgown and wrapped her shawl securely around her upper body. As she exited her room again, she saw the last of the boys leaving, Spot bringing up the rear herding them with his cane. He wore his cap pulled down low, and his red suspenders hung off the sides of his pants.
"C'mon ya bums, we're late."
"Late? It's not even five-thirty in the morning and you're late?" Spot's head whipped around and he sneered at her.
"What're you following us around?"
"I couldn't sleep." Sadie fell instep beside him as they shut the front door and started walking down the sidewalk. The smaller boys stayed near Spot as well. One of them was the one who had gotten a bloody nose from Mumbles the night before. Sadie noticed Spot kept the little boys in his sights as they blearily walked along.
"Your friend Sam seems like he's a okay guy." Sadie nodded and curled her lip slightly as Spot lit a cigarette up and discarded the match.
"What're you doing today then?" Sadie looked over to see him eyeing her, his cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth. He looked as tired as the rest, but at least his eyes were friendlier than the night before.
"Looking for work. There's no way I can walk to Manhattan in time to get to the orphanage where I used to work." Spot pointed towards a gray stone building as they passed it.
"Some nuns run an orphanage there. Might be able to pick up a job if they need help. I'd let you sell papers, but I don't like girls selling. Unlike some other territories." She couldn't help but notice the disgust in his voice and see it on his face.
"Why don't you like it? Seems fair to me that a girl can do the same job as a boy." Spot's mouth quirked up and he chuckled, exhaling a stream of blue smoke from his nostrils in spurts. Sadie giggled, and he looked at her surprised.
"You looked like a picture of a dragon I saw in a book once." This time his smile was full and real, and she was astounded at the change in his features it brought about. He actually looked handsome and approachable. But his face quickly turned distant and angry once more as he explained.
" Girls distract the boys from doing their work. It's all well and good if it's a skirt just passing by on the street. These boys don't stand a chance with a respectable girl so I ain't worried about them wasting their time trying. The only girls they can get come out at night. If I let girls work with us, than they'd be around constantly. Messing with the boys' heads and just causing all sorts of mayhem that ain't needed." Sadie frowned at his bitterness.
"I don't think that's necessarily true. If the other boroughs have girls working for them, and they don't have problems, then why.."
"I don't want to talk about it." His sharp words cut her off, and indicated that the discussion was over. Sadie's mouth thinned into a displeased line and she abruptly crossed the street and headed towards the orphanage Spot had pointed out a few minutes before. Throwing a look over her shoulder, she saw him standing there, his arms crossed, cane hanging out of a belt loop. Their eyes met, and held for a second before he flicked his cigarette into the street and continued walking. Muttering to herself, she sat on the steps of the orphanage to wait until it was a proper time to knock on the heavy oak door.