The Antique Shop on Broadway: Chapter 1- Strange beginnings
A small scraggly boy ran through the streets of New York. His floppy brown hair blew back in the breeze and his bright blue eyes were alert. Not too far behind him a young woman with waist length blond hair was racing after him.
"Chance I'm gonna kill you!" The boy's reaction was laughter. An old woman was sweeping off her rug outside of her door and her attention was drawn to the young boy. Just as he was about to race past her, her hand shot out and grabbed Chance's red suspenders. Despite his squirming, her grip was firm. The blonde slowed, panting, and tightly grabbed his arm. "Michael Conlon when I'm through with you you're gonna wish you were never born!" she shouted.
"Are you sure you're being fair to your son?" The old woman said calmly. "Really Miss Turner-"
"Excuse me but I'll decide on what's right and wrong for MY son. Thank you for helping." she replied shortly. "And I'm married thank you." The woman just shook her head and went back into her store. The blonde rolled her eyes and pulled her son back towards the lodging house.
"SPOT!" A head poked out of their room.
"Yea Cass?"
"Your kid just made me run laps around the city tryin to catch him." she said shortly. Spot sighed and looked at Chance, who bit his lip and pulled away from Jackal.
"Chance why do you make me be mean to you?"
"Daddy-" Spot sent him a look that made him stop. He watched Jackal approach him and he kissed her forehead.
"So what's this little guy gone through already?"
"Well you can probably judge by his face." Spot beckoned to Chance, who hesitantly toddled over. He kneeled and cupped the boy's chin, running a finger lightly over his cheek, which was bright red. He stood.
"Chance, I'se disappointed in you. Are ya really that disrespectful? Does ya mom desoirve to be treated like dis? Do ya not care about her feelin's? Jackal snorted and walked into their room. Spot watched her, then returned his gaze to Chance. "Spade, you stayin hea?"
"Yeah. Want me to watch him?"
"Yeah, he ain't allowed to leave da bunkroom." He turned in and shut the door. Jackal was laying down on her stomach. He laid down next to her resting his head on her shoulder. "Jackal...."
"He hates me. My own fucking son hates me." Spot rolled his eyes.
"I think you'se blowin it outta proportion." she sat up and looked him in the eye.
"Well I don't! Spot that child has an iron will set against mine! He NEVER listens to me. You always get respect. He hates me!" Spot sighed and wrapped his arms around her remaining silent. "See! I'm a bad parent! And you didn't do anything! Nothing and he listens to you!" She flopped her head down in the pillow. "What's more, some old bat called me turner!" Spot's eyebrows raised.
"How'd she know your last name? Jackal shrugged, not lifting her head from the pillow. "I guess it don't matter. Jackal you ain't a bad muddah." She snorted into the pillow.
"Easy for you to say. Your kids all love you."
"The triplets don't hate you." he pointed out. She rolled onto her side and brought a hand up to his cheek.
"Yeah but my first kid does. I know you're trying to make me feel better. It won't work. I should-"
"Say 'quit' and I'll smack ya." She laughed humorlessly. "I mean it!"
"Fine I quit with Chance."
"Not allowed. You'se been denied." she tickled his side playfully. "Hey!"
"Yes Mr. Conlon?" she smiled innocently. He rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing a cigar off of his dresser. She lit it up and took it from him, taking a long drag.
"Eh screw it. Ain't worth fightin for.' She fell on her back laughing.
"That's a first. THE Spot Conlon backing down from a fight.
"Boirn in hell."
*******
A small scraggly boy ran through the streets of New York. His floppy brown hair blew back in the breeze and his bright blue eyes were alert. Not too far behind him a young woman with waist length blond hair was racing after him.
"Chance I'm gonna kill you!" The boy's reaction was laughter. An old woman was sweeping off her rug outside of her door and her attention was drawn to the young boy. Just as he was about to race past her, her hand shot out and grabbed Chance's red suspenders. Despite his squirming, her grip was firm. The blonde slowed, panting, and tightly grabbed his arm. "Michael Conlon when I'm through with you you're gonna wish you were never born!" she shouted.
"Are you sure you're being fair to your son?" The old woman said calmly. "Really Miss Turner-"
"Excuse me but I'll decide on what's right and wrong for MY son. Thank you for helping." she replied shortly. "And I'm married thank you." The woman just shook her head and went back into her store. The blonde rolled her eyes and pulled her son back towards the lodging house.
"SPOT!" A head poked out of their room.
"Yea Cass?"
"Your kid just made me run laps around the city tryin to catch him." she said shortly. Spot sighed and looked at Chance, who bit his lip and pulled away from Jackal.
"Chance why do you make me be mean to you?"
"Daddy-" Spot sent him a look that made him stop. He watched Jackal approach him and he kissed her forehead.
"So what's this little guy gone through already?"
"Well you can probably judge by his face." Spot beckoned to Chance, who hesitantly toddled over. He kneeled and cupped the boy's chin, running a finger lightly over his cheek, which was bright red. He stood.
"Chance, I'se disappointed in you. Are ya really that disrespectful? Does ya mom desoirve to be treated like dis? Do ya not care about her feelin's? Jackal snorted and walked into their room. Spot watched her, then returned his gaze to Chance. "Spade, you stayin hea?"
"Yeah. Want me to watch him?"
"Yeah, he ain't allowed to leave da bunkroom." He turned in and shut the door. Jackal was laying down on her stomach. He laid down next to her resting his head on her shoulder. "Jackal...."
"He hates me. My own fucking son hates me." Spot rolled his eyes.
"I think you'se blowin it outta proportion." she sat up and looked him in the eye.
"Well I don't! Spot that child has an iron will set against mine! He NEVER listens to me. You always get respect. He hates me!" Spot sighed and wrapped his arms around her remaining silent. "See! I'm a bad parent! And you didn't do anything! Nothing and he listens to you!" She flopped her head down in the pillow. "What's more, some old bat called me turner!" Spot's eyebrows raised.
"How'd she know your last name? Jackal shrugged, not lifting her head from the pillow. "I guess it don't matter. Jackal you ain't a bad muddah." She snorted into the pillow.
"Easy for you to say. Your kids all love you."
"The triplets don't hate you." he pointed out. She rolled onto her side and brought a hand up to his cheek.
"Yeah but my first kid does. I know you're trying to make me feel better. It won't work. I should-"
"Say 'quit' and I'll smack ya." She laughed humorlessly. "I mean it!"
"Fine I quit with Chance."
"Not allowed. You'se been denied." she tickled his side playfully. "Hey!"
"Yes Mr. Conlon?" she smiled innocently. He rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing a cigar off of his dresser. She lit it up and took it from him, taking a long drag.
"Eh screw it. Ain't worth fightin for.' She fell on her back laughing.
"That's a first. THE Spot Conlon backing down from a fight.
"Boirn in hell."
*******