I lay awake that night staring at the ceiling for a little while, then I
tried staring out the window, finally I tried pacing. Nothing was working,
where are the damn sheep when you need them? I needed to sleep I knew it,
but I couldn't force myself. A small whimpering made me stop in mid-
pacing, cocking my head toward the door I heard it again. It sounded like
a distressed child. My hand immediately flew to the doorknob. Kloppman's
warning flew through my mind.
"Screw it." I whispered to myself as I heard the whimper again, it sounded even more distressed. I opened the door and peered into the moonlit room trying to discern where the noise had come from. It came again only this time it had gone from a whimper to a soft wail. Call it motherly instinct, but I made a beeline straight for the noise. A few of the boys lifted their heads groggily as the wail came again followed by a choking sob. My heart contracted in my chest at the noise, I dropped to my knees at the bunk holding a small boy of about six. His face was twisted in a grimace, I could see the tears streaming down his face, he was fast asleep caught in a nightmare. Softly I ran a hand over his hair gently in a comforting gesture. He screamed and bolted upright, I did the only thing I knew to do and that was pull him into my arms. He was trembling and I felt my heart melt at the terrified look in his bright green eyes. He fought me for a moment trying to break free still caught between consciousness and sleep.
"Mama." He cried. " NO Mama."
"It's alright." I whispered soothingly, not wanting to let go yet. "You're in the Lodging House, it was only a dream."
Slowly he calmed and allowed me to hold him. I knew that right now this kid needed a little bit of a motherly figure.
"You the new girl." He said softly his eyes looking at me questioningly. "Cameo."
"You know my name, but what's yours?" I asked a small smile of encouragement on my lips.
"Mimic." He told me his eyes watching me. I looked in them and saw the wary gleam as if he were a wild animal waiting the next break so he could run.
"Is he okay?" Mimic jumped causing me to jump. My heart thumping in my chest I turned to see Jack standing above us a worried look on his face.
"He's fine." I replied. I gathered the boy in my arms and stood ignoring the stares of the other newsboys. Mimic hung on, not really ready to let go and be the tough boy he undoubtedly was. For the moment he it seemed he was a lost little boy, who desperately needed a mother. I carried him to my room and closed the door, leaving it cracked. I knew that he would be embarrassed in a few minutes both by his reaction to the nightmare and allowing me to comfort him.
"You want to talk about it?" I whispered listening to the other boys' beds creaking as they got into a better position. He looked out the window and shook his head, already receding into himself. " I won't tell the other boys I promise."
He searched my face his eyes telling me he was looking to see if I meant what I said. I reached out my hand and felt him slide his into mine.
"It was me mum." He whispered looking away, the pain in his eyes made my heart ache for him. "She... Well, she was a whore."
I flinched at the word, it was not one I would have expected to be part of a six year olds vocabulary. At least not one that he would be allowed to use, I nodded in a way I hoped was encouraging.
"She wasn't a bad lady, just tryin to make a livin for me and her." He continued his words tumbling over each other as he rushed to get it out. It was as if he had wanted to tell someone, but hadn't had anyone to tell. He was defensive mistaking my flinch for disgust at his mothers profession. "She didn't know any other way. I was downstairs that night waitin until her last customer was gone, and I heard her screamin. I went upstairs, but Madame Lucy, just held me back. When the man finally came out he was covered in.... in blood. Madame Lucy let go of me and went inside the room then she started yellin. She was sayin she hadn't been paid for his tastes; she hadn't been paid for him to torture her girl to death. A little pain was okay, but not killin 'em. When I got to the door.... when I got there.... she..."
Tears were streaming down his face; gently as I could I pulled him into my arms and cradled him as if I could take his pain away. I knew all these boys had come here for a reason, I knew they all had pasts that were painful. Some probably more than others, but I felt sick knowing what this child had seen. He had lived knowing things he shouldn't know about yet. Seeing things that if we are lucky we never see. He let me hold him, let me rock him back and forth his eyes staring straight out the window, his little body trembling with emotion. Finally it was as if he could take it no more. He turned his head into my shoulder and sobbed. I felt tears of my own; I ached for this boy in every part of my being. I wished I could have done more, but I did what I could, I held him and let him cry it out in heart wrenching sobs. Finally he lifted his head wearily, his eyes puffy from the tears he had shed.
"I sorry." He lisped, I could see the blush in his chubby little cheeks even in the moonlight.
"Don't be." I told him still rocking him. He gave me a tentative smile and I smiled back. " I don't care what it is, if you need someone to talk to you just come and see me."
He nodded thoughtfully settling back against me letting me stroke his hair.
"Me mam used to do that." He whispered "She used to sing to me too."
"Did she?" I whispered back.
"Would you sing to me too?" When he glanced up at me a saw the uncertainty in his eyes as if he were afraid he was asking for too much. I took an unsteady breathe an searched my mind for any songs I knew that would serve as a lullaby. One came to mind immediately. 'My Favorite Things' had been the song my own mother had sang to me as a child while she ran her fingers through my hair. I had often fallen asleep listening to her beautiful voice. Softly I sang switching to 'The Rose', then moving on to every slow song I remembered from any musical I had stored in my brain. Finally I felt his body grow limp, his breathing evening out. Soft sobs that always follow a good cry were fading. I picked him up to carry him to his bunk, when his eyes flew open.
"Don't leave me." He cried his eyes wild with fear, his little hand clutching at my chemise with a strength I knew would take tearing the fabric to get him to let go. I nodded and sat on my little makeshift bed, rocking him until he fell back asleep. I pulled the blanket over us both and I stared out the window, kissing any sleep I might have gotten goodbye.
"That was real kind of ya." I jumped startled at the voice that broke through my thoughts. I looked up to see Jack sitting in the doorway, just on the other side of the threshold of my room.
"Will you stop sneaking up on me?" I snapped, remembering to keep my voice down.
"Sorry." He replied a small grin playing on his lips. "He's lucky, most of us just gotta take the nightmares and move on until hopefully they fade."
"You heard?"
He nodded his face taking on the grim look of a man who isn't about to show pity for a fellow sufferer. Who's too macho and manly to let that little bit of weakness show.
"I've heard worse stories, but not many." Jack sighed his arms wrapping around his knees as he studied me.
"No one should have a story like that." I hissed angrily. "No one should have to live through that."
"Wake up sweetheart." Jack responded his expression grim. "We's all got stories like that. We's all lived through things most people should never live through, but we do, we make it, we move on. Some of us is just lucky to find a kind heart to help us through."
I felt the blush that flooded my cheeks as I realized the compliment he had just given me.
" I didn't to anything that a normal person ought to have done." I said ducking my head for a moment then returning his look directly.
"Funny, 'cause you ain't a normal person." He told him his face splitting into a grin. "Ya the craziest woman I'se ever met."
"Thanks." I said dryly rolling my eyes. Typical guy, they give you a compliment and then follow it by a remark that negates that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you're complimented. "So much for warm fuzzys."
"That's what I'm talkin about." Jack went on. " Ya say such queer things and ya don't act like any girl I've ever known. Ya say things about stuff girls don't talk about even if they's married. Ya act more like one of they boys."
"Then treat me like one of the boys." I said. " And as for what women talk about, you'd be surprised what they say when you're not around. Especially if they are married."
I knew that even in the age I was in, woman talked about things trying to make each other blush. The newly married women were usually the worst targeted, mostly because they were new to the idea of well, in good old twenty first century terms, sex. Jack just shook his head and looked away for a minute.
" I was thinkin about kickin ya out." He said after a moment of silence, I felt my pride well up and anger flash through me. " Spot's one of me bestfriends and well.. I don't know how to deal with the way ya act."
" I'll find my way." I told him proudly. " I'll be out of your hair come morning."
"Awe, cheese it." he said a little irritation seeping into his words. " I ain't gonna kick ya out. Ya gotta touch with the kids an I could use that. They ain't always the easiest to deal with especially when they ain't got someone tuckin them in at night. They all needs a little bit of a mother an I think ya can do it. Ya just earned ya place here. If ya gotta better place then I ain't gonna stop you, but we both know ya don't. If ya wanna go then ya can, but I think ya like working with kids. I think ya can help them like none of us boys can."
Damn I always have been a sucker for those who were hurting and I had a feeling he knew that. He knew I'd stay, he knew I'd help with the younger kids in a way he never could. He knew he had me.
"Now all I'm asking is that ya stop tryin to get under my skin. It ain't sittin to well with me boys, they's startin to mimic you and testin my authority."
"I'm sorry." I replied softly swallowing my pride, man did I hate apologizing. I barely had been able to get the words out of my mouth. He searched my face as if trying to see if I had meant it. The look he gave me next told me he understood, and I had the feeling it was just as hard for him to apologize.
"'S all right." He told me " I don't suppose ya gonna tell me anymore about yaself than ya told Crutchy are ya?"
I looked at him in surprise feeling a little betrayed it wasn't as if it were anything that had to stay confidential, but no one likes it when their closest friend starts talking about your past as if it were gossip to be spread. I shook my head, Crutchy wouldn't gossip about me. I hadn't told him to keep any of what I said to himself, he would have I had said something I was sure.
"Crutchy told you?"
"There weren't nothin to really tell." Jack said his face serious. " Normally I don't pry, I don't care, as long as ya do as I say and follow my lead I ignore it. But it ain't everyday that a good lookin girl shows up in an alley way. It was odd, one minute there's nothing there the next me boys is stumbilin over something. An that somthin was you. There was this weird light shinin all around you then it went away. So what happened?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you." I sighed wishing that I could explain it. I ignored his comments about my looks. He was probably trying to butter me up to tell him more. Well I wasn't some calf eyed girl that was going to spill my guts the minute a good looking boy complimented me.
"Ya ain't some kinda witch or somethin are ya?" he asked his voice telling me he was serious. What was it with people? They see something odd and they immediately think the person is a witch. I would have thought they were over that thought pattern by now.
"Do you think if I was that I would still be here?" I queried in an irritated tone. " I'm thinking I would be living in a mansion right now, with servants and good food instead of half starving with a bunch of newsboys."
He took that in and nodded in agreement his face flushing a little at his question.
"So we's callin a truce?"
I nodded, he spit and held out his hand, I looked at it as if it were a snake, a poisonous one at that.
"Do you know how many germs your saliva has?" I asked unable to keep the revulsion from my voice. He just chuckled and wiped his hand on his pants before offering it back to me. I looked at it a moment before finally shaking his hand. Silently he stood and turned back to the bunkroom heading for his bed.
"Hey Cameo?" he called softly turning back before I could shut my door.
"Yeah?" I called back.
"I don't mind ya pushin Spot's buttons, " he said "it's nice to see a girl who ain't all fluttery around him, but could ya try not to start a war between us? We've had a truce with Brooklyn for a while now and I ain't too anxious to start something."
"I'm not making any promises." I told him trying to ignore the fluttery feeling I did get when I thought of those baby blues. " You tell him to keep his hands off and I'll do what I can."
He grunted which I took for an agreement and a moment later I heard a bed creak signaling he had settled into his bunk. I shut the door and settled back me leaning against the wall. I felt my eyes becoming heavy and gladly allowed sleep to come.
"Wake up." Kloppman's voice echoed through the bunkroom and I heard the groans of the boys as they tried to wake up. I heard Mush's usually cheerful voice and heard thumps that followed it telling me that a few of the boys had throw whatever came to hand at him. I closed my eyes hoping I'd get a few more minutes.
"Where's Mimic?" I heard him ask. So much for that idea, looks like I was going to have to wake up before Kloppman chewed my butt for letting the kid sleep with me.
"He had a nightmare." I heard Jack say.
Bless him. I thought as I fuzzily pushed the blanket away from both of us and started trying to wake the kid who was sleeping like the dead. A night of crying has a tendency to do that though.
"So that still don't tell me where he is." I heard Kloppman retort.
"Cameo took him into her room so the rest of us could get some sleep." Jack explained his voice sounding as persuasive as I had ever heard it. I heard Kloppman grumbling and heard his footsteps as they reached my door. It flew open and I found myself smiling at him, grabbing for the blanket I had just pushed off.
"The kid okay?" He asked worry in his eyes as he looked at the sleeping boy.
"He's fine, just needed someone to talk to." I replied as I wrapped the blanket around me like a shawl. Mimic sleepily opened one eye and glared at both of us for the infraction of disturbing his slumber.
" Morning sleepy head." I teased tickling him and earning a giggle that he immediately tried to hide behind a glare. I heard Kloppman chuckle, we both looked at him smiling.
"Get goin shorty." He told Mimic. He scampered off leaving Kloppman's attention on me. " Thanks for calmin him down, I ain't gonna yell at ya. I guess ya ain't in trouble since Mimic's a little young for ya."
"A little?" I asked the disgust, even the thought made me want to vomit. " How could you even....... Oh never mind."
Kloppman shrugged and meandered off to wake the boys who weren't sleepily filing into the washroom. Sighing I shut my door and started to get ready for another day. I heard a soft knock on my door as I pulled up my suspenders and looked around for my hat.
"Come in." I called cursing as I pushed around my meager belongings wondering how I could have lost it in a room the size of a linen closet. Glancing up I saw Mimic standing in the doorway looking at me shyly.
"Can I help you?" I asked stopping my search for a moment and turning my attention on the cute little kid with strawberry blonde hair and vivid green eyes.
"Can I sell with you today?" his voice was soft and he had a look on his face that told me it had been hard for him to get up the courage to ask. After all this kid had been through I had a feeling that he was afraid to let anyone close.
"Of course you can." I told him ruffling his hair. "As soon as I find my hat."
He grinned impishly and darted into my room pulling my hat from under the pillow it had been half hidden under.
"Go figure." I groaned " Right under my nose."
"What was?" Mush asked from the doorway.
"My hat." I replied as I pulled my hair under the cap.
"So we got ourselves another new sellin partner?" Blink asked.
"Yup," I responded giving Mimic a grin. " With this kids mug how could I refuse."
"Yeah, he is kinda cute." Mush agreed, pushing Mimic's hat down in a gesture that was much like an older brothers.
Mimic latched onto my hand and I didn't let go until we reached to distribution center. I handed Mush enough money for my share of the papers and waited patiently while he got them. Life was becoming a routine now, wake up sell papers, go to Tibby's, sell more papers, go home, play some poker, go to bed. So as soon as lunch came around can you guess where we headed?
I heard Spot's voice just as we entered the restaurant and groaned. Why couldn't dog boy just stay in Brooklyn?
"So Jacky-boy we's hostin a little get together tonight in Brooklyn," I heard him say "Thought I'd pop over and give ya a little invitation."
I heard the murmurs of excitement that rippled through the crowd.
"Ya can count on us to be there." Jack replied doing that disgusting spit thing. Damn they would have to have a party in Brooklyn. I could hear everyone talking about it excitedly, I guess Brooklyn must have thrown quiet the bash previously.
"Ya gonna come?" I looked up and saw those blue eyes that I wasn't sure whether to hate or fall into. His look was challenging and I knew I would be there, there wasn't anything on this earth that would stop me. I would answer his challenge and beat him at his own game if it killed me.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I replied sweetly. Mush and Blink just shook their heads.
"Well this should be interestin." Blink muttered. I just gave them a sweet smile as well and ordered lunch.
"Screw it." I whispered to myself as I heard the whimper again, it sounded even more distressed. I opened the door and peered into the moonlit room trying to discern where the noise had come from. It came again only this time it had gone from a whimper to a soft wail. Call it motherly instinct, but I made a beeline straight for the noise. A few of the boys lifted their heads groggily as the wail came again followed by a choking sob. My heart contracted in my chest at the noise, I dropped to my knees at the bunk holding a small boy of about six. His face was twisted in a grimace, I could see the tears streaming down his face, he was fast asleep caught in a nightmare. Softly I ran a hand over his hair gently in a comforting gesture. He screamed and bolted upright, I did the only thing I knew to do and that was pull him into my arms. He was trembling and I felt my heart melt at the terrified look in his bright green eyes. He fought me for a moment trying to break free still caught between consciousness and sleep.
"Mama." He cried. " NO Mama."
"It's alright." I whispered soothingly, not wanting to let go yet. "You're in the Lodging House, it was only a dream."
Slowly he calmed and allowed me to hold him. I knew that right now this kid needed a little bit of a motherly figure.
"You the new girl." He said softly his eyes looking at me questioningly. "Cameo."
"You know my name, but what's yours?" I asked a small smile of encouragement on my lips.
"Mimic." He told me his eyes watching me. I looked in them and saw the wary gleam as if he were a wild animal waiting the next break so he could run.
"Is he okay?" Mimic jumped causing me to jump. My heart thumping in my chest I turned to see Jack standing above us a worried look on his face.
"He's fine." I replied. I gathered the boy in my arms and stood ignoring the stares of the other newsboys. Mimic hung on, not really ready to let go and be the tough boy he undoubtedly was. For the moment he it seemed he was a lost little boy, who desperately needed a mother. I carried him to my room and closed the door, leaving it cracked. I knew that he would be embarrassed in a few minutes both by his reaction to the nightmare and allowing me to comfort him.
"You want to talk about it?" I whispered listening to the other boys' beds creaking as they got into a better position. He looked out the window and shook his head, already receding into himself. " I won't tell the other boys I promise."
He searched my face his eyes telling me he was looking to see if I meant what I said. I reached out my hand and felt him slide his into mine.
"It was me mum." He whispered looking away, the pain in his eyes made my heart ache for him. "She... Well, she was a whore."
I flinched at the word, it was not one I would have expected to be part of a six year olds vocabulary. At least not one that he would be allowed to use, I nodded in a way I hoped was encouraging.
"She wasn't a bad lady, just tryin to make a livin for me and her." He continued his words tumbling over each other as he rushed to get it out. It was as if he had wanted to tell someone, but hadn't had anyone to tell. He was defensive mistaking my flinch for disgust at his mothers profession. "She didn't know any other way. I was downstairs that night waitin until her last customer was gone, and I heard her screamin. I went upstairs, but Madame Lucy, just held me back. When the man finally came out he was covered in.... in blood. Madame Lucy let go of me and went inside the room then she started yellin. She was sayin she hadn't been paid for his tastes; she hadn't been paid for him to torture her girl to death. A little pain was okay, but not killin 'em. When I got to the door.... when I got there.... she..."
Tears were streaming down his face; gently as I could I pulled him into my arms and cradled him as if I could take his pain away. I knew all these boys had come here for a reason, I knew they all had pasts that were painful. Some probably more than others, but I felt sick knowing what this child had seen. He had lived knowing things he shouldn't know about yet. Seeing things that if we are lucky we never see. He let me hold him, let me rock him back and forth his eyes staring straight out the window, his little body trembling with emotion. Finally it was as if he could take it no more. He turned his head into my shoulder and sobbed. I felt tears of my own; I ached for this boy in every part of my being. I wished I could have done more, but I did what I could, I held him and let him cry it out in heart wrenching sobs. Finally he lifted his head wearily, his eyes puffy from the tears he had shed.
"I sorry." He lisped, I could see the blush in his chubby little cheeks even in the moonlight.
"Don't be." I told him still rocking him. He gave me a tentative smile and I smiled back. " I don't care what it is, if you need someone to talk to you just come and see me."
He nodded thoughtfully settling back against me letting me stroke his hair.
"Me mam used to do that." He whispered "She used to sing to me too."
"Did she?" I whispered back.
"Would you sing to me too?" When he glanced up at me a saw the uncertainty in his eyes as if he were afraid he was asking for too much. I took an unsteady breathe an searched my mind for any songs I knew that would serve as a lullaby. One came to mind immediately. 'My Favorite Things' had been the song my own mother had sang to me as a child while she ran her fingers through my hair. I had often fallen asleep listening to her beautiful voice. Softly I sang switching to 'The Rose', then moving on to every slow song I remembered from any musical I had stored in my brain. Finally I felt his body grow limp, his breathing evening out. Soft sobs that always follow a good cry were fading. I picked him up to carry him to his bunk, when his eyes flew open.
"Don't leave me." He cried his eyes wild with fear, his little hand clutching at my chemise with a strength I knew would take tearing the fabric to get him to let go. I nodded and sat on my little makeshift bed, rocking him until he fell back asleep. I pulled the blanket over us both and I stared out the window, kissing any sleep I might have gotten goodbye.
"That was real kind of ya." I jumped startled at the voice that broke through my thoughts. I looked up to see Jack sitting in the doorway, just on the other side of the threshold of my room.
"Will you stop sneaking up on me?" I snapped, remembering to keep my voice down.
"Sorry." He replied a small grin playing on his lips. "He's lucky, most of us just gotta take the nightmares and move on until hopefully they fade."
"You heard?"
He nodded his face taking on the grim look of a man who isn't about to show pity for a fellow sufferer. Who's too macho and manly to let that little bit of weakness show.
"I've heard worse stories, but not many." Jack sighed his arms wrapping around his knees as he studied me.
"No one should have a story like that." I hissed angrily. "No one should have to live through that."
"Wake up sweetheart." Jack responded his expression grim. "We's all got stories like that. We's all lived through things most people should never live through, but we do, we make it, we move on. Some of us is just lucky to find a kind heart to help us through."
I felt the blush that flooded my cheeks as I realized the compliment he had just given me.
" I didn't to anything that a normal person ought to have done." I said ducking my head for a moment then returning his look directly.
"Funny, 'cause you ain't a normal person." He told him his face splitting into a grin. "Ya the craziest woman I'se ever met."
"Thanks." I said dryly rolling my eyes. Typical guy, they give you a compliment and then follow it by a remark that negates that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you're complimented. "So much for warm fuzzys."
"That's what I'm talkin about." Jack went on. " Ya say such queer things and ya don't act like any girl I've ever known. Ya say things about stuff girls don't talk about even if they's married. Ya act more like one of they boys."
"Then treat me like one of the boys." I said. " And as for what women talk about, you'd be surprised what they say when you're not around. Especially if they are married."
I knew that even in the age I was in, woman talked about things trying to make each other blush. The newly married women were usually the worst targeted, mostly because they were new to the idea of well, in good old twenty first century terms, sex. Jack just shook his head and looked away for a minute.
" I was thinkin about kickin ya out." He said after a moment of silence, I felt my pride well up and anger flash through me. " Spot's one of me bestfriends and well.. I don't know how to deal with the way ya act."
" I'll find my way." I told him proudly. " I'll be out of your hair come morning."
"Awe, cheese it." he said a little irritation seeping into his words. " I ain't gonna kick ya out. Ya gotta touch with the kids an I could use that. They ain't always the easiest to deal with especially when they ain't got someone tuckin them in at night. They all needs a little bit of a mother an I think ya can do it. Ya just earned ya place here. If ya gotta better place then I ain't gonna stop you, but we both know ya don't. If ya wanna go then ya can, but I think ya like working with kids. I think ya can help them like none of us boys can."
Damn I always have been a sucker for those who were hurting and I had a feeling he knew that. He knew I'd stay, he knew I'd help with the younger kids in a way he never could. He knew he had me.
"Now all I'm asking is that ya stop tryin to get under my skin. It ain't sittin to well with me boys, they's startin to mimic you and testin my authority."
"I'm sorry." I replied softly swallowing my pride, man did I hate apologizing. I barely had been able to get the words out of my mouth. He searched my face as if trying to see if I had meant it. The look he gave me next told me he understood, and I had the feeling it was just as hard for him to apologize.
"'S all right." He told me " I don't suppose ya gonna tell me anymore about yaself than ya told Crutchy are ya?"
I looked at him in surprise feeling a little betrayed it wasn't as if it were anything that had to stay confidential, but no one likes it when their closest friend starts talking about your past as if it were gossip to be spread. I shook my head, Crutchy wouldn't gossip about me. I hadn't told him to keep any of what I said to himself, he would have I had said something I was sure.
"Crutchy told you?"
"There weren't nothin to really tell." Jack said his face serious. " Normally I don't pry, I don't care, as long as ya do as I say and follow my lead I ignore it. But it ain't everyday that a good lookin girl shows up in an alley way. It was odd, one minute there's nothing there the next me boys is stumbilin over something. An that somthin was you. There was this weird light shinin all around you then it went away. So what happened?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you." I sighed wishing that I could explain it. I ignored his comments about my looks. He was probably trying to butter me up to tell him more. Well I wasn't some calf eyed girl that was going to spill my guts the minute a good looking boy complimented me.
"Ya ain't some kinda witch or somethin are ya?" he asked his voice telling me he was serious. What was it with people? They see something odd and they immediately think the person is a witch. I would have thought they were over that thought pattern by now.
"Do you think if I was that I would still be here?" I queried in an irritated tone. " I'm thinking I would be living in a mansion right now, with servants and good food instead of half starving with a bunch of newsboys."
He took that in and nodded in agreement his face flushing a little at his question.
"So we's callin a truce?"
I nodded, he spit and held out his hand, I looked at it as if it were a snake, a poisonous one at that.
"Do you know how many germs your saliva has?" I asked unable to keep the revulsion from my voice. He just chuckled and wiped his hand on his pants before offering it back to me. I looked at it a moment before finally shaking his hand. Silently he stood and turned back to the bunkroom heading for his bed.
"Hey Cameo?" he called softly turning back before I could shut my door.
"Yeah?" I called back.
"I don't mind ya pushin Spot's buttons, " he said "it's nice to see a girl who ain't all fluttery around him, but could ya try not to start a war between us? We've had a truce with Brooklyn for a while now and I ain't too anxious to start something."
"I'm not making any promises." I told him trying to ignore the fluttery feeling I did get when I thought of those baby blues. " You tell him to keep his hands off and I'll do what I can."
He grunted which I took for an agreement and a moment later I heard a bed creak signaling he had settled into his bunk. I shut the door and settled back me leaning against the wall. I felt my eyes becoming heavy and gladly allowed sleep to come.
"Wake up." Kloppman's voice echoed through the bunkroom and I heard the groans of the boys as they tried to wake up. I heard Mush's usually cheerful voice and heard thumps that followed it telling me that a few of the boys had throw whatever came to hand at him. I closed my eyes hoping I'd get a few more minutes.
"Where's Mimic?" I heard him ask. So much for that idea, looks like I was going to have to wake up before Kloppman chewed my butt for letting the kid sleep with me.
"He had a nightmare." I heard Jack say.
Bless him. I thought as I fuzzily pushed the blanket away from both of us and started trying to wake the kid who was sleeping like the dead. A night of crying has a tendency to do that though.
"So that still don't tell me where he is." I heard Kloppman retort.
"Cameo took him into her room so the rest of us could get some sleep." Jack explained his voice sounding as persuasive as I had ever heard it. I heard Kloppman grumbling and heard his footsteps as they reached my door. It flew open and I found myself smiling at him, grabbing for the blanket I had just pushed off.
"The kid okay?" He asked worry in his eyes as he looked at the sleeping boy.
"He's fine, just needed someone to talk to." I replied as I wrapped the blanket around me like a shawl. Mimic sleepily opened one eye and glared at both of us for the infraction of disturbing his slumber.
" Morning sleepy head." I teased tickling him and earning a giggle that he immediately tried to hide behind a glare. I heard Kloppman chuckle, we both looked at him smiling.
"Get goin shorty." He told Mimic. He scampered off leaving Kloppman's attention on me. " Thanks for calmin him down, I ain't gonna yell at ya. I guess ya ain't in trouble since Mimic's a little young for ya."
"A little?" I asked the disgust, even the thought made me want to vomit. " How could you even....... Oh never mind."
Kloppman shrugged and meandered off to wake the boys who weren't sleepily filing into the washroom. Sighing I shut my door and started to get ready for another day. I heard a soft knock on my door as I pulled up my suspenders and looked around for my hat.
"Come in." I called cursing as I pushed around my meager belongings wondering how I could have lost it in a room the size of a linen closet. Glancing up I saw Mimic standing in the doorway looking at me shyly.
"Can I help you?" I asked stopping my search for a moment and turning my attention on the cute little kid with strawberry blonde hair and vivid green eyes.
"Can I sell with you today?" his voice was soft and he had a look on his face that told me it had been hard for him to get up the courage to ask. After all this kid had been through I had a feeling that he was afraid to let anyone close.
"Of course you can." I told him ruffling his hair. "As soon as I find my hat."
He grinned impishly and darted into my room pulling my hat from under the pillow it had been half hidden under.
"Go figure." I groaned " Right under my nose."
"What was?" Mush asked from the doorway.
"My hat." I replied as I pulled my hair under the cap.
"So we got ourselves another new sellin partner?" Blink asked.
"Yup," I responded giving Mimic a grin. " With this kids mug how could I refuse."
"Yeah, he is kinda cute." Mush agreed, pushing Mimic's hat down in a gesture that was much like an older brothers.
Mimic latched onto my hand and I didn't let go until we reached to distribution center. I handed Mush enough money for my share of the papers and waited patiently while he got them. Life was becoming a routine now, wake up sell papers, go to Tibby's, sell more papers, go home, play some poker, go to bed. So as soon as lunch came around can you guess where we headed?
I heard Spot's voice just as we entered the restaurant and groaned. Why couldn't dog boy just stay in Brooklyn?
"So Jacky-boy we's hostin a little get together tonight in Brooklyn," I heard him say "Thought I'd pop over and give ya a little invitation."
I heard the murmurs of excitement that rippled through the crowd.
"Ya can count on us to be there." Jack replied doing that disgusting spit thing. Damn they would have to have a party in Brooklyn. I could hear everyone talking about it excitedly, I guess Brooklyn must have thrown quiet the bash previously.
"Ya gonna come?" I looked up and saw those blue eyes that I wasn't sure whether to hate or fall into. His look was challenging and I knew I would be there, there wasn't anything on this earth that would stop me. I would answer his challenge and beat him at his own game if it killed me.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I replied sweetly. Mush and Blink just shook their heads.
"Well this should be interestin." Blink muttered. I just gave them a sweet smile as well and ordered lunch.