Shout ins:
Angelic One: I love Sgt. Bilko. It's adorable. I love it when Max is like "Dig deep, baby!" It's so cute.
Yes...Bumlets and Kristen...LOTS of them in this chapter! :D
(hugs) Thanks
NicNac: I haven't had a kit kat in ages! Thank you!
(Looks at innocent newsies crowding around computer screen) Maybe I'll tell them about bikinis later.
snipah higgins: I love it when Max's singing "Over hill, over dale, we have hit the dusty trail..." awwww...(sigh of deep infatuation)
Tanya can't go home? We'll see what ends up happening, I guess. :) Thank you, punkin.
PsYcHoJo: Thank you...I'll have Skittery speak Italian to you in the next chapter. Promise! :)
Artemis-chan: I'm sorry about not explaining more about Daniel. Maybe someday I'll get around to a story just about them.
Lol, I don't think anyone can break Racetrack of his gambling addiction.
Race: Ya got dat right.
I really like Spot and Raven together. They fit.
Mush: (reads description of bikini) Oh.
Blink: (disappointed) It's not a bicycle?
(They all glare at Racetrack)
Thank you, darling...:)
Ivy: Thank you! Again, I really wish I could say more about Daniel but at this point, I don't think I can. :) I was excited when I updated, too! Heheh.
Mush: Hear dat, guys? I'm hot!
Snipeshooter: I thought it was rather cool this evening.
Moonlight: Thank you as always! Here's more. :) (I'm so glad you love it)
Phoenix: lol...poor Race. He's so forgetful!
I won't kill Spot. How's that? Love ya...have another chapter. :D
Shorty: I'm sorry, sorry, sorry! Pleeeeeeaseeeeeeee forgive me!!!!!!! Here! MORE! And a lot of it's happy! I love brownies. Yum. Gimme. Thank you, my darling bakeress! Your brownies speed up the writing process.
Raven: I really like writing you and Spot together. It's fun. And it just totally works.
Racetrack has a gambling problem? Lol. The poor boy won't ever truly admit it.
Jack's wearing your Aerosmith shirt? That's an adorable picture.
Thank you, here's some more!
Dreamer: Thank you. Have a brownie.
Sureshot Higgins: Told ya! I KNEW you'd do great! HA! (Hugs Sureshot) Congratulations, my wonderfulest!
Kristen isn't sad, actually. In a way she is, I guess. She's crossing over into a new stage of life and that's a little sad (and very happy). You know...it's the whole sweet serenity of a bride thing.
TO ALL THE NEWSIE LOVERS: Once again, you rock! I adore you all! Here! Have brownies. Shorty made them. (She's the official newsies bakeress, so they have to be good!)
imaginelet: Yeah, Daniel's gone. I think. Heheh. And then again...
Yes, that's a pretty cool medal, too. WE ROCK. So there.
Racetrack's feeling better, anyway. That's a good thing.
Thanks...mwah.
Bella: I can't promise it won't end sad but let's just say I go for happy endings. ;) I think you'll all be happy. Jack says he can't leave for Santa Fe, yet. But he'll let you know when he can get away. I agree. Hugs are better than drugs. (hugs Bella)
Lil Rain Angel: Skittery said he might teach us Italian. If we're nice to him. Racetrack said he would, too, but he's charging fifty bucks an HOUR.
Tell the flying monkeys, 'hi' for me.
I can't promise Tanya doesn't go back...I won't promise Racetrack goes with her. Trust me. I think everyone will enjoy the sequel.
Thank you, Rain.
Chicago: I promise. We're not that near to the end of the story! Just to the end of part 1! :D I hope you get to see this before you leave to see your relatives.
Oh, I am SO glad your kitty's better! I love cats.
Lol. I know how you feel! People keep asking if they can borrow my Newsies DVD and I'm like, "Um, but...but...uh..."
Thank you.
Corky Higgins: Vinnie is cooler than Mike. But thank you, Mike. ;) Thank you FOREVER for reviewing this! YOU ARE WONDERFUL! I'll go read your story as soon as I can! :)
ShortAtntionSpaz: Hey, I really missed you! (hugs Spaz) BUT NOW YOU'RE BACK! I have a character for you. Can you wait a bit? :) I'll have her soon.
Thanks for coming back and reviewing! You can have a brownie, too. MMMMMMMM...
And here we go...
It had taken every ounce of the show girl in Tanya to convince Racetrack she was well enough to attend the wedding.
She and Katherine giggled as they fitted and smoothed the ruffles of the white dress. Kate was arranging bobby pins on the dresser, still dressed in her boys' clothes.
Kristen sighed and pouted and peered anxiously into the mirror before reeling back with a gasp, clutching her nose.
"What is it?"
"What's wrong?"
"My nose!" she whimpered. "It's peeling!"
"I told you to stay out of the sun!" Katherine scolded, dabbing Kristen's face with powder.
They both turned to examine their reflections in the glass and promptly cracked up.
"We sound like ugly old ladies!" Kristen cackled, doubling over in her lacy layers of gown.
"Stay out of the sun, dearie," Katherine told her in a high tremulous voice.
****
The peals of laughter outside the door sounded ominous to Racetrack as he stood hesitantly in front of Kristen's bedroom. He knocked uncertainly, running his tongue over the side of his mouth.
****
Through the shrieking gales, Kate heard the soft knock.
Tanya caught her eyes and moved, still laughing with the others.
She coughed slightly as she leaned against the door, "Who is it?"
"It's Racetrack."
The girl opened the door a crack.
****
Tanya's pale face made her eyes seem darker and Racetrack thought she looked particularly sweet standing there in the half open doorway, leaning her head against the frame.
"Is da bride in deah? I have a message foah huh."
Tanya held out her hand.
Racetrack grinned, "Oh, you wanna hold my hand? How nice."
Tanya blushed and started to pull away. Racetrack didn't let her.
The door flew open and an imposing Kate Lawrence appeared, "What do you want?"
"I have a message foah..."
Kristen's redhead appeared.
"Foah you!" he nodded at her, tugging his cap almost reverently.
"Yes?"
"Bumlets said ta tell ya he loves ya and he wants ta marry ya."
Tanya looked perplexed, "Shouldn't he have communicated this earlier?"
"He just wanted ta make shoa she still wanted ta marry him," Racetrack shifted from foot to foot, feeling strange delivering such personal messages.
Kristen looked suddenly worried, "Well, why wouldn't I? He's not having second thoughts, is he?" She grabbed Racetrack by his vest, "Is he?"
"No, he just..."
"Go ask him if he still wants to marry me."
"But..."
"Go!"
****
Bumlets stood still while Skittery straightened his bow tie.
Jack waited sedately, hands behind his back.
Racetrack walked in uneasily.
"Well?" Bumlets pushed past Skittery.
"She...she...wants ta make shoa ya wanna marry huh."
"Yeah, I do!" He nodded earnestly. "Does...does she not wanna marry ME?"
"Well, yeah, she does but..."
"Go find out." The newsies pushed Racetrack back into the hallway.
He sighed.
****
"It's raining." Kate remarked as she curled and knotted Kristen's red hair.
The bride in question stood up fast, "That's a bad omen, isn't it? I knew we shouldn't have gotten married on a Tuesday!"
"Yes, Wednesday would have been SO much better," Kate said sarcastically.
"Don't worry, Kristen. Everything will be okay." Tanya smiled in a way she hoped was reassuring. Her stomach was feeling a little queasy again.
****
Racetrack was afraid he would sink right through the velvet cushions on the sofa. He had never sat on anything so comfortable and frankly, he didn't like it.
Les was rolling several marbles back and forth on the small table beside the overstuffed chair. A smack from David made him freeze in his motions.
"Well, I'm sorry, David. But I've never been to a weddin' before!"
"Sit still and be quiet," his brother hissed.
Tanya stood to one side of the make shift altar at the front of the room along with Kate and Katherine. Her dress was nothing like the one she had worn to LaShonda's sister's wedding but it was pretty. She caught Racetrack's eyes.
He looked out of place but Tanya knew she was the one who didn't belong there.
****
Bumlets swallowed hard, trying to remove the lump from his throat. Was that dreamy little redhead with the wildly sparkling green eyes really walking through the maze of furniture to marry HIM? He smiled proudly and nodded at Jack and Skittery.
Kristen's mother smiled and waved her fan and whispered to the ladies around her.
Jack and Sarah's eyes found each other in the crowded parlor and silently spoke of dreams still to come true.
Tanya wished her head didn't ache so much. Racetrack stifled a cough.
****
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God to join Kristina Elizabeth Hunter and Phillip Ferdinand Estanelli in holy matrimony..."
All newsboys present became immediately occupied with smothering snickers and snorts at the revelation of Bumlets' given name.
****
"...all the days of my life."
****
Kristen felt her feet leave the ground and she just knew he'd never set her down again.
****
The reception was small but neither the bride nor the groom seemed to care. In fact, Kristen didn't touch her cake and Bumlets never took a sip of the red wine that had been bought for the occasion.
****
David immediately made himself available to supply Katherine with all the food her plate could hold.
****
Jack watched a lone newsie leaving the house. A brief peck and a whisper in Sarah's ear and he followed.
****
"Whatcha t'inkin' 'bout, Race?"
Leaning against the brick wall in the front, Racetrack fixed his eyes on the lamp post beside him. "Whoevah said dat 'love transcends all time' was da biggest liah in da whole woild."
"Whatsa matta witchou?" Jack poked his friend.
Race took a deep puff from his cigar and let it out slowly, "I'll let ya know when I find out, Cowboy."
****
Tanya saw Jack come back in and took that moment to slip out.
****
Tanya coughed to announce her presence.
He stood up quickly to face her, the smoke from his cigar making her eyes sting.
She coughed again and shivered
"Ya feelin' a'right?" he asked, immediately drawing an arm around her.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Da truth."
A sigh, "No."
"Den it's back ta bed. I'll tell everyone weah leavin'."
She nodded, feeling too sick to argue.
****
"I'se nevah rode in a carriage, Tanya. 'Ave you?"
"Mmm?"
"'Ave yous evah rode in a carriage befoah?"
"Once. In Central Park," Tanya put her head on the newsie's shoulder and yawned.
"Ya mean like one a dose howseless carriages?"
"No, with horses."
"But I t'ought-..."
"Just for fun. People take open carriage rides in the park because it's old-fashioned and romantic."
Racetrack tried to understand how this bumpy ride in a black box with velvet seats could be considered romantic. He had to admit...having Tanya that close felt good.
He let his hand tug absently at one of her curls, "You'll feel bettah soon. Don't worry."
She shook her head. "I need to go home, Racetrack."
The newsboy sighed, "Yeah, you said dat. What I'se wanna know is how you plan ta do dat."
Tanya didn't say anything.
"I mean," he went on, "It's not like you can jus' snap ya fingahs and go back ta...ta wheahevah you came from. Ya gotta leave da same way yous came. And I ain't even 'xactly shoa what way ya came!"
There was no reply.
"Can't ya jus' be from heah?" He pleaded. "Tell me ya not from a hundred yeahs 'way. Ya really just a goil from now and you was jus' makin' it all up foah a joke. What's so bad 'bout dat, ya know?"
He looked at Tanya. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was evening out.
"Yeah, dat's right," he murmured, kissing her forehead fervently. "Go 'head and sleep." He rolled his eyes, " I mean, it ain't as if we got anyt'ing ta WORRY 'bout."
This last bit was said so sarcastically that it almost had the opposite effect that that kiss had had on Tanya. She kept her eyes shut tight all the way back to the lodging house. But even when they stopped and she felt strong arms lifting her from the carriage, she clung in her heart to Racetrack...harsh, sarcastic, and wise beyond nineteen years...
As he lay her down and pulled the scratchy wool blankets up to her chin, she put her arms around his neck and yanked him down to her face, "I love you, Racetrack Higgins."
A/N: That's all for now. :) More to come!
Legs comments on: time
Not enough of it. Nope. Sure isn't.
