The next morning Layana woke extra early even before the sun. She put on the skirt outfit from the day before, and pulled her long bangs back in a braided bun on the back of her head. She wrote a note for her uncle on a piece of yellow paper that was lying around. It said she would be back later, that she needed to do something. She left quietly not to disturb him, she had with her Kid Blink's hat, the money which her uncle had let her keep, when he found she didn't use it on the dresses. Layana headed to a bakery near Tibby's that she remembered seeing when she was with Jack. When she got their she observed a closed door with a sign that said 'closed'. Peering through the window, she saw an old man kneeing some dough. He spotted her standing there for a few minutes, and walked over to the door, unlocked it and came out.
"Can I help you Miss. It's awfully early to out here by yourself." He wiped his hands on the white, dough covered apron, he was wearing.
"I'm sorry. What time do you open?" Meekly she replied. She felt stupid.
"Not for another good half hour. What's so important to that you need to eat now?"
"Oh, it's not for me. I need about a hundred doughnuts, and rolls for some people I know." The man looked surprised.
"A hundred!?!"
"I have the money." She pulled some folded bills from underneath the waist of her skirt and opened her hand and showed him coins. He looked at her for a moment and thought.
"Well. I think I can make an exception. Come on in." Layana smiled and walked in, in front of him. Once in he took her into the back. There she saw the collection for the morning. He gave her full range on selection. She got about twenty sourdough rolls, thirty glaze doughnuts, and twenty regular rolls with jam to go with it, and ten cream filled doughnuts with chocolate icing on top, for those newsies closest to her. After making her selections, she gave him the money and he gave her the change and put them into baskets.
"Thanks." She left with a smile. When the baker went back to keening the dough, he noticed something under another piece of paper. He picked it up and underneath was a two dollar tip. Upon getting to the lodging house, she was greeted by Kloppman who was just about to get the boys up.
"If you don't mind, I can do it. I brought them something to eat." She lifted her arm up was holding two the four baskets. Kloppman took in the sent and allowed her passage up stairs. Before she went up though she handed him a cream filled doughnut. Once up there she tiptoed. She pulled the table they used for cards and another empty table together and spread a white cloth on them. She pulled out some of each and set the baskets open. Layana walked down a few steps.
"Everyone up. Time to get up!" After a few seconds of barely any movements, she started again.
"Rise and Shine!!" She caught every ones attention that time. Even Jack was getting up, and he was usually the last to rise. They all looked around. That wasn't normally how their mornings started. They couldn't tell who had woken them up. Boots was the first to notice the food. Layana receded the stairs.
"Am I'se dreamin'?"
"Wow." Said a few of the younger ones who gawked at the delicious, sugary food.
"Where did all dis come from?" Bumlets asked Jack who walked over to the other table, where the cream filled doughnuts were sitting. There was piece if paper and written on it was, 'Mush, Racetrack, Jack, Kid Blink, thank you guys for everything. Layana'
"Layana did dis?" Jack sat down the paper.
"Uh huh." They all looked back at the stairs, where the voice came from. Layana was standing there with pitcher of milk, Kloppman was behind her with one too and some glasses. Racetrack and Mush both went over to her. Mush got there first and took the pitcher from her. Racetrack being a few moments late helped Kloppman with his.
"Thanks." Layana said has he took it. She smiled at them both.
"You'se look nice." Mush replied noticing her new outfit. She blushed.
"Thanks." She said again.
"We'se should be thankin' you'se." Racetrack commented.
"Yeah Layana dis is won'erful" Jack said while engulfing one of the doughnuts.
"I just wanted to thank you guys for being so nice to me, and helping me out.." She walked over to the table where Kid Blink is standing. She took his hat from her head and extending her arm almost completely full length, put it one him the same why he did to her, covering his eyes. The next thirty minutes were filled with eating and joking around. It had crossed Layana's mind about the show at Medda's, she was wondering if it were going to be a bring a date kind of event and if so, would Mush ask her?
"Layana tonight 'bout seven, if ya want me and da Jacob's can come by and walk wid you to da show." Jack said as the others were all leaving.
"Yeah. That's okay." Jack left and Layana sighed. She began to put away some of the things they used. It didn't really matter if he asked her though. If there were to be dancing, she'd be in trouble. She can't even walk properly, let alone dance. Maybe it would be bad idea to go. She'd hardly know anyone, and they're probably all going to go off and talk to each other. Maybe Morris was right to some degree. She'd have to explain about her leg to every inquiring eye and comment. She would also have to be able to keep up a front for her the pain. If they didn't have anywhere to sit, the pain would really set in. She would stick out so much, and look so different and feel so stupid. She was gazing down in a daze, as her heart and mood took a dive to a low she hadn't felt in a long time. She was picking a glass up when something was on her shoulder. Startled she turned around.
"Dear God." Escaped her mouth in a frightened tone. It was only Mush.
"Sorry, I'se didn't mean to scares you'se. I'se was just wonderin' would ya like to be mi goil?" His nervousness glowed around in him and spilled out in his words. She couldn't say anything at first.
"For da show dat is." He put in quick, scared she was wanted to say no.
"Of course." Layana cheeks turned slightly crimson. All the doubts and fears from before are forgotten. He put on his hat and stared for a moment, and in that moment he dared to and did, kiss her on the cheek, and left. Layana began to giggle profusely, she couldn't help herself. She was on cloud nine. For Mush, it was relief. He has had a lot of experience with girls, but this was is different. Layana was all those little things that he had liked from all different girls wrapped up in one.