The four kids arrived to the building where Spot's mother lived; it was a very simple but nice place. Spot looked up and sighed.
"What's wrong, Spotty?" Empress asked sweetly. "Are you'se afraid ta see you mom?"
"It's hard to go back home, goily." He answered.
"So, Spot? In what floor does ya mom live?" Jack said.
"In da foist floor"
"So, let's go." Chocolates proposed. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."
They entered the building and went immediately upstairs, to the first floor. They didn't say anything for a few minutes, just stood in front of the door, waiting for Spot to knock. But he didn't, he was afraid. The kids encouraged him and told him not to be afraid. Spot agreed and knocked the door. Jack asked him if it was ok for him if they stayed outside, he said that it was alright, but Empress had to come inside with him.
"Ok, we'll stay here outside." Jack took Chocolate's hand and led her to a sofa to sit down. "Good luck, Conlon".
"Thanks Kelly foah coming heah with..." he was interrupted.
"Yes, can I help you?" a woman opened the door slowly. Spot didn't say a word, he just looked up at her mother, and he was confused. He didn't know what he was feeling. At first he thought that his mother didn't recognize him. But the woman did.
"Patrick? My Patrick?" she cried.
"Yes, mom, it's me... Patrick" he hugged his mom and she kissed him in the forehead. They were still standing in the doorway, Empress was beside him; Jack and Chocolates were sitting in the couch. The woman invited them to come in.
"Patrick, honeys... are you ok? The woman asked worried "Why didja leave me, boy, Why did you leave yoah mom and yoah little sistah?"
"Because of yoah husband, He hoit me, ya know?"
"It's ok now. Ray left one year after you disappeared. I met your friends and they didn't know anything about "Patrick". How do these kids call ya?"
"Now I'm Spot and I'se the leader of the Brooklyn newsies."
"Didja go ta Brooklyn?"
"Yes, but I really wanted ta see ya, and little Gaby. Where's me little sistah?"
"She's in her room; well it was also yoah room. I'll call her."
The woman goes to the girl's room and tells her to come, that she has a big surprise for her. A little girl of about 8 years old comes running. She looked like Spot very much, the same eyes, the same hair, the same smile. She looked at his brother; she didn't know who his was.
"Do I know you'se, mister? She was a well-educated young lady.
"Gaby... C'mon Gaby, it's me"
"Patrick?"
"Yeah doll, it's me!" He ran to hug her and took her in his arms. "Well, you're a pretty lil' lady!"He kissed her cheek.
"Why did you leave, Pat?" the girl asked.
"Let's forget that, ok? Look, goily. Those are my pals: Jack and his goilfriend Chocolates and that's my girl: Empress ain't she beautiful? "
"Yeah..." Gaby answered shyly. "Why do you have all those funny names?"
"Those are newsie names, we are newsies."
"Oh, so your newsie name is..."
"Spot, Spot Conlon"
Spot's mother comes out and hugs her little daughter. "Kids, stay here for lunch." The woman started to bring food to the table. "I'm so thankful with you guys that's the only thing I can do for ya, now I'm gonna spend Christmas with my baby boy." The kids agree to stay and have lunch. They sat down around the dinning room table.
"We have to pray, momma. Because Patrick is back and now we're all happy." Gaby insisted. The guys laughed and nodded, and then they started to pray,
"Is that your girl?" Said Spot's mom looking at Empress "She's pretty"
"Thanks, Mrs. Conlon" Empress smiled.
"So, that's a yes, huh?" Her mom said. "I'm so happy ta meet ya Empress. And what about you guys, are you a couple too? ". Jack nodded.
During lunch, Spot decided to leave Brooklyn and go back to his mom's house, still working as a newsie, of course. Jack and Chocolates left the Conlon's apartment, Empress decided to stay a little longer and then Spot would walk her home. On their way home, Jack and Chocolates talked about Spot, of how good things were going now, everything seemed to be perfect.
"Jack?" Chocolates called.
"Tell me, love." Jack held her hand.
"I'm so excited for Christmas, ya know, for that fancy ball and everything. The Governor was so nice for inviting us."
"I wanna see you in a long dress, looking glamorous and everything."
"Well, I hope I see you in a suit too. You know, with the hat and everything." She smiled.
"Are yoah sure, the ball is in 2 days. Do you wanna go?"
"If you go, yes."
"And do ya wanna dance with me?"
"Yes, Jack, I'm gonna dance with ya."
"Oh God..." Jack sighed.
"What..." Chocolates asked worried.
"You're so beautiful, I... I had forgotten how beautiful you were."
"You'se so cheesy, Jack!" She said hitting his face softly and trying to walk away, but Jack grabbed her from her waist and started to kiss her passionately, she threw her arms around his neck and jumped over him, wrapping her legs around his waist. They kissed for a long while until they got interrupted.
"Hi Guys!" Hoops said running to the Lodging House with Mush. "Nice to see you guys. I'm so excited; I just found out about that Christmas ball, are you going?"
"Yeah" Chocolates whispered "It's a big event that one, huh? You're going with Mush, I guess."
"Yeah, she's going with me! Ain't that great?" Mush jumped.
"We better go inside" Jack told the others. "It's starting to snow again. Can't believe tomorrow is December 24." he smiled.
"It's great... I love Christmas." Chocolates replied.
"Hey..." Jack whispered.
"What?" The girl replied.
"I love you'se."
"I love you too, but how much do you love me?" she said with her hand on her waist.
"I love you more than my own life." He pulled her closer and tried to kiss her but she looked down. He noticed that she started to cry. "What's going on? What did I say?"
"Nobody ever loved me like that." She whispered.
"Well, I do." He smiled.
"Jackie, my love?"
"Yes, goily?"
"I love you more than my own life too." She made him look down and her and kissed him. "Let's go inside, ok? It's cold."
"Don't worry, I'll hug ya".
Ok, ok, ok... on the next chapter: XMAS!!!!! Yay! I'm just so excited. Thanks to my dear reviewers:
Serena Conlon:
TheAngryPrincess13:
Cinnamon:
Goily
ShortAtntionSpaz
Inscrutablex
WannabeNewsie
Dimonah Tralon
Sparks Kelly
Thanks a lot for reviewing... keep doping it, please!!!
Chocolates.
