Chapter Ten
The cool evening silence was chased away by the sounds of laughter and music. Bright silver stars twinkled from a perfectly clear night sky. Over a hundred lamps and lanterns brightened the Younger ranch. Warm, spicy smells drifted lightly through the air seductively teasing the noses of hungry guests. Those, who were not preparing food, were congregated around the dance floor. A dozen couples pranced around the circle to the toe-tapping music. Laughter rang out from flushed, happy faces.
Kat was all smiles as she moved from the kitchen to the serving table and back again with trays and dishes full of food. Zee had tried to shoo her out of the kitchen to spend time with the guests, but Kat would hear none of it. Even with a dozen other ladies helping to cook the food, someone still needed to serve it. So, that's what she was doing. Her friends were never to far away from the kitchen since they knew no one and were hoping for a free handout.
Kat arrived at the table just as Spot nonchalantly reached an unseen hand toward a sweet dish. With a quick flick of the wrist, Kat gave the offending hand a resounding smack, making Spot jump and howl with pain.
"Mr. Conlon! I do hope that you weren't tryin' to eat some of the food before everything was ready. Were you, Spot?"
Kat's glare matched Spot's icy blue stare as he sulkingly rubbed his sore hand. No one but Kat could withstand Spot's stare. It would send cold shivers down your spine with how menacing it could get.
A pair of arms roughly encircling Kat's waist cut their glaring contest short. The arms turned the surprised girl to face their owner. Kat's face lost all color when her terrified gaze met the dark gaze of Tony Ganzales. A smug smirk graced his hard features making him look cold and cruel.
"Hello Katlin. Did you miss me?" The greeting was oily and cold as he started to press soft kisses against Kat's bare neck. His dark brown eyes glinted with lust and sick enjoyment at the girl's fear.
"Tony!" The name slipped weakly past Kat's trembling lips, but it held as much hatred and venom that she could put into it.
Spot had never seen Kat so froze with fear. The girl didn't even try to push the jerk off. She just stood there trembling, her eyes full of crocodile tears. Shudders continually passed through her stiff posture. The look on her face was a mixture of pure terror and hatred. Spot didn't really agree with how the scabber was running his hands and lips all over Kat.
With determination in his step and face, Spot strode toward the couple. "'Scuse me. Kat, would youse be willin' ta join me en a walk?" The look of thankful relief that Kat sent Spot made him feel glad he was able to read people easily.
Tony scowled at Spot before backing away from Kat. With a cold smile, he bowed and kissed her trembling hand.
"Nice to see you again, Katty. Hope to be in your company again soon." He spun on his heal and disappeared into the crowd.
The moment he was gone, Kat went from rigid to mush. A rough sob escaped her closed throat before she took off as fast as she could go in the opposite direction. Spot took off after her, yelling her name and for her to stop. But she didn't hear or just didn't care. She just kept running, running to that special place of solitude and security. She blindly dashed by the group of her friends not hearing their concerned shouts. She ran till she was exhausted, stumbling over loose ground and tree roots. Just when she thought she would collapse from exhaustion, Kat reached her small spot by a creek at the back of the ranch house.
She came to rest beside the smooth trunk of her willow tree. The small brook whispered comfort to the sobbing girl who knelt beside it. She gasped in air as hard sobs shook her body. She felt like she was going to be sick from the way her stomach churned and rolled inside her. She felt dirty and degraded. The feel of his kisses on her neck was still fresh in her memory, making her stomach turn over once again.
Why was he back? Why here? Why now? Her life had just gotten back to its regularity, and then he shows up in it again!
Thoughts from the past filled her mind. Kat felt her stomach surge at the revolting memories. A minute later, she was retching beside the stream holding onto the slim trunk for support. Tears and sweat poured down her face, as her throat became raw.
As she spat the last of the vomit out of her mouth, Kat felt a pair of reassuring arms pull her against a broad, protective chest. She tried to fight against the grasp, but her energy wasn't in it.
"Easy dere, pretty rose. I ain't gonna hoit ya." Crutchy's soft voice whispered against her hair. Kat instantly felt security and calmness come over her trouble soul.
She turned her face and buried it against his toned chest, breathing deep his scent of spice and dusty hay. He had been moving between the kitchen and barn most of the evening, helping where he could. In his protective arms, she let the sobs and tears take over her body once again. Her muffled sobs were the only sounds breaking the night stillness.
Crutchy rocked back and forth, slowly trying to calm her sobs and soothing her fears. He didn't know why she was so upset and crying her heart out. After she had gone racing by faster then a newsie with the bulls on his tail, Spot had rushed up to the group and paused with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. When he was able to answer the questions bombing him, Spot had described the scene that had happened just now between 'Tony' and Kat. Indignation and rage filled the faces of the other newsies, knowing someone had hurt their Kat.
Jack had instantly taken charge sending the newsies in different directions to search for Kat. They were getting worried that this 'Tony' would try something if she were by herself in secluded area. Plus, it had gotten dark and the wild animals were starting to come out. Crutchy was going to follow Race and Blink when they hurried off toward the pasture when he remembered Kat telling him of her 'special' place. She said that she often would go to this private place to get away from the world. Without a word to the others, he had headed in the general direction of where he thought the place might be.
It took nearly five minutes to actually find the place that she had described. Though, as he got closer, he could hear her sobbing and then retching. It tore at his heart to see his girl in such a state, especially on her birthday. The sobs seemed to come from deep with in her soul. It sounded like long hidden wounds had been reopened. What could have happened to make such a strong, bulwark of a girl cry as if her heart was being ripped out?
Minutes passed as they sat there rocking beneath a perfect night sky. Crutchy's comforting arms and even breaths seemed to sooth Kat's terrified sobs down to silent shudders and light sniffles. Another few minutes passed by before Kat was silent and lying quietly in Crutchy's arms. Her head rested lightly against his broad chest as she listened to his steady heartbeat. All she wanted to do for the rest of her life was sit there in the moonlight in Crutchy's arms. It felt so good, and he smelled so nice.
Crutchy shifted his position a bit so that his chin rested on the top of Kat's black head. She smelled like wild roses. His heart was pounding fast and hard beneath his chest from being so close to the girl his heart desired. He knew that with her head resting against him, Kat could hear the quickening of his heart and could probably guess that he was nervous. He just hoped that she didn't guess correctly about his feelings for her.
"Youse a'right now, Kat?" Crutchy whispered the question softly against Kat's soft, raven tresses as if trying hard not to break the spell that had been cast.
A long silence followed for several minutes before a heavy sigh escaped Kat's lips.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks, for everything. Sorry for getting all hysterical and running off like that. I-I wasn't thinking straight. All I w-wanted to do was get away!" Tears once again entered her voice.
Crutchy tightened his embrace around her hoping to keep her tears at bay. He knew he had to ask about what happened. He had to know why Tony could upset her when the Delancys didn't even phase her. He didn't want to ask, but he wanted to know so that he could keep it from happening again.
After searching every logical place they could think of, the now distraught newsies met together in the shadowy barn. They were all trying to keep their cool. It wasn't like Kat couldn't take care of herself. She had done it before. Jack rubbed the back of his neck, a sign of sure worry. He ran his eyes over the group silently asking for any news. Defeated looks and negative shakes of their heads answered his unasked question. It was for real; Kat had a good hiding place that she had disappeared to. Jack was about to sit in a pile of hay and bury his face in his hands when he noticed something.
"Where's Crutchy?" Every head was instantly twisting around searching for their crippled friend.
Race seemed to recollect something in his memory at that moment, "Oh, yay, I's saw 'im hobblin' toward the back of the house when we split up to look for Kat."
Jack straightened up and got a bright look in his eye, "Let's go help 'im."
They walked as nonchalant as possible around the groups of people chatting and laughing. It was hard not to look suspicious when your group was made up of all boys sneaking around. Soon, they were safely out of sight from the party and hurrying down a well-trodden path toward the softly bubbling brook. Several minutes of searching rewarded them. They came upon the pair sitting quietly under the low bows of a willow tree. Kat was sobbing her heart out into Crutchy's chest, and in the moonlight, the fellows saw a look of pure agony on Crutchy's soft features. Each boy was hit with a pang of pain for the small, frightened girl before him.
Jack put a finger to his lips and motioned for the others to follow him behind a group of dense bushes situated close by the couple. The boys had just gotten themselves comfortable when they heard Crutchy nervously clear his throat to break the silence.
"Kat?"
Crutchy felt her stiffen against him, which he responded to by pulling her closer to his chest. "I knows it might hoit, but I's gotta ask. What 'appened tanight?"
Kat was silent. So silent that Crutchy thought she was asleep. Then she drew in a deep, defeated breath before beginning.
"I'll tell ya. Y'all have a right ta know." Her voice caught at this. "When I was around thirteen, we lived here, me and mah family. I was naïve and gullible. I always rebelled against the rules and propriety. I was always hanging with Jim and his friends. I hated being a girl except for the ability to admire boys and wow them.
"In town, there were several boys who hung out together who were known for causing trouble. I don't know why, I went into town that day. I don't even know why mah brothers let me go by mahself. It was stupid. I…I was stupid.
"Tony Ganzales is the son of Mr. Marcos Ganzales, owner of our bank. He was used to getting his own way, pushing others around, and being given everything he couldn't have. He couldn't have me, and he wanted me…bad. Until then, I was just to smart or fast for his schemes. He just couldn't catch me. That day was just a moment of stupidity that we have all regretted ever since.
"I was shopping for mama when I felt several pairs of hands roughly grab me from behind and forced me into this dark cellar. I tried to fight and scream, but nothing worked. There were too many and I was too small to do much damage. I couldn't see anything because of the lack of light, but I could hear and feel.
"I knew who it was, and I knew what he was going to do. I fought even harder when they tied me down. I was tied hard to the bedpost of a big bed and gagged with a coarse cloth that tasted like fish oil. I still remember the sick feeling of his roaming hands and cold lips. I will never forget."
Tears were running down Kat's face as she whispered the last phrase. After a few moments of silence to get a hold of herself, Kat continued.
"Before he could get mah clothes off, one of Tony's lookouts called that mah cousins were coming. Faster then lightening, Tony and his friends were gone, leaving me where I was. I struggled against my bonds and screamed against the gag, all the while praying that my cousins would hear something, anything. They didn't. Several hours later, Tony came back with several friends to finish what they had started.
"Tony wasn't the only one who raped me that night. At least six others had fun as well. I think I blacked out after Tony, because all I remember next was the sheriff breaking the door down and finding me just before daybreak the next day. He sorrowfully carried me home to mah frantic family. My brothers vowed to see Tony repaid for what he did to me, but Tony left soon after to visit family in Europe. Several months later, mah parents decided to move to the city and leave the memories behind. That was nearly two years ago.
Tonight, I was terrified because Tony showed up. I was talking with Spot when he wrapped his arms around me and started kissing mah neck. I…the memories came rushing back so strong and clear that I had no other emotions except pure terror!"
By now, Kat couldn't hold back another wave of sobs. She buried her face in Crutchy's chest as hard sobs shook her light frame. Crutchy couldn't speak. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he grasped her tightly to his body and buried his face in her hair.
The eavesdroppers who sat behind the bushes were in a state of shock. Many had tears making wet tracks down their faces. Others held their heads in their hands. Boots was lightly sobbing. All felt sick to their stomachs. Jack sat with his head in his hands. How could this have happened to their Kat? Their sweet, sensible, strong Kat?
Crutchy never guessed; never could've guessed that Kat had ever went through something like this before. His heart had been sore while listening to her hard sobs, but now, it felt like a hand was squeezing the life right out of him. He now understood where the pain in her earlier sobs had come from.
As he thought of the jerk that had hurt Kat so deeply, anger and indignation replaced the pain and sorrow. Why would someone want to ruin the life of such a special person? The guy should be soaked, then thrown in the dirtiest, darkest dungeon and left to rot.
Kat's pale arms reaching up to encircle his neck interrupted Crutchy's fuming. This was so surprising that he let out a small gasp. Her bright blue eyes lifted upward to look into his soft brown ones. They asked him if something was wrong.
The hidden group of newsies was brought out of their sorrow by a sharp, surprising gasp coming from Crutchy. They all peered through the branches hiding their existence to see that Kat had put her small, slender arms around a very nervous Crutchy's neck.
Race and Blink were having a hard time keeping their snickers quiet. They all knew that having a girl was new to Crutchy. No one wanted to date the gimp. So it was no surprise that having a girl that close was a little uncomfortable for the lad. Even as they laughed at their friends, a small pang went through each of their hearts at the thought that they had been unable to win Kat's heart.
Though he was very nervous, all Crutchy could do was stare into her brilliantly blue eyes. They held deep within their depths, an emotion that was foreign to him. It was at that moment that he realized just how close her face was to his
Her soft breath tickled his cheek and lips. Her full ruby lips were parted slightly showing several pearly white teeth. The long black eyelashes that surrounded the windows to her soul fluttered as she shyly glanced from his gaze to his lips and back again.
Kat could feel the warmth of Crutchy's breath soft against her face. The look in his eyes told her that he was very nervous about being so close to her. He had never had a girl before was her guess. But, if all truth were told, she was just as nervous as he was.
She broke her gaze with Crutchy send a nervous glance at his soft, pink lips. They called for her, pleading to feel her sweet kiss. The thoughts of kissing him made Kat's cheeks flush a bright pink. She quickly looked down at the ground and brought her hands down from her embrace. She hoped to hide the thoughts flitting openly across her face.
Crutchy's gentle hand lifted her chin so that she could look him in the face. Even though her face was turned toward him, she kept her eyes gazing downward. After a moment of silence, she hesitantly brought her shy gaze to meet his. He seemed more nervous as he searched her face for a few moments. He glanced at her lips several times before pulling his gaze back to her eyes. He too blushed with embarrassment, which made him even cuter in Kat's thinking.
Crutchy was taken aback when Kat blushed and shyly lowered her gaze and arms. He wished she hadn't looked away. He loved looking deep into her soul and reading the thoughts that ran openly across her face. Nervously swallowing past the lump in his throat, Crutchy cupped a quivering hand under Kat's chin and lifted her eyes to meet his.
Once she met his gaze again, it was his turn to be shy. He searched her face, looking for some indication as to why she felt the way she did. His gaze seemed drawn to her voluptuous lips. They seemed to plead for him to meet them with his own.
He could feel the warmth of Kat's steady gaze reading his thoughts. At this idea, Crutchy blushed a bright red. His gaze was instantly diverted to studying the 'interesting' grass beside him.
His heart nearly leaped out of his throat at the touch of soft lips to his cheek. He swung his head around to face Kat fully, not knowing how close she really was. The minute he turned, his face was inches from hers. A soft smile played about her lips as she glanced between his eyes and lips nervously.
The boys nearly died of suppressed laughter at the look of complete giddiness on Crutchy's face after Kat's light kiss to his cheek. When he quickly swung around to face Kat, they knew what would happen. Boots and Les were nearly sick of the mushy show unfolding before them. So the only peepers left were the older boys. They just couldn't stop grinning, as their two friends became more then just friends.
Finally the pull grew too much for him to endure. Very slowly, he closed the distance between them. His lips captured hers in a soft, sweet kiss. He watched as Kat closed her eyes in bliss before doing the same. He realized something: she tasted really good!
When he pulled away, Kat's face stayed uplifted, eyes closed, for several seconds longer. She had a look of pure happiness and bliss dancing across her features. Crutchy was surprised by the thought that when he had been kissing her, she had been kissing him back!
Kat lifted her gaze to meet Crutchy's after their kiss ended. She let a smile of bliss take residence on her lips. Looking into Crutchy's red face, the only thought on her mind was that she wanted another kiss.
She slowly placed her slender hands on either sides of his head as he watched her warily and slowly pulled his face down toward hers till his lips met hers. This time, it started out soft and sweet, then Crutchy took her face gentle between his hands and deepened the kiss. As they continued, the kiss grew more and more passionate. Neither wanted it to end.
The newsies were rolling on the ground after the couple's first, innocent kiss. Their sides nearly split from bottling up their laughter. What they saw next was surprising, even to them. Kat seductively took Crutchy's wary face between her two hands and pulled him into another kiss. As the seconds tick by, the kiss got more and more passionate as each of them got bolder.
As the couple came up for air, Blink let out a wild whoop, "Way ta go, Crutchy!"
This was followed by several more whoops and wolf whistles that broke the embarrassed teens apart faster then lightning could strike.
Laughter ensued as the newsies tried to duck back into their hiding place and out of sight. They knew that if Kat was offended in any way, she could really throw a hard punch.
Several loud whoops and wolf whistles belonging to none other then their friends interrupted their heavenly kiss. The noise that the boys made trying to stay out of sight drew the attention of the thoroughly embarrassed couple toward a small clump of bushes that shook. Several loud whispers could be heard coming from behind it.
"Ow! Race, get off me head!" Davey cried.
"Dang it, Dave! Keep youse voice down! They es gonna hear youse!" Jack's voice was sharp with annoyance.
"Shut up, ya bummers!" Spot's 'whisper' was followed by a sound of something hitting flesh. A howl shook through the night air as Spot came charging out from behind the bushes after a laughing Blink.
"I'se gonna kill youse for dat, Kid!"
Kat blushed with the thought that the other boys had seen Crutchy and her. Then she looked up at the blushing face of her boy and didn't care so much. She reached up and ran a hand through his disheveled curls before planting a light kiss on his waiting lips.
