Chapter Fifteen
The cold wet rain stung Kat's face as she and Jim raced their steeds into town. Several hours after they had returned home from the station, Frank had come out to the barn with the rest of her family following. He had handed her several saddlebags filled with her stuff.
"Katty, I'm sorry. It was wrong to make you leave the place where your heart belongs. I want you to go back to New York where your heart will always be. Tell Kloppman that I'm leaving him in charge of your well being."
Frank had pulled her into a tight hug before helping her saddle Peg while Jim saddled his own horse. Everyone on the ranch gave hugs and good byes before the two teens turned their horses' heads toward town.
They rounded the last corner of Main Street and jerked to a quick halt before the train station. Kat left Peg in Jim's good hands before sprinting to the ticket office. She quickly bought a one way ticket to New York before rejoining her cousin. Jim gave her a huge bear hug before she climbed aboard the train.
"Be careful out there, Katlin. If you ever need anything, you let us know."
"Thanks, Jim. Take care of Peg for me. I love you all so much. Tell Frank and Jesse that I forgive them about all this."
The train slowly started pulling away from the platform as Kat jumped on waving to the lone figure standing there. A wide smile stretched from both sides of her mouth. A few minutes later, the slow rocking movement of the train and exhaustion of the day joined together to lull Kat to sleep.
When the boys had returned to the Lodging House, everyone badgered them with questions. Though none of them were in the mood to face questions, they were gracious enough to answer a few before Skittery asked about Kat.
All happiness left the group who had remained in New York when they heard of Kat. This gave the arrivals a chance to sneak away to unpack and get some much needed rest. They still had to sell tomorrow.
Crutchy threw his bag on his bed before hobbling out of the bunkroom and down the hall to Kat's room. He remembered when they first knocked on her door. She had stared at them like they were the Delancys and tried to hide behind the wooden shield.
As he entered the small room, Crutchy remembered how small and helpless Kat had looked lying in bed fever raging. He crossed to the neatly made bed. Tears welled in his eyes as he stared at the worn pillow where her head had lain. With a heavy, sad sigh, Crutchy curled up on her bed and buried his face in her pillow to cry himself to sleep.
It was quite dark when the jerking of the slowing train woke Kat from her sleep. She stiffly rose from her wooden seat and stretched the kinks out of her neck and back. It had to be going on midnight by now.
Hopefully, Kloppman hadn't closed the Lodging House doors quite yet. As soon as the train came to a complete stop, Kat was down the aisle and off the train. She raced out of Grand Central Station toward Main Street.
The deserted streets flew by as she passed them not caring about the dark shadows that watched her flying form. She pasted the Brooklyn Bridge in a flash and headed up and down small streets till she came to Duane Street. She was out of breath when she paused to at the front door of the Lodging House. It was all dark, saying that all were in bed dreaming of selling papers.
She jogged around to the alley beneath the bunkroom's fire escape. With the ease and agility of a leopard, Kat climbed up the iron railing to the second floor windows that were open to let in the night air. She could hear snores and sleepy sighs coming from her boys.
A mouse couldn't have been quieter then she as Kat carefully stepped through the open window. She tiptoed over to a sleeping Snipes who had fallen half way out of bed and tucked him back in. Then, she made a round of light good night kisses to every cheek in every bunk.
After her evening rounds, she crept down the hall to her familiar room. She reached it to find Crutchy curled up on her bed clutching her pillow close to his chest. Jimmy lay sleeping beside Crutchy's head. Kat tiptoed toward Crutchy's sleeping form and ran a hand through his mussed curls.
Crutchy sighed and smiled in his sleep at her cool, soft touch. A small smile played about Kat's lips as she leaned down to place a small kiss on his mouth.
The kiss made Crutchy slip from his dreamland to look up in to the shadowed face of his beloved girl.
"Katty! Youse come home!"
That is the end of my story. Thank you all who read it and enjoyed. Especially thank you to Hawk who was my most faithful reviewer. I hope to be producing a new fan fic very soon. Thanks again.
