Chapter 7
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"Storm!! C'mon back!! Mush didn't mean it!!" Race called as they boys went looking for Storm in Central Park.
"Strom!!" Mush tried, but to avail. "Guys, maybe she'll come back on 'er own."
"I'll keep lookin' for 'er," Spot offered. "Youse gotts ta sell da evenin' edition."
The boys nodded four more gravely than the others, and left to sell the last edition.
"Youse can come out now," Spot said,
"How didja know I was dere?" Strom asked as she jumped down from the large tree.
"When about fifteen grown boys are lookin' for ya, a tree is always da last place dey look," Spot said smiling knowingly.
"And may I'se ask how youse know dat?" Storm inquired.
"When I'se was nine a couple of goons was afta me, so I'se took ta da trees," Spot answered looking down at Strom.
"Whateva," Storm mumbled.
"So, Storm, how didja get youse name?" Spot asked turning the tables.
"When Race and Mush found me and me bruddah Collin, it was durnin' a storm," she answered truthfully.
"I'se didn't know youse had a bruddah," Spot commented.
"Well, he's dead. Has been for six yeahs," Strom said quietly.
"I'se sorry," Spot said as they started walking through the park.
"So am I," she said looking at the ground.
"Ya wanna talk bout it?" Spot asked slowly.
"Well, ya see me and Race and Mush and Blink, we was all friend since before me muddah had died. In a way we all became orphans togedder. Any ways me and Collin didn't have no place ta go, so Race convinced Kloppman ta let us stay wid 'im and sell. Collin was only four so we didn't let 'im sell. One day, a while afta Jack had become a newsie when I'se was ten me, Race , mush and Blink decided ta leave eoily and sell quick cause it was Collin's birthday and we wanted ta surprise 'im," she paused. "We had asked Jack ta kept an eye on 'im but me bruddah was sneaky and got away from jack. He went inta da streets and some guys from Queens went afta 'im," Strom stopped as the tears started flowing.
"What happened?" Spot asked quietly.
"He didn't have a chance! Dere were five full grown guys and they just soaked like it didn't mean nuttin. By da time he screamed and we found 'im no doc could save 'im and all I'se can think is. is." she couldn't say it.
"It's your fault," Spot assisted. Strom only nodded as she bent her head in shame of her silent sobs. "But it's not, Storm. Youse can't blame your self because he ran and youse can't blame Jack for not findin' 'im. What happened, happened, he's safer now any ways," Spot said.
Suddenly he stopped and grabbed her by her shoulders gently. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet his eyes. Her face that had once held a light rosy tint was pale and tear - streaked, her stormy blue eyes filled with unshed tears as she thought of the life she had lost, her only brother.
"Don't t'ink of 'im now, he's still wid youse, but he'd want ya ta be happy not always runnin' and cryin'," Spot told her as he stared straight into her eyes.
Storm tried to move her face away from his piercing gaze but he placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her look at him. He gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs.
"Now, let's try and find Mush so we'se can eddah beat da crap outta 'im or youse can forgive 'im," Spot said as he let her go and started walking away.
"Hey, Spot!" she called as she just stood there looking after him.
"What?" he asked as he turned.
"Thanx again," she answered as she caught up with him.
"For what?"
"For being the first poison I'se could talk ta 'bout Collin, it helped," she said as they started walking out of the park.
"No problem, kid," Spot said smiling at her.
She smiled back and they walked to Tibby's in a happy, comfortable, and friendly silence.
"Storm!! C'mon back!! Mush didn't mean it!!" Race called as they boys went looking for Storm in Central Park.
"Strom!!" Mush tried, but to avail. "Guys, maybe she'll come back on 'er own."
"I'll keep lookin' for 'er," Spot offered. "Youse gotts ta sell da evenin' edition."
The boys nodded four more gravely than the others, and left to sell the last edition.
"Youse can come out now," Spot said,
"How didja know I was dere?" Strom asked as she jumped down from the large tree.
"When about fifteen grown boys are lookin' for ya, a tree is always da last place dey look," Spot said smiling knowingly.
"And may I'se ask how youse know dat?" Storm inquired.
"When I'se was nine a couple of goons was afta me, so I'se took ta da trees," Spot answered looking down at Strom.
"Whateva," Storm mumbled.
"So, Storm, how didja get youse name?" Spot asked turning the tables.
"When Race and Mush found me and me bruddah Collin, it was durnin' a storm," she answered truthfully.
"I'se didn't know youse had a bruddah," Spot commented.
"Well, he's dead. Has been for six yeahs," Strom said quietly.
"I'se sorry," Spot said as they started walking through the park.
"So am I," she said looking at the ground.
"Ya wanna talk bout it?" Spot asked slowly.
"Well, ya see me and Race and Mush and Blink, we was all friend since before me muddah had died. In a way we all became orphans togedder. Any ways me and Collin didn't have no place ta go, so Race convinced Kloppman ta let us stay wid 'im and sell. Collin was only four so we didn't let 'im sell. One day, a while afta Jack had become a newsie when I'se was ten me, Race , mush and Blink decided ta leave eoily and sell quick cause it was Collin's birthday and we wanted ta surprise 'im," she paused. "We had asked Jack ta kept an eye on 'im but me bruddah was sneaky and got away from jack. He went inta da streets and some guys from Queens went afta 'im," Strom stopped as the tears started flowing.
"What happened?" Spot asked quietly.
"He didn't have a chance! Dere were five full grown guys and they just soaked like it didn't mean nuttin. By da time he screamed and we found 'im no doc could save 'im and all I'se can think is. is." she couldn't say it.
"It's your fault," Spot assisted. Strom only nodded as she bent her head in shame of her silent sobs. "But it's not, Storm. Youse can't blame your self because he ran and youse can't blame Jack for not findin' 'im. What happened, happened, he's safer now any ways," Spot said.
Suddenly he stopped and grabbed her by her shoulders gently. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet his eyes. Her face that had once held a light rosy tint was pale and tear - streaked, her stormy blue eyes filled with unshed tears as she thought of the life she had lost, her only brother.
"Don't t'ink of 'im now, he's still wid youse, but he'd want ya ta be happy not always runnin' and cryin'," Spot told her as he stared straight into her eyes.
Storm tried to move her face away from his piercing gaze but he placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her look at him. He gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs.
"Now, let's try and find Mush so we'se can eddah beat da crap outta 'im or youse can forgive 'im," Spot said as he let her go and started walking away.
"Hey, Spot!" she called as she just stood there looking after him.
"What?" he asked as he turned.
"Thanx again," she answered as she caught up with him.
"For what?"
"For being the first poison I'se could talk ta 'bout Collin, it helped," she said as they started walking out of the park.
"No problem, kid," Spot said smiling at her.
She smiled back and they walked to Tibby's in a happy, comfortable, and friendly silence.