Chapter 15
"Wild Angels" by Martina McBride
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When Storm awoke a second time it was to find herself still in Spot's arms and the sunrise just beginning. Smiling as she basked in the extra warmth the Brooklyn leader provided, Storm closed her eyes for a moment more. After a few minutes passed by, Storm opened her eyelids and pulled gently away from Spot and stood on the cold wooden floor.
"Spot," she whispered as she lightly shook him. His pale eyes shot open and he smiled at her before yawning, stretching, and swinging his feet over the side of the bed to stand up.
"Thanx," Storm whispered as she sat back on her bed.
"Welcome," Spot said, looking her straight in the eye. The silence that followed was a comfortable one and Storm seemed to be pulled toward Spot. Suddenly a groan echoed through the room and Storm turned her head to glare at Magic, who was slowly becoming conscious.
"Youse bettah go," Storm said. Nodding, Spot walked out the door, but not before sending his own glare at Magic.
Staring at the doorway, Storm sighed realizing just how much she owed that guy. 'And the reasons jist keep on comin',' she thought smiling sadly.
"Storm youse al'ight?" Magic asked looking at Storm curiously.
Storm shook her head to clear her mind before nodding a simple yes to Magic.
"Youse sure?" Magic asked again.
"Yeah, I'se fine," Storm answered as she gathered her clothes to change. She washed up and changed and headed outside when a voiced stopped her.
"Hey Storm! Hold up!" Fisher shouted as Storm headed out onto the street.
Stopping, Storm looked behind her and shouted back, "What for, Fisher?"
Catching up to her the boy simply asked, "Where ya goin'?"
"Ta sell, where else?' Storm asked cockily.
"Youse don't gotta," Fisher said. Storm raised a brow. "Taday's Conlon's boithday, he don't make no one sell."
"All cuz he was boin taday?" Storm asked. "Seems kinda full o' himself."
"Hey, it gives us a day ta relax before da big party in Manhattan," Fisher replied running a hand through his dark hair.
"Well den I'se bettah git 'im a present," Storm said and started on her way to a small shop that carried a few books and other such small gifts.
"I'se comin' too," Fisher said as he took up stride beside the brunette.
"Suit yaself," Storm said.
They reached the store a few minutes later. Mr. Browne, the old man who owned the shop, smiled as Storm walked in.
"Back again, miss?" Mr. Browne asked.
"Yessir, I'se lookin' for a gift for a friend o' mine," Storm said smiling at the old man.
"How old is this friend?" Mr. Browne asked.
"He's seventeen taday," Storm said.
"I think I have just the thing," he said. He walked out from behind the counter and searched amongst the shelves until he found what he was looking for. "I think this should do the trick."
He handed to Storm a small leather bond book. Opening it she saw the title and author. Smiling to herself she nodded at Mr. Browne.
"How much?' she asked.
"For you, five dollars," Mr. Browne said.
Sighing, Storm handed the shopkeeper the money she had. Mr. Browne counted the money and nodded as he put it away.
"Thanx, Mistah Browne," Storm said as she started to leave.
"Hold on there missy," Mr. Browne said. Storm stopped and a bag of marbles was tossed to her. "Tell Mr. Conlon I said happy birthday."
Nodding and smiling, Storm and Fisher left the small shop and headed back to the LH.
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The day passed quickly and soon the time to head into Manhattan had approached. Magic and Storm were in their room finishing getting 'dolled up', as Spot so bluntly said.
"Magic, youse sure I'se should were dis dress?" Storm asked looking at the deep blue dress Magic had let her borrow.
"O' coise," Magic said brushing down her own dark violet gown.
The dresses were simple, so simple in fact that had the color not been there anyone would have mistaken them for factory dresses. Yet, it seemed that the girls made the dresses shine brighter and seem more beautiful than they were made to be. It was so dressed that the girls went down stairs to meet their escorts.
"Since when did it take da goils so long ta git ready," Fisher complained as he and Spot waited for the only two girls in the LH.
"Shuddup, Fisher," Spot said, and he would have said more had he not chose that time to look behind him and see Magic and Storm coming down the stairs.
"Wow," seemed to be Fisher's only comment on the girls as the stood before the boys.
Spot could definitely agree with his friend. But instead of making a comment, he just offered his arm to Storm, who happily took, and together the four headed toward Manhattan.
"Youse clean up good, Conlon," Storm said as they reached the Brooklyn Bridge.
Spot wore a clean three piece suit that he had borrowed from a friend. If someone saw him, they would have thought he wasn't a newsie, but the son of some middle class citizen. He carried himself with the same pride and power that had made him infamous.
"So do youse, Storm," he replies smiling at her. "I'se like youse hair down like dat," ha added.
Smiling and brushing her long dark waves back off her shoulder, Storm silently thanked Magic for insisting she leave her hair down this one night.
"So, how does it fell ta be seventeen?" Magic asked Spot.
"Like any ouddah day, I'se guess," Spot said rubbing his neck. "It ain't like I'se comin' inta a lot o' money or summtin."
"Ya sure, Conlon?" Fisher asked. "Us newsies sure could use some."
"Fisher!" Magic said, gently slapping his shoulder.
"It's al'ight Magic," Spot said. "Nuttin could ruin taday for me."
Sooner than expected the small group arrived at Irving Hall. Storm was well aware that she was entering the one place she couldn't get away from Mush. Yet somewhere inside of her, she knew she'd have to do this sooner or later, so why not now? Sensing her discomfort, Spot looked over at the girl.
"Youse okay?" he whispered gently to her.
"Yeah, I'se fine," Storm answered, a little too quickly. "Why wouldn't I'se be?"
"Cuz youse know who's in dere," Spot said tilting his head toward the doors.
"I'se kin do dis," Storm replied, "I'se swear I'se kin do dis."
Nodding, Spot led her into the vaudeville theater, silently hoping it would be a long time before anyone noticed she was here. However the fate didn't seem to favor the birthday boy.
"Storm!! Ova 'ere!!"
It seemed dolled up or not, Kid Blink could identify the once Manhattan newsie. Smiling at his old friend, Blink waved her over to him.
Forcing a smile, Storm a walked over to Blink with Spot beside her. "Heya Blink," Storm said. "Race, Jack."
"Fellas," Spot acknowledged.
Blink started to talk when Boots and Snipeshooter ran up and hugged Storm.
"Storm!" Snipeshooter said. "Boy have we'se missed ya."
"Yeah, youse should hear da fellas talk 'bout how much dey missed," Boots added. "We'se was wonderin' when youse was comin' back."
"Well da only reason I'se back is cuz I'se missed youse two some much," Storm said smiling.
Snipeshooter looked from Spot to Storm and elbowed Boots. The small black boy noticed the situation and nodded to the white boy.
"Well, we'se bettah git back ta Les," Snipeshooter said. "We'se tol' 'im we'se only gonna be gone for a minute."
"How long youse stayin' Storm?" Boots asked before they turned to leave.
"I'se dunno," Storm said. "Long enough I'se guess."
Nodding, the two boys headed back into the crowd and disappeared.
"So, Storm," Blink started. "How are ya?"
"No bad," Storm said. "Me and Magic sell togethah, and we'se stay outta trouble."
"Magic?" Blink said. "As in da Magic from da Points?"
"Yeah, dat's 'er," Spot answered. "When Duke kicked 'er out she needed a place ta stay, so she came ta Brooklyn. She promised to work for 'er keep, so I'se let 'er stay."
"Youse talkin' 'bout me?" Magic asked as she joined the group with Fisher.
"Heya Magic," Blink said smiling.
Magic looked at Blink and squealed before throwing her arms around his neck.
"Blink!" she cried. "I'se ain't see ya in years."
"Yeah, well, I'se been busy 'ere," Blink said as Magic released him.
"Hey, Storm," Magic said changing the subject. The other girl looked at her friend. "Why don't ya sing for us?"
"Nah," Storm said shaking her head.
"Storm," Spot whispered in her ear. "Sing for me?"
"As the great Spot Conlon wishes," Storm sighed.
She started back stage when she saw Medda Larkson, the owner of the theatre.
"Medda," Storm said drawing the woman's attention to her. "Could I'se sing on stage for aliddle?"
"Why of course, my dear," Medda replied.
Smiling, Storm whispered something in the woman's ear, who then hurried off to tell the musicians. A few minutes later the lights dimmed and everyone took a seat. The announcer called out a brief introduction and the curtains opened.
|"Between the perfect world and the bottom line | |Keeping love alive in these troubled times | |Well, It's a miracle in itself | |And we know too well what that's about | |Still we made it through, only God knows how | |We must've had a little help | |(Must've been) | | | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Watching over you and me, yeah | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Baby what else could it be | | | |Well it must've been hard, it must've been tough | |Keeping up with crazy fools like us | |'Cause it's so easy to fall apart | |We still break each other's heart sometimes | |Spend some nights on the jagged side | |Somehow we wake up in each other's arms | | | |(Oh Must've been) | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Watching over you & me, yeah | |Wild Angels, Wild, Wild Angels | |Baby what else could it be | | | |There are some nights | |I watch you while you dream | |I swear I hear the sound of beating wings, yeah | |(Oh It Must've been) | | | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Watching over you & me, yeah | |Wild Angels, Wild, Wild Angels | |Baby what else could it be | | | |Wild Angels....Wild Angels" |
"Wild Angels" by Martina McBride
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Storm awoke a second time it was to find herself still in Spot's arms and the sunrise just beginning. Smiling as she basked in the extra warmth the Brooklyn leader provided, Storm closed her eyes for a moment more. After a few minutes passed by, Storm opened her eyelids and pulled gently away from Spot and stood on the cold wooden floor.
"Spot," she whispered as she lightly shook him. His pale eyes shot open and he smiled at her before yawning, stretching, and swinging his feet over the side of the bed to stand up.
"Thanx," Storm whispered as she sat back on her bed.
"Welcome," Spot said, looking her straight in the eye. The silence that followed was a comfortable one and Storm seemed to be pulled toward Spot. Suddenly a groan echoed through the room and Storm turned her head to glare at Magic, who was slowly becoming conscious.
"Youse bettah go," Storm said. Nodding, Spot walked out the door, but not before sending his own glare at Magic.
Staring at the doorway, Storm sighed realizing just how much she owed that guy. 'And the reasons jist keep on comin',' she thought smiling sadly.
"Storm youse al'ight?" Magic asked looking at Storm curiously.
Storm shook her head to clear her mind before nodding a simple yes to Magic.
"Youse sure?" Magic asked again.
"Yeah, I'se fine," Storm answered as she gathered her clothes to change. She washed up and changed and headed outside when a voiced stopped her.
"Hey Storm! Hold up!" Fisher shouted as Storm headed out onto the street.
Stopping, Storm looked behind her and shouted back, "What for, Fisher?"
Catching up to her the boy simply asked, "Where ya goin'?"
"Ta sell, where else?' Storm asked cockily.
"Youse don't gotta," Fisher said. Storm raised a brow. "Taday's Conlon's boithday, he don't make no one sell."
"All cuz he was boin taday?" Storm asked. "Seems kinda full o' himself."
"Hey, it gives us a day ta relax before da big party in Manhattan," Fisher replied running a hand through his dark hair.
"Well den I'se bettah git 'im a present," Storm said and started on her way to a small shop that carried a few books and other such small gifts.
"I'se comin' too," Fisher said as he took up stride beside the brunette.
"Suit yaself," Storm said.
They reached the store a few minutes later. Mr. Browne, the old man who owned the shop, smiled as Storm walked in.
"Back again, miss?" Mr. Browne asked.
"Yessir, I'se lookin' for a gift for a friend o' mine," Storm said smiling at the old man.
"How old is this friend?" Mr. Browne asked.
"He's seventeen taday," Storm said.
"I think I have just the thing," he said. He walked out from behind the counter and searched amongst the shelves until he found what he was looking for. "I think this should do the trick."
He handed to Storm a small leather bond book. Opening it she saw the title and author. Smiling to herself she nodded at Mr. Browne.
"How much?' she asked.
"For you, five dollars," Mr. Browne said.
Sighing, Storm handed the shopkeeper the money she had. Mr. Browne counted the money and nodded as he put it away.
"Thanx, Mistah Browne," Storm said as she started to leave.
"Hold on there missy," Mr. Browne said. Storm stopped and a bag of marbles was tossed to her. "Tell Mr. Conlon I said happy birthday."
Nodding and smiling, Storm and Fisher left the small shop and headed back to the LH.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
The day passed quickly and soon the time to head into Manhattan had approached. Magic and Storm were in their room finishing getting 'dolled up', as Spot so bluntly said.
"Magic, youse sure I'se should were dis dress?" Storm asked looking at the deep blue dress Magic had let her borrow.
"O' coise," Magic said brushing down her own dark violet gown.
The dresses were simple, so simple in fact that had the color not been there anyone would have mistaken them for factory dresses. Yet, it seemed that the girls made the dresses shine brighter and seem more beautiful than they were made to be. It was so dressed that the girls went down stairs to meet their escorts.
"Since when did it take da goils so long ta git ready," Fisher complained as he and Spot waited for the only two girls in the LH.
"Shuddup, Fisher," Spot said, and he would have said more had he not chose that time to look behind him and see Magic and Storm coming down the stairs.
"Wow," seemed to be Fisher's only comment on the girls as the stood before the boys.
Spot could definitely agree with his friend. But instead of making a comment, he just offered his arm to Storm, who happily took, and together the four headed toward Manhattan.
"Youse clean up good, Conlon," Storm said as they reached the Brooklyn Bridge.
Spot wore a clean three piece suit that he had borrowed from a friend. If someone saw him, they would have thought he wasn't a newsie, but the son of some middle class citizen. He carried himself with the same pride and power that had made him infamous.
"So do youse, Storm," he replies smiling at her. "I'se like youse hair down like dat," ha added.
Smiling and brushing her long dark waves back off her shoulder, Storm silently thanked Magic for insisting she leave her hair down this one night.
"So, how does it fell ta be seventeen?" Magic asked Spot.
"Like any ouddah day, I'se guess," Spot said rubbing his neck. "It ain't like I'se comin' inta a lot o' money or summtin."
"Ya sure, Conlon?" Fisher asked. "Us newsies sure could use some."
"Fisher!" Magic said, gently slapping his shoulder.
"It's al'ight Magic," Spot said. "Nuttin could ruin taday for me."
Sooner than expected the small group arrived at Irving Hall. Storm was well aware that she was entering the one place she couldn't get away from Mush. Yet somewhere inside of her, she knew she'd have to do this sooner or later, so why not now? Sensing her discomfort, Spot looked over at the girl.
"Youse okay?" he whispered gently to her.
"Yeah, I'se fine," Storm answered, a little too quickly. "Why wouldn't I'se be?"
"Cuz youse know who's in dere," Spot said tilting his head toward the doors.
"I'se kin do dis," Storm replied, "I'se swear I'se kin do dis."
Nodding, Spot led her into the vaudeville theater, silently hoping it would be a long time before anyone noticed she was here. However the fate didn't seem to favor the birthday boy.
"Storm!! Ova 'ere!!"
It seemed dolled up or not, Kid Blink could identify the once Manhattan newsie. Smiling at his old friend, Blink waved her over to him.
Forcing a smile, Storm a walked over to Blink with Spot beside her. "Heya Blink," Storm said. "Race, Jack."
"Fellas," Spot acknowledged.
Blink started to talk when Boots and Snipeshooter ran up and hugged Storm.
"Storm!" Snipeshooter said. "Boy have we'se missed ya."
"Yeah, youse should hear da fellas talk 'bout how much dey missed," Boots added. "We'se was wonderin' when youse was comin' back."
"Well da only reason I'se back is cuz I'se missed youse two some much," Storm said smiling.
Snipeshooter looked from Spot to Storm and elbowed Boots. The small black boy noticed the situation and nodded to the white boy.
"Well, we'se bettah git back ta Les," Snipeshooter said. "We'se tol' 'im we'se only gonna be gone for a minute."
"How long youse stayin' Storm?" Boots asked before they turned to leave.
"I'se dunno," Storm said. "Long enough I'se guess."
Nodding, the two boys headed back into the crowd and disappeared.
"So, Storm," Blink started. "How are ya?"
"No bad," Storm said. "Me and Magic sell togethah, and we'se stay outta trouble."
"Magic?" Blink said. "As in da Magic from da Points?"
"Yeah, dat's 'er," Spot answered. "When Duke kicked 'er out she needed a place ta stay, so she came ta Brooklyn. She promised to work for 'er keep, so I'se let 'er stay."
"Youse talkin' 'bout me?" Magic asked as she joined the group with Fisher.
"Heya Magic," Blink said smiling.
Magic looked at Blink and squealed before throwing her arms around his neck.
"Blink!" she cried. "I'se ain't see ya in years."
"Yeah, well, I'se been busy 'ere," Blink said as Magic released him.
"Hey, Storm," Magic said changing the subject. The other girl looked at her friend. "Why don't ya sing for us?"
"Nah," Storm said shaking her head.
"Storm," Spot whispered in her ear. "Sing for me?"
"As the great Spot Conlon wishes," Storm sighed.
She started back stage when she saw Medda Larkson, the owner of the theatre.
"Medda," Storm said drawing the woman's attention to her. "Could I'se sing on stage for aliddle?"
"Why of course, my dear," Medda replied.
Smiling, Storm whispered something in the woman's ear, who then hurried off to tell the musicians. A few minutes later the lights dimmed and everyone took a seat. The announcer called out a brief introduction and the curtains opened.
|"Between the perfect world and the bottom line | |Keeping love alive in these troubled times | |Well, It's a miracle in itself | |And we know too well what that's about | |Still we made it through, only God knows how | |We must've had a little help | |(Must've been) | | | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Watching over you and me, yeah | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Baby what else could it be | | | |Well it must've been hard, it must've been tough | |Keeping up with crazy fools like us | |'Cause it's so easy to fall apart | |We still break each other's heart sometimes | |Spend some nights on the jagged side | |Somehow we wake up in each other's arms | | | |(Oh Must've been) | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Watching over you & me, yeah | |Wild Angels, Wild, Wild Angels | |Baby what else could it be | | | |There are some nights | |I watch you while you dream | |I swear I hear the sound of beating wings, yeah | |(Oh It Must've been) | | | |Wild Angels, Wild Angels | |Watching over you & me, yeah | |Wild Angels, Wild, Wild Angels | |Baby what else could it be | | | |Wild Angels....Wild Angels" |