A New Home
Mrs. Lowenstein showed him the house, running into a large Chinese family arguing in their native tongue oblivious to the world around them. As they walked out, Mrs. Lowenstein said to Erik's raised brow,
"The Ling Family. Nice people...fight like cats and dogs!" They ended up at a large decorated room leading to the kitchen. Erik could tell it was used as the main room of the house.
"And this is the parlor. I take in a little sewing on the side as you can see!" said Mrs. Lowenstein pointing out her sewing machine. But Erik noticed the immaculate red gown on the dressmaker's dummy. Having lived in a place with the finest costumers in the world, Erik could easily see skill and talent for one who made clothing.
"Don't tell me you made this!" Admiring the artistic quality, Erik barely noticed the bored tone she took,
"For my fancy customer. From uptown!" Taking off his overcoat, Erik understood her dislike for the well to do. She took his coat from him and said going over to the closet,
"Here, let me! Dinner I serve at six o'clock. Extra five cents a day...should you want." Erik liked this woman so he gave her the ghost of a smile and said,
"Thank you. I want."
"You should! Look at you! You're skin and bones! I think I must insist on cooking you breakfast and lunch too!" she chuckled seeing Erik flush a bit. Then an authoritative knock came on the door.
"Excuse me." she said answering it. But Erik saw her eyes go wide in fear when the Scottish policeman from earlier came in the room and asked,
"Where is that little hellion Nora Kilkenny? Is her father at home?"
"No! No! Not here! On the trolley car he's working! Day and night!" she stammered out.
"Well you tell him for me that his little hooligan has been raising holy hellfire! Pardon the language Missus...and Mister..." the Officer said remembering his manners.
"I'll tell him Sir! Officer Sir! Your Honer Sir!" she said as the policeman showed himself out and she shut the door. Seeing her wring her hands, but not sure how to respond, Erik came forward and said gently,
"Mrs. Lowenstein...you're shaking..."
"I think he's coming to take my Sadie away! She make such trouble." she replied.
"Just for speaking on the sidewalk?" asked Erik curiously. She smoothed her skirts and crossed over to the closet,
"I have seen what comes from this in the Old Country!" She reached inside the closet and pulled out a suitcase continuing, "This bag in the closet...this I always keep packed and ready. A candlestick from my grandmother...pictures of my husband...May he rest in peace...he never got to live to see America..."
"I'm sorry." Erik said trying to understand her loss. She returned the bag saying,
"And at the rate my Sadie is going...they could throw us out tomorrow! So...the bag always stays packed!" Erik contemplated all of this while she started to tell him about the Old Country, wondering how much he had in common with the people of this new world.
Meanwhile, Sadie was once again on her soapbox yelling,
"WOMEN OF THE WORLD UNITE! A REVOLUTION IS AT HAND! AND WHEN WE TAKE OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE...Well...Someday...You'll see! Everyone will see..." She had stopped, frustrated that no one was listening. But then one person was always listening. She looked down to a worn, calloused hand belonging to Marcello who said,
"Here, Beautiful Miss...Please let me help you down." Picking up her skirts, she stepped down saying,
"It may surprise you to know a woman is perfectly capable of taking a step without a man's help..." She picked up her soapbox and looked at him shyly through her eyelashes, "...But...thank you..." As she walked off, Marcello looked after her with longing,
"A pleasure, Signorina...
In the middle of the slush, the noise, the teeming grind of the day...
Look...how a lovely...rose can bloom...on Avenue...A..."
Back at the boarding house, Mrs. Lowenstein told Erik,
"Now...tonight latkes I'm making...for Hanukkah!" Remembering reading about the holiday, Erik nodded with recognition,
"Oh yes...Hanukkah..." Correcting his pronunciation, Mrs. Lowenstein told him while going over to her ice box,
"Hanu-kkah! While you're having Christmas...we're having Hanukkah!...So what happened to all my eggs? Oy! Now I have to go out and get!"
"So...you don't celebrate Christmas?" Erik asked slightly relieved. After a lifetime without someone to love him, Christmas only served to remind Erik of what he'd never have. To enter a home where they didn't honor Christmas!
"No...but between you and me...I'm enjoying it more than I should!" Mrs. Lowenstein told him with a laugh. Erik's smile faded a little as Mrs. Lowenstein left the room. Erik was about to retire to his bedroom until supper, when he heard something like the cooing of a dove. He looked down seeing three eggs on the floor by the table. He smirked going out to hide in the shadows of the parlor. He saw the chair from the kitchen table move and the Kilkenny girl crawl out from under it, picking up the eggs and dashing over to the window. She opened it aiming for the policeman below and calling out,
"Officer Doyle!" Stepping out of the shadows, Erik called out,
"Oh Mrs. Lowenstein!" The girl froze and turned around looking very much caught like she was. Erik smiled like a fox in the hen house,
"Well hullo!"
"Hello..." she said meekly. Erik stepped forward,
"Well you darling Girl, you found the eggs that Mrs. Lowenstein was looking for!" She bit her lip in guilt when they were interrupted by a voice from the street,
"I've seen you, you little brat! Oh I've got you now!" With fear on her face she said,
"Oh cripes Doyle!" Grabbing her hand, Erik shoved her in the closet saying while taking the eggs from her,
"In here!" A knock came to the door and Erik smoothed his hair back regaining his composure. He opened the door and Officer Doyle came in looking around asking,
"Where is she? The girl?" Erik looked at the ceiling in thought,
"Did I hear little footsteps going out the back way?" Tipping his hat in respect, Doyle said rushing out,
"Thanks very much Sir!" When he was gone, Erik went to the closet and rapped on it calling out,
"All clear!" Nora came out with a confused expression on her face,
"Hey...why did you do that?"
"It so happens...despite my unfortunate dealings with people in the past, that I like children...very much." Erik answered carefully.
"You living here now?" she asked.
"For a while." Erik told her determined not to get too emotionally attached. She extended her hand,
"Me too! I'm Nora." Shaking her surprisingly firm grip, Erik said,
"I'm Erik North...uh...where is your mother?" She saddened,
"She's back in Ireland...me Old Man and me older sister's pulling double shifts to pay for a steamship ticket to bring her and my baby brother over." Erik nodded,
"So your mother is in Ireland, and your Father is working all the time."
"Hey! I pull me own weight! I've got me a job. Over at Tavish's!" Nora replied.
"You have a job?" Erik asked. He never once considered a child had to work for survival. The ballerinas in the opera house were being trained as dancers...but then he did remember seeing quite a few young girls working as maids and cleaning ladies...Then it occured to him that prehaps that type of work aged them well beyoud their true age.
"And why shouldn't I? Don't you?"
"At the moment no. Though I would like to have one." Erik confided in her.
"Alright, you did for me, so I'll do for you Kiddo." she told him. Confused, Erik asked,
"Kiddo?" She laughed,
"That's New York talk! I don't suppose you know anything about making toys?"
"Well...I do pride myself on being an inventor...and...when I was young and alone I'd make my own toys to occupy myself...like..." He held up his finger asking her to wait. She watched in dying curiosity as he went over to his luggage and took out a small item. He came back and place the wooden box on the table, "...this one for example..." He placed three fingers on the sides, opening the secret catches where a toy bear popped up to dance to a Russian lullaby, surrounded by golden swans.
"Oh!" gasped Nora in delight. Erik began to hum...then he began to sing,
"On the wind...Cross the sea...
hear...this song and...remember...
soon you'll be...home...with me...
once...upon...a December...
dancing bears...painted wings...
things...I almost...remember...
and a song...someone sings...
once...upon...a...December...
Someone holds...me safe...and warm...
horses...dance through a silver...storm...
figures...dancing...gracefully...across...my memory...
Far away...long ago...
growing dim as...an ember...
things my heart...use to know...
things...it yearns...to remember...
And a song...someone...sings...
once...upon...a Dece...m...ber..." The melody died away and Nora sighed,
"Wow! You sing really good!"
"I sing very well, young Kilkenny! Say I sing very well." Erik corrected with a chuckle.
"Well however you say it, you sing like an Angel!" she said. Erik's smile faded. He gathered up the music box and returned it saying,
"I must get my things unpacked." Not noticing his change in behavior, Nora said,
"Alright, I'll help ya!"
"Why?"Erik asked.
"That's what friends do for each other." Nora shrugged. Erik scolded himself. One day in his new life and he had already gotten too involved. This would only lead to heartbreak. He was about to tell her this, when a young female voice called angrily from downstairs,
"NORA CLARA KILKENNY!" This time, it wasn't fear that crossed Nora's face, but absolute terror.
"Oh cripes! Katie!"
"Who's Katie?" asked Erik. Ducking once more into the closet, Nora whispered,
"Your worst nightmare!" Erik was confused at her behavior, when a tall, shapely young woman with hair falling out from under her hat and into her face stomped in and barked,
"Nora! Where are ye, ya little Devil!" Erik was taken aback. Christine Daae had been the only woman to ever turn his head, but now Erik was absolutely hypnotized by this beautiful redhead with just a speckling of freckles across her nose and two of the deepest brown eyes he had ever seen. As if noticing him for the first time, Katie asked Erik,
"Begging your pardon, Sir. Have ye seen a wee girl 'bout so tall, with red hair...possibly a set of horns on her forehead by now?"
"She's in the closet..." Erik said not thinking.
"ERIK!" scolded Nora's muffled voice from the closet. Katie stomped over to the closet and roughly pulled her sister out yelling,
"Nora Clara I ought to box your ears! I ran into Officer Doyle downstairs and we had a nice wee chat...'bout you mostly!"
"I didn't do nothin' to him!" Nora protested.
"Is that so? Then ye shall be doin' nothin' for the next two weeks! You're grounded! Ye'll only go to school, then to work and then you'll be comin' home!" Katie told her. Nora scowled at her,
"You aren't my mother!" Erik could see she was visibly hurt in her eyes, but Katie replied with a cool tongue,
"Well if Mama knew how you were behavin' while you've been away from her she'd be ashamed! Now go to your room!"
"I have to go to work in a few minutes! And I have to help my new friend Erik move into his room!" Nora told her. Katie noticed Erik again, and then told her sister,
"Well then why don't you start carrying stuff up then...off with ye..." Nora stomped out, picking up one of Erik's suitcases on the way. Erik turned to the young woman who was pulling off her gloves in a huff and said,
"You didn't have to yell at her..."
"Excuse me Mr...?" she asked searching for a name.
"Erik North. Enchante Mam'selle." he said with a slight bow. Quirking an eyebrow at his formality, she replied,
"Well Mr. North...excuse me but...you ain't her family. You're just a friendly stranger she happened to appeal to save her hide from trouble. I'll decide what's best for my sister."
"But I am in America now. I'm entitled to voice my opinion. And I think you shouldn't yell at her but try to talk to her like a human being. She deserves your respect." he told her.
"Why? She hasn't earned it!" Katie said taking off her hat and coat.
"Oh? She doesn't work a job that contributes to your family when she should be out playing?" he asked his temper rising.
"Well..."
"She hasn't adjusted to a whole new life in a strange land? Leaving behind her friends? Her own mother?" Erik demanded of her.
"Now wait just a minute!" Katie started to protest.
"She hasn't been lonely for a little attention because she never sees her father and her sister and when she does see her sister...all she does is yell at her!" Erik yelled.
"Mr. North that's quite enough! You've stated your opinion now I must ask you keep them to yourself!" Katie yelled back at him.
"Oh gladly! But before I do, let me state one more. Nora has earned my respect and my friendship and I've only known her less than a day! You've known her all her life and you treat her harshly! Think about that, Mam'selle!" Erik told her coldly.
"Why you arrogant, vile brute! You talk of respect but ye haven't given me a lick of it!" she yelled at him. He smirked triumphantly,
"Why? You haven't earned it!" Satisfied at her shocked expression, Erik left the room, picking up the rest of his luggage and leaving the room, finding Nora by the door listening.
"I can't believe you did that!" she told him.
"Well I felt you needed a voice to stand up to her for you..." Erik told her as he led her upstairs. Nora shook her head,
"You don't know anything about families do ya?" Erik stopped and looked back at her,
"I beg your pardon?" Nora brushed past him saying,
"You've met the Ling's right?" At his nod, she continued, "They fight all the time and yell, but they love each other. Katie and I fight all the time...but we love each other. Mrs. Lowenstein and Sadie fight all the time...but they love each other. Families may fight...but they never stop loving each other! If they didn't fight...something would be wrong!" Coming to his door, Erik entered saying,
"I obviously have a lot to learn about families..."
"Why? Don't you have one?" asked Nora placing his things down and leaning against his bedpost. He smiled sadly,
"No...My mother abandoned me when I was five..."
"And your Da?" Nora asked.
"I wasn't told anything about him." Erik told her beginning to unpack.
"Wow...that's rough...why'd your mother abandon you?" Nora asked. Erik hesitated,
"Why do you ask such personal questions?"
"Why'd you blab about me hidin' spot to Katie?" Nora retorted. Erik sighed,
"Isn't it obvious?"
"What is?" asked Nora.
"I'm too ugly for even a mother to love." Erik told her. Nora scoffed,
"Awk! Blarney! You're really handsome!"
"And you're incredibly kind for a young child...but you shouldn't lie!" Erik told her putting away some shirts.
"I ain't lying! Half of Avenue A's talkin' about the tall, handsome stranger with emerald eyes staying in the Lowenstein boardin' house! That can only be you!" Nora told him. Erik furrowed his brow,
"They are?" That wasn't even possible in Erik's reality. Who'd find him attractive?
"Aye...I even saw me own sister flush a bit when she was lookin' you over!" Nora told him.
"She did?" Erik asked his interest piqued.
"Don't worry! You'll figure it out soon enough! Now, let's get you unpacked and over to Tavish's! I've got the perfect job for ya!" Nora said helping him pack by stuffing things into his drawers, leaving Erik to go behind her and refold them neatly.