This chapter is dedicated to my readers…did I ever tell any of you people I really hate doing flashbacks? Haha its ok, it was the only way I really thought that this would work out with the least amount of confusion. I guess the only way to get to the very VERY tehe exciting conclusion to Doodle's story is to keep this up! (um sorry these chapters have been so few and far between) Enjoy

Angela didn't know why she had felt drawn to Charlie and she had felt bad about her ignorance of his world. She wanted to help, he made her feel stupid and that wasn't something she was used to either, she was a good student and got much praise for her academics as well as much anything else she attempted at. She decided she would find Charlie work, then go and find him.

Her initial thought was that Charlie would almost certainly be able to acquire a job at her estate with her word on him to her father. She was quite the "Daddy's girl" and everyone else knew it, including her if truth be told. She went to him batting her eyelashes, prepared to beg. But she didn't end up having to beg like she'd thought. After asking just once he had already said he would look into it. Her father, Anthony was quite strict and he had made his money in stocks when he had moved to America from Italy with his parents. He met Angela's Italian mother in New York and they got married and had their precious baby girl. Tough father he was, but he wanted nothing less than the best for his little girl. If she wanted something done about this boy, he'd take care of it, what was the harm?

After a bit of checking with the staff it turned out that the stable master was in need of more help since they had required their most recent racing horse. He was a beauty too, Anthony had named him Apollo after the Greek god. Later in the day Anthony found Angela in her sitting room and told her that they could hire Charlie, but that he must behave himself well. He could even live in the stable houses near the stable master if that was more convenient. He didn't however, forget to stress that at one sign of stealing or bad behavior, he would be fired immediately. She listened to him and nodded all the while jumping up and down, happily excited, feeling as though maybe she could fine a way to help people.

After Anthony left his daughter's sitting room Angela rushed to her bed chamber. "I need to go find him at once!" she thought, "He will be so happy to have a better paying job to provide for his family!" She pulled on her warm riding cloak and she was ready to searching for the place where he worked. Evening was approaching and she knew she wasn't to go out in the dark, especially alone and she was specifically forbidden from the nastier parts of town, the slums, where she was headed. But she was too expectant to wait anther second to find Charlie and tell him. As pampered as she was, she had an adventurous streak in her, and through naiveté or bravery she wasn't afraid.

She snuck down to the stables opened the large, heavy door, only enough for her slim frame to slip through. She went instinctively in the dark to the stable that held her favorite horse, Apple, a mare named for her love of the fruit.

"Hey girl," she whispered, stroking the mare's neck. She had to be quiet because you never knew who was lurking around. Their estate housed all sorts and numbers of servants from butlers and maids, to stable men and gardeners. Very carefully she mounted; deciding bareback would be easier so she wouldn't have to fully saddle the horse herself. She pushed open the gate and they trotted as quietly as a horse can trot, into the twilight.

She was shocked at the state of the neighborhood not even three blocks from her very own estate, and felt very small and sheltered at the shock of the harder outside world. She located the bar where a servant had told her that Charlie worked the night shift at. The bar coined the Hangman was a hole in the wall, literally, as you might have not even noticed it for the door and a sign hanging from worn rope. Though her hands were sweating and she felt guilty for sneaking out against her father's will she straightened her shoulders and pushed open the door.

When she stepped inside and felt the rush of warm air she also felt the eyes of the regulars in the joint staring into her. The place was dimly lit by only a few ancient looking lamps and some candles whose wax was dripped down to their bases. It was occupied by men that she was sure weren't appropriate company for any sort of girl her age, old and young, all dirty, drunks, or looking like they were run-away criminals. There was one woman in the place, a barmaid, dressed scantily in Angela's opinion, in a dressed that showed off her voluptuous figure. Getting a feel for her surroundings she confidently walked up to the bar where an older greasy looking man was using an even greasier rag to wipe down the countertop.

"Excuse me sir," she said with as much confidence as she could possibly have feeling more uncomfortable with her surroundings with every moment, "I am looking for a boy named Charlie. I think he works the night shift here?"

The man cleared his throat as he lifted his head and stared at her appraisingly. "Charlie's not in tenight miss, he hasn't come in fer one reason or de odda, damned youngin…" and he turned in the other direction muttering under his breath and started wiping down glasses with the dirty rag.

"How rude", Angela thought to herself, Charlie was just a young man, her age who shouldn't be working so much anyways. She didn't understand why he should be pushed so hard, they weren't even all that busy. "Well," she said to the man's turned back, "could you tell me where I could find him?" but to this she got no response. Putting her hands on her hips and forgetting where she was she said louder this time, "Hellooooo, could you please even try to listen to me?"

To her right she heard a loud "Hmmmmpphhhhhh," stated obviously in an annoyed manner. She turned and saw the barmaid and even in the dim light she could see her overdone makeup and the unkempt quality of her appearance.

"Is something the manner?" Angela asked her, not understanding why the woman would be staring at her with such disdain.

Setting down her tray on the counter and unloading it of half empty glasses and bottles she said, "I jus don see where ye people get off. Cummin in hea dressed all fancy demandin things from us common people. Stay whea ye belong an don bother us wid yer problems cuz I'm damn sura dat we've got you beat in dat area."

"Ummmm…" Angela didn't know how to respond, she had never felt the harsh reality of life for those in the times when there wasn't enough food or money to get by and support a family. She had grown up sheltered, cultured, and had never learned of the outside world, let alone been short of money. She didn't realize at the time how bitterness and jealously could turn people against each other. "I just wanted to find Charlie and give him some good news…could you possibly tell me where I could find him?"

The barmaid, still making Angela very uncomfortable with her stare said "Well he stays two blocks ova on Kramer Street, his place is de dump third in from all de odda dumps, poa kid." She gave a sad sort of not happy or encouraging chuckle and said, "Ye couldn't eva understand id. One day ye'll fall on hard times…id happens te us all…never te late te see de darker sida a life ain't id?" and shaking her head she turned away from Angela walking to a beckoning customer.

Angela stood for a moment more uncomfortable than ever not knowing what to do. Then feeling more depressed than she thought she'd ever feel about her outlook on life she turned in the opposite direction and walked back out the door into the bitter darkening night.

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