Disclaimer from Chapter 1
So sorry guys!!! I was gonna post this one last night, but my computer was being a huge ass. I ended up having to retype the entire chapter. Also thank you so much for all the reviews, you guys are sooooo good at reviewing, and I am soooo bad about updating. Thanks again!! estreallalily
As soon as the door closed behind David and Less Cate shot Jack an apprehensive look. He either didn't see it, or chose to ignore it. He simply leaned back in the chair and let his hands flop to his sides.
"Thank you for offering to stay Jack, but I don't need people around to look after me all the time," She said fixing him with a strange look. "I do know how to take care of myself."
"Yeah," he replied, "dat was real clear from the way we found you yesterday. I wanted to stay. We need to have a little talk, you and I."
Cate looked up from where she had been fiddling with the paper bag in her lap. "Whatever about?"
"You," he said simply, looking into her eyes. God! Why did they seem so familiar? "Where did you come from anyway?"
"I'd have thought that was quite obvious, due to the accent, that, and the fact that I said my family lived in Ireland until my Ma died."
"I knew that!" He retorted, a little angry at her for being so smart with him. "I ment wheres you and your Pop been living since you got to New York?"
"I would rather not talk about that, if it is all the same to you." Cate looked back at the bag in her lap. Jack was sure she was deliberately avoiding his eyes.
"Sure. You bettah eat dat 'fore it gets cold," he said, absentmindedly waving to the soup in her lap, "don't want it to get cold." She opened the bag and pulled out the container of soup. Opening it carefully she took a bite.
"Hey, that is really good!"
"Whad you expect? Tibbie's is the best in all New York." Jack cleared his throat, then continued on, "but its okay, you not wanten to talk about your passed. Most of the guys I know don't have family, and the ones that do don't care to know dem."
"That's strange." Cate seemed to think this over for a minute then continued on. "What about your family? Where are they?" Jack shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "My Ma died when I was little too, and I nevah knew my Pop. Then I became a Newsie, and here I am, da leadah of Manhattan."
"What about David? He and Les don't exactly fit your description of Newsies." "Now dat," said Jack as he sat up in his chair and leaned his elbows on his knees, "dat is a good story . . ."
And then Jack was lost in telling the story of the strike the previous summer. He told her about how Mr. Jacobs had been hurt at the factory where he worked, and how Les and David had to become Newsies to help their family. Then how they lead the children of New York to victory over the Newspaper Titans. Cate was a very good listener. She gasped at all the right places and even managed to laugh a few times.
"So then I said 'we only used the best Joe. So I wanted to say: thanks again.' He was so mad, you shoulda seen his face."
"Well, I must say you certainly have a flare for the dramatic."
"Its all part of bein' a Newsie. Gotta be able to get people's attention some how."
"It must have been very exciting. But I do have one question. Why do all of your friends have such strange names?"
Jack gave a little laugh, leaned back in his chair again and propped his legs up on the bed. "Dos ain't der real names. See we kinda stretch the truth when we make up dos fake headlines. So if anyone gets in trouble you don't want people to know your real name, and lots of us don't care for our real names. So we make up nicknames dat suit our personalities, or dat are just funny. Like take Race for instance, he don't like his real name, so we named him Racetrack 'cause hes always at the tracks. Den it got shortened to Race."
"So what is your real name?" Cate asked, giving him a side ways glance.
"I told you, its Jack Kelly, my nickname is Cowboy."
"Oh, and why is that?"
"Well mostly de hat," he pulled said item of clothing up on his head. "But also 'cause of dis." With that he took the rope off his waist and stood it.
Cate had thought it had just been there because he did not have a belt, but as he situated the knot so there was a large loop in the rope, she saw what it was really there for.
Jack swung the lasso around his body, making the rope circle around his knees. "Neat trick, huh?"
"It is impressive." Cate leaned over and put the empty soup container on the bed side table. Then she leaned back and yawned. "I think I am going to go back to sleep now."
"Okay," he said nodding his head. He could go meet up with David and Les and sell the evening addition of The World. "Have a good sleep."
"Have a good afternoon." Was all she said before she rolled onto her side (the one that wasn't injured), and tried to go back to sleep.
Jack picked up the soup container and put it in the kitchen, then let himself out of the apartment. He made sure the door was locked tight behind him before he made his way out of the building and towards the park. Hopefully he wold find Les and David still there.
So sorry guys!!! I was gonna post this one last night, but my computer was being a huge ass. I ended up having to retype the entire chapter. Also thank you so much for all the reviews, you guys are sooooo good at reviewing, and I am soooo bad about updating. Thanks again!! estreallalily
As soon as the door closed behind David and Less Cate shot Jack an apprehensive look. He either didn't see it, or chose to ignore it. He simply leaned back in the chair and let his hands flop to his sides.
"Thank you for offering to stay Jack, but I don't need people around to look after me all the time," She said fixing him with a strange look. "I do know how to take care of myself."
"Yeah," he replied, "dat was real clear from the way we found you yesterday. I wanted to stay. We need to have a little talk, you and I."
Cate looked up from where she had been fiddling with the paper bag in her lap. "Whatever about?"
"You," he said simply, looking into her eyes. God! Why did they seem so familiar? "Where did you come from anyway?"
"I'd have thought that was quite obvious, due to the accent, that, and the fact that I said my family lived in Ireland until my Ma died."
"I knew that!" He retorted, a little angry at her for being so smart with him. "I ment wheres you and your Pop been living since you got to New York?"
"I would rather not talk about that, if it is all the same to you." Cate looked back at the bag in her lap. Jack was sure she was deliberately avoiding his eyes.
"Sure. You bettah eat dat 'fore it gets cold," he said, absentmindedly waving to the soup in her lap, "don't want it to get cold." She opened the bag and pulled out the container of soup. Opening it carefully she took a bite.
"Hey, that is really good!"
"Whad you expect? Tibbie's is the best in all New York." Jack cleared his throat, then continued on, "but its okay, you not wanten to talk about your passed. Most of the guys I know don't have family, and the ones that do don't care to know dem."
"That's strange." Cate seemed to think this over for a minute then continued on. "What about your family? Where are they?" Jack shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "My Ma died when I was little too, and I nevah knew my Pop. Then I became a Newsie, and here I am, da leadah of Manhattan."
"What about David? He and Les don't exactly fit your description of Newsies." "Now dat," said Jack as he sat up in his chair and leaned his elbows on his knees, "dat is a good story . . ."
And then Jack was lost in telling the story of the strike the previous summer. He told her about how Mr. Jacobs had been hurt at the factory where he worked, and how Les and David had to become Newsies to help their family. Then how they lead the children of New York to victory over the Newspaper Titans. Cate was a very good listener. She gasped at all the right places and even managed to laugh a few times.
"So then I said 'we only used the best Joe. So I wanted to say: thanks again.' He was so mad, you shoulda seen his face."
"Well, I must say you certainly have a flare for the dramatic."
"Its all part of bein' a Newsie. Gotta be able to get people's attention some how."
"It must have been very exciting. But I do have one question. Why do all of your friends have such strange names?"
Jack gave a little laugh, leaned back in his chair again and propped his legs up on the bed. "Dos ain't der real names. See we kinda stretch the truth when we make up dos fake headlines. So if anyone gets in trouble you don't want people to know your real name, and lots of us don't care for our real names. So we make up nicknames dat suit our personalities, or dat are just funny. Like take Race for instance, he don't like his real name, so we named him Racetrack 'cause hes always at the tracks. Den it got shortened to Race."
"So what is your real name?" Cate asked, giving him a side ways glance.
"I told you, its Jack Kelly, my nickname is Cowboy."
"Oh, and why is that?"
"Well mostly de hat," he pulled said item of clothing up on his head. "But also 'cause of dis." With that he took the rope off his waist and stood it.
Cate had thought it had just been there because he did not have a belt, but as he situated the knot so there was a large loop in the rope, she saw what it was really there for.
Jack swung the lasso around his body, making the rope circle around his knees. "Neat trick, huh?"
"It is impressive." Cate leaned over and put the empty soup container on the bed side table. Then she leaned back and yawned. "I think I am going to go back to sleep now."
"Okay," he said nodding his head. He could go meet up with David and Les and sell the evening addition of The World. "Have a good sleep."
"Have a good afternoon." Was all she said before she rolled onto her side (the one that wasn't injured), and tried to go back to sleep.
Jack picked up the soup container and put it in the kitchen, then let himself out of the apartment. He made sure the door was locked tight behind him before he made his way out of the building and towards the park. Hopefully he wold find Les and David still there.