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Chapter 4

"Hey, Mom, I'm goin' out, gonna have supper wid Davey and Les," Jenna announced to her mother after placing a bowl of steaming hot soup in front of her.

"Davey?" her mother questioned. "Who's he?"

"A newsie," she replied smartly.

"I know that, now loose the tone, young lady, who is he?" she asked sternly as Jenna rolled her eyes, sighing heavily.

"That's really all there is to know about him, Mom, he's just one of da newsies," she said. "He's my age, had a little brudder named Les. They sell papes wid Jack. He asked me if I wanted to have supper at his place and I told him I'd meet up wid him at the square, I had to make supper for you foist."

"Well, all right," she said reluctantly.

"I'll be back later," she decided as she swaggered out the door.

As she closed the door behind her she sighed, knowing that she had just brushed her mother aside and that she might not have much longer with her. Her conscience hurt her as she walked to the square where the newsies would always spend their free time. She had been so distant; it seemed as if she didn't want her to know about her life with the newsies. She knew she had hurt her mother's feelings, but sometimes she felt so annoyed with the constant questions. Maybe because she feared she would just be loosing her mother anyway; maybe because she knew her mother wouldn't approve of her "unladylike" actions. Whatever it was it bothered her. She was so confused right now about everything, her feelings for Racetrack, her relationship with her mother. The horrible thing was that she had no one to talk to about it. The newsies were great companions but they thought she was a boy, she couldn't share her "girly" problems with them, plus, she hated to burden others with her problems. She just needed a night off and hopefully supper at Davey's would give her some relaxation.

"Hey, Toothpick," Davey greeted as he, Les, and Jack walked up to her, knocking her from her thoughts.

"Ah, let's get goin', I'm starving and Sarah promised her famous soup tonight," Jack complained.

"Who's Sarah?" Jenna asked as they started down the street.

"Oh, she's my sister," Davey replied.

"She's older," Les informed her. She smiled down at him. She was starting to get a little nervous. She hadn't come in contact with another girl since she'd become a newsie, not one that she'd met personally. This girl was probably who she'd be right now if she wasn't a newsie, but then again she had a family. Jenna had no one; her mother was quickly fading. She probably didn't act boyish either, but she was another girl, and it'd be harder to fool her then the boys.

"Come in, come in," Davey's mother said as the four walked through the doorway. "Well, who's this?" She turned to Jenna with a bright smile.

"This here is Toothpick," Jack said, slapping her on the back. Just then Sarah rose from the chair she was seated in and approached Jenna. She smiled slightly as Jenna nodded and twirled her toothpick in her mouth.

"That's Sarah," Les chimed in, breaking the silence.

"Nice to meet you, Toothpick," Sarah said with a beaming smile as the family sat down to supper.

Sarah seemed to sew to help make money for the family and it made Jenna grin with pleasure to think of the fact that it was Sarah and not she who did the sewing. Jenna could never sit still that long. Sarah was king and gentle and though Jenna didn't want to reveal her identity there was a part of her that wished she knew. Then she would have someone she could talk about love with on her own level. She could tell her about her mother and how hard it was. Now, though, there was no one to tell; Jenna had to travel this journey alone.

"So, how's business?" Davey's father asked.

"Pretty good," Davey replied.

"Toothpick here's a pretty good newsie for only joinin' two weeks ago," Jack bragged.

"Oh, so this is Jim," Davey's mother said, finally putting two and two together.

"Is that your name?" Jack asked, turning to Jenna. Immediately there was a roar of laughter. "Well, ya know, none of us could tell ya the real names of the newsies; we all have nickname, well, most of us."

"Well, see ya tomorrow, I guess," Jack said to Sarah as he and Jenna climbed through the window onto the fire escape. Jenna could tell there was something between the two and continued down the fire escape so they could be alone. Jack leaned in and brought his lips to Sarah's, cupping his hand behind her head.

"Yeah, tomorrow," she breathed as they pulled away. She didn't seem ready to let him leave just yet as she pulled him in for one final kiss.

"Goodnight," he whispered as he made his way down the fire escape.

"Goodnight," she replied, disappearing into the house behind the curtains. Jack made his way to where Jenna was waiting and they continued down the street. Thinking of Jack and Sarah made her think of Racetrack and how they could be. She was gradually beginning to understand her emotions and she understood enough to know that she wanted more than friendship with him. The vision of her and Racetrack, lips joined, wouldn't leave her mind. It made her feel so warm inside, and then so cold at the same time.

"So, whatcha think?" Jack asked with a proud smile as he lit a cigarette.

"They're real nice," she said casually with a nod. "What happened ta Davey's dad?" She was referring to the fact that Davey's father's arm was in a sling.

"Oh, he got hurt in a factory somehow and since he was no good to them anymore they fired him," Jack explained. She nodded in understanding and picked at her teeth with her toothpick. "Hey, Race." Jenna whipped around to see Racetrack joining the two in the streets.

"Hey, Jack, Toothpick," Racetrack said casually. Jenna's heart skipped a few beats at the sight of Racetrack and sound of his heavy Brooklyn accent.

"How was your day at the tracks?" Jack asked.

"Ah, all right, I didn't make any bets today," he replied. "Nuttin' looked good enough to waste me money." Jack nodded in understanding as Jenna followed.

"So, Race, you up for another bet tomorrow?" Jenna asked with a grin.

"What are we bettin' on?" he asked.

"Have you ever played poker?" she asked.

"Sure, but a pack of cards ain't somethin' we got around here," he replied.

"Well, I've been savin' me money, I'll buy us a pack, I've been dyin' for a good game a poker," she said.

"Well, you get your hands on some cards and you're on," he challenged.

Walking into her house, Jenna couldn't think about anything but the family she had just experienced. She thought that Racetrack would be filling her thoughts but he wasn't. She had no family anymore; she had just come to the realization. Her mother was fading fast and her father had been gone for three years. Most of the newsies had no parents, but it pained her to be loosing her family. For the first time in years Jenna broke down in the floor and cried.