Thanks Conlonsgirl, MushM12, and AnnieTheNewsElf for the reviews of the last chapter :)
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I turned my head and glanced out the window, the warm light was shining into the room, revealing the dust. My mind was blank. Finally I turned and looked back at him. He was still staring at me, a very odd expression on his face.
I understood it as soon as I took in his features. His eyes, lips, nose; I was beginning to wonder how I didn't see it before. I was looking at him as he was me, as if for the first time. I shook my head and looked to the floor, a smile threatening to climb across my face.
"Come heah," I heard him say before I felt his arms wrap around me. I returned the hug fiercely, as if he would slip out of my grasp and I would never see him again.
He pulled away and looked down at me, still eyeing my face carefully, taking in the details.
It was silent; neither of us knew what to say.
"You've got Ma's eyes?" he mumbled quietly. "You must, I mean, cause they aint like his. . ."
I nodded silently. My throat felt too tight to speak.
We sat there together in the quiet for a while longer, until Jack got up and ran his hand through his hair, looking out the window.
"Well I. . ." He cleared his throat and fiddled with a cigarette that appeared in his hands. "I bettah go sell da evenin' edition. . ." He glanced to me in a worried way, almost like he wanted my permission. I just nodded in silent agreement.
"You alright ta stay heah?" He asked, motioning to the room.
I nodded again.
"Right, well, I'll be back early tanight, I'll try ta get back before the uddahs."
I tried to answer vocally, but gave up and gave another nod. Things felt so awkward now. It was like we were more comfortable with each other before this sibling revelation.
He turned to walk away, but as he walked out the bunk room door I called out impulsively.
"Hey wait!"
His head popped back in.
"Yeah?"
I looked down at my hands fiddling with my skirt and back up to him. "So. . . what do I call ya?"
He looked at me confused for a second before glancing up in thought.
I gazed at him expectantly before he looked back to me and smiled.
"Lets stick wit Jack."
I tried to smile warmly and nodded.
"Sure"
He grinned and lightly tapped the doorframe as he turned to leave; I could hear his slow footsteps descending the stairs.
As the quiet settled around me I found I was grinning so much my mouth was getting soar. I had done it. I had finally found him. But, who is he?
I hardly knew anything about him, nor him about me. I inwardly scoffed at my fantasy of how things would be. It was supposed to be different, but, as I sat thinking about it, I wasn't sure how. What did I expect? I guess I didn't want realize what we really were. Strangers.
I sighed and stood, realizing my head was still pounding and glancing outside, wondering what the time was. I stood and hung my coat back on the bed post, but suddenly dropped to the floor, panic stricken.
"damn! Wheah . ." My own question was cut off when I realized I didn't lose my photo; Jack had taken it.
I sat there on my knees, eyeing the dusty floor. Should it bother me that he took it? Maybe he didn't mean to? Will he give it back? My mind was running with questions that I sighed and shrugged off. He was my brother after all, I should be able to trust him. But, of course, the other part of me, the more contradicting pessimistic side countered with the reminder of how little I knew this boy. The only man I ever had in my life left before we even met, why should I trust this one?
Once again I shook my head of my wandering thoughts and realized I was once again making a bed without even thinking. I stood and looked around at the sea of bunks and shrugged. What else do I have to do?
After I finished my self-appointed task I moved to the window to gaze out, but found it difficult. The grime and dirt were just about as good as a curtain. After a small coughing fit that startled me, I seemed to have forgotten how I got here in the first place, I went to the washroom and easily found what I considered to be a rag. I wiped at the windows until they were, well, slightly clearer, grinning at the new amount of light illuminating the room.
My grin faded instantly as I heard the stairs up to the bunk room squeaking under the weight of footsteps. I spun around to face the door and froze, praying I would somehow go unnoticed. My eyes were wide as the door swung open and he entered, muttering something under his breath as he passed.
I let my breath I didn't notice I was holding out as I saw a kind pair of old eyes sparkling at the sight of me.
"Well Rosie, you're looking much better," the old man said warmly. I blushed and thanked him quietly.
"You going to be staying with us for a while then?" He asked sweetly, his eyes sweeping the bunk room.
"I . . I dunno." I responded meekly. Was I staying? I didn't want to assume I was welcome, I hoped I was, but we never really discussed it.
"Well I sure hope ye are!" The old man turned to me, his eyes dancing. "Did ye do all this?" He asked, motioning to what I considered to be poorly made beds and streaky windows. I nodded and felt my face turning red. "Rooms never looked so clean, guess all it needed was a lady's touch didn't it?" I turned even redder and shrugged, which only seemed to make his grin grow wider. "Would ye like to come down an' find somethin' to eat? You're hungry aint'cha?"
"No thank you" I spat out on impulse. Immediately after I tried to hide a groan from my stomach. Whenever I felt uncomfortable I always avoided accepting offers. It was a habit I was hating at the moment.
"Well alright, if ye need anythin', I'll be downstairs."
He gave me one last grin before disappearing beyond the door. Great. My stomach growled again and I let out a frustrated sigh. Glancing out the window for what felt like the hundredth time, I wondered when Jack would come back. It felt to be around seven and I was hoping maybe he would bring me some food, or take me to some.
Deciding I was just going to have to wait, I sat down on my bunk and fiddled with a frayed string on my skirt. I began tapping my foot as the time crawled by. Another groan from my belly and I marched back over to the window, feeling like a tiger trapped at the zoo. Slowly I began pacing around the room, finding random things to do like straighten pillows or pick up clothes. I went to go into the washroom and stopped at the entrance. No, I was not cleaning this. No way. Backing up I went over to my bunk again gave a dramatic sigh. I was just about to go back to the window when I heard the door downstairs swiftly open and murmurs of conversation echoing up the stairs. I smiled and moved toward the stairs, stopping abruptly before reaching the door. Normally I would have been terrified to hear voices other than Jacks coming closer, but, as my stomach gave out another plea, I found myself to be nothing but annoyed.