Chapter Twelve
The Sun Will Still Rise
By: Sassafras Lei
Tootsie sat with Sassy at Tibbys looking out the closet window; and Sassy was staring at two new guys that had just walked into the diner. They both looked a little beat up, but they both had pretty nice clothes on though. Tootsie looked across the diner at them, she sighed, rolling her eyes, and looked back out the window again. Sassy watched her friend closely, with much concern; something was up, but she didn't know what it was. She knew after she found out all about Spots past, anything was possible. Sassy thought that's probably what's wrong, but she could never been for sure. Tootsie looked up as if she were going to say something, but stopped when the boys walked over.
"Hey goils, ya look pretty board ovah he'ah all by yerself's." both the girls looked up.
"Wese was wonderin' if ya'd like da company of two friendly guys," the first one said.
The first one had dark hair, and dark eyes to match. The second one had lighter hair, and blue eyes, but both the boys had nice features.
"What two guys ya talkin' 'bout?" Tootsie asked. They looked at each other then back, there smiles faded quickly, but retuned a moment later.
"We're talkin' 'bout us, my names Cody, an' dis is Will," the second guy said.
"Well it seems ta me dat yer tryin' ta take advantage of us; you wouldn't be doing dat now would you?" Sassy said, her eyes piercing Will's.
"Naw, we're jus' board wanted some one ta talk ta," Will said. "Find den, sit. Dat deres Tootsie, an' I'm Sassy." Sassy said.
Both the girls moved to the inside of the booth, so the guys could sit down. Cody sat beside Tootsie, and Will beside Sassy, both the guys flashed smiles as they sat down, with out saying a word. Tootsie looked at Sassy then back out the window slowly trying to figure out what Sassy was getting them into.
"So, how old are ya?" Tootsie snapped back to reality.
"Old enough ta know how da world works, another words sixteen." Sassy nodded at her answer.
Will raised his eyes at Cody, and smiled a little, Tootsie noticed that but let it slip, she knew guys to well. A few minutes later Tootsie reached across the table, and smacked Sassy, who had been playing with her necklace ignoring that the boys were there.
"Ouch! What is it?" Sassy asked looking up at her.
Tootsie pointed to the window, then gave a serious look as they started waiting. Both the girls started to look a little nervous, as the boys beside them turned back to face them slowly. Tootsie smiled shortly when Racetrack, and Spot walked in the door laughing. Racetrack hit Spot, and they walked over to the table together.
"Ya wanna move?" Race asked.
"No, ya wanna go find yer own goils?" Will said mockingly.
"Um, wese have 'um, yer sittin' next to dem." Spot said.
"Naw, dese goils is single." Will put his arm around Sassy's shoulder.
She pushed him off her, and Spot grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pushed him closer to the back of the seat.
"Don't ya evah, touch my goil again, ya he'ah me," he said madly. Tootsie was getting mad at Cody to.
"No, we're not single." she said punching him. Cody clenched a fist on the tabletop.
"Don't ya even think 'bout hittin' 'er, I'll kill ya. Jus' get up, an' let us out," Sassy said pissed.
"Fine, wese gettin' up," Cody said.
The girls got up, and the four made there way to another table, and sat down together. Then all four of the guys looked pissed a little as the girls looked back at the others.
"We are so stupid!" Cody said.
"Yah, maybe so...but it 'ill all work out. Spot an' Racetrack don't scare me." Will said looking at the girls.
"Ya know somethin' yous ain't lettin' me on ta?" Cody said looking at his friend.
"Yah maybe I's do," he said.
Back across the diner both the boys looked rather mad at the girls, if it was possible there looks would of killed. Racetrack had one arm around Tootsie's shoulder, and the other sat on the tabletop. Spot and Sassy were the same way, and the girls stayed quiet for a minute until the guys started talking.
"What was ya doin' wit' dem? Don't cha know who dey are?" Racetrack asked. The girls looked at each other mostly confused, Tootsie looked up quietly.
"Sass, I's know ya heard me talkin' 'bout 'um before." Spot said to her.
"Dere da two dat own da biggest… whore houses dis side of Jersey." Sassy finished with Spot smiling. Sassy had been told to stay away from them for as long as she could remember going out with Spot.
"I know who yer talkin' 'bout, but I's didn't know it was dem," Sassy said.
"What all did ya tell 'um?" Racetrack asked.
"Are names, an' are ages. " Tootsie said.
"Ya didn't! Ya shouldn't of told 'im yer ages." Sassy looked at Spot.
"Damn it, jus' stop preachin' Spot!" she said standing up.
Tootsie stood up as well, and walked over to Sassy's right side slowly. They both stopped short at the door, turned around slowly looking back at the guys.
"Are we stayin' he'ah ta night Spot?" Sassy asked.
"Yah, I guess so,"
"Fine, I'll see ya lata den," she said walking out the door behind Tootsie.
"Tootsie, would ya slow down, an' talk ta me?" she turned around to say something, and hit the ground hard.
Sassy ran a few feet and helped her up. She stopped half way up, and Tootsie fell to the ground again. The reason someone had tapped her shoulder, Sassy turned around to see Will in front of her.
"What da hell do ya want?" she asked as Tootsie stood up on her own.
"Wese jus' wanna talk, wese know ya got boyfriends, but we wanna talk, come wit' us." he said leaning against the wall. Tootsie looked at Sassy then back to Cody and said
"I's don't care its up ta ya but its awright wit' me."
"Come on, den follow us." they said, and took off to a back road.
After about twenty minutes of back roads the girls had lost the count of them all, not to mention the way back again. The girls weren't sure where they were going, and they were starting to get a little nervous about it.
"Where exactly is we goin'?"
"Don't worry wese almost dere," Cody said looking back.
"Do ya think we should be doin' dis? If da guys find out dey'll kill us," Sassy said.
"Chill, dey ain't gonna find out, deres no way dey could right? Ya just been a little worried since ya got back dats all." Tootsie said.
"Yer, right I's guess,"
"We're he'ah, come on in, an' we'll talk inside," Will said opening a door.
"No way Toots, I ain't goin' in dere, an' yer crazy if ya do." she said looking up at the building.
"Would ya ratha stay out he'ah, an' have da chance of gettin' caught; no dats what I's thought now come on, Trust me Sass." Tootsie said pulling her along.
"Its not you i's dont trust, its dem," she said under her breath.
"He'ah sit, so anyways wese was wonderin' if we could help ya got more money," Cody said closing the door.
"No, wese don't need yer help, an' we don't take charity form no one." Sassy said flatly getting up, but Tootsie pulled her down.
"Chill Sass, don't get ta jumpy yet," she said.
"Who said anything 'bout charity, bein' a newsie can't get ya but a dime, an' a few black eyes." Cody said in one breath.
"An' bein' a whore can only get ya undah a jerks control, an' a bad reputation." Sassy said standing up again.
Tootsie did the exact same thing this time so they could leave. As much as she hated to see her get up set and all worked up, but she couldn't lie this was defiantly something to get worked up about and she knew it from the beginning. Sassy stood and turned around looking back at her friend. Tootsie shook her head as she started to walk out towards her, until Will grabbed her arm.
"Don't touch me!" she spat out.
"I'll touch who ever I want when evah I want," he said.
"Hey, she said don't touch 'er." Sassy said pushing him back, Tootsie walked to the door.
"What da hell! You cant treat us like dat," He said and Cody grabbed Sassy's left arm.
"I's think I jus' did, Let go of me." She said slowly, his grip was hurting her arm.
"Jus' leave us alone, I's don't need dis shit again!" Tootsie said watching Sassy.
"Come on Let go!" she said again trying to pull away.
Tootsie walked back over to Sassy, and hit Cody then grabbed her other arm and pulled her out the door.
Then together they walked out the door, and started back for Manhattan. They didn't use the back roads or short cuts on the way back they had time to waste so they took the regular roads.
Racetrack and Spot stood on a corner selling the afternoon edition. They hadn't seen the girls for about two hours, but they weren't to worried about it, their girls were born fighters. As they continued selling they looked at a paper then back up quickly realizing who it was.
"Sandy, ain't seen ya in awhile, where ya been?" Spot asked spitting in his hand, and extending it.
"I've been around Harlem workin' one person fer da last month or so," she said excepting his hand.
"Oh…so what cha doin' he'ah den?" he asked looking up eyeing her.
"Well I was headed ta Brooklyn ta find ya, but guess I's don't gotta go dat far huh." Sandy said, she had been one of Spots little birdys since she could remember.
"But why are ya lookin' fer him?" Race asked.
" 'Cause, when I was waitin' on someone on da roof, well any way I's saw yer goil in Harlem Spot." Spot and Races eyes widened.
"Was Tootsie wit' her to?" Racetrack asked.
"Yah, dey both looked a lil' pissed off," Sandy told them.
"Where exactly in Harlem?" Spot asked slowly.
"Take a wild guess, where do ya think dey were Spot." he gave a serious look at Racetrack.
"Dey were wit' Will, an' Cody, weren't dey?" Race asked.
"Yah, dey were, but dey was pissed when dey left like I said, I'm sorry Spot, always told ya could do betta, Race," she said looking at them.
"Its awright, yous always been one of da betta boids I's got." she smiled at him.
"Thanks Spot, but I's guess I'll go now dough." Sandy hugged the guys, and walked off.
"Spot what are we gonna do now?" Racetrack asked looking over.
"Nuthin'," he answered.
"Nuthin'? We cant jus' sit around an' do nuthin'." He said turning to Spot.
"Fine, how 'bout wese jus' don't bring it up 'til dey don't expect it, dat will get 'um off guard." Spot answered looking over.
"An' dey say dat David's da brains of da group, yer not to bad off Spot, but yer right it might jus' work." he said, looking around.
"I's can't believe it I's told her a million times an' they go down dere anyways." Spot said looking up.
"I don't know Spot but I can tell ya no one wants ya two ta start fightin' again," Race said.
"I's don't know Race da way she acts some times it really makes me wonda." Spot said and Race rolled his eyes.
The girls sat in the lobby of the lodging house enchanted by their poker game, that they didn't even realize it when the guys walked in. Spot and Race didn't bother there game, but walked up the stairs as quietly as they had come in. Sassy's mind was off the game so Tootsie ended up winning the game, the two started talking after they had finished.
Racetrack and Spot showed up at bottom of the stairs, and watched as the two girls started laughing. Race walked over to Tootsie and nudged her leg with his foot. She looked up and immediately stopped laughing, as did Sassy when she saw Spot right behind him. Together Tootsie and Sassy stood up but at a slow pace looking at each other than back to the guys.
"So where'd yous two go earlier yous was gone fer a while." Race said putting an arm around Tootsie.
"We went fer a walk nuthin' to excitin', you?" asked Tootsie.
"Hung around, saw Sandy, haven't seen her in a while, since she started workin'." Spot said.
"Wese gonna go fer a walk, ya wanna come?" Racetrack asked the girls.
"No thanks, we'll see ya when ya get back." Tootsie answered for the both of them.
"Okay," Spot said and the boys walked out the door.
"Sass, hey Sassy are ya alright?" Tootsie asked.
"Yah, but he did say Sandy right?" Sassy asked looking up.
"Yah, he said Sandy why do ya know 'er, who is she? I's mean ya sound like ya know 'er." Tootsie said slowly.
"I know 'er, I's tryin' ta rememba how I's know 'er dough." She said sitting back down thinking.
"Spot seemed pretty pleased 'bout gettin' ta see 'er." Tootsie said.
"I know now she's Zero's sista, but she's also some thin' else, she's somthin' special ta Spot." Sassy said looking at Tootsie.
"I's need ta pay Zero a visit, Are ya up fer a walk ta Queens?" Sassy asked looking out the window; it was starting to get dark.
"Sure but lets wait 'til mornin', I's need some rest." Tootsie said.
"Okay sounds good, dats fine wit' me." She said and they headed up the stairs.
They headed up the stairs slower than usual, the two girls now had a lot on there minds. When they got in the room Tootsie threw herself on the bed, and Sassy sat on an empty bed close by. Tootsie turned her head and looked at Sassy who was taking off her button up shirt reveling a small white shirt under it. She got up and walked over to Sassy, and grabbed her left elbow. Tootsie pushed her sleeve up to her shoulder, and her jaw dropped.
"What happened Sass?" Tootsie asked.
"Its from where Cody grabbed me earlier it hurts but not bad." Sassy said pulling her sleeve down as Spot and Racetrack walked in the room talking.
"Dat ain't even cool!" Tootsie said not seeing them.
"What's dat, dat ain't even cool?" Race asked looking up.
"Her wantin' da blow all her dough on cards dis Friday," Tootsie said quickly looking over at Sassy.
"Yah, I's mean its one of da biggest games comin' up an' I kick ass at cards, specially when its against da girls." Sassy said Backing up Tootsie who made up the story.
"Right, go fer it I ain't gonna argue wit' ya 'bout it." Spot said looking over at her.
"Toots…come he'ah fer a minute," she looked up.
"dats about da stupidest thing ya eva said." Sassy said walking past the guys.
"What?" Tootsie asked sitting down in front of her.
"Dat was da stupidest thing ya 'bout eva came up wit'." Sassy said.
"Well ya know what I covered yer ass again, I's think ya owe me at least twenty thank ya's." Tootsie told her.
"Yah okay ya saved my ass again, but thanks naw I's will get around ta thank ya sometime on my death bed." She said smiling.
"Be glad yer one of me best friends, odda wise I's would have ta smack ya down girl." Tootsie said standing up.
Spot watched Tootsie walk past him over to Sassy's bunk and almost started laughing at her. He took a seat beside Racetrack on his bed and together they watched the girls talking.
"Let me tell ya Race ya got some girl, she got some mouth on her." Spot told him.
"Yah no thanks ta yer goil, eva since dey started hangin' out she's got more sarcastic 'bout every thing." Racetrack told him.
"Maybe but I's love her attitude 'bout everything…well I's do I Love her, she's gonna be wit' me foreva now." He said smiling.
"I's know what ya mean, I's feel da same way 'bout Toots….hey ya Spot do ya think she lied 'bout Sassy an' Friday?" Racetrack asked.
"Ya know what I's don't even know, its really possible since dey lied 'bout goin' ta Will's and Cody's." Spot said.
"Dere planin' somethin' something's gonna happen soon dose two always got somethin' up dere sleeves." Spot said.
"Yah yer right, but when don't dey?" Race asked making them both agree.
"Good question…probably one no one 'ill eva no da answer ta." Spot said smiling and heading out the door after Sassy.
Sassy was half way down the stairs when she felt the sting go down her arm and stopped hoping he would let go. Looking up at him she smiled as his hand fell into hers and he pulled her down to the empty living room. Spot sat on the edge of a chair and watched as Sassy stood looking out a window.
"Sassy sweet heart, what are ya doin' in da mornin' ?" Spot asked watching her back.
"Not a thing, sellin' papes like always," she said to the window.
"I wanna go home in da mornin', what do ya think?" she smiled to herself.
"Go fer it Spot, I'm gonna stick around got a few things I need ta do," Sassy said.
"No…yer not stickin' around yer gonna leave wit' me in da mornin'." he said getting up.
"Are yous serious, yous actually tellin' me I's cant stay?" asked Sassy.
"Dats what I's sayin' ya got it," he said standing a few feet away.
"Dats some bull shit Spot, how da hell are yous gonna tell me what I's can an' cant do?" Spot took hold of her arm and she turn flinching at the pain.
"Cause, I ain't givin' yous a choice yer leavin' wit' me in da mornin' like it or not I's really don't care." her eyes narrowed.
"Yah, okay, fine, have it yer way." she said and pushed past him slowly.
Tootsie rolled over that morning, surprised to see that Sassy and Spot were already gone. She shook her head and fell back into her bed sighing and looked over at Race. As she watched him she wondered what would happen if she told him, well just how well she knew Will. She shook it off by getting up and dressing, kissing Racetrack Tootsie left the room.
Sassy looked up at Spot as he kept a tight hold on her arm as they walked toward Brooklyn. Sassy gave an angry jerk from his grip as she thought about getting back to Queens. Not only did she want to find out who Sandy was, she missed her old home like crazy.
Race woke with a startle that morning, looking around the half empty room. Tootsie was missing as was the famous Brooklyn couple; where had she got off to now he wondered. Pulling on clean clothes and his shoes he slowly headed down the stairs. Walking his way around the city he finally found her sitting in the park by herself. Walking over he sat beside her and realized that she didn't look very happy.
"What's wrong sweet heart? Ya look like yer whole worlds been torn down 'round ya." Tootsie looked up slightly.
"I's jus' got a lot on me mind right now, I's fine dough really." Racetrack hardly believing her as she got up.
"Okay, but yous are gonna sell wit' me right?" said Race smiling.
"I don't think so, sorry honey, I jus' gotta figure a few things out right now," she said taking off.
Tootsie laughed manically to herself as she sat on the edge of the Horace Greeley Statue. This was such a perfect time for him to show up again. Well there never would be a perfect time but she could always think of one better. Poor Racetrack he must be so concerned about the way one had been acting the last few days.
Tootsie was doing a fine job of blowing of Race and everyone else lately; but this way she knew she would be ready when something happened. She was building herself up but finding it a bit more challenging then it would be if her girl was there helping her through it all.
Night fell swiftly over the city that night, and Tootsie didn't start to move until at least an hour later. Jumping down form the statue she let the darkness take her in; let it take her home once again. Back again, her mind raced backed to that night that would lead her straight through Manhattan.
She turned over on her queen sized bed as she heard her brothers footsteps sneaking in from the window, in the room above hers. Once again he was out until all hours, and then some where in the house below them there was a loud explosion. Less then a minute later the smell of smoke engulfed the room.
Tootsie had dressed in under thirty seconds, and headed out her door. Will stumbled past her door and ran into there little brother Christopher's room. The last thing she saw was him running towards the door with Chris wrapped in his arms. While she headed up the stairs farther towards her parents and cousins rooms.
Fire had blocked there door as she was tempted to step forward into the room. Tootsie could hear her parents yelling at each other…then…
Reality flooded back over her and she realized she was lost. Where ever she was she was sure she was no longer in Manhattan. Looking around in fact she was positive to be in either Harlem in the Bronx. Tootsie found herself a nice little corner way out of the way, and made herself comfortable until sunrise.
Tootsie did not sleep at all that night as well for Race. When the sun came creeping up she found that she was indefinitely in Harlem; now what was she going to do? Coming around the next corner she found herself the one place she didn't want to be. As much as she didn't want to go inside that's where her feet where taking her. Maybe this way she could face her problems and get it over with once and for all.
Walking in there was one of the sights she wasn't in any mood to see. As far as she walked down the hall no matter which way she looked there was at least one indecently dressed ladies. She finally stopped at the end of the hall and looked back at the front door. A young girl about Tootsie's age stopped in front of her and smiled, hand laid upon her hip.
"Can I's help ya there Miss?" she asked pulling up her shirt at the same time.
"Yah I's really need ta talk ta Cody if he's around," she finally answered.
"Hold on, I's will go get him, yous can sit and wait for him in dere if yous like." the blonde said walking off.
Tootsie sat on the couch and almost hit herself, what the hell was she doing sitting, waiting, to get her ass whooped. Not even five minutes later she heard his footsteps and she sunk lower into the couch. She was screaming at herself on the inside now he would come face to face with her in less then five seconds, and she didn't want to know his reaction when he did.
She sat there as he sat in front of her in the chair smiling sweetly. Looking at him through her hair Tootsie watched him roll up his sleeves. Greg set forwarded elbows on his knees and finally reached out and grabbed the front of her shirt. Tootsie showed nothing no little emotion, she just sat here staring back at him.
"I've seriously thought 'bout it an' realized our parents didn't die 'cause of me. And nothin' yous can say is gonna change my mind." she said crossing her arms.
"Yous don't thing it was your fault…your wrong if yous would of gotten to 'um sooner yous would have been able ta get 'um." he said laughing he knew exactly how to torment her e and he was going to.
"Think 'bout it more, think 'bout the fire dat engulfed everything, rememba the cracklin' whips of flames, rememba the sizzlin' of plastic, think about it…it was your fault!" he said as she sat there thinking about that night again.
She could hear her parents screaming over the roar of the fire at each at her behind the flaming doorway. Then where the door use to be was a hole and she could see her parents through the smoke. They turned around and saw her standing there and once again she couldn't help but take another step forward. As soon as she lifted her foot both her parents screamed for her to get out of the house.
She took her last step before she was pulled back and tackled to the hard wood floor. Struggling to get back to her parents her cousin was holding her back from it. As one of the beams fell blocking the door, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder heading down the stairs. At least until they reached flames at the second landing.
Eric kicked open her bed room door, and slung her on the bed. While he threw her window open and pushed the screen out of it. Yes they were on the second story but they really didn't have much of a choice it was either jump or burn to death in the house.
He stood at the window begging her to come over, but she stood paralyzed beside her bed. They watched the fire slowly seep through the walls, and Eric finally grabbed her arm. Together they made the choice and she watched him jump out the window. Looking down she saw him get up and she knew she didn't want to jump. Tootsie stood in the window as long as she could until the flames where licking at her back. She stepped as far out on the window ledge as she could and jumped.
Hitting the ground she rolled a few times and was finally pulled up by her brother. As they stood watching the house burn down, she picked up her little brother Christopher and held him close. That night when there was nothing left but ashes and Chris was asleep, and Cody blamed her. Not wanting to put up with it any longer she picked up Chris again and headed off; anywhere was better now. Now she had no past it all was burnt down, all was left was to look towards the future first starting with getting Chris a good place to stay.
Tootsie slowly got to her feet from the couch, smiled at Cody sorrowfully and left the room. Looking at her older brother she knew she was stronger mentally then he would ever be. Simply because she had dealt with the pain, fear and night mares for years.
Now she had admitted that to herself she knew she was going to be great one day. Next move to make was get on her way back home, and the hardest part of coarse was reliving it all one more time just long enough to let Racetrack know why she had been so distant.
Tootsie had one foot out the door when she was roughly pulled back in again. Some how she had lost her footing and was now looking back up at Cody from the floor. Closing her eyes and shaking her head she was pulled to her feet roughly, and thrown into a separate room. Cody had closed the door and before she knew it she was back on the floor again.
"Yer still young, stupid, callous, an' made a huge mistake comin' out he'ah ta say dat ta me, 'cause personally I's was gonna leave ya alone Toots. My eyes were set on yer friend…yous got some nerve ya know…but I's know how ta fix dat." he said watching her.
"Ya know I's didn't wanna put up wit' ya, I's didn't come he'ah ta fight ya," she said getting up in his face.
Tootsie learned fast that night even though she may be stronger than someone else that wont stop them from beating the hell out of you, then leaving you where you lay. The next thing she knew she was laying down on a bed and there was some one taking care of her. She saw a short blonde girl dressed more decent than the rest, and sitting to her left.
"Who…who are ya?" asked Tootsie slowly.
"Well…actually dey call me Jazz for some reason, but I's been cleanin' yous up it's only right." she said shrugging.
"Well I's cant say I's don't appreciate da kindness but I's really gotta get outta he'ah." Tootsie said standing up.
"…Wait…can I's go wit' ya…I's neva wanted ta do dis…what do yous say?" Jazz asked.
"Of coarse, I's don't mind," she answered.
"Oh thank yous so much," Tootsie smiled.
"It's fine Jazz, now come on," she said heading out the front door.
So together, both in new company they headed back towards the Manhattan lodging house. Jazz had her own stories just like everyone else did, yet hers didn't seem quiet as bad. Both the girls entertained each other on the long walk back with stories from there past to the present.
As Tootsie came closer a gentle sensation of nervousness washed over her, and she had to keep telling herself just one more time. After all the man that she loved and loved her deserved to know why she strayed away like she had. The more she thought about it the harder it was to find away to begin the story; that's when she really knew this was going to take more than a few minutes of his time. For her it wouldn't be as simple as my family's dead, house burnt down, my fault, and my brothers a pimp, case closed.
Her and Jazz walked in at a quarter past three that day as she caught sight of Racetracks back heading up the stairs. Biting her bottom lip she slowly followed after him, not knowing if he would even talk to her after the way she treated him in the last few weeks. By the time she got in the room he was laying on his bed with his hat thrown over his face, something told her he was still pretty upset and probably would be for awhile. Yet Tootsie knew she had to tell him and it could not wait any longer than it had already, because it might hurt the both of them.
She took a seat on the floor next to his bed and with out even thinking started talking wondering to herself where all those words were coming from. Before she knew it she had followed Race up to the roof and was sitting on the edge telling him everything from the beginning of the fire, to why she and Sassy followed the boys to Harlem, who they were, why she had been so distant, where she got lost to the last few days, and why she was covered with bruises. When she thought she had finished she proved herself wrong by continuing on with information about her family, the girl that followed her home like a lost puppy, what Cody said about Sassy and finally for good finished with how sorry she was for not telling him sooner.
Tears had been running down her cheeks two thirds of the time she was talking, and Racetrack finally took her and pulled her into him holding her as she finished. If he ever thought she was avoiding him on purpose now surely wasn't the time, and to be quiet honest he wasn't really sure how he could help. Some where deep down Tootsie knew he was feeling that and before he had time to put into words she already did.
"Ya don't have ta worry 'bout it no more, cause I confronted my fears, let it all come out, relived the story one more time, jus' ta make sure yous was gonna stay mine." he smiled looking down at her.
"Of coarse I's will, its not like ya killed anyone Toots," Race replied.
"…Well dats a whole notha story…" she said smiling for what felt like the first time in a long time.
"I love ya Toots," answered Racetrack.