Note: Here's the last chapter! I'm up super late doing this cause I had it typed up once but the thing didn't save, so I had to do it all over! Ugh. Please let me know what you think.. more at bottom..
Through Ups and Downs Chapter 6 - Love
Mush turned to see Adah being dragged down a dark alley. He quickly followed, and immediately swung his fist at the figure holding the girl. The boy who had grabbed her let go in favor of holding his eye.
"Oh no," Adah moaned, a moment before Mush was shoved against the side of the alley. "Spot," the girl pleaded. "He didn't mean it." Mush's eyes widened. Spot? As in Spot Conlon? Had he just punched the king of Brooklyn? After a moment Mush felt the other boy's muscles relax.
"I'll let ya go dis time." Spot turned to Adah again. "Slash?" Adah nodded. "Were ya bein' careful like I told ya?"
"I guess not. Sorry Spot." The Brooklynite slammed his fist into the wall. Ouch. Mush winced. In the distance he heard Slash yelling. Oh great. Adah coughed again.
"What's wrong Ad?" Spot whispered.
"I don't feel so good," the girl murmured.
"Yoah burnin up! Mush come heah." Mush listened and approached. "Take Adah somewheah safe." Adah grabbed Spot's arm.
"But Spot," she said weakly.
"Listen, I'll take care of Slash and his cronies. Mush take 'er. I trust ya." Then Spot melted into the darkness like a phantom. A great battle was about to begin.
"It's okay Adah," Mush said, lifting the girl in his arms. She was shivering, and he knew why. She was still wearing the damp clothing from earlier. She must have had them on for at least an hour. Mush hoisted the girl higher in his arms, and took off running. He didn't want Adah to die.
XOXOXOXOXOXO
At some point during the run to Manhattan, Adah had either fallen asleep, or lost consciousness in Mush's arms, then they arrived. Mush carried his precious cargo up the steps of a house, and banged on the door. A small woman with a big white nightcap on her head answered. The old woman looked at the two young people, then motioned Mush into the room.
"Samuel," the old woman said, clucking her tongue disapprovingly. "You're always getting into trouble aren't you?"
"Why Grannie?"
"Look at your eye! Lay her right here." Mush followed the woman's instructions and laid Adah on a sofa.
"Da eye? Dat's from leavin'trouble, now please look at Adah!" Grannie felt Adah's forehead.
"That's her name then?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Pretty." Mush followed Grannie into the kitchen. The old woman set water to boiling. "Now boy, you stay here," Grannie instructed.
"Wait, is she going to be alright?" Grannie's dark eyes held him for a moment.
"Hope so. We'll see what the night brings. See how serious it is."
"Her clothes are wet," Mush informed. Grannie nodded and left the room. It was the longest night of Mush's young life. He spent it praying (Lord, please help Adah to be okay!), pacing, and wondering if Spot had beaten up Slash. Morning came like a breath of fresh air. When Grannie came out from the room, Mush eagerly ran to her.
"How's Adah?" he immediately asked. Grannie shrugged.
"She's alright. Just a bad cold.. needs some bed rest. We were lucky we caught it in time. It could have turned to pneumonia." By the serious look in the old woman's eyes, Mush knew she was telling the truth. "She's awake now, wants to see you." No more words were needed. Mush rushed through the door. Adah sat against the armrest of the couch-it supported her nicely- and she was wearing one of Grannie's old flannel nightgowns. A blanket was pulled up on her lap, and her hands were folded. Mush pulled a stool to the couch.
"Hey," he said softly. Adah surveyed him with those beautiful, shining, hazel eyes.
"What happened?" she asked in such a low voice he had to strain his ears to hear it.
"Ya passed out, and I brought ya to Grannie's."
"Whose that?"
"She's like a Grandmother to us newsies heah. Helps us when we're sick an all."
"Where's Spot?"
"He said he was gonna take care of Slash, remembah?"
"Oh yeah," Adah said worriedly.
"He'll be fine," mush said with certainty. He had heard about Spot Conlon in fights. The boy beat anyone he had a mind to. And he'd beat people bad. He'd never killed anyone to Mush's knowledge, but after Spot was through with a person, they probably wished they were dead. Mush had even seen Spot fight, back during the newsies strike a few years ago. That boy could really bust a nose..
"I hope so," Adah replied.
"Adah?"
"Yes Mush?"
"Do ya..love Spot..like wanna be his goil?" A look of utter shock crossed Adah's face, then was erased as mirth replaced it.
"What? Love Spot? Well, I do love Spot..but not like that," Adah laughed, which sent her into a coughing fit. Mush awkwardly patted her back.
"What do ya mean? Why do ya care 'bout him so much?" Adah took Mush's hand in hers, and looked into his eyes.
"Mush, Spot is my brother." The boy stared, open mouthed at the girl. Her brother? What?
"But ya don't 'ave da same last name," Mush argued when he was finally able to form words. Adah shrugged.
"Well, I should say he's my half brother. See, we have different fathers. Spot's father died in an accident when mother was early in her pregnancy. Well, my father was a friend of Mr. Conlon, so he decided to help our mother, and they ended up married. So a year and several months after Spot was born, they had me." Mush took in the brief history rather quickly, and a big grin spread over his face.
"So you an' Spot ain't togetha?"
"Not like that."
"Wow." After a few minutes of comfortable silence, a new though struck Mush.
"Adah, what's da story behind Slash- why did he do all dat?" Adah sat, a troubled expression on her face for a few moments more.
"Slash..he was sort of a suitor to me. He sat with me and church and acted like a regular gentleman. I knew him as Joe. Spot was doing investigation into Joe- he does that with all potential suitors-. That's when the truth came out. Slash was the leader of a gang who gambled and fought all over Queens. Spot quickly ended our relationship." Mush leaned forward, engrossed in the story,
"And den?"
"And then Slash became hostile. His gang would attack Brooklyn newsies for no reason. One day he somehow managed to sneak into my room without getting caught. He told me I was going to marry him, and he'd soak anyone that got in his way. When he left, he promised to return.
"So you came to Manhattan?" Mush asked, the whole picture coming together. Adah nodded.
"Spot sent me here while some newsies were distracting Slash's men. Apparently they found me . I shouldn't have gone to the party. Slash knew to look for me there. He's from Queens you know, and the newsies there do his bidding."
"Why would Slash know to look for you at da party?"
"Well Spot for one thing. But also cause I'm a newsie.. or was rather."
"You were a newsie?"
"Sure." Mush had so much information to process. Of course she was a newsie. She was sister to Spot Conlon!
"What was ya newsie name?" Mush asked.
"Star. I was the star of Brooklyn. Spot wouldn't let me be Queen, said he was saving that for his future wife."
"I remembah a Star. One of Spot's top five. But if it was you, ya had shorter hair."
"Hair grows," Adah reminded.
"Yeah."
"Hey Adah?"
"Mm?"
"I wanted ta tell ya dat I like ya.."
"I like you too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Mush entertained Adah all morning, and around ten there was a knock on the door. Grannie answered it, and in a few minutes (With a lot of tsking from Grannie), a bloodied and bruised Spot Conlon stood in the room with Mush and Adah. But he had a triumphant look on his face, and he held his cane in his hand. Mush shuddered, thinking he had probably used it recently.
"Hey Ad," Spot said softly, smoothing one of her dark curls. She smacked his hand. "How ya doin'?" he asked.
"I'm a little sick. Grannie says I'll have to stay here at least a week."
"Well after dat ya can come back ta Brooklyn."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Slash is taken care of. Permanently."
"Did ya kill 'em?" Mush blurted out. Spot turned a cold gaze to him, and smirked.
"Maybe. Or maybe somebody called da bulls whiles we were fightin' and I got away, and he didn't."
"Oh."
"So, Ad, do ya really like dis guy?" Adah smiled at Mush.
"Yeah." Spot glared at Mush.
"Listen mistah, not jus' anybody can expect my sis ta be dere goil. Ya got dat?" Mush gulped and nodded.
"Good. Now, I'll be watchin' you, and lookin' you up, but I trust ya," Spot said grudgingly. "But I bettah not catch ya insultin' me sistah, or I'll give ya a poisonal soakin'. Undastand?"
"Yes Spot," Mush answered. "Uh does dis mean dat Adah an' me..?"
"Yeah."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Six Months Later
"Adah."
"Yeah Mush?"
"I love ya."
"I love you too." The couple were in Central Park, walking and holding hands. Adah stared into Mush's eyes, and he stared into hers. Tumbler and Skittery were selling newspapers together a few feet away.
"What's wrong wit dem?" Tumbler asked. Skitts rolled his eyes.
"Dere in love."
"Oh."
"So how do ya feel back in Brooklyn?" Mush asked. Adah shrugged.
"It's fine. But you see it every time you visit anyway."
"Dat's true."
"Oh, Mush! Did you get that promotion?" Mush shrugged.
"Mr. Jennings is talkin' like he's gonna make me clerk.. I've improved with writin' and everything, so he thinks I'm ready."
"That's so wonderful."
"Yeah. Hey Adah?"
"Hmm?"
"Two questions."
"Yeah?"
"What do ya tink of a little brick house ta live in."
"Sounds lovely."
"I got one more question for ya."
"What's that?" Mush dropped to one knee in front of the girl, and looked up at her with a small smile on his face.
"Will ya marry a poor man like me?" Adah grinned.
"I've been waiting for that question for at least two months! Of course I'll marry you!" Suddenly a rock hit a tree next to them, and Mush picked it up, pulling off a scrap of paper attached to it.
I bettah be best man!
S.C.
Adah and Mush laughed.
"Who else would I considah?" Mush asked.
Skittery and Tumbler had observed the whole thing.
"What's goin on now?" the younger boy asked.
"Dere's gonna be a weddin."
"Oo. Dat means cake right?"
One month later
Adah and Mush smiled at each other at the altar. Adah's mother had made the wedding dress, and it was beautiful but inexpensive. Kid Blink and Racetrack were groomsmen, and Spot was best man. On Adah's side were some friends of hers who were birds. The sanctuary of the church was decorated with ribbon that Adah had gotten cheap at the factory, along with white roses. An assortment of other flowers also decorated the room, but Mush was scared to ask where Blink had gotten them. Now, they had just said their vows, and the audience of Manhattan and Brooklyn waited with baited breaths. Mush and Adah looked each other in the eye.
"You may now kiss the bride," the minister proclaimed. Mush slowly, and carefully lifted the veil, and they both leaned in.
"Just kiss already!" Spot exclaimed.
"Yeah ya bummahs!" Race chimed in. Spot gave him a look. When their lips connected, fireworks went off in Mush's brain. It was a long, sweet kiss. Their first, as they wanted it to be special. And it was. When they finally pulled apart, Adah touched her lips and smiled. Then she mouthed the words.
I love you.
To Tumbler's satisfaction, cake was served at the reception.
The End
Note: Okay, so good, bad, horrible? Please let me know. Am I okay at romance? I know this story isn't totally romance.. it involves other stuff too. Did I write Spot okay? Your opinions are important! Oh, and the looking into each others eyes thing is really true, it's not just what someone would call mary sue. I've been with people who stare into each others eyes. Real life. Also, the NYNA is coming up next month! Remember to nominate stories! :)
Now, I'd like to dedicate this story to my sister and her fiance. I love you guys!