"For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath"
She pushed her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. The cold wind piercing every inch of her skin, and the snow soaking her thin shawl. She pulled it tighter over her shoulders but nothing seemed to be able to keep her warm. She sighed quietly and watched as her breath formed a cloud in front over her before quickly disappearing into the growing dark night.
She quickened her pace, now forcing her way through the crowds of people. She wanted to get home and feel warmth again but no matter how hard she pushed, she was pushed two steps back. She hated people, actually, she hated the world and nothing was ever going to change that. She had few close friends, wasn't nice to strangers, never went out of her way to help a person in need, was rude, ignorant, talked back, scowled more then smiled and averted eye contact whenever possible. She was not a friendly person, and she stressed that whenever possible. She hated life, but she hadn't always been like that.
Finally, the wind became too much for Lanie to handle, and instead of going to the six blocks to her apartment, she turned and went to two blocks to the Lodging House, the only place that she ever really felt comfortable.
She practically ran the rest of the way, and hurried up the front steps and burst through the front door. Silence greeted her. Nobody was in the front lobby. She shook the snow out of her hair and slipped the shawl out off her shoulders before turning and laying it over an arm of the coat rack behind her. She tip-toed over to the sign in book and signed her name. She was planning on staying the night "No Point in walking back home in the dark," she thought to herself as she wrote Gemstone into the book before heading towards the stairs.
Each stair creaked as she walked up, but that was nothing new. Years ago she found that if you certain stairs, each with a different creak, you could make it sound like "Mary Had A Little Lamb," she had even tried it once but had a hard time getting from the top stair to the bottom without hitting all the other stairs and losing the sound of the song.
When she had reached the bunkroom she stood outside, listening in, dead silence. She was confused, the bunkroom was never silent. She reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly, quietly pushing it open, and stood in the doorway. In front of her all the boys were standing around the makeshift poker table at the far end of the room. Smoke waves flying everywhere, even Kloppman was involved with what was going, staring intensely at the scene taking place. Lanie slipped into the room pushing the door closed slowly before once again tip-toeing across to see what was going on. None of the boys noticed she was there and she tried to sneak a peak over there shoulders to no avail. Finally, she spotted Jack standing outside of the action with her arms across his chest just staring.
Lanie walked over to him and stood by his side whispering in his ear, "Jack, what's going on".
Jack answered her without looking, "Race, he's about to lose his first poker game ever". He didn't seem to know who he was talking to. Lanie stood on the tip of her toes yearning to see who Race was playing but once again, she was too short to see over the boy's heads.
"Who's he playing?"
"Spot," Jack replied before glancing over to see how he was talking to. His face fell as soon as he saw her. She stood there in a state of shock before turning and running out the bunkroom door with Jack chasing after her.
"Gem stop! Wait a second." But Lanie showed no sign of slowing as she flew down the stairs and flung herself at the coat rack grabbing her shawl and running out the door without even putting it on. Jack chased after her and caught her before she hit the bottom stair outside. He spun her around to stare at him.
"Are you kidding me Gem? Why do you gotta run from him all the time?"
She looked away from him but he reached over and grabbed her face with his hand and forced her to look into his eyes.
"Why you always running away Gem?"
Gem could give no answer, she just looked at him and his expression softened. Finally she opened her mouth.
"I don't know Jack; I'm not ready to talk to him".
"Well you gotta be ready soon. We're coming up on five years."
"I don't need you to remind Jack," she hissed at him her eyes widening in anger.
Jack let go of her face and put his hands into the air backing off. "Alright, but at least come back with me. You don't gotta talk to him. Just be civil".
She thought about it for a second before saying anything.
"Fine, but you gotta give me a second. I'll meet you in there".
Jack frowned at her and didn't have to say anything for her to know what he what thinking.
"I promise. I will be there in a second".
Jack shrugged his shoulders and turned back towards the door shaking his head as he walked up the stairs.
She waited until the door closed behind him and checked to see if he was watching her from the window before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small metal flask. She twisted the cap off and smelled the inside before putting it to her lips and taking a sip. She felt it run down her throat on its way to her stomach. She held it in her hand, getting comfort from it. Her whiskey, she thought, was the only thing in the world that could make her feel better. She let a smile slip into her face and she brought the flask back to her lips, ready to take another sip, but she didn't stop there. She drank the rest. She deserved it she thought. A hard day at work, and now this shit with Conlon, that was a good enough excuse to get drunk.
When the flask was empty, she replaced the cap and slipped it back into her pocket before turning and re-entering the Lodging House.
Jack was waiting for her and smiled when she came through the door and hung up her shawl. She was the little sister he had always wanted to have. He did love her, and wanted to take care of her, he figured there was no one else to do that anymore. She turned to face him and let another smile slip onto her face.
"Ready?" Jack asked once again.
She nodded her head as they made there way back up to the bunkroom. Once again nobody noticed their entrance and they walked quietly over to the table. Jack nudged Mush in the side once they approached it. "Race lose yet?" Jack asked.
Mush shook his head and turned to Jack amusement in his eyes, "No," he whispered. "Spot's got him two games to one. It don't look too good for Race though, Spot just keeps bidding higher and higher, two more dollars and Race will be sleeping outside tonight. He's gotta fold in the next hand," then he turned his attention back to the game at hand.
Jack looked at Lanie and smiled then returned to watching the game. The room remained silent as Lanie tried to catch a glimpse of what was going on but it didn't last long, after a few minutes the room erupted with cheers and Lanie knew that could only mean on thing…Race had finally lost at poker. Race got up and stormed out the bunkroom and into the washroom where screams of anger could be heard. The boys just laughed though, they had been waiting for this for years.
Spot reached over the table to collect his winnings and the smirk on his face was cockier then ever. "Who wants me next? Any takers?" The room grew deathly quiet once again and all the boys looked away from the Brooklyn leader.
"No wants to play?" Spot asked once again looking around the room trying to lock eyes with someone.
Lanie stood in the back looking at the other boy's squirm, none of them wanting to lose their money. Finally without having a reason or without even knowing what possessed her to do it, Lanie yelled, "I'll play". The boy's heads snapped to stare at the small girl. She pushed herself forward and sat in the chair directly across from Spot staring into his eyes.
Spot stared back at her, no expression on his face. The staring contest lasted a few minutes longer before Spot broke it to look into his shirt pocket. He reached in with two fingers and pulled out two cigarettes sliding one across the table to Lanie. She picked it up and reached into her pocket grabbing her pack of matches and lighting in one strike. The boys stared at the pair not knowing how to act or what to say. Finally Lanie spoke.
"What we playing for Conlon?"
Spot smirked at her, "What do you wanna play for Gem?"
"If I win, you gotta give Race all his money back".
"What happens if I win?" Spot asked smirked on his face.
"If you win, the silence is over".
The smirked disappeared from Spots face as he took a drag of his cigarette.
"You're on. And one more thing".
Lanie nodded her head telling him to continue.
"If I win, you gotta come to Brooklyn".
Lanie's face stayed still, no expression. All the boys stared at her. She brought her hand up to her mouth and spit into it before reaching over the table and for Spot to return the gesture. Lanie sat back in her chair and waited for the cards to be dealt deciding on whether she wanted to win, or if she wanted to throw the game of her life.