Wow, four reviews after only two chapters? That's a record for me :)
When the show was over, they knew the coast was clear from Snyder, so they said good-bye to Medda and headed out.
Jack lit a cigarette and started puffing it, much to Brenna's dismay. "So ya like dat?" he asked.
Before David could answer, Brenna glared at Jack before taking the cigarette from his mouth and flicking it the ground. If anyone else had done that, Jack would've pummeled them. But he just gave her an annoyed look, one she knew would not last long. After all, it wasn't the first time she had done that, nor would it be the last.
"Oh, I loved that!" David answered happily. "I loved it. It was great. She is beautiful. How do you know her?"
"She was a friend of me fadder's." Jack took a seat on a chair at a shoe shining station. "Come on, Les, ya wanna shine me shoes for me?" he joked.
David looked at his watch. "Oh, it's getting late. My parents are going to be worried. What about yours?"
"Nah, they're out west looking for a place to live, like this." He showed them a comic with a cowboy on it. "See, dat's Santa Fe, New Mexico. As soon as they find da right ranch, they're gonna send for me."
"Then you'll be a real cowboy!" Les said.
"Yup!"
"What about your parents, Trickster?" David asked.
Brenna looked at him. She wasn't as good at thinking up excuses on the spot like Jack was. "My parents—"
Their heads turned at the sound of loud crashes and yelling. Jack got up from the chair and they all went to go find out what was going on. They were met with one of the trolleys on fire and several men beating up other men. It was loud, and though Jack seemed to be enjoying it, Brenna would've felt better if they left.
"Jack!" David yelled over the commotion. "Why don't we go to my place and divvy up? You both can meet my folks!"
"It's da trolley strike, Dave!" Jack said, ignoring him. A couple of guys beat up one poor man senseless.
"Jack, let's get out of here!" David pleaded.
"For once, I agree with him!" Brenna yelled.
"So, maybe we'll get a good headline tomorrow, guys!" He looked over at Les, who had laid down on a bench and dosed off. "Look at this, he slept da whole way through it!" Jack laughed. He picked the little boy up and put him over his shoulder. Then they all headed over to David's place to meet his parents and deliver the sleeping boy. They made it inside just as a huge thunderstorm started.
Brenna realized a little too late that it probably didn't look good for them to walk through the door with Les hanging on Jack's shoulder.
"What happened?" a woman, who she assumed was David's mother, asked frantically.
"Nothing, Mama. He's just sleeping," David answered.
"We've been waiting dinner for you. Where have you been?" his father asked. Brenna noticed his arm was in a sling, so he must've broken his arm at some point, most likely in a factory where most men worked.
David took out the coins he and Les had made from selling papers today and proudly set them down on the table.
"You made all this selling newspapers?"
"Well, half of its Jack's and Trickster's. This is our selling partner and our friends. Jack Kelly, Trickster, my parents. And that's my sister, Sarah."
Brenna could not ignore the look the girl, who she assumed was around their age, gave Jack. There was no mistaking the look in a girl's eyes when she developed a crush. Even one that started after just a glimpse. She chose to ignore some weird feeling in the bottom of her stomach.
"Ester, maybe David's friends would like to join us for dinner. Why don't you add a little more water to the soup?" He kissed her softly on the cheek.
"Mayer!" she muttered.
Brenna sighed. She couldn't remember the last time she had had real food for dinner.
"Trickster, is it?" his mother called from the kitchen.
"Yes, ma'am," Brenna replied politely.
"Would you mind removing your hat inside?"
Brenna looked at Jack with wide eyes. Yes, she did mind taking off her cap. David still didn't know her secret and she wasn't about to tell him along with his whole family.
"Uh, he can't," Jack said quickly, coming to her rescue. "One of our newsboys, Racetrack, tried to give him a haircut a few days ago. Let's just say Race has never done a haircut before, and won't ever do one again."
His mother smiled apologetically. "Understandable. Just take a seat at the table, boys."
Brenna gave him a thankful look. He just smiled and tossed a small wink at her when he knew no one was looking.
Everyone obeyed Ester's request, with the exception of Les who was asleep in bed, and sat down to eat. Brenna and Jack ate a lot more than the rest of the family, considering they were living on less food and were going to make the most of this little dinner.
"So, I gotta say from what I saw today, your boys are a couple of born newsies," Jack told David's parents. "Can I have a little more?" he asked Sarah.
"Yes." Sarah took his bowl from him.
"Me too?" Brenna asked.
"Sure," Sarah said with a smile, taking her bowl as well.
"So with their hard work, my experience, and Trickster's help from time to time, I figure we can peddle a thousand papes a week and not even break a sweat."
"That many?" Mayer asked.
"More when da headline's good."
Sarah returned to the table and presented the two of them with their bowls now filled nearly to the brim with more soup.
"So what makes the headline good?" she asked as she sat down.
"Oh, ya know. Catchy words like 'maniac', or 'corpse'." Jack rubbed his eyes trying to think of more. "Let's see, uh, 'love nest', or 'nude'."
Brenna sent him a sharp look. What he said was true, but that didn't mean he was supposed to actually say it. She sent him a sharp kick to his shin from underneath the table. He hid his wince well. "Excuse me. Maybe I'm talkin' too much."
"Ya think?" Brenna said under her breath.
Mayer smiled. "Sarah? Go get the cake your mother's hiding in the cabinet!"
"That's for your birthday tomorrow!" Ester exclaimed hitting him with her dishtowel.
"Well, I've had enough birthdays. This is a celebration!"
"I'll get the knife!" David said as he got up.
"I got the plates!" Sarah added.
"This is only the beginning, Papa," David said from the kitchen. "The longer I work, the more money I'll make!"
"You'll only work until I go back to the factory, and then you are going back to school, like you promised."
Neither Brenna nor Jack missed the looks on his family's faces when he said that. It was clear his injury may have just been too much and he wouldn't be getting his job back anytime soon.
"Happy birthday, Papa," Sarah said as she kissed his cheek and gave him a slice of cake.
"This is going to heal, and they'll give me my job back," Mayer insisted. "We'll make them."
When Brenna looked over at Jack, she couldn't help but see how he was looking at their interaction and she knew exactly how he was feeling. She missed her family more than anything and no doubt he was missing his too. Neither one of them had had a family like this around for them and taking care of them in years.
Sarah handed the both of them a piece of cake and a fork before they all sat down. Behind them, Les began singing in his sleep. Everyone in the room turned to look at the sleeping boy.
"Come back my lovey dovey baby and cootchie-coo with me."
David, Brenna, and Jack turned back around, took one look at each other, and burst out laughing. As much as they tried to hold it in, it was impossible.
When they finished eating, the three of them excused themselves and went out to the fire escape. The air smelled nice and crisp after the heavy rain.
"So how'd your pop get hurt?" Jack asked David.
"At the factory," David answered. Brenna was pleased with herself that she had guessed correctly. "It was an accident. He's no good to them anymore, so they just fired him. He's got no union to protect him."
"I'm sorry," Brenna said to him.
There was an awkward silence on the fire escape before Mayer appeared at the window. "David, it's time to come in now," he said to his son.
"Alright." David began to head back in.
"Bye, David," Brenna said to him.
"Jack, Trickster, why don't you guys stay here tonight?"
"Ah, no, thanks," Jack said. "We got a place of our own. But you're family's real nice, like mine."
"See you tomorrow." David shook hands with both of them. "Carrying the banner."
"Carryin' da banner," Jack and Brenna laughed together.
The two of them listened to Ester sing Les a little lullaby. They slowly began to walk down the stairs on the fire escape.
Brenna could tell Jack wasn't himself. "Jack?" she asked.
He looked over at her as if coming out of a daze. "Yeah?"
"You, uh, you feelin' okay?"
Jack gave her a pained smile and started singing softly.
So dat's what they call a family
Mudder, daughter, fadder, son
Guess dat everything ya heard about is true.
So you ain't got any family
Well, who said ya needed one?
Ain'tcha glad nobody's waitin' up for you?
Brenna listened to his sad words and wished she could console him, but the truth was that she was feeling the exact same way. She hadn't seen her family in almost seven years, and there was no telling when Jack had last seen his.
When I dream on my own
I'm alone, but I ain't lonely
For a dreamer, night's da only time of day
When da city's finally sleepin'
And my thoughts begin to stray
And I'm on da train dat's bound for Santa Fe
Brenna smiled as he began to sing about his dream to live in Santa Fe. Deep down inside, every newsie wanted to get out of New York and make a living for themselves elsewhere. Some people wanted to go to California, some wanted to go to Florida, and then there was Jack who wanted to go to Santa Fe.
And I'm free
Like da wind
Like I'm gonna live forever.
It's a feelin' time can never take away
All I need's a few more dollars
And I'm outta here to stay
Dreams come true
Yes they do
In Santa Fe
Jack threw his cowboy hat on his head, and Brenna noticed the change in his voice. He sounded angrier, but also confident and powerful.
Where does it say you gotta live and die here?
Where does it say a guy can't catch a break?
Why should ya only take what you're given?
Why should ya spend your whole life livin'?
Trapped where there ain't no future
Even at seventeen
Breakin' your back for someone else's sake
If da life don't seem to suit ya
How 'bout a change of scene?
Far from da lousy headlines
And da deadlines in between!
He started running and Brenna had to sprint to keep up with him. She watched in amusement as he began to dance in the middle of the empty street with no one's eyes but hers looking at him. He didn't seem to care that she watched in the slightest. He moved his feet and body in a way that was graceful, yet at the same time, completely sharp and original. It was so fascinating to watch. He took off running again, and once again Brenna struggled to keep up. He hopped up onto a horse, and though she wanted to protest against his stealing the animal, she took his hand and he swept her up on to the horse so that she was in front of him. They began galloping off in the direction of the Lodging House, ignoring the shouts from the owners of the horse.
Brenna felt the wind in her face like she never had before and it was an incredible feeling. Here with Jack, she had never felt happier in a very long time.
Santa Fe
Are you there?
Do you swear you won't forget me?
If I found you would you let me come and stay?
I ain't gettin' any younger
And before my dying day
I want space
Not just air
Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care
Save a place
I'll be there
They made it to the Lodging House and Jack dismounted from the horse. He put his hands on Brenna's waist while she put hers on his shoulders, and he helped her get off as well before urging the horse on.
So dat's what they call a family?
Ain'tcha glad you ain't dat way?
Ain'tcha glad you got a dream called Santa Fe?
Brenna sighed. She felt bad for the poor boy, but she was glad that he let her in on his dream. She wondered where she would go if given the opportunity to leave New York.
Jack smiled at her and put his arm around her shoulders as he rubbed her head. She laughed as she pushed his arm off. The two of them walked up to the entrance to the Lodging House.
"Heya Race," Jack said as the boy approached the House next to them.
"Hey Jack. Tricks."
"How was your day at da track?"
"Remember dat hot tip I told ya about? Nobody told da horse."
The two boys walked up to the door while Brenna hung back. "Ya comin', Tricks?" Jack asked her when he realized she wasn't following.
"You two go on ahead. I'll be up in a second."
"Suit yourself."
Brenna was left alone outside the Lodging House. She heaved a huge sigh and shoved her hands in her pockets. She felt a couple raindrops and realized that it was once again starting to rain, but it was only a drizzle. She began to sing softly:
I've been caught sideways out here on the crossroads
Trying to buy back the pieces I lost of my soul
It's hard when the devil won't get off your back
It's like carrying around the past in a hundred pound sack
What had happened to her when Jack found her still haunted her nearly every single day. She never showed it, but it ran through her mind a lot, even though it was over two years ago. Now here she was with hardly any money as she tried to sell her way back to healthy living.
It began to pour once again. Her clothes quickly got soaked, but she just lifted her head to the sky and continued to sing:
Today I'm gonna keep on walking
I'm gonna hold my head up high
I'm gonna leave it all behind
Today I'm gonna stand out in the rain
Let it wash it all away
Yeah wash it all away
I'm gonna let it go
Oh yeah
Brenna took off her cap and let her brown hair fall around her shoulders where it immediately began to change to a darker brown from the falling water. It felt good to just let her hair down outside, something she could rarely do.
I'm gonna let it go
Oh yeah
Skeletons and ghosts are hiding in the shadows
Threatening me with all the things that they know
Choices and mistakes, they all know my name
But I'm through holding in and holding onto all that pain
A lot of times, her secret threatened to come out in public. If it did, she had a lot to lose. Most likely, she would be put back into the workhouse, or perhaps even jail. Not the Refuge, but actual jail. It was a lot of pressure to put on her, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Because of this life she lived, she was able to spend her time in the company of some of the best boys in New York. She trusted them with her life.
I know, I know, I know, I've been forgiven
I know, I know, I know, I'm gonna start living
She refused to let her past ruin the future she had with the boys, or let it crush any chances of getting out of New York.
Brenna started dancing as the rain continued to pour onto her. Water dripped from her hair to the ground and on her face. She finished singing and tried to gain her breath back from the exertion the singing and dancing had put on her lungs.
No wonder Jack had started singing earlier. She felt so much better now that she had just let it go, no pun intended. With a sigh, she tucked her hair into her cap just so she could get past Kloppman. She gave the old man a small nod as she walked in, a trail of water dripping behind her as she walked up the stairs.
Once she got up to the newsies room, she took her cap off, letting her drenched hair tumble out.
"What happened to you, Tricks?" Race asked.
She smiled cheekily at him. "It's rainin' outside."
"Yeah, no kiddin'. We was gettin' worried."
"I'm not made of glass, guys," she laughed. While she loved the boys for being so protective of her, she sometimes wished they dialed it down. Just because she was a girl didn't mean that she wanted to be treated like she couldn't take care of herself.
She went to the washroom and wrung out her wet hair in the sink. Jack came over to her and helped her undo her bandages on her chest. He was oddly silent, and she just assumed that it was because of what had happened over the course of the night. When he finished with her bandages, he left her to finish changing.
She came back out after hanging out her clothes to dry for the next day and crashed onto her bunk, falling asleep quicker than usual.
The song Brenna sings is "Let it Go" by Tim McGraw. I thought the lyrics seemed to really fit how Brenna was feeling, wishing she could just be herself.