Here we are! (Nori): "Ready to light some fires and kick some tires!" (Katrinka): "Yeah…hope you liked the last chapter. Sorry we have not updated in a long time New Year stuff, you know?" (N): "We made Igor pie!" (K): "She means blueberry pie." (N): "I think Igor Pie is a good name!" (K): "Whatever, now we'll stop our banter and get on with the story."
A/N: We use a men in black line in here, we don't own that either.
NEWSFLASH: Nori just got a question right on Jeopardy!
Tessa stood before a grave with the name "TIBBY O'KEEFE" chiseled neatly in to the stone.
"I know you must miss him," she said, to the stone or rather the person under it. "But I can't let your father die just yet. I've lost so many people in my life; I just can't lose him yet. I know I can't stop him from dieing, but if you could put in a good word to the big guy I'd be very grateful. Say hi to my folks for me, see ya cousin."
After placing a small bundle of flowers on the grave, Tessa went back to the restaurant just as the sun came up.
"Good morning, Tessa." Edna said, from the kitchen.
"Hey Ms. Edna," she said, in as cheerful a voice that she could muster.
Setting straight to work, Tessa set the tables for the first customers. Working until ten before noon when the newsies came in.
"Hey Tessa," Boots said, smiling.
"Hey Boots," she said, searching through the crowd. "Where's Jack?"
"Snipeshooter wasn't able to sell the last of his papes so Jack's helping him." Mush explained, walking behind Boots.
"Oh," Tessa said, thinking to herself, "thank God, I thought he didn't want to talk to me after my out burst last night."
"Well tell him that he can probably pick Tumbler up tonight," she told Mush.
"Will do."
With that said the newsies began to place their orders and ate their lunch in the peace.
Jack and Snipe had finished selling the last of Snipe's papes when they saw Blink and Mush heading their way.
"Heya, boys." Jack said with his usual smile, not letting his hunger get to him. "What's happenin'?"
"Not much," Blink answered, "Tessa says hi."
"And that you could came and get Tumbler tonight," added Mush.
"Okay," he said with a smile. "Skittery, Itey and me will come for him after we sell the last edition."
Jack with Snipeshooter sold together for the rest of the afternoon. A little after seven pm. Jack handed Snipeshooter over to Race and Blink and along with Itey and Skittery headed over to Tibby's.
When Jack and Co. (we've gotten tired of writing down their names) got to the restaurant Tumbler was sitting at the front booth with Tessa, who was buried up to her elbows in official looking papers.
"Skittery, Itey!" Tumbler cheered, jumping in to the arms of the two boys.
While the three caballeros (small joke) walked out happy and reunited Jack noticed the defeated look on Tessa's face as she stared down at the papers before her.
"What's up?" he asked, as he sat down across from her.
"The sky," she answered with a sigh.
"What are you working on?"
"Bills," sigh number two.
"How long have you been working on those?"
"'Bout five (pm.)."
"When was the last time you ate?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Lunch, I think."
Jack nodded, "You need pie."
Tessa looked at him as if he was crazy for a moment then sighed in defeat (she seems to be doing that a lot). "You're nuts."
Jack smiled, taking that as a yes, "Go get a jacket."
Tessa nodded and ran up the steps.
(Up stairs)
"Uncle," Tessa said, popping her head into the master bed room. "I'm going out with Jack for a little bit, I'll be back soon."
"Stay safe," he replied.
"Yes uncle."
(Same time down stairs)
Jack watched Tessa run up the steps.
"Hey Cowboy," Itey called from the doorway. "What's up? One minute you're with us, the next you're not."
"Yeah, I'm going to hang out with Tessa for a bit," Jack said, unsure how to word it.
Itey smiled mischievously, "Gotcha."
"Itey, don't you-" Jack began but Itey was already gone.
"What's wrong with Itey?" asked Tessa as she descended the steps.
"Nothin', nothing'," Jack answered. "Come on, let's go get that pie."
Tessa and Jack walked for a few moments in silents until Tessa decided to start talking.
"So where are we going?" she asked, putting her hands into her pant's pockets.
"A little bakery on Thornton St. (if it's a real street we don't own it)." Jack answered. "I know the owners and sometimes when they have leftover they give me food for me and the boys."
"Oh," Tessa said, nodding her head. "You do that a lot."
"Do what?" Jack asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Take care of your boys. It's one of your good qualities."
"As much as I want to argue that all of my qualities are good, Mrs. Shultz wouldn't like it and I want some pie."
"Should I assume that Mrs. Shultz is the one giving us pie?"
Jack smiled and nodded, "Yeah, one of the nicest old ladies you'll ever meet."
"You're not going to have her shove me in to a dress, are you?" She smiled, referring to the "Medda" incident.
"Ha," Jack laughed, shaking his head. "No, just pie."
"Good," Tessa said, smiling. "I don't think I could stand a dress tonight."
By this time they had reached a small bakery, which looked closed.
"In here," Jack said, moving towards the back alley. "Mrs. Shultz," he called to the door in the alley.
"Who is there?" asked an old women's voice, then she saw Jack. "Ah, young Jack, you need more food for your friends?"
"Um, actually Mrs. Shultz I was wondering if me and my friend could have some of your left over pie?"
"Of course," she said, guiding them to the main area of the bakery. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend."
"I-we- we're that is…" "No-not-we're…" Jack and Tessa tripped over each other trying to explain what they were, only to find they themselves didn't know what they were.
Mrs. Shultz walked back to the kitchen not giving them time to explain what they were.
"Uhh…" Jack said, looking at Tessa, who looked like a tomato. "Sorry, she's crazy."
"I thought you said she was "the nicest old lady I would ever meet."" Tessa said, slyly, before spooning some pie into her mouth.
"I said nice, not sane," Jack said, with equal slyness.
The rest of the evening went like this, no awkwardness excluding the couple of times Mrs. Shultz said that they were "such a handsome couple."
---
After an hour of talking Jack walked Tessa home and said goodnight.
"'Night Jack," she said through a yawn.
"Try to get some sleep, Tessa." He said, looking at her hard, as if it would make her sleep.
"Same to you," she said with a smile.
Tessa walked up to the apartment she was shocked to see her uncle on the couch, wide awake.
"Uncle, you should be in bed," she said, in a no-nonsense voice.
"I know, but I wanted to see how your date went."
"Wha- It wasn't a date!" She said.
"Did he pay?"
Tessa thought about it, technically he got the pie so in a sense, yeah he paid.
"Yeah," she answered.
"Good," he said, smiling. "That's the sign of a true gentleman."
"I'm going to bed." She said, rolling her eyes.
---
By the time Jack had gotten home the rumor of his "date" had spread fast and thick.
He was of course greeted by Racetrack.
"Ha ha," Race laughed at his best friend. "Way to go, Cowboy! Finally got a date with your Indian!"
"She's not mine and it wasn't a date," Jack said.
"But…" Race said, knowing his friend too well to fall for any of Jack's tricks.
"But, I wish she was mine and I wish it was a date." Jack said with a defeated sigh.
"Mhm," Race…Mhmed? "Well get ready, Itey's told all the boys that you and she are together."
"Oh, come on they know better than to trust Itey with a rumor." Jack Said as walked into the Lodging house, only to be greeted with hoots, laughs and several "way to go Cowboy"s.
"Arrrg," Jack groaned. "I'm going to bed!" He yelled.
YAY! One more chapter down! (Nori): "I need your help; do you think I should get a Mohawk? Send your answer in your review (and yes we're saying that to get more reviews). (Katrinka): That's right; she might get a Mohawk, that's not a haircut, that's a life choice.
Bravo Yankee Echo, Katrinka and Nori.