A/N - Um…good luck with this one lol! And again sorry for the newsie dialogue being so…inconsistently crappy.
The Return of Santa Fe (or: When the Past Catches Up)
Ch. 3 Meet the Family
It was a given that the next morning, when Kloppman found Jack and Aidan in bed, that he would be very, very surprised to find a girl. The few boys who had actually woken up to his calling and friendly harassment stared at the two, unsure of what to think. Jack and Aidan were still fast asleep, tired from the night before. Normally, at the ranch, Aidan would wake at dawn, but that would not be for another three hours here in New York. Kloppman saw their expressions and smiled. He knew better than to think that Jack was fooling around with another girl. Whoever this girl was, she was someone special. He almost felt bad waking them up. Almost. "Hey Cowboy, wake up!"
Jack groaned and muttered something but refused to open his eyes, clutching Aidan tighter as if she was a pillow. Aidan, on the other hand, was a little more agreeable. She let her blurred vision clear and then smiled at Kloppman. "G'morning." Although she was reluctant to leave the warm bed and Jack's embrace, Aidan yawned and slowly sat up. "Come on Kelly, time to carry the banner!"
She swatted Jack's arm and he muttered something unintelligible as he buried his face into the pillow. He couldn't care less if the mayor was calling, he was tired and he was sleepy and he had no intention of even lifting his head from the pillow, much less getting up and selling papes. Mornings had never been Jack's favorite time of day; it was night when he truly came alive. And it wasn't too different for Aidan. He had done his share of dragging her out of bed. It was mornings like these that he wondered how in the world he became a newsie in the first place.
Aidan was sure she wasn't looking her best this morning, but she'd have the rest of the day to make up for it. "You'll have to pardon me; it's not quite dawn were I'm from. Name's Aidan – friend of Jack's from way back." She yawned again, her eyes threatening to stay closed.
"Wait, where ya from'?" Racetrack repeated, also still half-asleep.
"I'm visitin' from Santa Fe." Aidan tried to stifle another yawn. She could not believe the sun was already glistening through the windows. She was not at all prepared for the time difference. Although it took her a while to get there by train, she never had to get up at any particular time then.
"Santa Fe….Santa Fe?" Racetrack exclaimed, suddenly waking up to the news. "No way!"
"Youse from Santa Fe?" Crutchy asked.
"Yeah," nodded Aidan, chin in her hand. Then she turned to Jack. "Come on Cowboy, wake up. There'll never be enough sleep ta make you pretty so do yourself a favor and get up!" She swatted him again. There was slight laughter in the room; not many people dared to wake him in the morning, much less make fun of the Cowboy. "Jeez, harder than ever to wake you."
Again Jack grumbled and turned the other way. "Stupid goil," he muttered.
"Stupid huh?" repeated Aidan. She quickly jabbed him in the ribs and he cried out in surprise. "Get up lazy ass!" She laughed and attacked Jack until finally he rolled out of bed, almost falling off in the process. She smiled at him with victory.
"You oughta have more respect for your elders," muttered Jack, knowing he was barely a year older. He sighed and knew well that everyone was now up and staring with surprise. He and Aidan were acting as if nothing was out of place, but everything was very unusual to the boys. "Newsies, meet Aidan Lyons. Before I say anything else 'bout 'er let it be clear dat no one messes wid dis goil." The boys expected that she was under Jack's protection, but Jack's announcement changed that. "She'll soak youse before you could cry for yer mudders."
"She really from Santa Fe, Jack?" asked Mush.
"Yeah dat's right. She and I grew up togedder here. She moved out ta Santa Fe and now she's back for a while. Anyone got a problem wid dat?
"No problems here," someone shouted.
"Well, you guys know who I am, you guys got names?" asked Aidan. The group quickly introduced themselves, going around the room and she laughed, hoping she could actually remember at least half of their names and faces. She felt like she forgot most of them by the time they were halfway through the group. "So you're Jack's family, huh?"
"Yeah, a family of sorts," said Jack. He looked at the others. "Hey come on boys! Youse got a goil in front of ya and youse all gawking like youse neva seen one. Ever hoid of manners?"
"Aw, come on, Kelly. You know better than that. Don't worry about me. I've lived with guys all my life. I might as well be one. Don't act any different on my account, ya hear?"
"Yes Ma'am," said Crutchy with his bright smile, tipping his hat.
"So tell us more about yourself, Aidan," prodded Racetrack.
"She's a cute goil," Snoddy whispered to Swifty.
"Cute? That goil is an angel," the other boy replied.
"An angel from hell if youse don't watch yourselves," warned Jack overhearing his friends, as he patted their backs. "She seems like a sweet little goil now, but if you get 'er ticked off, good luck. An' don't come ta me for help."
"So how long you gonna be 'ere?" Mush asked Aidan. She gave him the same reply she gave everyone else.
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you like," Kloppman told her with a smile. In all his years had never seen a girl sleep under his roof, but he found he didn't mind it at all. "Youse gonna be sellin' papes with the boys?"
"Probably," nodded Aidan. "That ok with all you?" No one argued and that settled it Jack was right - the boys enjoyed her company. They didn't often interact with many girls who acted so at ease with them. Sarah was among one of the few and now Aidan had just joined the ranks.
They all got ready, Aidan changing into trousers in place of her jeans, so as not to stand out so much, and they rushed out of the Lodging House to pick up their merchandise. On their way, Aidan saw two young men staring at them from the distance; two pairs of eyes that were on Jack and were now on her. "Hey Jack, who're those two oafs?" she asked, nodding in their direction.
"Who? Dem? A couple of nobodies. Dey're da Delancy Brudders, Morris an' Oscar."
"Dey oughta be afraid of Jack, but dey keep comin' for more," Snipeshooter grinned.
"Too stupid ta know when to stay away," nodded Bumlets.
"They always pickin' fights with you?" asked Aidan.
"If not me, they'll go after some of the younger boys. Dat's when dey're askin' for it," Jack replied. He waved to the brothers with a mocking smile, angering them all the more. The others followed suit and Aidan couldn't help but do the same. They all filed into their usual line and were soon reading through the paper, prepping their sales angle for the day. They met up with David and Les and soon the newsies dispersed throughout New York, filling the streets with their cries.
"Wow you a newsie out dere in Santa Fe?" asked Jack, later that day. "You sold real good, Aidan. Betta dan yesterday."
"Oh, yeah sure, Jack, I was preppin' for a year so's I could beat you." She rolled her eyes. Nevermind that she hadn't ever thought about being a newsie until Jack handed her his stack of papes to sell on her first day there.
"Jacks's right though," quipped D'avid. "You sold a lot of papers."
Aidan shrugged. "Beginner's luck."
"More like all dem loser guys couldn't help but see a pretty face," scoffed Jack. "And da women all felt sorry for ya." Aidan stuck out her tongue.
Aidan stopped dead in her tracks. "Jeez I almost forgot! I was supposed ta meet Medda today!"
"Here give me dose papes. We'll pass by when we's done. Don't go nowhere else."
The girl punched Jack in the shoulder. "Jack, I ain't a kid anymore."
"No, but I don't want nuttin' happenin' to ya."
"Jack."
"Just be careful."
"Right." Roling her eyes she got to her feet. "See you later!" Aidan tossed him the remainder of her papers and ran off to Medda's.
"I thought you said she could take care of herself," David told Jack, confused.
"Oh yeah, definitely. But I can't help but worry. Dey're still some real stupid guys out there. Never know what dey might try and knowin' Aidan, she'll find a way to get into trouble. New York's changed a bit since she's left and so has she. She don't realize how much prettier she's gotten, but the wrong guys will."
"Huh, sounds like someone I know. 'Cept for the pretty part." Jack gave him a look and David grinned innocently. "Come on, let's sell these already." As they walked around, David asked Jack how the boys reacted when they woke up with a girl in their lodgings.
Jack laughed. "It was great, Davey. You shoulda seen dem faces. It's like dey've never seen a goil before. But dey like her. Most everybody likes Aidan - no way avoidin' it."
"Apparently not."
"She got it all from me though. Taught her all she knows." David gave Jack a look that told him he knew the Cowboy and his exaggerations all too well. "Ok, I taught her most of it."
An hour later, the boys had nearly sold all their papers when they heard some loud shouting down one of the smaller streets. "Is dat Spot's voice?" Jack asked, turning to David.
"Huh?" David hadn't even had a chance to consider a response when he was forced to follow after Jack who was already headed toward the brawl. "Aw come on Jack, I'm in no mood to get into a fight."
"Shhh." As they walked closer, several guys with bruises ran around the corner and right into them. "Hey watch it," exclaimed Jack as they all fell to the ground. The injured boys said nothing as they scurried to their feet, looked back over their shoulders, then sprinted off. Jack and David dusted themselves off as Spot Conlon sauntered over to them, swinging his cane casually, like he was king of the world, or at least Brooklyn. "Hey Spot. Whatcha doin' over 'ere?" Jack asked as he picked up his papers.
"Some boys botherin' my boys so I gotta show'em nobody messes wid Brooklyn," was the easy reply. "How ya been doing Jacky-boy?" He spit in his hand and held it out to Jack.
"Good. Good, Spot. You?" answered the Cowboy, taking the offered hand.
"Got my workout for da day. How 'bout you, Davey?"
"Good, thanks," said David with a nod. He was that Spot had not offered his hand to him. While David had adapted to the custom, he was never fond of it.
"Hey, Jack, what's dis I hear 'bout you an' some udder girl, huh? You foolin' around?" Spot pursed his lips and eyed the taller boy carefully, setting his cane against his shoulder.
Jack smiled. "Naw, Spot, you knows me betta dan dat. Hey, you remember when we's was kids, when we first met right?"
"Sure. And I've been regrettin' it ever since." Spot and his crew laughed and Jack gave him a look but said nothing. "What about it?"
"Remember dat goil you saw me wit? Da one dat looked like a boy."
"You mean dat goil who left? Yeah, I remember 'er. Santa Fe right? How could I forget?" Spot was perhaps the only other person besides Medda who knew that Santa Fe was not just about a place as much as as it was about a girl. And he didn't need a second to put two and two together. "You mean she's 'ere?"
"Das right, Spot. She's here."
Like the other newsies, and everyone else who's heard of Jack Kelly in New York, Spot had originally believed that Jack's family was out west too. After all, Jack hadn't offered the Brooklyn native any explanation other than Aidan going with her guardians and his parents to start a life out west. And Jack was making his own way there, if they didn't send for him first. And like the other newsies, after finally discovering the truth about Jack Kelly, or rather, Francis Sullivan, Spot wondered what other stories Jack had spun from imaginary threads. But something told him that he hadn't been lying about Aidan, at least not completely. It didn't seem so far-fetched that she was out in Santa Fe and that Jack was trying to get to her."You ain't pullin' my leg now are youse, Cowboy?"
Jack furrowed his brow, his hand over his heart. "What? Dat hoits Spot, dat really hoits. Of course I ain't pullin' yer leg."
Spot did expect the other newsie to know better by now, considering the fiasco that ensued after the lies about Jack's family, about Jack himself, were revealed. And Spot figured Jack had nothing to gain by making up such a story. But still, he turned to David for confirmation.
"Oh yeah, she's here," said David, nodding his head. "And she's definitely from Santa Fe." Although Aidan never had much of a typical New York accent, her guardians wanting very much for her to grow up more proper, out of pure pride than anything, she did have a slight tinge of a western accent. Not enough to be noticeable unless you knew to look for it; Paul and Marcus tried hard to fend it off. But Aidan tried hard too because she found that if she wanted to learn any native languages, it would be much harder if she had the western accent.
Spot grinned. "I see." He didn't really know Jack as well back then and he certainly didn't know Aidan, having met her only once, but he knew well enough. And the spark in his friendly competitor's eyes said quite a bit. "Well den. Youse all come ta Brooklyn and I'll show 'er a good time. Don't want 'er bored wid youse guys."
"Hey, we're far from boring," David argued. "We were the ones who started the strike and that was not boring."
"Ok yeah, youse guys started it, but nothin' been happenin' since. Boring," Spot replied.
Jack lifted his hands. "Ok, dat's enough. I'll bring 'er to Brooklyn, but you know she's over at Medda's right now gettin' a gig togedder. I think it might be worth your time to pay a visit."
"'S that so, Jacky-boy. I'm a busy man, but for Medda, I'll see what I can do."Spot put his cap back on just as one of Medda's most popular tunes popped into his head.
"I know you will," smiled Jack. They parted ways and soon Jack and David were headed to Irving Hall.
While Jack and David met up with Spot, Medda and Aidan were planning on her debut. Finally, unable to stay silent about it any longer, Medda turned to Aidan. "So, how're you holding up? You know that -"
"Jack loves Sarah?" finished Aidan, looking down at her hands. "Yeah, I know. It's ok Medda. I'm not upset. I've seen them together and I'm happy for 'em. We had a good talk last night."
"You two were young, Aidan, but you were really in love..." Medda could still remember Jack and Aidan as they grew up together; they seemed inseparable then. Always getting in and out of trouble together, hiding out at Irving Hall and watching whatever shows they could. And no matter what they did, no matter the trouble they were in, Medda would always provide safe refuge. Because someone needed to. Jack's mother was no longer able to protect her son from his father's rage and drunken raving. And Aidan's broken family was just that – broken and some of them working hard to break her too. The vaudeville performer had no idea how Jack and Aidan had turned out so well, in spite of the hard life they led. Medda put her soft hand over Aidan's.
"Yeah… we were. But like you said Medda, we were young, just kids. I mean, I still love Jack. I always will, but I understand that he's got someone else. We're still always gonna be friends. I can't really have expected him to wait for me."
"You waited for him."
"Wasn't lucky enough to meet anyone the way Jack and Sarah met- no newsie strike in Santa Fe," grinned Aiden.
"You know if I didn't know you so well and didn't see that look on your face, I might have thought you were just saying that to cover up how you really felt. But…I'm glad," Medda smiled warmly. "You oughta stay for a while, Aiden... It's really nice having you back."
"I might," nodded the girl. "It is nice to be here again."
"You need a place to stay? I could fix up a place for ya."
"Thanks for the offer, Medda but I'll stay over at the Lodging House. I'm gonna be a newsie for the time bein' anyway - when I'm not performin' here of course."
Medda laughed. "I remember when you were younger you always wanted to be onstage. And Jack would always watch from the boxes. Well, here's your chance, kid."
Aidan smiled. "Thanks Medda. Jack and I always did owe you so much. I don't even know how we could repay you."
"Oh my dear, you needn't worry about any such thing." She put her hand on Aidan's cheek. How she had often longed for a little girl like not unlike Aidan. But that life was no longer within reach. "I'm just so glad that you're here now." It was hard for Medda to believe that this young woman was the same little girl who often snuck into the theater with a much younger Jack Kelly. It tore at Medda's heart to see them after their rough nights at home, a bruised cheek or busted lip greeting her every week. And while their clothes may have hidden other injuries, she could always tell by the way they moved. She swore she would always be a safe haven for the two children. The thought of the men in their lives that showed more violence than affection made her a shiver. How she was glad they were now free of those men. "Now, why don't we try a number?"
"You sure about that?"
"Of course. Come on, get on stage. I'll get the lights and the music going. It'll be fun dressing you up."
Aidan sighed. "Forgot about that part. You know I don't do well in dresses and all that stuff, Medda. I hate having to do it when we go into town sometimes and I gotta sit sidesaddle an' everything." She was so grateful that Paul and Marcus had long since stopped trying to get her into skirts while she was on the ranch or out riding in the desert.
The older woman laughed, remembering how she met Aidan for the first time thinking she was a blond little boy. It took her a while to realize that Aidan was actually a blond little girl dressed in Jack's shirt and trousers, which she wore any chance she got. After all, it was easier to get by when everyone thought she was a boy and it certainly made for running around much easier. "Well, you'll make do." She ran her hand through Aidan's short blond hair. "You know, you'd look real pretty with longer hair. Then the boys'll really fall head over heels for you." Aidan gave Medda a look; she hadn't had long hair since she had Jack help her cut it when she was 10 (and what a beating she got after it). But she took that beating and every one after until they had given in and let her keep it short. She walked onto the stage and the lights came on, nearly blinding the girl. "You ready, Aidan?"
Unable to see most of the audience with the lights all shining on her, she felt a little insecure. But she just imagined a certain newsie was there watching her, and she felt better already. "Um, ready Medda!" The music began to play and Aidan waited for her cue.
As soon as Jack and David entered Medda's theater, they heard someone singing, but it wasn't Medda or any of her other girls. Jack made a motion for David to be quiet. The two of them walked toward the stage and sure enough the voice belonged to Aidan. "She's pretty good," said David, noting that she sounded better than last time.
"She been waitin' her 'ole life ta be on stage, Davey. And now's 'er chance," Jack told his friend. "She's a natural, ain't she?"
"So she's really gonna be singing here, huh?"
"Looks like it."
"We should get the newsies to come out for her first show."
"Dat's a good idea, Davey. I knew I kept you around for somethin'."
"Ha ha ha," muttered David.
Aidan finished singing and Medda applauded. Then Jack and David joined in, surprising Aidan. "Where'd you two come from?" she asked, immediately self-conscious. It was fine to imagine Jack in the audience, but actually having an audience, even if it included Jack, made her suddenly feel awkward.
"Aw, that was some beautiful singin' miss," Jack smiled, as he walked up to her and kissed her hand. She shook her head. "Tell 'er she was great, David."
"Oh you were more than great," said David, beaming. "So when's your first show?"
"A week from tonight," Medda told them, joining the three. "You boys gonna be here to support her?"
"We's gonna bring everybody," Jack said. "Youse gonna get yourself a whole new load of customers."
Medda laughed. "I think she's going to steal mine!"
Aidan blushed. "Never Medda. Nobody could replace you. You're the Swedish Meadowlark, and you'll be singin' forever." Aidan spread out her arms as if making a grand announcement and Medda laughed and wrapped her arms around the girl.
"So what are you boys up to?" Medda asked them.
"Jus' pickin' up Aidan for dinner," said Jack.
"Well you make sure you keep feedin' her. I don't want her passing out on my stage," joked Medda. Aidan had a habit of not eating as often as she should. Perhaps she had grown used to her childhood days constantly going on with only one meal a day, but that wasn't it. She just never had the same appetite most people had. Jack was always worried about her when she didn't eat, thinking she was sick.
"I'll see you here in two days, for a rehearsal, Aidan."
"Ok. See ya, Medda!" The three of them set out to the Jacobs home.
"I feel bad mooching off of you and your family, David," sighed Aidan.
"Naw, don't. They really enjoy your company. Jack's always got great stories to keep them entertained and after last night, they'd love to have you."
"Jack impresses everyone.." Jack nodded in agreement and Aidan gave him a shove. "Well at some point I'm gonna have ta cook for your family." David laughed and said they'd probably like that. "Oh for the love of - I totally forgot to pick up my bags!"
"Jeez! When does da train come in?" Jack exclaimed.
Aidan took out her pocket watch, a gift from Marcus and Paul two years ago. "It'll be here in 10 minutes if I remember correctly."
"You haven't been rememberin' much of anything lately," Jack retorted.
"Shut up, Kelly. Anyway I'll see you guys at David's place. I'm gonna go make a run for the station."
"We'll all go togedder. How many bags ya got?"
"Two or three -depends on what Paul packed."
"Well, let's go already," David exclaimed.
"We can't just walk there, David," Aidan said. "How do you get a ride here?"
"A ride?" David asked, bewildered.
"How do you s'pose we get there in time?"
"But-"
"Don't worry I have money. I just don't want to spend it unless I have to is all."
Within minutes the three of them found a carriage, got on, and headed to the station just a few minutes late. To say that David and Jack felt a little out of place would be an understatement, but they certainly enjoyed themselves as they rode by the streets they often walked. It was amazing to see how much ground you could cover in so little time when you weren't walking on your own two feet. Upon arrival, Aidan went in search for her bags. She did indeed have two bags of clothing and other necessities. They ran back to the carriage which dropped them off at David's home. It was quite a ride for the three of them. On the way, Aidan explained that she had enough money to live comfortably in New York during her stay, but that's not what she wanted. She didn't need to live any sort of life beyond what she had now. She considered the money that she had more like an emergency fund more than anything else.
That night went by like any other, Jack and Aidan telling the Jacobs their stories. And though they tried to be discreet, it didn't take much to notice the glances Jack and Sarah often exchanged. Aidan wanted to strangle them both for being so shy about their relationship. She understood that they didn't want to be rude and Jack didn't want to give a bad impression of himself, but their love for each other was just so obvious. Aidan saw that Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs were enjoying Jack's courting of their daughter. Of course he wasn't exactly the type of person they would have wanted for their daughter at first, but they had grown quite fond of the young man. David was just as desperate as Aidan to see his friend and sister get together. Les of course was not interested at all with such things and preferred Jack did not get distracted by his sister and focused on his stories instead.
When dinner was over, the Jacobs offered Aidan a place to stay, but again she declined. "I like it at the Lodging House. The newsies are really great. It's like I've got fifty brothers," smiled Aidan. "Kloppman reminds me a lot of Paul an' Marcus back West."
"Alright, but our place is always open for you," said Mrs. Jacobs. She still could not fathom the idea of the young woman sleeping and living with so many boys. It was just as odd to see the girl dressed up very much like a man in her dark pants and shirt. Though it was not entirely uncommon, she just did not approve.
"It's a beautiful night outside, do you mind if we were up on the roof for a bit, Papa?" Sarah asked.
"Not at all, just don't stay up too late," replied Mr. Jacobs.
The three teenagers climbed the stairs to the roof and looked at the stars. It was indeed a beautiful night. The storm that threatened to come passed overnight without a drop. "So is the sky really all that different in Santa Fe?" asked Sarah, remembering her conversation with Jack a long time ago on that very rooftop.
"It is in a way. Even though it gets pretty dark over here, it's almost always pitch black and you can see even more stars than now. Oh and here, there are tall buildings that are often in your way, but out there it's endless sky for miles on end. You've got your mountains here and there, but those are really pretty to look at." Aidan's voice sounded faraway, listless as she remembered her home out West. It made Jack suddenly long for Santa Fe again even though the very reason for going was now right there with him in New York. He could already see the vast dessert, an endless space to ride in, and more freedom than he could ever have here.
"You guys all have to see it one day. You really do. It's unlike anything here – at least for now. I can imagine that eventually they're gonna start buildin' all these apartments and other buildings."
"Hopefully, that's not for a long time yet," said David.
"You told us that your family forced you to go out west... I don't understand whether or not you were happy about that," said Sarah, she looked at Aidan quizzically.
Aidan didn't answer right away. "When I was young, livin' here, my family had a lot of… issues. But, Paul would always tell me about going out West to escape all that. And naturally, I told Jack. All these great stories of freedom and beautiful land untouched by men who only wish to destroy it... I wanted to go to leave all the troubles behind here, but I also didn't. I didn't want to leave the city I've grown to love and the people I've grown to love. So in a way I was forced to go and in a way I left on my own accord."
Sarah thought about Aidan's words and looked at Jack who was staring at the sky lost in his own thoughts. "Do you regret it?"
Aidan closed her eyes and remembered the tears she had shed when she and Jack were forced to part. How she cried herself to sleep for nights on end. "No." Her eyes met Jack's even in the dim light. "I think that in the end it was for the best. I really needed to get away from a lot of things here. I mean I used to regret it because I didn't think I'd ever see Jack... but now I know better. A part of me will always be here in New York but Santa Fe's my new home." David and Sarah knew that there was more than just that. They knew that Aidan had something deeper she was not revealing, but no one pursued the subject. Not long after, Sarah and David went to bed leaving the other two to remain on the roof, still admiring the stars.
"So you really don't regret leaving?" Jack asked after a moment of silence.
Aidan sat up and looked at him, her face filled with emotions he hadn't seen in a long time. "Of course I do! I lost four years with you!" And the future she had dreamed about with him. "Four years without you… But I've grown up and I've been able to learn a lot of things out there, Jack."
"You know, to this very day I regret letting you go. I shoulda gone wid you."
"Jack you know it's better this way. There's no way you could have left back then. Don't tell me you would have left her, Jack. You adored her and you were the last good thing she had."
But Jack shook his head, not hearing any of Aidan's words. "For four years, Aidan, I was bitter, angry, and alone, thinking of one thing. But of course everybody thought it was just Santa Fe." Aidan looked painfully at Jack and he pressed his hand against her cheek.
"I'm sorry... But Jack, if I hadn't left or if you had come with me, what about the newsies? What about David, Les, and Sarah? You know that you love her more than anything else."
"..." Jack looked down. "No, I don't love her more dan anything else. Maybe just as much, but I could never love her more dan you." Then he turned away a little. "But she desoives somebody bettaah dan me, Aidan. I'm just a no good streetrat."
"Oh no, don't start that, Jack Kelly. Don't you dare start that." She jabbed her finger at his chest. "You're better than that!" She gave him a shove.
"Aidan, look at me! I ain't got no money, no support for 'er. I'm not good enough! I'm a nobody! She desoives bettah..."
Aidan really wanted to strangle Jack now. Her emerald eyes bore into his and she put her hands on his face. "Jack, that's for her to decide. And from what I've seen, she loves you as much as you love her and that's what matters. Besides, what makes you think you're good enough for me?" Jack couldn't help but smile and that brought Aidan's lips into a small grin. "Don't let anyone tell you any different, Kelly. You'll make it work. I know you will. You'll figure it all out. You always do. And besides, now you can save up for her since you don't have to go out to Santa Fe."
"Aidan, I-" Jack blinked, his countenance making her instantly regret her words.
"No, no I didn't mean... I just meant, I...I was just trying to be practical." She hugged him quickly, squeezing him tightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm here now, so you don't halfta-"
"I will see you in Santa Fe, Aidan. I promised didn't I?" He shut his eyes tightly. "You know dat I'll never stop loving youse. You still mean the woild to me."
"I know." She brought her nose against his and smiled. "An' I do expect you to come, but no sense rushing. Santa Fe ain't going anywhere. Come on, Cowboy, let's get some sleep."
"Right." They grabbed her bags, which they brought up earlier, and headed to the Lodging House.
So, did you enjoy that nice slice of cheesy Mary Sue goodness? I hope you're hungry for more!