Chapter 3: The Talk

Grim was surprised to see the room at the lodging house was so messy but she had practice at not letting her surprise show. There were dirty clothes everywhere and beds were unmade except for one which Grim concluded was now hers. She heard one of the little boys tell her that it's usually more clean but she wasn't really paying attention to him. She turned around to find David standing near the door talking to a boy with a crutch. Grim quietly walked over to the only tidy bed and sat down with her suitcase lying next to her.

"You found your bed." David said when he made it over to her.

"It wasn't that difficult." she said flatly. David was about to say something but Grim stopped him, "Don't snap at me."

"They're going to Brooklyn for a poker game." David said instead.

"Where's Brooklyn?" she asked. David was surprised to hear that but then he remembered that Grim wasn't from around here.

"It's over the bridge." he answered.

"Are you going?"

"No. I'm staying home. I'm not in the mood for a poker game."

"Would your parents mind if you stay here with me for a little bit?" she asked. She didn't want to admit to herself that she's scare of staying by herself here alone.

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind." he said.

Grim nodded then she turned her attention to the guys in the room. They were getting ready to go to Brooklyn. By the way they're getting ready, she thought, there must be girls at this thing. The guys were putting on clean shirts and fixing their hair. All were getting ready except for one. The boy with the crutch was lying on his bed with his eyes close. Grim could tell he wasn't sleeping. A few minutes later, a girl walked in. Jack greeted her as David made his was over to her. She must be their trick, Grim thought. Grim put her suitcase on the floor then she laid down and closed her eyes.

When Grim opened her eyes again, the room was empty except for David and the boy with the crutch. They were sitting on his bed talking. I must have fallen asleep, Grim thought as she sat up. David and the boy stopped talking and looked at her which made her feel uncomfortable.

"Did everyone go to the poker game?" she asked.

"Yeah, about an hour and a half ago." David answered then he quickly pointed to the boy, "This is Crutchy."

"Heya." he said half heartily.

"Hey." Grim said matching he tone. "How come you didn't go?"

"I have a headache." Crutchy answered.

"Who was the girl?" she asked.

"That was my sister, Sarah. She's seeing Jack." David said.

Grim nodded. She still looks like a trick, she thought. She fixed her hair then made her way to the bed near Crutchy's. Crutchy looked more sick than he should be with just a headache, she noticed. She ca also tell that she was right by the look in David's eyes. It wasn't a headache that's keeping Crutchy bedridden. Without thinking, Grim put her hand on his forehead to feel his temperature.

"You're hot." she said then she removed her hand, "You should lay down."

"I was. I needed to get a drink of water." Crutchy answered, "I'm fine."

"Grim," David said, trying to get the subject off of Crutchy because he knows how much Crutchy hates being the center of attention, "Do your parents know you're here in New York?"

"My parents are gone." she answered.

"Oh, they passed away? I'm sorry to hear that." David said.

"My mom died when I was three and my dad left once he buttoned up his pants. You don't have to look so sad, David. I'm not."

"But they're your parents." he urged.

"And I'm not upset." she answered.

"Before there's a big fight, can you two take it outside? My head is starting to hurt again." Crutchy jumped in quickly.

Grim didn't say anything. Instead, she got up and went into the hallway. David joined her a few minutes later. They just stood in the hallway in silence for a while not looking at each other. It was so quiet they could hear Crutchy weezing and Kloppman talking to himself. Grim look up at David to find him staring at her. It startled her but she didn't move.

"Was she a good mother?" he asked.

"She was a whore." she answered.

"Why are you like this?" he snapped at her.

"Why am I like what?"

"Like this. You're so cold. I didn't once see you show any kind of emotion, even when you was concerned about Crutchy. How did you get this way?" he said, raising his voice a bit.

"How about you? Have you always been this snappy towards people?" she asked, calmly.

"No but I have a good reason for that." he said.

"Really? What's your reason?"

"I can't go to college." he answered quickly without thinking. Grim stared at him. David sighed, "I was saving money for college but I had to give it to my parents for rent. I saved it for the past two years. I was going to go to a great school and be the only person form my family to get a great education but that's gone now."

"That's why you're being snappy?" Grim asked.

"You think I'm being selfish." he stated.

"Well…you needed the money for rent but you shouldn't be the one to take care of your family. Your chance at a great education isn't gone. It's just temporarily put aside. You just have to put money aside again." she encouraged.

David knew she was right. He was also shocked to find how easy it was to tell all this to Grim. He's been giving everyone a bad attitude and couldn't bring himself to tell any of them what's wrong with him. Not even Ma Papa who I really should be talking to, he thought. David rubbed the back of his neck as he sat on the top step. Grim walked past him and sat sown on the step two steps down from David. She fixed her dress then looked up at him.

"You're a newsie because your family needed the money?" she asked.

"Papa got hurt at the factory and his arm haven't healed yet." he answered, "My younger brother and I sell newspapers. Sarah makes cloths."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"You're very responsible at sixteen. Not many boys your age can say that about themselves." she said.

"I have great parents." he said which made Grim think.

"You wanted to know why I'm like this?" she asked. David nodded. She took a deep breath then she began, "After my mother died, I was put into an organization that travels around the county with orphans trying to get them adopted. I was always passed over for a younger, cuter child. The people at the organization would yell at me to smile more but I couldn't. There was no need to be happy when I know there's no use for it. I was passed over for the last time. I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sixteen. I can't pretend that I'm going to get a family. I accept that and I'm moving on."

"You can still have a family, Grim." he assured her.

"You know what? There are three kinds of people in this world, David. The ones who can fool around all day without getting anything down with their lives; the ones who is responsible and positive, like you; and the ones who's cold and dead inside, like me. Do me a favor and don't waste you time on me. I'm called Grim for a reason." she explained then she got up to leave but David grabbed her arm before she walked past him.

"You're not cold and dead inside, Grim. I just can't believe that." he said.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Because you're worried about Crutchy. If you're so cold and dead inside like you say you are, you wouldn't care if he has a fever or how sick he is. You care, Grim." he said, quietly so Crutchy wouldn't hear David talking about him.

"I have to put my things away." Grime said as she pulled her arm out of his grip then she headed in to the room.