Hours later Mary awoke to a sound right next to her head. Slowly she opened her eyes expecting it to be Spot. What the boy trying to leave the room was not Spot. Suddenly a scream escaped her mouth.
Spot awoke very suddenly to Mary's scream and came running into his room. Once in it he found a terrified Mary shaking in the bed and Tiger. Spot immediately rushed in between Mary and Tiger, so that Mary would feel a little safer.
"Tiger what are you'se doing in here?" Spot asked with a little irritation in his voice.
"Thomas asked me to bring our guest some soup since you'se was still sleeping." Tiger pointed at the bowl of soup sitting on the bedside table to prove his point. Both Spot and Mary turned their heads to see a bowl of soup sitting there.
"I didn't mean to scary her. Honest Spot." Tiger said. Even though he was Spot's second in command, he knew how fierce his leader could be.
Shaking himself and then moving so he could put his hand on Mary's shoulder, "Mary this is Tiger. He's my second in command. He wont hurt ya, so you'se don't have to be afraid of him."
Still a little shaken Mary tried to calm down. In the small amount of time that she had been in Spot's company she had learned to trust him. Slowly she nodded her head.
"I'm really sorry to scary ya miss." Tiger still looked afraid of what may happen to him.
In a very timid voice Mary replies back to him, "Its okay. Thanks for the soup." And then gives Tiger a weak smile, trying her best not to feel afraid of him.
Tiger's lips turn up in a grin at Mary, nods once to Spot and walks out of the room closing the door as he goes. As soon as he leaves Spot turns back to Mary making sure she will be okay, and wondering what exactly her uncle did to her to make her afraid of all males.
"Are you'se sure you'se alright?" Spot asked.
As soon as the door closed Mary let out the breath she has been holding. "I think so. I'm sorry if I woke ya. I know you'se need you'se sleep."
"I'se told you to wake me if ya needed something. And you'se got scared, so it was good of you'se to scream. I'se sorry he scared ya. I'se promise you'se the boys wont ya. You'se just got to get to know them. They'se tough, but they take care of their own and you'se one of us now. So they'se help ya out of anything. And if meeting all the guys makes you'se nervous you'se can meet them a little at a time and get use to them."
Looking up from the bed Mary gave a little smile. Not since Frankie has anyone wanted to help her. Then her belly gave a large growl. A blush crept onto her face as she looked back down at the bed.
Spot gave a little chuckle and picked up the bowl of soup and handed to Mary with a smile on his face. "Here's your soup." And then sits down in the chair on the side of the bed.
Mary had to look up to take the bowl of soup, blush still very evident. "Thanks Spot for everything." Quietly she starts to eat her soup.
Both are deep in thought as a knock on the door comes. Spot gets up and opens it to revel Thomas, Tiger and two other boys with a bunk bed. Spot smiled brightly as he saw the bed and opened the door wider so that they could bring it in.
"Mary you'se bed is here." Spot's smile was so big; Mary couldn't help but give a little smile as well. As the four set the bed down Spot introduces the four males. "Ok, so you'se know Thomas the caretaker and Tiger. But helping them is Light and Dark. They'se twins."
In a weak but somewhat firm voice Mary says, "Hi. And thanks you'se for the bed."
All five give her a smile and reply with it was no big deal. Thomas also said that he would be back up with sheets and a pillow for the bed. Then the four that carried the bed turn and begin to leave Mary and Spot in the room. Tiger was the last one in line and before he made it out the door Mary's voice stopped him.
"I'se sorry about screaming earlier Tiger."
Turning back to look at Mary Tiger replied, "Thanks okay." Then continued walking out to the bunk room. As soon as Tiger had left, Thomas was right back in with the sheets making up Mary's bed for her.
"You'se really didn't need to put another bed in here. I'se could sleep on the floor."
Before Spot could answer her, Thomas replied. "No ya couldn't. No newsies staying here will sleep on the floor." And with that said he picked up the empty soup bowl and turned to leave as well. But he closed the door he told both teenagers to go to bed for the night.
A still a little embarrassed Mary asked, "Well, umm, since I now have a bed, why don't I sleep there and you'se can have ya bed back."
"If you'se want, or you can just stay in my'se bed one more night and then we can get ya'se settled into you'se bed. But it's up to you'se"
"Don't you'se want you'se bed back?" Mary really couldn't understand why he was letting her stay there if she now had a bed.
"Ya, but you need to regain you'se strength. So in the morning we can move everything over here. It won't be a problem." And with that Spot started to get ready for bed, climbing into her bed for the night.
Mary stared at his back before finally laying back down and closing her eyes. Spot listened to her gently breathing knowing she was finally a sleep before actually closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.