Chapter 7: Trip to Brooklyn
The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. Lynn's life was predictable except for one thing. She started making friends at the lodging house. It started with hanging out with Race and then slowly becoming friends with Mush and Blink. It took awhile but she slowly but surely was able to feel comfortable around them. It was the same thing with the rest of newsies; she slowly but surely got to know each and everyone of them. It took about two months for her to become comfortable with everyone in the house and Race noticed the wringing of her hands was slowly disappearing. Race also noticed that she still jumped when a guy got too close for her liking but with time that eventually came less often.
It was the middle of December and winter had come later this year. There was snow everywhere and the freezing weather had turned it into ice. But somehow on this day the sun decided to shine through the crowds and attempted to melt some of the ice and snow.
Race was near the Brooklyn Bridge trying to sell his papes to the few people who wandered the streets. He was glad that he didn't buy as many papes this morning because he had only a few more left, meaning he could get inside to someplace warm faster.
He just handed a pape to a couple who tried to wrap their clothes tighter around themselves to get more warmth.
"One more pape." He said to himself as he pocketed the penny.
"Race." He heard someone shout his name. He looked around and saw a familiar figure walking towards. A smile tugged at his lips.
"Hey Lynn. Where are you headed to?" he said as she walked closer. He could still see her tiny figure under all the layers she tried to pile on in an attempt to keep the cold away from her.
"To Brooklyn." Lynn said. "I have some deliveries to make over there." As she gestured towards the basket that was full of wrapped clothing she carried.
"Brooklyn? What they don't have any tailoring over there?" Race asked.
"No apparently not." Lynn said with a small laugh. "Mr. and Mrs. Williams also own a shop in Brooklyn but they aren't as good over there. They often have to bring the harder mending over to us and then we bring it back."
"Well I'll go with you. You shouldn't be walking around in Brooklyn by yourself you know." Race said as they started walking towards the bridge.
"What about your papes?" Lynn asked.
"Well as you can see I only have one left." Race said. "Be right back." He ran across the street and yelled a headline Lynn couldn't quite hear. As fast as he left he returned empty handed. "Lets go." He said grabbing Lynn's basket for her.
"No Race, you don't have to." Lynn tried to protest but he held up his free hand.
"I want to. Plus, like I said earlier, you shouldn't be walking around Brooklyn by yourself." He said as he walked farther towards the bridge forcing Lynn to jog a little to catch up.
"I've walked around Brooklyn by myself before Race. Like I said, there's another Williams Tailor Shop over there." She said.
"Nope." Was all he said.
"Nope? Nope what?" she asked now trying to grab her basket from him but he switched it in his hands forcing her to make circles around him. After a few circles he gently grabbed her elbow forcing her to stop.
"Will you stop? I'm going with you." Race said. Noticing that she was able to look him in the eye for more than few seconds. But it didn't last long.
"Alright." She said tearing her gaze away from him and leading the rest of the way to the bridge. He gave a small smile.
It took about three hours to get over the bridge and do about half the deliveries.
"My feet are tired." Lynn said. "Lets stop for some lunch." She stopped at small restaurant she often visited when the job took her to Brooklyn.
"Not too expensive, alright?" Race said. He did want to admit it but he had to watch what he spent for the next week. He didn't have as much funds as he hoped he would have.
"Don't worry." Lynn said. "It's on me." Race was about to say something but she beat him to it. "And think of it as a thank you present for carrying my basket all around Brooklyn." She said turning towards him. She learned during her two months of living with the newsies that they weren't inclined to take charity from everybody.
"Alright." Race said hesitantly. As the two entered Lynn led their way over to her favorite spot, the last booth by the window. "What do they have?" he said looking around for a menu.
"The same as Tibby's." Lynn said signaling for a waiter.
"What can I get you?" A waiter who looked around thirty something said. Lynn and Race ordered their meals and as the waiter turned to leave they could hear him say," O great, here they come." Both looked out the window to see whom he was talking about. At the front of the group was none of than Spot Conlon. Race's back was to the entrance but he could hear the newsies enter and could hear the footsteps of Spot Conlon coming rights towards him.
"Hey Race." Spot said stopping at their table.
"Hey Spot. How's Brooklyn?" Race asked as he spit in his hand and held it out as Spot did the same.
"Doing good. What are you doing here? I hope you're not selling here." Spot said.
"Nah. Just walking around with my friend." Race said as he gestured towards her. He could already see the discomfort she was feeling. Spot's gaze switched from his friend to the blonde girl sitting across from him. As he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel like he had seen her before.
"The names Spot Conlon. Leader of the Brooklyn newsies." He said holding out his hand. "And you are?" he asked as she slowly put her hand into his.
"Lynn." She said softly.
"Well it's a pleasure meeting you Lynn." He said as his lips brushed against her trembling hand. She didn't know why but she couldn't tear her eyes from him. Her mind was completely thoughtless as she stared into his blue eyes when something finally clicked in her head and she instantly brought her gaze from Spot to Race.
"Mind if I join you?" Spot said as he finally released her hand and continued looking at her. He moved to sit by Lynn in the booth when Race spoke.
"Hey Spot, why don't you sit over here." Race said as he swiftly got up and scooted himself next to Lynn.
"Thank you." Lynn quietly said as Spot sat opposite of the two.
"I didn't know you had a girl." Spot said as he observed the two.
"I don't. We're just friends." Race said as their orders were brought to the table. For the rest of lunch there was tension at the table that no one could quite put their finger on. But all three knew it was there. Mostly Race and Spot talked about the events happening in their own boroughs. They barely spoke to Lynn and she was happy about that but it wasn't till they were all finished with their food that Spot said something to her.
"What do you do Lynn?" he asked as he placed both his elbows on the table and leaned in towards her.
"I work at the Williams Tailor Shop." Lynn said trying to avoid any eye contact.
"Here in Brooklyn?" Spot asked. Maybe that's where he had seen her before he thought to himself.
"No, in Manhattan." she said
"What a shame. My spot is near their Brooklyn shop. It would have been nice to see a pretty dame walk by everyday that I recognized." He said and Lynn made the mistake of looking into his eyes. To Spot her eyes were too easy to read. He could see the fear and uncertainty in them. After a minute she was able to pull her eyes away from him.
"Well we should get going. You still have more deliveries and if you want to make it back before dusk we better hurry." Race said.
"Ya I'm just going to use the restroom." Lynn said and Race got up to let her out. Spot stood as well. Holding out his hand. Lynn once again gently placed her hand in his.
"A pleasure meeting you Lynn. I hope we meet again soon." Spot said as he brushed his lips against her hand once again. He couldn't still feel the tremble in her hands as he had done earlier.
"Bye" was all she said as she picked up her basket and mumbled something about meeting Race outside.
"What's up?" Spot asked as they sat down.
"What do you mean?" Race asked. He knew what Spot meant but he didn't want to answer.
"You say she ain't your girl but you're pretty protective of her." Spot simply stated. It was his job to know all the people who wandered in his domain and their story. Race remained silent.
"Alright. Then you won't mind if I ask her out."
"She won't go with you." Race stated. He noticed her coming from the back and up to the register to pay the bill.
"Well I don't really think you have a choice in that Race since she's not your girl." Spot said.
"She won't be comfortable around you." Race said trying to convince Spot that Lynn wouldn't say yes.
"And why's that." Race knew Spot was trying to aggravate him to get the truth but it wasn't his story to say.
"Look Spot, take it from a friend". Race spotted Lynn walk outside and he took that as his cue. "Both your's and her's, she's not going to be comfortable around you right now." With that he walked out of the diner.
The two started walking in the direction of her next stop. Both were quiet, neither wanting to speak.
"Thanks for back there." Lynn said as she looked at Race.
"Don't worry. That's what friends are for." Race said as he gave her a small smile and grabbed the basket from her. This time she didn't protest. They finished the rest of their stops and after an hour were heading back to Manhattan. Both didn't speak and they both silently agreed to keep it that way.