Disclaimer: This is a non-commercial work of fanfiction. Anything recognizable from Newsies belongs to Disney and not to me.


Chapter 19: Questions and Explanations

A/N: (for clarity) This chapter picks up immediately where the previous chapter left off, without a time lapse or shift in point-of-view.


Davey found himself at the back of the group of newsies with Race, who had lit his cigar and was puffing leisurely away. The boys were in high spirits, and Davey watched as they good-naturedly joked and shoved each other, occasionally engaging in a minor scuffle. Albert stole Finch's slingshot and danced away, ignoring the other newsie's demands to return his property. Romeo whistled a tune. Specs even turned a cartwheel down the street, and Jojo followed with a handspring.

"That article sure got 'em goin,'" Race remarked, as though he hadn't been the one inciting the excitement and cheering and celebrating along with the rest of them only moments ago.

Davey gave him a sharp look.

"Was it a front, then?" he asked, deciding to cut to the chase. "Another distraction tactic? All that talk about being kings of New York?"

Race shrugged. "It was takin' advantage of an opportunity that came knockin'," he answered, not at all ruffled by the pointed question. "You know as well as I do that we gotta keep our spirits up if we's gonna win this thing."

Davey couldn't argue with that, but he still found himself rather surprised at Race's shrewdness. His first impression of the other boy had been that of an irrepressible jokester with a devil-may-care kind of attitude, but Race had certainly shown another side of himself these last two days.

"There's one thing I don't understand," Davey continued, deciding that, since they were being candid, he might as well raise the question that had been on his mind since the celebration at the deli. He lowered his voice a bit, then asked, "How can they all be so happy when Jack is still missing and Crutchie is in The Refuge? I mean - I'm not saying that they shouldn't be happy, and I got caught up in the moment, too, when I saw the paper, but - it just seems a little surprising. I've only been around for a few days, and I'm really worried about Crutchie and Jack. You all have known each other for much longer, but no one seems to be too concerned."

"Ain't our fault you's the only wet blanket around here, Dave," Race remarked glibly. "Maybe we's the normal ones and you's just extra good at worryin' - you sure that ain't a hidden talent?"

Davey gave him a look, but didn't say anything in reply, and Race took a long draw of his cigar. At first, Davey thought that perhaps he didn't intend to answer the question after all, but then the gambler blew a puff of smoke into the air and said soberly, "The boys is worried about Jack and Crutchie, Davey. Don't think that they ain't. But like I told you yesterday - this ain't the first time one of us has gone missin'. If we lost sleep every time someone got soaked by the Delanceys or ended up bein' hauled off to the Refuge, we'd be a sorry bunch, probably not even able to carry the banner, let alone stick with a strike." Race looked Davey in the eye. "So we gotta celebrate when we can."

There was much in the newsie's brief explanation that had gone unsaid, Davey was sure of it. But Race didn't elaborate further, continuing to puff slowly on his cigar and stroll along as though he'd only been remarking upon the time of day or the state of the weather, and Davey sensed that it would not be a good time to push him further, so he continued along in silence as well, mulling over what the other newsie had told him.

It was oddly similar to how Sadie had explained her family's approach to dealing with the challenges of Lilly's disability - taking things one day at a time, not letting yourself be overwhelmed by the chaos, and celebrating the victories when they came, even if those victories were small. Maybe there was something in this simple way of approaching hardship that somehow made it more bearable.

Davey would have to think on that more.

"Do you have any ideas as to what might have happened to Jack?" he asked aloud, wanting to get Race's opinion, especially if a search was going to be mounted soon. "Is this kind of disappearing typical for him?"

"Don't have a clue where that bummer's hidin' himself," Race replied (leaving, Davey noticed, the second question unanswered). The gambler examined his cigar, then added, almost drolly, "Maybe he finally made good on all his promises and high-tailed it off to Santa Fe!"

"Santa Fe?" Davey echoed, confused. "Does he have folks there?"

Race shook his head. "Far as I know, Jacky-boy don't have folks nowhere. Santa Fe's….well, I ain't really sure what to call it, but he's always goin' on and on about how it's green and pretty out there, and how you ain't gotta sell no lousy headlines or never see the sky 'cause the buildings is always in your way. I guess you could call it his dream. He wants to move out there, leave the city behind. Always promisin' - especially when we's givin' him trouble - that he's gonna up and leave us to head out West."

"So you think...he might have actually done that?" Davey asked, a little caught off guard. It didn't seem like something Jack would do - the conversation during the long walk back from Brooklyn had been enough to assure Davey that the newsie leader was fiercely devoted to his boys - but then again, Davey didn't know Jack nearly as well as Race did.

"Dunno," the gambler answered in response to Davey's question. His expression darkened a bit. "But what matters is that he ain't here, and when he finally shows his sorry face again, I'm gonna make sure he gets the soakin' of his life for leavin' us to do this thing alone."

The sullen threat made Davey remember his own rather weakly-delivered warning to Jack on the walk back from Brooklyn. I mean it, Jack. If you go running off and leave me by myself to run the newsboy union, I'll make you regret it...somehow.

"You might have to get in line behind me, Race," he joked, half-heartedly attempting to lighten his companion's mood.

The other boy gave him a wry look. "Pretty sure you couldn't soak a fly, Dave."

But Davey saw him smile, too.


"Abby, the mail's here!" Sadie announced as she entered her family's apartment, shutting the door behind her. She hung her hat on its hook, then walked over to the sitting room where Abby was just setting out Lilly's afternoon snack. "And guess what? Ju sent a letter!"

Abby pounced on the envelope that Sadie held out. Communication from their oldest sister Judith was always a treat, and they didn't hear from her nearly often enough.

"Here," Abby handed one page of the letter to Sadie. Judith, ever the fair and thoughtful one, always wrote separate pages for each of the sisters, and Abby, after making sure that Lilly wasn't having any trouble with her food, settled herself an armchair to peruse her portion.

Sadie curled up on the couch next to Lilly, murmuring a greeting to her sister and leaning against the older girl slightly before beginning to read.

Dear Sadie,

I'm sorry it's been such a long time since my last letter. The boys are growing up so fast and are getting into everything; I can scarcely leave them alone for a moment without things going catawampus. I've patched more pairs of pants than I care to count, and Caleb seems to have inherited your love for climbing trees - he'll certainly be able to give his aunt some competition when he sees her next (though I certainly hope, Sadie, that you haven't been engaging too much in the scaling of precarious heights in the interim - you know how it makes me worry).

Mama is a great help with the boys, and John and I certainly appreciate her presence here with us, though I know that it's put a strain on you and Abby. Thank you for seeing to Lil while Mama is away. I know it is a sacrifice on your part, and we are grateful.

I hear that you've been applying yourself rather uncharacteristically to your studies for the purpose of tutoring one of your schoolmates who, for rather unfortunate reasons, can't be in class at the present. It was a rather unselfish gesture of you, Sadie, and I applaud you for it, as I know how much you detest spending more time than necessary on your scholastic endeavors.

(Benevolence aside - I know you dislike that Papa and Mama gave you the middle name "Charity," but it really does suit you - I can't help but think that this must be a rather remarkable boy for you to willingly go through so much trouble on his behalf. But perhaps I'm underestimating your generous nature; correct me as you see fit, but know that you've piqued your eldest sister's curiosity).

We hope to visit in December if John can manage to get the time off, so please make sure to save some of the holiday baking for me, and don't let Abby eat all of the chocolate that Papa puts in his office for the tenants - we both know the ill effect that too many sweets can have on her. I'm sure I'll write again before the winter comes, so broaching this subject may seem a bit premature, but I thought that it couldn't hurt to bring it to mind early this year, as our youngest sister always manages to catch us off guard.

I apologize, once again, for the lateness of this letter and for its brevity, but the postman will be here soon, and I've still to write Abby's page, so I'll sign off for now. John sends his love, as do Caleb and Samuel. Say hello to Lilly for me, give Papa a kiss, and assure him that Mama is well.

Love,

Judith

Sadie re-read the letter a second time, then folded it up carefully. She glanced at the clock. There would be enough time for her to compose a reply before she had to get to dinner preparations, so she walked over to the little writing desk that stood in the corner of the sitting area and sat down, pulling a piece of stationery and a pen out of the drawer where they were kept, and thinking for just a moment before beginning her letter.

Dear Ju,

No need for apologies; of course you must attend to the needs of my rascally nephews! I'm looking forward to your visit, and I will certainly challenge Caleb to a tree-climbing contest, though I hope he'll show some pity on his poor aunt, who (you'll be happy to hear) is a bit out of practice lately as it pertains to the "scaling of precarious heights."

The reason for this deficiency is, in fact, the "rather remarkable boy" who shares your concerns about my harmless penchant for climbing. David is of a cautious nature in many ways, and I'm sure that my impulsiveness vexes him almost as much as it vexed you when we had the good fortune to still have you here with us. Still, I've managed to stay out of trouble for the past several weeks, so perhaps he's been a good influence - though no one can badger with as much persistence as you.

(In response to your observation, my only reply is that David is indeed an exceptional boy, but not for the reasons that you imply. Have the papers in Boston reported anything about the newsboy strike in Manhattan? If not, I'm sure you'll hear of it soon. It fascinates me to think that one doesn't need to be well-educated or mature in years to have such an impact on the world around us. But I digress. Perhaps you will find this answer unsatisfactory - if your curiosity holds, you may pester me at will when you come to visit in December - not that you've ever needed or asked for my permission to do so).

I will certainly save as much of the holiday baking for you as I can without looking like a complete loafer, and I'll endeavor to keep an eye on Papa's chocolate, though Abby's only gotten more adept at pilfering it over the years. Thank you for the early reminder. I'll have to be more attentive this year.

Give John and the boys my love, and know that we always eagerly await your letters.

Affectionately,

Sadie

Folding up the piece of stationery, Sadie left it in the corner of the writing desk so that Abby and her father could add their own contributions before the letter was mailed. Pushing back her chair, she glanced again at the clock. Her response to Judith had taken a little longer than expected, and Sadie would need to eat dinner quickly that she could review her notes from class before meeting Davey for tutoring that evening. (Thankfully, it had worked out for both Becker sisters to make it to school that day, as their father had been available to care for Lilly).

Making her way over to the kitchen, Sadie began pulling leftovers out of the icebox. Her mother had prepared a small surplus of food before leaving, so the family had been eating that over the past few days, but soon the reserve would be depleted, and Sadie would need to figure out a way to whip up something edible so that her father wouldn't need to be bothered with the cooking and Abby would not have an excuse to subsist solely on whatever sugary treats she managed to buy with her pocket money.

Not for the first time, Sadie missed Judith's presence in the apartment. Her older sister was a fantastic cook, and she'd always been the one to keep things under control in their mother's absence. Having four girls around made the apartment rather full - and the sisters all got on each other's nerves at times - but Judith had always been the thoughtful and level-headed one, astute and intuitive, as adept at mediating arguments as she was at sussing out secrets, and though Sadie didn't always enjoy her oldest sister's prying - and Judith did make it a point to pry - she'd even come to miss that a bit in the older girl's absence.

Of course, Judith would be the one to attribute an ulterior motive to Sadie's offer to help Davey keep up with his schoolwork. Years of practice had made Sadie more than adept at side-stepping her sister's probing (if obliquely delivered) questions about boys, so this one had been easily parried, but she'd also been purposefully cryptic in her answer, not above stringing her older sister along a bit so that Sadie could have the last laugh when Judith came to visit in December. The latter would discover soon enough that the tutoring sessions were not (as she'd assumed) the result of a schoolgirl's fancy for an attractive classmate, but, in fact, the result of a charitably-motivated (if impulsively made) offer, and nothing more.

And Sadie hadn't been entirely misleading in her response. She did think Davey rather remarkable, but not for the reasons that Judith supposed. The fact that he and his fellow newsboys had gone on strike to challenge the greed of the newspaper owners was impressive, and their willingness to take a stand when they had so much to lose took an admirable kind of courage. Knowing that Davey had willingly pushed past his own reserved nature and difficulty speaking in front of others to rally the newsboys and lead their fledgling union only deepened Sadie's respect. If he could overcome his shortcomings to make a difference for something that counted, what excuse did she have for sitting on her hands when confronted with a wrong that needed to be made right?

It was an intriguing idea - that even at their age they could change the whole game. Sadie hadn't seriously considered that possibility before; she'd always assumed that you pushed for reform when you'd earned the credibility and social standing to be heard. Perhaps that stipulation still applied - but it didn't follow that credibility and social standing necessarily came with a certain age or with a certain amount of money in one's coffers. In fact, now that she thought about it, how many galvanizing events in history had come at the hands of not the rich and powerful but at the (often desperate) initiative of the relatively young and poor?

She wasn't the kind to ponder such deep ideas on a regular basis, but maybe Davey really was a good influence on her. It would be quite satisfying to see Judith's expression when she finally met him and realized that it was a fascinating idea and not a handsome face that had caught her sister's attention this time. Sadie was sure that the older girl would be disappointed at first, but after that, she predicted that Judith and Davey would get along famously, being both of an intelligent and thoughtful bent and sharing the role of long-suffering oldest sibling besides. If nothing else, they could mutually commiserate over how silly and impulsive Sadie was.

Glancing again at the clock, Sadie pulled herself back to the task at hand and hurriedly finished her dinner preparations. The time was slipping away, and she had a lesson to review.


A/N: Did you ever wonder how Davey knew about Jack's connection to Santa Fe? Jack never explicitly says anything to him about it (at least not on stage), but when Davey finds Jack at the theater and sees the backdrop, he immediately says, "Is that a real place? That Santa Fe?" So, either 1) Jack is a really good artist where the backdrop clearly screams "Santa Fe" and only "Santa Fe" (unlikely, though he is a good artist) 2) Davey is a really good guesser (also unlikely, though not impossible) or 3) Davey found out about Santa Fe behind the scenes either from Jack himself or from someone else (Race, in this story's interpretation). The same actually goes for Katherine, too - but you'll get to hear my explanation for that in a later chapter.

Over-analyzing the source material? Why, no - we never do that here. ;)

Thanks for reading this chapter, and please let me know what you thought of it. It means a lot to have any kind of engagement!