"Hel-lo lilltle lady, hows youse doin' ta-night?" Some nasty cretin asked,slipping his hand around my waist. I forced a smile and we walked up the stairs.
H ewas my third customer that night. From what Satin tells me though, there are some men more dirty and disgusting than he,and I wan't going to complain-I had gotten myself into this: It was my responsiblity.
Iris and I had left Tibby's in a hurry to get to "TheChocolate House"on time. Race wanted to know where we were going ,but I never answered him.
I had gotten to know some of the girls, and they were nothing likeI thought they would be.
There was Iris, Choclate, Barbie, Cricket,and Satin. They weren't stupid or air headed like I thought the girls who worked in places like this were.
They each had dreams, hopes, fears, had hardships, and rough pasts. Each one had of them was worried about living through the day, but were trying to live life at it's fullest at the same time. I felt a respect for these girls than I had before.
"Bye Shane, see ya next week!" A guy named Potter shouted as he left the "house".
"Bye Potta!" I smiled and waved at him. I stood against the wall for a few minutes, looking around the room. Through a haze of smoke I saw Cricket looking melancholy in the corner. I walked over to her and sat down.
"Hey ya Cricket, youse okay?" I asked sitting down next to her. The red head lookedup and forced a smile. She slowly nodded.
"Yeah Shane, I'm okay, I guess." I leaned back in my arm chair.
"Not convinced." She smiled weakly at me.
"I was just tinking 'bout Marcus." She started, but I interrupted her with an exasperated oh. She looked up at me again and blushed.
We had all heard about Marcus. She had a "small" crush on one of the regulars-Marcus. She fell in love with him the second she saw him. He was handsome, I'll give her that. He had a muscular build, tall, sandy blonde hair and green eyes.
We all except Cricket, thought that he felt the same way. He always got red in the face when he saw her.
I've only seen them around each other twice, and it was my fifth day at the house. I was happy for them but I thought love was just something that would get in the way. I kept it obsolit from my agenda.
"Why dosen't 'e' eva come to me, when 'e' comes in?" She asked putting her head in her hands.
"Because 'e' likes ya, an don't wanna take advantage of ya like ta rest of 'im do."Isaid and took a sip of someone's beer that was on the table.
"Do you know who's tis was?" I asked pointing to the glass. Cricket shook her head slowly. I shrugged and took another sip.
"D' ya tink 'e likes me?" She asked softly. I nodded, which made her blush, and I saw her secretly smile to herself.
The door opened and a few people walked in, one of them was Marcus. Cricket's eyes were large and she blushed a crimson red. I smiled slyly and walked over to Marcus. Cricket watched my every move.
"Hey ya Marcus." I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. He looked at me as if he knew me but couldn't remember.
"Hi ya...ah..." He started slowly.
"Shane." I interupted him. He smiled,and nodded.
"Yeah, Shane hi. How ya been?" I nodded, and crossed my arms around my chest. There was a chill in the air, and the tight and short can-can out fit I was wearing, which didn't cover too much, made it even less warm.
"Fine 'lil cold." He looked me up and down and then laughed uncomfortably.
"Do me a favor, Marcus?"
"Yeahsure." He said quickly so it sounded as if he said it as one word.
"Be honest to youse'elf." He looked at me confused. I looked over atCricket, Marcus did too and she quickly looked away.
"Go to Cricket. All of us know youse to are sweet on each udda, so go to her ta-night." He blushed and looked like the smile he had on his face, he was trying to hide. He looked over at Cricket and then back at me. He kissed my cheek and walked over to her.
The Grandfather clock chimed midnight. Iris walked over to me and we went to change.
"How much did youse make?" Iris asked me as we walked out of the house.
"Uh...three dollars, I tink. Maybe more." Iris nodded.
"Uh, hey." I said asI bumped into someone.
"Es'cuse me." A harsh voice said and moved aside.
I looked up into the face of Morris Delancy. I hoped I would never have to have him as a customer, or Oscar.
The second I saw those two I realized what Satin had said about the men dirtier than that Jackson fellow. I yawned and walked back to the lodging house.
************
"Hello Mis.can I help you?" A chunky woman in a white nurse's uniform asked. Cricket, Iris, and me stepped up to a odd colored desk in the middle of the hospital lobby.
The color was a color I don't think I've ever seen before in my life. It wasn't brown, but it wasn't black, and it had a red hue to it. There was even a hint of orange in it, making the color even harder to decipher.
"I need some medicine." I said softly. The hospitol was making me uncomfortable. Tex Miller, the leader of the Midtown newsies-and Race's long time friend, had brought us. He walked in a stood beside me.
"Alright hold on please, I'll get Dotah. Mazza." The lady said a walked down the hall. I looked back at Cricket and Iris and shrugged.
I had never been more nervous in my life than I was standing in that lobby. The hospital was making me uncomfortable. Tex Miller, the leader of the Midtown newsies-and Race's long time friend, had brought us. He walked in a stood beside me.
"Alright hold on please, I'll get Dotah. Mazza." The lady said a walked down the hall. I looked back at Cricket and Iris and shrugged.
I had never been more nervous in my life than I was standing in that lobby. The hospital had a creepy feeling to it. It had a damp,modly smell, that was mixed with moth balls. The lights down each hall were dim and made it look more haunted. How could any one work in such a place? I was sure that there were all sorts of rodents around, lurking in the darker areas of the brick building.
The nurese came back with a tall, thin man in a black suit. He held in his left hand a black leather bag.
"Hello, I'm Doctor Mazza." He said and put his hand out to Tex,who shook it.
"Now before I can give you a perscription, I'm gonna have to see the condition.It isn't for one of you is it." He asked looking each one of us over. I shook my head.
"No a boy-about five-has 'is second case of ta fevah." The doctor nodded.
"Well I'm gonna have to se him. This is his second round of it, did you say?" I nodded. The doctor shook his head.
"What was he doing out in weather like this, New York has cold winters." I shrugged my shoulders. He looked over at the woman who had wondered back to the desk.
"Elenor, get my carriage." The woman nodded and walked over to some one standing near the exit. The carrage came around and we all got in.
"Manhattan Newsboy's Lodging House." Tex said to the driver.
*****
"He still has a mild fever, but lots of rest and medicine-twice a day-should help him. He should be fine in a week or so." Doctor Mazza said standing up. I breathed a sigh of relif.
"Thank youse so much, Doctah." I said and shook his hand. I reached into my pocket and pulled out three dollars. He took the money and handed me a bottle with redish-orange liquid content.
Tex and Race walked the Doctor out. I put the bottle in a small box under my bed.
The Newsies, who were all shooed out of the room flocked to me, Cricket, and Iris as we walked down the stairs.
They all had worried looks on their faces. I would too if I came home to find a Doctor in the room examining a friend.
Jack walked over to me.
"What happened, is Trolley allright?" I nodded.
"'E's fine. The Doctor had to give me medicine for 'im, but 'e had to check how he was doing first." The boys all breathed relif.
"Well how is 'e doin'?" Jack asked impatiently.
"'E's doin' fine." Jack laughed and picked me up, all the boys cheered.
"The Doctah said 'e should be up and about in a week or so."
"Let's go ta Tibby's ta celebrate!" Crutchy said. The guys all shouted 'yes' and 'let's go'.
"I'm gonna go get Spot." Jack yelled and he and Botts walked out, taking Dave to keep them company.
Race put his arm around me and we walked to Tibby's.
***********
(Two weeks later.)
"Merry Christams fellas!" Denton said as he walked into Tibby's. Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at the familiar face in the door.
"Hey Denton!" They all yelled. David, Les, Sarah, and the Jacobs followed shortly after.
"Merry Christmas!" Dave yelled.
"Happy Hanukah!" Mr. Jacobs yelled kissing his wifes cheek. Jack kissed Sarah's forehead when she walked over to him.
"Merry Christmas Guys!" Spot yelled as he walked in with about ten of his Brooklyn Newsies.
"Hey ya Spot.!" Jack and Race yelled. Race walked over to him and spit shook. Then came back and sat down next to me. Spot on my other side, and Trolley in my lap.
The medicine had worked and Trolley was in full health except for the occasonall cough or sneeze. He had become like a little brother to me, and I became very protective. I work for the both of us because he isn't going to sell papes for the rest of the winter.
Tibby's became packed. I couldn't believe how crowded it had gotten in the past thirty minutes. Midtown was here, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the girls were all crammed somewhere. I could see Cricket's red hair and Chocolate's dark skin as they talked to Marcus and some one else-I couldn't see who. Satin leaned over the table to me.
"You know the capactiy, fer this place?" She asked. I laughed and shrugged. Barbie leaned over from the booth behind me.
"We's gonna be busy ta-night, Choclate's will probably be just as full." I looked over at Spot real quick to see if he heard what she had said, he didn't appear to.
"Rankin' in ta cash, Barbie." I said to her and we laughed and continued our conversations from before.
"Race, your killin' me." I said and faked a cough, and putting a hand over Trolley's mouth. Race wrinkled his face and put out the cigar.
'Any body fer pokah?" He asked. Every one at the table was in, except for Sarah and Trolley.
I looked at my cards.
"Duces wild." Race added before picking up his cards.
I threw a penny into the pot. I had a two, ten, two aces, and a six. I put the six and the ten down and threw in another penny.
I picked up two more cards, another two twos.
"Raise ya a penny Race." I said and threw it in. I had five aces. Three twos, what were those chances?
"I fold." Jack said and threw down his cards.
"Me too." Blink said and threw his cards down and leaned back in the booth.
Race, Spot, and Me were still in the game.
"I raise ya one." Race said and threw in another penny.
"I see ya and raise ya two." Spot said and threw in two pennies.
"I'll see ya Spot and raise ya tree." Blink, Sarah, and Jack were all watching with interest.
"I fold." Race said and threw his cards down. He leaned over and looked at my cards. He put his arm around my shoulders.
"Tree Kings." Spot said smiling. I looked at him and kissed his cheek. Spot reached for the money.
"Five aces." I said and putted down the three twos and the two aces. Cricket and Chocolate walked over to the table and said their good byes to every one. Barbie and Iris left a couple minutes later.
I played five more hands of poker, winning three. Jack one, and Spot another.
"Well fellas, I'm gonna go out with Satin, goils night out we's meetin up wit ta uddas later. See ya." I said and got up form the booth. I kissed Trolley on the forehead.
"Racetrack watch him." I said and left.
*********
"AIN'T IT A HELL OF A WAY! TO MAKE A LIVIN'! A HELL OF A WAY,A HELL OF A WAY,A HELL OF A WAY TO MAKE A LIVIN'!" Chocolate yelled out in tune. We were all drunk. Satin, Cricket and I all got on the bar and started to dance.
"YOUR ALL ALONE." I sang.
"DRUNK AS A PIG." Satin chimmed in.
"YOU LOOK FOR FUN!" Cricket said sitting on Marcus's lap.
"CHOCOLATE'S WELCOMES YOU IN!" We sang all at the same time.
"WE GOT A HELL OF A LIFE, HALF OF NEW YAWK IN OUR SKOITS! FEELIN' OF STRIF, BUT MONEY IN OUR PURSE. WE'S TAKIN A CHANCE, BUT LIVIN THE LIGHT, ALL WE'S GOTTA SAY IS IT'S A HELL OF A LIFE!!" I tapp dance my way down the bar and tripped falling into some one's arms. I looked up at Spot and almost thought I would throw up. He kept a expressionless face and held me there.
"Upstairs now." Spot said. I nodded and we left every body singin' a 'Hell Of A Life'
"Are you out of youse mind!" Spot yelled at me when I shut the door. I slowly turned to him.
"What would Race say, Shane you should be ashamed of youse self, I can't believe you would do something like this. Your a fucking slut!"
"I didn't do it for me, Spot." He looked at me critically.
"Then who'd ya do it fer Shane?" He asked crossing his arms across his arms.
"Where you lived before, did you not get any is that why you came to woik with these skanks,like Iris and Cricket?"I slapped him hard.
"Do not bring them into this! You know jack-shit about them. And do not bring me past into this Conlon, cause you know even less about me."
"Yeah , but half the state knows youse inside out." I slapped him again.
"Get out! GET OUT!" I shouted. Spot didn't move, he stood blocking the door so neither one of us could get out.
"No. NO! NOT UNTIL YOU EXPLAIN!" Spot's voice got louder and louder.
"I have nothing to explain to you Conlon!" I said fighting tears in my eyes.
"Explain to me why you are woiking heah!" Spot said banging his fist against the wall.
"For TROLLEY'S SAKE!" I yelled tears now flooding down my face. Spot stopped himself and looked at me, his mouth open. He put his hand on his forehead and paced back and forth.
"Shane...that's how you got the money?' I nodded and wiped my face.
"You saved him, by doing..."
"Something I never pictured me doing. But my Mother died from the fever, and she didn't have any money for medicine. That's why I am doing this. It was my Mother's second case of the fever, she got worse and then told me about Race...sort of...she became so weak she couldn't talk to me." I looked up at Spot coldly.
"Never mind, why am I tellin' you. Your a hypocrite to say, that I'm a whore." Spot looked at me. He narrowed his eyes at me. The sympathy he had about two seconds ago was completley erased.
"What is that s'posed to mean?" He asked cracking his knuckles.
"Trying to scare me Conlon?"
"WHAT WAS THAT S'POSED TO MEAN?" Spot asked clenching his teeth.
"You like goils like me Spot. I know you've gone to places like tes all ta time." He looked at me in shock and didn't say anything cause he knew I was right. The famous Spot Conlon has definatly worked his way around New York.
"You take advantage og goils like me Spot. We ain't happy 'bout what we's doin', but we do it any way." Spot was speachless.
I walked over to him, taking his hands in mine, and putting it on my hip. I wrapped my leg around his and pushed up against him.
"That's why youse heah anyway Conlon, ain't it?" He didn't answer me, and just looked me over and then at the floor. I took his other hand a put it on my breast.
"It's why youse heah, so jist get it over and done wit, I won't even charge ya." He stood still and looked at me in shock.
"No." He said quietly and pushed me gently away from him. I looked at him for a minute and opened the door.
"Merry Christmas, Spot." I said sofly, and left the room.
I felt a hand on mine as I walked down the stairs. I looked into the face of Oscar Delancy.
He pulled out a dollar and tucked it into my corset. He lead me into a corset. He leaned up against me and started kissing my neck, his rough hands wandering all over me. The tears silently fell down my cheeks, I kept my eyes closed tightly. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. Spot was staring at me. I looked at him and then at the door ashamed.
He walked over to us after a minute of debating with himself and pounched Oscar in the jaw. Oscar did the same and punched Spot's left cheek. Spot grabbed his face and looked dangerously at Oscar, who panicked and ran out the door when he realized who it was.
Spot held a hand out to me and then he hugged me soothingly. I cried on his shoulder. I had no comfort in my life, except for Race, but I found a new comfprt standing in his embrace and I hated him for it. I hated him with a passion. I fell asleep on his shoulder. He put his sweater on me and carried me to Brooklyn.
*********
Part 4
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