"Kid, go get a rag, she's bleedin'," he ordered.
She sensed Blink leave her side and a moment later return. There was suddenly intense pressure on the back of her head, and she cried out in pain. Blink attempted in vain to soothe her. "Shh..."
Their voices faded in and out in Mairead's mind. She vaguely sensed the food and water she was consuming, and barely felt the presences of Blink and Kloppman.
Kloppman looked to the young man. "I don't know what we're s'posed to do with her now. She can't go to no refuge. They won't feed 'er good there."
Blink thought for a moment. "She could stay here, 'least till she gets well enough to work and live in a girls' house."
Kloppman shook his head. "She can't stay. This is a boys' house. No tellin'..." He trailed off and continued feeding her the stale bread, which was nearly gone.
"Well it ain't like we can just leave her in that doorway she's been sleepin' in for who knows how long," Blink argued. "This girl might actually make somethin' of herself one day...she can't do no good to nobody if she dies sleepin' on th' streets."
"You sayin' it'd be my fault if she died out there?" Kloppman asked Blink, bristling slightly.
"No, I didn't say that, Klop. You said that," Blink answered. "Y'might wanna listen t'yer conscience once in a while."
Kloppman snorted. "That's comin' from a newsy."
"Yeah, come t'think of it, it is," Blink answered smartly. If he hadn't been holding Mairead up he might have stood and left at that moment.
All was silent for a moment, but finally Kloppman sighed heavily. "Fine. She can stay just 'till she gets well enough to move into a girl's house. I'll expect pay when she gets a job."
Blink felt something in the pit of his stomach that he hadn't felt in years; he thought for a moment that it might actually be happiness. Shaking himself, he pushed it away. Happiness don't exist. I learned that a long time ago.
"Who's the doll?"
"Hey, Blink, why didn't ya bring me one?"
"Knock it off, fellas."
As Mairead slowly came around, she began to take notice of her surroundings. She was lying on a bunk at the lodging house, her head underneath several pillows. Something didn't feel right, and she raised her hands to feel a coarse bandage wrapped around her head. Her mouth was dry and her tounge felt thick; when she tried to call out to Blink all that escaped her lips was a slight squeak. Mairead reached up to rub her eyes groggily. When all came into focus, she noticed several teenage boys lounging around the bunkroom.
Suddenly Blink was sitting backward in a chair beside the bunk. "Y'know, you gotta think of a better way to get a bunk in a boys' lodgin' house." He almost cracked a real smile.
Mairead smiled weakly. "Do you have any water?" she forced out of her dry throat.
"Oh, yeah, hang on," Blink answered, jumping up from the chair and exiting the room. He returned several minutes later with a glass of water in hand. "Here ya go."
Blink helped Mairead drink the water slowly. Several of the boys crowded around until he turned to give them all a dirty look, after which they backed off and eventually left the room.
"Are ya hungry or anythin'?" Blink asked Mairead as she lay her head back on the pillow.
She thought for a moment. "Yes, now that I think of it."
"Well, I'll bring ya up somethin'. I'll be back," he said, standing from the chair again.
"Thank you," Mairead whispered.
She was still weak, but she managed to sit up in bed and look around. The young Italian man entered the bunkroom, wringing his cap in his hands, as if looking for something. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Mairead.
"What are you doin' here, Greek?" he asked, his voice laced with disdain.
"She's sick, Racetrack. Now get outta here and quit interrogatin'."
A young man had entered behind Racetrack and cast a small smile Mairead's way. He was tanned, with short, kinky brown hair and laughing eyes.
"This ain't your conversation, Mush," Race shot back. Apparently, he found what he was looking for: a cheap, beat-up cigar that he immediately pocketed before exiting the bunkroom.
"They call you Greek?" Mush asked as he took a seat next to Mairead.
She shrugged, staring at her hands. "They don't like me."
"Y'can't worry 'bout those guys. Really. There's a couple a' nice ones here. Me, for example." He chuckled slightly.
"Kid Blink is nice," Mairead whispered.
"Yeah, he's one a' my best pals," Mush answered. "Ol' Kloppman's nice, too, once you get on his good side."
Mairead didn't answer. She was only barely aware of her surroundings and seemed to drift in and out of reality. Just as she felt herself drifting into oblivion once again, Blink snapped her out of it.
"Get up, Mush. Pull over a chair," he commanded.
"Eh, get yer own, ya bum," Mush answered, punching his friend in the arm as he got up to pull over his own chair.
Blink plopped down into the chair beside Mairead. "Here, Mair, eat this." He spooned out some soup and held it to her lips.
After several spoonfulls of the soup, Mairead began coming around. She eventually took the bowl from Blink and fed herself while he and Mush talked to each other about the day's headlines and how well business was going.
"When do I begin work?" Mairead asked softly.
"When you get well," Blink answered. "Klop's lettin' ya stay here until you're well and can find a girls' house to live in."
She nodded. A look of concern crossed Mush's face. "Ya gotta be careful. This house ain't always safe for a girl."
Mairead felt a stab of fear, but Blink calmed her nerves. "Don't worry, Mair. Me an' Mush'll look out for ya. You'll be fine."
"Thank you." She smiled a bit before handing the bowl to Blink and sinking down into her thin pillow.
"YOu need to rest," Blink said, standing and motioning for Mush to do the same. "We'll keep an eye on ya."
Nodding, Mairead pulled her covers up and closed her eyes. She drifted to sleep in no time.