Part Seven: Starting Over
This time baby I’m learning how to love you, love you…
When Bumlets reached the lodging house, he went up to the roof and broke down into tears. First she gets hurt, then she nearly dies, and now she loses her memory. He cried because he knew that there was a chance that she would never regain her memory again.
He stayed up there for at least an hour when he heard someone coming up the fire escape. He looked up to see Dutchy coming up. He only ignored him and pretended like he wasn’t there. Finally, Dutchy came over and knelt down beside him.
“You love ‘er, don’t ya?” he asked.
Bumlets nodded. “She means more than anything ta me.”
“Bumlets, yer not the only one who’s upset. Everyone’s upset cuz now she don’t know who anyone is. When she comes back, she’s gonna feel like a stranger, and right now, she needs a friend. I think it’s best if ya started out being her friend again before ya try ta be more than friends.”
“It’s gonna be hard, Dutchy. I never thought I’d love anyone after I lost Janice, but then Angela came in. It’s very hard.”
“I know it is, but she’s gonna need you more as a friend than she will with you as her boyfriend.”
* * *
Dutchy was right about Seven. Since she didn’t remember anything, she needed Bumlets as a friend instead of anyone more serious with their relationship. Bumlets decided that he would listen to Dutchy’s advice.
Over the next two months, Seven’s injuries began to heal, and soon, it was time for her to return to the lodging house. To Bumlets’ surprise, she remembered how to read, write, and do everything she did before she lost her memory, but her memory didn’t come back. The day that it was time for her to leave, Bumlets went up to her doctor and asked about her memory.
“Doctor,” he asked, “Is there any chance of her memory ever coming back?”
The doctor shook his head. “I’m afraid not. It’s been two months, Bumlets, and there’s no chance of it ever coming back.”
Bumlets’ heart sank to his shoes. He knew that it was going to take a long time to start over with Seven, but there was also a chance that she wouldn’t want to start over. Bumlets nodded and went to Seven’s room.
She was standing up, wearing a white blouse, a red skirt, and she threw a pink shawl around her shoulders. When she turned around, she seemed a little surprised to see Bumlets.
“I didn’t see you,” she told him.
“I’m sorry, but you look beautiful. Are ya ready to go?”
Seven nodded and walked toward him. Bumlets looked at Seven and noticed that a strand of hair hanging in front of her eye. He brushed it out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Seven looked up at him in surprise and awe.
Bumlets only smiled and led her out of the hospital. To his surprise, Seven linked her arm through his. Bumlets looked at her with a question on his lips.
“I thought this was what all men were supposed to do when they escorted a lady back home.” Seven said.
Bumlets nodded. “Yeah, that just slipped my mind.”
Seven smiled quickly and Bumlets smiled back at her. When the lodging house was in view, Seven grabbed Bumlets arm and squeezed. Bumlets looked at her and remembered that the only newsies she had met were Jack and David.
He guessed that she was rather shy now that she was getting so close to home. Bumlets looped his arm around her.
“It’s okay, they’re really nice, an’ they won’t bite.”
Seven nodded and Bumlets led her into the lodging house. Everyone was aware of Seven’s condition, so they were prepared for her not to know them. When the door opened, the first person that saw them was Kloppman. He smiled when he saw Seven.
“Hello Seven.” He said.
“Seven, this is Kloppman.” Said Bumlets.
Seven nodded shyly to Kloppman and he smiled at her. Bumlets led her up the stairs to the bunkroom. When he opened the door, everyone turned to see Seven hiding behind Bumlets.
“Seven,” Bumlets said, “these are the newsies. We got Jack and David, who ya already know, an’ we got Crutchy, Snipeshooter, Dutchy, Race, Skittery, Pie Eater, Kid Blink, Swifty, Itey, Snitch, Jake, Snoddy and Spot Conlon. ‘E’s the leader of the Brooklyn newsies.”
“Hi Seven.” A whole bunch of the newsies shouted.
Seven smiled but stuck close to Bumlets. Bumlets led her to her bunk and let her sit down.
“This is where ya sleep.” He told her.
Seven sat down on her bunk. She set her hand on her pillow and looked a little confused. She reached under it and pulled out a picture. Bumlets’ heart sank when he saw it.
“Who’s this?” Seven asked.
“That’s Edward. He was a very dear friend of yours.”
Seven still looked confused. “But why do I keep it under my pillow?”
“Cuz he died two years ago.”
Seven nodded. “Oh, I see.”
Kid Blink walked over to Seven. “Hey Seven, it’s good ta have ya back. Ya wanna play some pool with us?”
Seven’s face lit up. “Of course! I’d love to play, but only if Bumlets comes.”
Blink nodded. “Sure ‘e can come! We was just about to invite him too.”
Seven smiled and looked at Bumlets. “You wanna come?”
“Yep. You know what pool is?” Bumlets asked
“I believe so. Isn’t it when you hit one ball and try to hit the eight ball in last?”
“Uh huh. Come on, let’s see if yer as good as you used ta be.”
* * *
A month had gone by since Seven was released from the hospital. To Bumlets, Seven was like an entirely different person. She still knew how to do all of her stuff, but she had no clue about her bank account, and she wore a dress every single day. It wasn’t like Seven to wear a dress every day.
The hardest part was accepting the fact that he knew that she wasn’t in love with him. It had been rumored that she had before she lost her memory. One day, while they were selling in Central Park, Bumlets let her sit down on a bench and looked at the ducks swimming in the pond.
“It’s awful pretty here, isn’t it?” Seven asked.
“Yeah, but it ain’t as pretty as you.”
Seven looked up at Bumlets, surprised. She had never heard him say anything like that before. Just then, she heard someone calling her.
“Hey Seven!”
Seven turned to see Oscar Delancy walking toward them with a girl at his side. She looked at him, not knowing who it was. He slid onto the bench next to her and caught her in a hug.
“How’ve ya been, Seven?” he exclaimed. “I’ve missed ya a lot.”
Bumlets tapped on Oscar’s shoulder. “Um, Oscar, I think there’s somethin’ ya gotta know.”
“What’s that?”
“Seven had an accident and it wiped out her memory. She doesn’t remember anything that happened before the accident.”
Oscar looked down at Seven, who was looking at him strangely. “Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Oscar, an’ this is my fiancée, Margaret.”
Margaret held her hand out to Seven. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Seven.”
Seven shook her hand. “You too.”
Oscar stood up. “It was nice to see ya again, Seven, but we’ve gotta go now. Bye.”
Seven waved to him. “Bye.”
Bumlets turned to Seven. “You’re not angry at him, are you?”
Seven shook her head. “No, I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.”
Bumlets stood up and took Seven’s hand. “Ya wanna come with me? I wanna show ya somethin’.”
Seven nodded and stood up. She held Bumlets hand as he took her down the street. It was a long walk, and Seven was getting tired.
“Are we there yet?” she asked.
Bumlets nodded. “Almost. Just wait a minute.”
Seven continued walking, and then she stopped. In front of her was a large, green statue holding a torch. She gasped when she saw it.
“That’s the Statue of Liberty.” Bumlets said, pointing to it.
“It’s beautiful!” Seven exclaimed.
Bumlets looked at Seven. She looked so beautiful there, and he wanted to give her something. He remembered passing a flower stand a few minutes ago, and he led Seven over to a bench.
“I need to get something, so you stay here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Seven nodded and sat down. Bumlets turned the corner and disappeared. Seven folded her hands in her lap and sighed. She later saw a little girl stand in front of her. She looked up at her, and the little girl smiled.
“Hello.” She said sweetly.
“Hello.” Said Seven.
“Hello.” The girl said again, handing her a yellow flower.
Seven smiled and took the flower. “For me?”
The girl nodded. “Yes.”
Seven inhaled the flower’s sweet fragrance. “Thank you.”
Just then, the girl’s mother came by, and she smiled at Seven. “I can’t thank you enough for bringing Emily back to me.”
Seven was confused, but she smiled and pretended to know what she was talking about.
“It’s okay.”
The woman smiled again and led Emily away. Seven took another sniff of the flower and smiled. She stuck it behind her left ear and looked at the statue again. Soon, Bumlets slid onto the bench next to her.
“I got you this.” He said, handed her a red rose.
Seven smiled and tried to take it, but she grabbed Bumlets’ hands instead. She looked up and their eyes met. They two stared at each other for a minute, then Bumlets looked down and pulled his hands away from Seven’s. He took the thornless rose and stuck it behind her left ear.
“You look beautiful.” He said.
Seven blushed and looked at her feet. Bumlets reached down and put two fingers on the side of her face and pulled her towards him. He leaned closer, and Seven knew what he was going to do.
She also leaned closer, and their lips touched. It was a sweet kiss, but very short. When Seven drew back, she couldn’t meet Bumlets’ face. She stared at the ground and turned her head away from Bumlets. Bumlets took her hands gently in his own.
“I’m sorry, Angela.”
A tear slid down Seven’s cheek and landed on the pavement. Another slid down her face, and soon they started streaming down her face. Bumlets looked at her and saw her tears. He placed a hand on the side of her face and pulled her face toward him so she could see his face.
When her face in front of him, she refused to make eye contact with him. Bumlets wiped some tears off of her face with a paper napkin that he had taken from Tibby’s after lunch. When he stuck the napkin in his pocket, Seven looked up and their eyes met.
“Bumlets,” she said, “were we like this before my accident?”
Bumlets froze. “Well, almost.”
“What do you mean by ‘almost’?” she asked.
“We were gonna talk about it, and then your accident happened.”
Seven closed her eyes. She wanted to remember, but she couldn’t. She tried to think back to what had happened before that day in the hospital when she discovered her memory was gone. Nothing. Tears started falling down her face.
“I can’t remember.” She said. “I can’t remember anything.” She began to cry. “Why? Why did this hafta happen?”
Bumlets gently grabbed Seven. “Listen Angela, this happens. I was lucky enough not to lose you like I lost Janice.”
Seven looked up at him. “Who’s Janice?”
“Janice was my fiancée, but she died two years ago, and on the same day Edward died.”
“What’s the truth about Edward?” Seven demanded. “There’s something more about him. Tell me the truth about him.”
Bumlets sighed. “Edward was really your fiancée. He was killed saving your life.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
Bumlets didn’t answer. He only looked at the ground like Seven had done before.
“Answer me, Bumlets.” Seven snapped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Part Eight: Saved By Love
Let me love you like I love you.
Bumlets looked at her. “I don’t know. I just…I don’t know why I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry.”
Seven’s eyes were hard. She was angry at Bumlets for not telling her about Edward, and she began to feel differently about him. She also became angry at herself for not remembering anything. Tears began to stream down her face as she stood up. She backed up two steps until Bumlets looked up.
“I’m sorry, Angela! I’m really sorry!”
Seven shook her head, turned around and ran toward the lodging house, tears blinding her vision. She couldn’t see because of her tears, but she heard someone calling her.
“Seven!” Bumlets shouted. “Look out!”
Seven rubbed her eyes and found a trolley coming straight towards her. She just stood there, but Bumlets grabbed her and pulled her aside just in time for the trolley not to hit her. Seven started slapping at Bumlets.
“Stop it! Why are you doing this?” She demanded.
Bumlets grabbed Seven’s face and kissed her quickly. “Because I love you.”
Seven tore away from him and disappeared into a crowd of people coming down the street. Bumlets chased her, but he later plowed into a man and fell to the ground. He looked up, and Seven was gone.
* * *
Bumlets walked back to the lodging house. He had been all over Manhattan, searching for Seven, but he hadn’t found her. He guessed that she might have gone back to the lodging house. When he arrived, he went up to the bunkroom, and he didn’t see Seven anywhere.
“Hey Bumlets,” Race said, “where’s Seven?”
Bumlets’ eyes grew wide. “What? She didn’t come back?”
“We thought she was with you!”
“We got separated and she ran off. Come on, we gotta find her!”
* * *
Seven sat under the fire escape and pulled her shawl around her to keep her warmer, but it didn’t help her that much. It was dark outside, and all the newsies were gone because they were searching for Seven.
When Seven noticed that there wasn’t a lamp on upstairs, she walked up the fire escape and didn’t stop until she reached the roof. She sat down on the roof, pulled her knees up to her chest and started to cry.
She was angry at Bumlets for acting like he had. She was angry at herself for not remembering anything. Her heart ached, and these tears wouldn’t stop flowing down her face. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She could almost feel the kiss that had occurred between her and Bumlets when he gave her the rose. Remembering the rose, she pulled it out of her hair and threw it over the side of the roof.
“This is for love!” she shouted.
She started to take the yellow flower in her hair, but then she changed her mind and kept it in. Bumlets hadn’t given it to her, so she didn’t mind leaving it in. She cried some more, then she laid down and fell asleep.
* * *
Bumlets collapsed on his bed and let his tears flow. He had been searching for hours, and no one had seen or heard from Seven. He loved her so much, but she didn’t love him back. His heart was shattered like glass.
Why? He prayed. You almost took her away, but you gave her back, and now she’s gone. Why are you doing this to me?
Bumlets didn’t wait for answer. He rolled over and hid his face in his pillow and cried. He had no idea that a girl could break his heart like that. Skittery, Kid Blink and Dutchy came through the door, and Bumlets looked up at them.
“Have they found ‘er yet?”
“No.” Dutchy answered.
“Bumlets,” said Kid Blink, “we’ve searched Manhattan top to bottom an’ she hasn’t been found. We’ve got newsies looking around the other territories for her, an’ they’ll find her.”
Bumlets hoped that they were right; but they weren’t. The rest of the newsies came back around ten, and they were tired, and they had given up on finding Seven. Jack said that they’d look for her in the morning, but that was too long for Bumlets. Kloppman came up and told them to go to bed. Bumlets rolled over and cried himself to sleep.
* * *
Seven opened her eyes. It was very dark, and it was cold. It was around midnight, and it was quiet outside. Seven sat up and looked around. She then remembered where she was. That was when she looked over towards the edge of the roof and stood up. She walked over to the edge and looked over. It was a long way down.
Right then, Seven didn’t care what happened next. She hated her life; everyone in it, and her very existence. She got onto the edge and looked down. She took a deep breath and got ready to jump.
“Don’t do it, Angela.”
Seven turned around to see a blonde-haired man standing close behind her. She turned away and examined him. It looked like Edward, the man in the picture.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“My name is Edward, and I’m an angel.”
Seven rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Oh that’s rich. Please go away, my life is over.”
“Your life isn’t over, Angela.” Edward coaxed, and he held his hand out to her. “Please, just come down and listen to me.”
Seven looked at him for a minute, then took his hand and he helped her down. She looked at Edward, and she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen in anyone before.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“I told you, I’m an angel.”
“Well, if you’re an angel, how come you don’t have a harp or wings?”
“An angel doesn’t need to have wings to be an angel.” Edward answered. “And I don’t play the harp. Not all angels play instruments.”
“Then how do I know you’re angel?”
Just then, light came out of nowhere and shone on Edward. “I am an angel, Angela. God sent me here to tell you that he loves you, and he doesn’t want you to come home yet.”
A tear fell down Seven’s cheek. “But why does he love me? He took my memory away, and now I’m wandering around with a guy that I hate on my tail.”
“Angela, God works in mysterious way. Sometimes I can’t even explain why he does these things, and now is a time where I can’t explain why. He doesn’t want you to take your life. He wants you to stay here with Bumlets.”
Edward reached behind his back and pulled out the rose that Bumlets had given her; the rose that she had tossed off the side of the roof.
Seven took it and burst into tears. “But why did it hafta happen to me?”
“It’s in God’s will. But he doesn’t want you to live with this pain, Angela.”
Seven looked up at Edward. He waved his hand in front of her face, and she was overcome with drowsiness and closed her eyes heavily.
* * *
Both Seven and Bumlets were dreaming. They tossed and turned in their sleep, and they couldn’t get what had happened between them earlier out of their minds. Finally, music filled their minds at the same time, and they heard a soft voice begin to sing.
“You are the One, there’s no one else. Who lifts me up and gives me water from the well. But there’s a hole that seems to drain it all away, and once again I’m left in fear and doubt, when all my strength is crying out,
“So here I am again, willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain, tell what have I to do to die and then be raised to reach beyond the pain, like a flower in the rain.
“The evil wind, it blows a storm to rock my world, just when I think I’m safe and warm, I’m lead astray far too easily. It’s always hard to say I’m wrong until I know I can’t go on,
“So here I am again, willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain, tell what have I to do to die and then be raised to reach beyond the pain, like a flower in the rain.
“Lord, you have searched me and you know when I sleep and when I rise. You’re familiar with my ways. Even the darkness will shine like the day when you looked into my heart,
“So here I am again, willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain, tell what have I to do to die and then be raised to reach beyond the pain, like a flower in the rain. Like a flower in the rain.”
When the song ended, their minds were filled with peace, and their night was interrupted no longer.
* * *
“I’VE BEEN WORKIN’ ON THE RAILROAD!” Kloppman sang out.
Everyone got up at the sound of Kloppman’s voice. Everyone hated it when he sang to wake them up; some newsies thought that it was a fate worse than death. When Bumlets opened his eyes and looked over at Seven’s empty bed, he suddenly came up with a thought that she was on the roof.
Then, he got the feeling that she might have tried to kill herself. Something was telling him to go up to the roof. Bumlets threw his covers off and rushed to the window. He threw it open, slipped through and stampeded up the stairs. When he reached the roof, he found Seven curled up into a ball, clutching the rose that he had given her. He rushed to her, pulled her up and caught her in a hug.
Seven woke up suddenly and was about to start shouting, but then, something hit her. She saw herself in the hospital, then in Bumlets’ arms, all covered in blood, then at Mush and Patch’s wedding holding the bouquet, and finally, Bumlets pulling her into the water. Her eyes grew wide in surprise.
She pulled away from Bumlets, grabbed him and kissed him passionately. When they pulled apart, Bumlets looked at Seven with surprise.
“Bumlets,” Seven said, “I’ve got my memory back!”
Bumlets’ eyes grew wide in surprise, and then he pulled her back and kissed her as if the world were about to end. When he pulled away, he held her close and rocked her.
“I love you, Angela. I love you, I love you, I love you. I love you more than anything on this earth.”
“I love you back, but much, much more!” Seven exclaimed.
Bumlets looked at Seven and kissed her again. When they parted, Seven knew that she needed to tell him what she had gone to tell him the night of accident.
“Bumlets,” she said, “the day of the accident, I came to see you to tell you that God told me that we were right for each other. But when I fell through the floor, I thought I was gonna die, so I decided to tell you when I was sure that I’d be okay.”
Bumlets looked at her and shook her head. “I don’t care that you didn’t tell right away. All I care about is that God wants us together.”
Seven kissed him once more, and then Bumlets lifted her up and whirled her around. Seven stretched her arms out while his twirled her and smiled. For the first time in a long time, she knew that everything was going to work out perfectly.
* * *
Seven stared into Bumlets eyes as he lifted her veil away from her face. When he pulled it over her head, she slipped her arms around Bumlets’ neck and kissed him. The newsies began cheering and hollering at the top of their lungs.
Seven smiled as she and Bumlets made their way down the aisle, trying to run before they got clobbered in rice. They reached their carriage and hopped inside before any more rice came flying at them. When they were in, the driver cracked his whip and the horses went. Bumlets wrapped his arms around Seven lovingly.
“I love you, Angela.” He said.
“I love you too, Randy.”
Bumlets tipped Seven’s chin and kissed her softly. When they parted, Seven snuggled closer next to Bumlets.
“So, whaddaya think the newsies are gonna do for us at the reception?” she asked.
“I dunno, but right now I don’t wanna think about it.”
Seven smiled and kissed Bumlets again.
* * *
“Kiss me, out of the bearded barley, nightly, beside the green, green grass. Swing, swing, swing the spinning steps, you wear those shoes and I will wear that dress. Oh, kiss me, beneath the milky twilight, lead me, out on the moonlit floor, lift your open hands, strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon sparkling. So kiss me. Kiss me, down by the broken tree house, swing me, upon its hanging tire. Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat, we’ll take the trail marked down your father’s map. Oh, kiss me, beneath the milky twilight, lead me, out on the moonlit floor, lift your open hands, strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon sparkling. So kiss me. Kiss me, beneath the milky twilight, lead me, out on the moonlit floor, lift your open hands, strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon sparkling. So kiss me.”
Seven smiled as she sang the last part of the song. When she was finished, she sat down next to Bumlets, and he kissed her. When they parted, Seven picked up her piece of cake and let Bumlets take a bite out of it.
Bumlets did the same thing and Seven took a bite out of his slice. Everyone cheered and then got their pieces of cake. After everyone got some cake, Seven took his bouquet and threw it over her shoulder and closed her eyes. She heard someone screech,
“I got it!”
She turned around and saw that Sarah, David’s sister, had caught the bouquet. Right then, Bumlets gently grabbed her leg, pulled her garter off and launched it off his thumb like a rubber band. It flew threw the air, straight towards Dutchy, but Jack jumped up and caught it. When Jack saw that he got it, he jumped up and shouted,
“YES!”
Seven smiled, for it had been rumored among the newsies that Jack was going to pop the question to Sarah soon. When the reception ended, Seven and Bumlets headed for the door when Jack stopped them.
“Here’s somethin’ we all pitched in ta buy fer ya, but don’t open it till tomorrah when ya go ta London.” He told them, handing them a gift.
Seven took the gift and thanked Jack. Then, she and Bumlets got back into the carriage and drove off for their hotel.
* * *
“Hey Randy,” Seven said, “we’ve officially been married for twenty-four hours now. How do you feel about that?”
Bumlets jumped onto their bed and set his head in Seven’s lap. “Just great. And how do you feel?”
“Fine, but I’m just a little nauseous from the boat ride.”
Bumlets frowned, and Seven started to laugh. “Just kidding.”
Bumlets’ frown turned into a smile, and he reached up, gently grabbed the back of Seven’s head and pulled her down and kissed her softly. When they separated, Seven’s face lit up.
“Hey! We can open that present from Jack and the newsies now!” she exclaimed.
“Hey, yer right!” Bumlets said, getting up to get the present.
Bumlets came back with the gift in his hands. He got back on the bed and set the present in front of Seven.
“You open it.” he told her.
“No, you open it.” Seven said.
“Why don’t we both open it?”
Seven nodded. “Okay.”
The two carefully tore at the paper covering the tiny box. They put the paper aside and slowly opened the box. They looked in, and their eyes grew wide. Seven reached in and pulled out two tiny objects.
“Baby booties.”