“Hey Cowboy, you finally decided to grace us with your presence,” Racetrack yelled.
“Shoah did, Race. What’s happening?” Jack asked.
“We don’t have to sell today. It’s raining,” Race replied smiling. A cigar hung out of his mouth.
Jack smiled and got out of his bunk.
“Guess who?” someone said, covering Jack’s eyes.
“I give up,” Jack said.
“You can’t give up, you have to guess.”
“Hmmm,” Jack said. “Daisy?”
She laughed and took her hands away. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“Good morning. How long have you been awake?” Jack asked.
“About an hour or so,” Daisy said, taking a seat next to Jack on his bunk. “I was up before everyone else. They have all been playing cards with Racetrack. Well, they’ve all been losing to him.”
“That’s usually the way it works,” Jack said smiling.
Daisy laughed. “Jack, I was thinking. Do you want to go over to Brooklyn today with me and see how that girl is doing?”
“But it’s raining,” Jack said.
Daisy shrugged. “So we’ll get a little wet. It’s just water.”
Jack smiled. “Sure. Let me get dressed first.”
Soon, they were out the door headed in the direction of Brooklyn. No one was outside because of the crummy weather.
The rain was hardly coming down but it was getting Jack and Daisy wet anyway. “So,” Daisy said out of the blue, “what should we talk about?”
“I don’t know,” Jack said.
They walked in silence for a while, Jack leading the way.
“You remind me of someone,” Daisy said.
“Who?” Jack asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Is it a good thing or a bad thing?”
“It’s good. It’s definitely good. I just can’t think of who.” She looked at Jack. “This will irritate me until I think of it.”
They turned down a dark alley.
“You know where we’re going, right?”
“Yeah. I come down here to visit Spot all the time,” Jack replied.
“It’s creepy in here.”
All of a sudden, two men came out of a corner and grabbed Daisy and pulled her into a corner of the alley.
“You thought that you could get away from me that easily?” someone said. He pushed her hard against the wall.
“Get off of me,” she said.
“Was I just so mean to you that you couldn’t bear it?”
“Hey, get away from her,” Jack yelled.
“Who’s this, Daisy? Your new boyfriend? My replacement? You taking my girl away, newsie?”
“Just get away from her,” Jack said pointing a finger at him.
“Leave us alone, Larry,” Daisy yelled.
“Shut up, Daisy.” He pushed her against the wall again. His friend, John, grabbed her hands so she couldn’t move.
“Hey leave her alone…” Jack started.
Larry twisted Jack’s hands behind his back and pushed him into the wall. “You have a problem?” He shoved him again. “Do ya?”
“Jack!” Daisy cried.
“You want me to leave her alone? Well, I think you should.” He pushed Jack harder into the wall. “She’s mine.”
“I’m not yours,” Daisy said clenching her teeth together.
“No? Is this who you ran away for? Huh, Daisy? This piece of street trash?” Larry kept throwing Jack against the wall. “He’ll pay for this, stealing you away from me.”
“Stop it!” Daisy yelled. “Stop it!”
Larry turned around and slapped Daisy across the face. She let out a cry of pain. Thunder boomed.
“Shut up,” Larry said.
Jack turned around and punched Larry square in the face.
“You idiot! Get him, John!” Larry yelled at his friend, wiping his bloody lip on the back of his hand.
“Please, stop it!” Daisy pleaded, watching Jack get punched in the stomach. She tried to hit John but he pushed her into the wall and she hit her head and fell to the ground. Larry picked her up and pushed her into the wall. He smothered her body with his.
“Jack, help me!” she shouted as Larry slapped her once more.
“Get off of her,” Jack yelled. He lunged at Larry and punched him in the stomach and he fell.
John ran up to Jack and punched him in the face. They struggled for a while, punching and kicking each other. Finally, Jack knocked him to the ground. He ran over to Daisy and pulled Larry off of her. “Get the hell off of her!” he yelled, punching him in the side.
Larry let go of her and held his side. “Get out of here, both of you!” Jack yelled, kicking him.
“I’ll get you, Daisy,” Larry yelled. “You better watch your back!”
“I said get outta here!” Jack yelled back. He ran at Larry and shoved him into the wall.
Both Larry and John ran out of the alley.
He walked over to Daisy. “Are you okay?”
She fell into his arms and sobbed.
“It’s okay. They’re gone now,” Jack said comfortingly, stroking her hair.
“I’m so sorry, Jack. I didn’t know…”
“It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”
He held her until she couldn’t cry anymore.
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Let’s go to Brooklyn.”
Jack stared at her. “Um, okay.” He wondered why all of this had happened but it didn’t seem like Daisy was willing to tell so he let it go. “She’ll tell me when she’s ready. I know she will,” he thought to himself.
They continued their walk to Brooklyn in silence. Neither of them had anything to say.
When they reached the Brooklyn Lodging House, Jack knocked on the door and Spot answered.
“Daisy, Jacky-boy! Nice ta see ya!” Spot said. He looked at Daisy and seemed to be confused. As if reading his mind, Jack shook his head, telling Spot not to ask about the rip in her dress and the strange looks on both of their faces.
“Hi Spot! How are you?” Daisy asked.
“I’m fine. Come in,” Spot said.
Both Daisy and Jack walked into the lobby of the Lodging House.
“Jack, you didn’t try nothin’ on her did you?” Spot asked, pulling Jack aside.
“No. We got attacked in the alley on the way here. I’ll tell you later,” Jack replied.
“Daisy, I’ve got some good news for you. The girl is awake,” Spot said, changing the subject after realizing what Jack was talking about.
“Oh really! That’s exactly why Jack and I came here,” Daisy exclaimed. “Is she okay?”
“She seems fine. A couple of bruises but no broken bones. Wanna go see her?”
“Yes,” Daisy said.
They walked up the staircase to the bunkroom and Spot opened the door.
Spot walked over to the girl’s bunk. “You’se got some visitors. Dis heah is me friends Jack and dis is Daisy.”
“Hi, I’m Jack.”
The girl looked over at Jack and Daisy and her face turned white. Jack looked at Daisy and her expression was exactly the same.
“Carolyn?” Daisy exclaimed.
“Daisy!” the girl replied as enthusiastically as she could.
“What are you doing here?” Daisy asked running over to her bunk and hugging her gently.
“I was going to ask you the same question,” she replied.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“Wait, you two know each other?” Spot asked.
“Yeah, of course we do,” Daisy said.
“How?” he asked.
They both ignored him and continued talking. This didn’t bother Spot as much as it normally would have because he was too interested in what they were saying to each other.
“I came here on the train. I told the conductor to take me as far as her could,” Daisy was saying.
“So did I,” Carolyn replied.
“I thought that you were going to…”
“I tried, Daisy, but I just couldn’t. I just couldn’t! I needed to go somewhere where I could just have it and get it over with. So I came here. Oh but the most horrible thing happened, Daisy! John followed me, and so did Larry! I don’t know how they knew where I was going but they found me and they tried to kill me!”
Daisy began to cry. “Oh, Carolyn! They found me and tried to kill me, too. Just on the way here! Luckily, I was with Jack and he saved me but… oh Carolyn! This is so horrible!”
The whole bunkroom had gotten quiet and all the newsies were listening. Jack and Spot were speechless.
Finally, Spot got so impatient and curious that he blurted, “What’s going on?”
Daisy wiped her eyes and looked at Carolyn. “I’ll tell you when there’s not as many people here.”
“Okay, everyone out,” Spot ordered the rest of the newsies.
They all groaned and eventually listened to their leader. As soon the last newsie filed out the door, Spot shut it. He was eager to hear the story.
”They’re going to find out sometime, Daisy,” Carolyn said.
“You’re right,” Daisy replied.
“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself sooner. I’m Carolyn and it’s nice to meet you, Jack.”
“Nice ta meet ya, too,” Jack said taking off his hat.
“Okay, tell us what’s happening,” Spot said.
“You know how Carolyn and I ran away from the boarding school and lived on the streets for a while, right?” Daisy began.
Jack and Spot both nodded.
Daisy took in a deep breath. “Well, we met these two guys while we were on the street, John and Larry. They were our boyfriends until they started to give us some money to do things with them. We were young and naive and we didn’t know right from wrong. We just did what they told us to and, we at least knew that we needed the money so we couldn’t turn them away. Everything we did, we relied on the money that they paid us.”
“These guys were drunks,” Carolyn said. “Always drunk.”
“Then, we were caught stealing some food and got in trouble with the bulls. Around then, however, Carolyn got pregnant with John’s baby.” By this time, both Carolyn and Daisy were crying. “Anyway, we realized that we couldn’t take it anymore and we decided that we needed to get away from there, from John and Larry and from the bulls. Anyway, we pooled our money together and I told her to go straight to the hospital and… and,”
“And get an abortion,” Carolyn filled in.
“There wasn’t enough money for us to both go so we had to split up. I came as far as New York because that was as far the conductor would let me go. I thought, without knowing anything, that I could make a life for myself here,” Daisy said.
“So did I, after I realized that I didn’t want to kill an innocent child for a mistake that I had made. This is where we are now and, apparently, John and Larry have followed us both here.”
Jack and Spot stared at the girls in disbelief.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole truth, Jack. I didn’t think that it was that important. I was never expecting John and Larry to follow me and I certainly was never expecting to meet up with Carolyn ever again,” Daisy said. Jack nodded slowly.
None of them talked for a while.
“Carolyn, do you need a dress?” Daisy asked suddenly.
“I do,” Carolyn replied. “John and Larry ripped mine pretty badly. I don’t have any money, though.”
“You can use one of mine. Oh I never even thought that you’d need a dress! Imagine being in a room full of boys with a tattered dress! Jack? Can we go back to the bunkhouse so I can get a dress for Carolyn?”
“Yeah,” Jack replied.
“I’ll come with,” Carolyn said.
“Are you sure you’re strong enough?” Daisy asked.
“Of course. John and Larry are bastards and no matter how hard they try, they can’t make me weak,” Carolyn replied.
Daisy smiled, exhausted. “That’s the Carolyn I missed. I thought I was never going to see you again, Carolyn,” she said softly.
Carolyn smiled in response, which seemed to say, “I’m glad we found each other.”
~*~
The cool, fresh morning air hit her face as she stepped out of the alley where she had been sleeping for the last few nights. She hadn’t been with him for almost a week and was desperately in need of his money to buy a decent meal. Then, she heard a cough coming from her friend. She raced over to find her with a pile of waste in front of her.
“I knew it,” her friend said. “I just knew it! I didn’t mean to. Honest I didn’t!” Tears streamed down her face. “This is not good. I can’t bear this… this thing inside of me! It’s not mine! It is his- conceived in his own selfishness! I cannot do this. How could I let this happen?”
“Shh,” she found herself soothing. She could see the horror in her friend’s eyes. “It will be okay. I heard about the new idea of getting rid of it before it comes. Were you with him last night? Do you have any money?”
“Of course I was with him last night and he paid me fairly well. Why do you want to know?”
“You aren’t going to like what I have to say but you must listen. We’re already in trouble with the bulls so there isn’t really any other choice. You will get on a train and ask the conductor for the nearest hospital. You will go there and ask the doctor the details. Here,” she said reaching into her dress pocket. “I don’t have too much but hopefully this will pay for it all.”
“How are you going to get money?” she asked, holding out her small hand and accepting the money.
“I suppose I’ll go with him for one more night. I don’t know what then but I’ll manage. The important thing is you and your life. Now you better hurry and catch the morning train.”
“But we’ll never see each other.”
“Sure we will,” she said, doubting the words as they escaped her mouth. “You better go and get out of this hell and make something of yourself. There is nothing stopping you now.”
“I must ask, why are you being so generous to me? What have I ever done to deserve a friend like you?”
“You were my friend and that is what friends are for. Now, hurry and go!”
The girl stood up and began to run toward the sunrise to the train station. The other watched her friend become smaller and smaller until she was a speck; until she was gone. All of her confidence gone to make a better life for herself and she, she was stuck here, waiting for another night, waiting for more money to pour in to live the next day doing the same.
“I will leave, too,” she thought to herself. “I’ll make a life for myself somewhere other than here.”
The night she spent with him and the morning she spent on the train, running away from her old life and heading into and toward the new, hopeful future, confidently and not knowing what lay ahead.
~*~
That night, Jack crept out onto the fire escape. He couldn’t sleep and always found peace on the fire escape. He sat there for a long time, contemplating the day’s experiences. He had no idea that Daisy had such a strange past. He sat there in silence, absorbing the sounds of the peaceful night.
“Jack?”
He looked toward the window.
“I knew I’d find you here,” Daisy said, climbing onto the roof. “I need to talk to you.”
“Okay,” he replied.
She sat next to him. “It’s about today. Thanks for rescuing me. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there. I thought that I was being truthful when I told you about my past, I just left out a few things. It’s annoying when a past that you wanted to forget catches up to you and kicks you.” She took in a breath. “The truth is, Jack, I’m scared. I’m scared of what is going to happen to Carolyn and her baby and I’m scared of what John will do to her if he finds out. And, I’m scared that my past is going to catch up to me and I’m going to become who I was again. The whole deal of Carolyn and me living on the streets and what we did makes me want to vomit. I can’t believe that we ever did something like that. We both were so confident and we just threw it away, and look what happened to Carolyn. I don’t want that to happen again because it is the worst feeling and life in the world.”
“It won’t happen again, don’t worry. You aren’t who you were. Under the circumstances, you did what you had to. Life is tough, I know. You gotta keep living it and forget about the past.”
“It’s etched into me though. It’s part of who I am.”
“But you’re different now than you were then, I can tell. Without a past, there isn’t a future and, Daisy, you learned from your mistakes. It won’t happen again. That’s exactly what the word past means; past.”
She smiled at him. “Thanks, Jack. I mean, thanks for everything. You have really helped me get back on my feet. Not many people would do that.”
“I’m just glad that I got the chance to meet you,” he replied, looking at the ground. “You’re a really great girl.”
“You’re not mad at me for what I did?”
He shook his head. “How could I be mad at you? That is who you were, not who you are. And, I really like the way you are.” He looked into her blue eyes and they glimmered in the moonlight.
“Thanks,” she replied softly. Before she knew it, Jack’s lips were on hers. He gently stroked her hair and she placed her hand on his shoulder and held him close. Her eyes remained closed as their lips parted. When she opened them, they were met by Jack’s.
“Don’t change,” he whispered. “I like you the way you are.”
“I won’t,” she said, smiling and tucking his blond hair behind his ear. “You’d better not either.” She placed her lips gently on his once again. Then, she stood up and went back into the bunkroom.
Jack stared after her for a while and then looked back up at the silver moon. Smiling to himself, he became lost in thought.
~*~
The next morning, Daisy awoke to Jack’s light tapping on her shoulder. She smiled at him. “Good morning.”
Jack returned her smile and quietly said, “I’m gonna go sell papes now. I’ll come back as soon as I’m done. I just didn’t want you to wake up and find nobody here.”
“Can I come with you?” Daisy asked.
“Ya wanna sell papes with me?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
Jack smiled. “Okay. I’se got an idea. We sell the papes on our way to Brooklyn and we can visit your friend.”
She smiled again. “That’s very thoughtful. I’d love to.”
As soon as Daisy got dressed, they were out the Lodging House door and in line waiting to buy newspapers. Jack took Daisy’ hand and put a nickel in her palm.
“I’ll teach you how to sell,” he said.
She smiled a thank you.
“Jack!”
Jack turned around and saw Davey.
“Hey, Dave! How ya doin’?” Jack replied, spit shaking with Davey.
“I’m good. Hey, Jack, Sarah came with me and wants to talk to you. Daniel went back home on the train yesterday.” He paused. “She really misses you, Jack.”
Jack nodded. “I hope she’s not too sad that he’s gone. Or maybe she is and that’s why she’s comin’ back to me.”
“That’s not why,” Davey defended.
“I know, I’m sorry,” Jack replied. “So, Dave, where you been?”
“Around,” he replied. “Mostly at my house playing cards and junk with Les. Rainy days aren’t any fun with a little brother.”
Jack smiled. “Hey, Dave, have you met Daisy?” Jack turned around and motioned Daisy to come over. “Dis is Daisy. Daisy, Davey.”
“Nice to meet you. Are you new here?” Davey asked.
“Yeah,” Daisy replied.
“Jack?” Sarah asked, coming up behind him.
Jack glanced at her. “Hey.”
“I’ll go buy your papes, Jack,” Davey said, walking toward the line.
Daisy, a bit confused, barely took the hint and followed Davey into the line.
“So,” Sarah said once Davey and Daisy were out of earshot, “how are you?”
“Good,” Jack replied. “I heard that Daniel left yesterday.”
Sarah nodded. “Yeah,” she said, pausing. “Jack, I really miss you.”
There was a silence.
“What do you want me to say, Sarah? Oh, I miss you too and let’s get back together?” Jack smiled sarcastically. “What do you want me to do? You’ve already crushed all my feelings for you.”
“No, I don’t want you to say that. I’m sorry for what I did, Jack and you know it. I don’t need an answer from you. I just want to tell you how much I miss you. I realized that I made a big mistake because I wouldn’t have done anything like that if I had known before that we couldn’t be together anymore. I had a lot of fun with you, Jack, and I just wanted you to know that.”
“I had a lot of fun with you too, Sarah. You… you really hurt me. I thought that we had something.” He rolled his eyes. “I feel I’ve already said all of this before.”
“You have,” she replied. “I just hope that we don’t become enemies. I mean, if I can’t have you as a boyfriend, I certainly don’t want to give up having you as a friend. Will you still be my friend?”
Jack looked into her eyes. They seemed truthful and pure. “It’s gonna take a while, Sarah because I’m still angry. It’s gonna take a while for that feeling to go away.”
“I understand.”
“But yeah, if you’ll have me, I’ll still be your friend,” he said.
She smiled. “I’ll still have you… as a friend.”
They walked back to the line just as Davey came out with 200 newspapers.
“Here, Jack,” Dave said handing him his 100 papes. “I was teaching Daisy how to buy papes. It takes skill, I tell ya, dealing with the Delancys and Weasel.”
Jack smiled.
“You wanna sell with me and Les today, Jack?” Davey asked.
Jack shook his head. “Daisy and I are planning on making our way to Brooklyn today. Your welcome to come with us if you want.”
“I can’t go to Brooklyn. I gotta go home and help Momma after I’m done selling. I’ll see ya around then?” Davey said.
“Yeah,” Jack replied. They spit shook. “You ready?” he asked after Davey left.
Daisy nodded and they started walking. “Who was that girl?” Daisy asked.
“My old girlfriend.”
“What did she want?” Daisy asked.
“She wanted to know if we could still be friends.”
“What did you say?”
“I said yes. Why do you want to know?”
“Do you still like her?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, I caught her cheating on me and I couldn’t keep dating her after I saw that.”
“You mean you still like her?”
“Yeah. What’s wrong?”
“Do you like me or was the kiss last night a fluke?”
“What do you mean? No, it wasn’t a fluke. It was perfect for the moment. What’s eating at you?”
“I didn’t know that you still liked your old girlfriend. If I would have known that you did, I wouldn’t have kissed you last night.” She turned around in a huff and started walking in the opposite direction. Jack just stood there, confused. A few minutes later, Daisy came back.
“This would have been a lot more dramatic if I had somewhere to go,” she said, stomping her foot on the ground and trying to hide an embarrassed smile.
“Daisy, I don’t still like my old girlfriend. I don’t have any feelings for her anymore.”
She looked into his eyes. “Really?”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just a little jealous because… because I really like you and I didn’t want you to like someone else and not like me back.” She looked at the ground.
“I do like you, Daisy. I like you a lot,” he replied.
“Really?” Daisy asked, looking at him with a smile on her face.
He smiled at her. “Yeah, of course I do. How could anyone not like you? You’re really fun to be with.”
“You are too, Jack. You have been so nice to me since I got here. It’s hard not to fall for someone so nice. I didn’t mean what I said before about it being a fluke because I know that it wasn’t and…” Before she could finish, Jack lifted her head to his and kissed her in front of the whole town.
“Now tell me that that was a fluke,” Jack said.
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Can I teach you how to sell papes now?” Jack asked.
“I’d love it if you would,” Daisy replied with a new cheeriness to her voice.
~*~
“Wake up, newsies! Sell those papes! Wake up,” Kloppman yelled.
Daisy opened her eyes, yawned, and kicked the bunk above hers, knowing that Jack was still asleep. She stood up and stretched.
“Jack, get up,” she said, gently shaking him.
He opened his eyes and smiled at her.
“Good morning,” she said, placing her lips on his.
“Cut it out, you two,” Racetrack shouted. “You’se making me sick!”
“Knock it off Race, you’re just jealous,” Daisy shouted back jokingly. In the past few weeks, Daisy had become one of the “guys” and was accepted, generally, as just another newsie, despite the fact that she was a girl and, one that was admired by all the newsies.
“Do you want to go to Brooklyn today?” she asked. “I want to see how Carolyn is doing and you can see Spot and we can see if the bulls have caught John and Larry yet.”
Jack nodded. “Let me get out of bed.”
Soon, all the newsies were out the door and ready to buy papes. Jack and Daisy walked hand in hand.
“Jack! Daisy!” Davey and Les stood at the bottom of the Lodging House steps just like they had for the last few weeks.
“Hey, guys,” Daisy said.
“How’s it rollin’?” Jack asked.
“Not too bad,” Davey responded half-hearted.
“Heya, Les? Ya up for a little competitive selling to get the day rollin’?” Jack inquired as they reached the pape stand.
“Yeah!” Les cried enthusiastically.
“200 papes,” Jack told Weasel.
“200?” Weasel asked.
“You heard me, Weasel.”
Weasel rolled his eyes and yelled at Oscar and Morris to give Cowboy 200 papes.
“Who’s da goil, Cowboy?” Morris asked as Jack went to get his papes.
“What are ya blind? She’s been with me for 3 weeks, Moron and ya just noticed her?”
“I didn’t just notice her. She’s a looker. What’s her name?” he asked.
Jack rolled his eyes. “You better not try nothin’ with her, Morris and if you do I’ll get da bulls on your tail and you’ll wish you ain’t never said nothin’ about her.”
“Jack?” Daisy asked. “What’s taking you so long?” She looked at Morris and smiled politely.
“Ma’am,” Morris said grinning and tipping his hat. “How are ya?”
“Fine,” Daisy started before Jack took her arm.
“Let’s go,” Jack said leading Daisy away.
“Who was that?” Daisy asked after they were out of earshot.
“Morris Delancy, a greaseball that works in the pape stand.”
“He gave me the creeps but it’s funny because he looks familiar.”
“You know him?” Jack asked.
She shook her head. “No, no. It’s probably just my mind.”
Les ran up to Jack. “You’re gonna sell 200 papes? I can’t win if you do that.”
Jack shook his head. “No, half of these are for Daisy. How many did you get?”
“100,” Les answered.
“Good. When you’re finished selling all of yours, go to Tibby’s. Whoever gets there first having sold all of their papes is the winner. Go!”
Les smiled and ran off. He loved the attention Jack gave him.
Jack smiled at Daisy. “I’m gonna let him win because we’re going to Brooklyn and won’t get back in time to beat him.”
They went to Brooklyn and sold their papes along the way. After a long walk, they arrived at the Brooklyn Lodging House in late afternoon and all the Brooklyn Newsies were just coming back from a day of selling.
“Jacky-boy!”
“Hey Spot,” Jack said, turning around and seeing Spot.
“Heya. Whatcha up to?”
“Not too much. You?”
Spot shook his head. “Hard day of pape selling.” He looked at Daisy. “Hey Daisy. Daisy?”
She had her eyes closed and her head seemed to be swaying in the air. It seemed as if she could’ve fallen to the ground at that moment.
“Daisy?” Jack said, touching her arm.
She opened her eyes and looked at him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she replied, shaking her head a little. “I’m just a little tired, I guess. Spot, where’s Carolyn?”
“Inside, I think. She was feeling tired this morning and didn’t sell. I wanted to stay with her but she told me to go sell anyway.”
“I’m gonna go talk to her.” She turned around and followed some newsies into the Lodging House.
Jack and Spot gave each other a worried look.
“So, Carolyn’s really your girlfriend, Spot?” Jack asked walking to the pier.
“Yeah,” Spot replied following him.
“You’re okay with the whole baby situation?”
He nodded and draped his arms over the side of the dock and gazed into the water. “It’s her I like, Jack, the good and the bad. I don’t really mind it all that much.”
“I don’t mean to put you down but it’s not yours, Spot.”
“I know that. To tell you the truth, I don’t really think about it that much. I haven’t had a goilfriend in a long time and it’s really nice to finally have one. I mean, I like her as a person, not just as a girlfriend. Aside from her growing stomach and big appetite,” he said smiling, “she’s just the regular Carrie that I like. So, how’s Daisy?”
“She’s great. I really like her. She likes being a newsie and I like being with her. There’s more to her that what meets the eye. She’s nice, thoughtful, and, well, she’s pretty, too.”
Spot smiled. “So is Carolyn. We’re lucky guys, Jacy-boy. We know how to pick ‘em.”
“They know how to pick us!” Jack remarked.
“Hi, Daisy,” Carolyn said as Daisy walked into the bunkroom.
“Hi. You feeling okay?” Daisy asked.
“I’m just a little sick. I’m sure it’s the baby.”
Daisy nodded. “How far along are you?”
“7 months but it seems like forever,” she replied. “You know what I was thinking? I was thinking how good my life is right now, what with Spot being my boyfriend and this job as a newsie. Daisy, I never thought I’d say this but I actually want to have this baby. I’m not afraid anymore. Even if it is John’s baby, it’s my baby, too and it isn’t going to be deprived of love or anything.”
“Really? Do you mean it?”
“Yes, I do. In fact, I’m looking forward to it.”
“That’s good, Carolyn. It’s comforting for me to know that too because I’m so worried about you and the baby.”
“Carrie, how are you feeling?” Spot asked coming into the bunkroom with Jack.
“I’m better,” she replied smiling up at him. “Hi, Jack.”
“Hey,” he replied.
“Spot, have you heard anything about John and Larry?” Daisy asked.
Spot had taken the liberty to tell the cops about John and Larry because he was the one, oddly enough, who was in less trouble with the bulls than the rest of his friends. He had to maneuver the story, however, as to not get Daisy or Carolyn in trouble.
He shook his head. “They’re looking, I know that much but, so far, no one has reported another crime that could be linked to them so we just have to keep waiting.”
Daisy frowned. “I hope they find them. They deserve to be put behind bars.”
“When I hear something about them, you know that you will be the first to know,” Spot said.
“Anyone for a poker game,” a newsie yelled out, “come over heah!”
“I’m game,” Daisy said.
“Me, too,” Carolyn chimed in.
Before they knew it, Jack and Daisy were playing poker until evening. As soon as the last earnings were collected and the debts paid, Daisy realized the time.
“Jack, it’s evening. We better get back to the Lodging House before they close their doors for the night!”
“You’re right. We’ll see you later, Spot. Thanks for letting us stay here.”
“See ya guys!” Spot said, shoving his few winnings into his pocket.
“Feel better, Carolyn!” Daisy said.
Outside, the air was cold.
“What does this remind you of, Jack?” Daisy asked.
He shrugged.
“The first day that we met, remember?”
Jack smiled and put his arm around her. “I thought that you were the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. I still do”
“Really? I thought that same thing about you.”
“No kidding,” he replied.
“It was something about the cowboy hat, I think,” she said jokingly.
“So you like my hat?”
“I like everything about you.”
“But, more importantly, you like my hat?”
She laughed. “Yes, I love your hat.”
They walked in silence for a while.
“I really like you, Jack. Ever since I got here I’ve liked you. I never really believed in love because I thought that it would never happen in real life but, I think that it did.”
“You are the best girl I have ever met. I love being with you and all I can ever think about is you, all day.”
She gazed into his eyes and he gazed into hers and before they knew it, their lips were together in a passionate kiss.
They walked hand in hand through an alley, supposedly a shortcut back to Manhattan. All of a sudden, Jack was thrust into a wall and fell to the ground.
“Jack!” Daisy cried, running to him. Her arms were grabbed and she was pulled up. She could feel someone’s hot breath on her cheek.
“We meet again, Sunshine,” said a voice.
“Where’s my whore? I heard she’s carrying my baby,” said another.
Daisy knew the voices immediately. “Jack!” she screamed.
“Jack? That’s his name?” John said. He sneered, turned around and kicked him hard in the side. “Jack ass.”
“Please stop! What do you want with me?” Daisy pleaded.
“We want what we had before,” Larry said. “Can you do that?”
“No, I won’t do that!”
“Then we’ll just have to make you. Did you really think that you could just run away from your old life? Well, it’s not that easy, sweetface. Once you’re a whore, you’re always a whore and not just to me. Who is this Jack? Another customer?”
Daisy glanced over at Jack who was holding his side and struggling to get up. “No, he’s not a customer, you bastard! Did you come all this way just to get Carolyn and me? What a pathetic life! Didn’t you have anything better to do? Get yourself a new whore because I’m through!” She spat in his face and kicked him. “Let go of me!”
Larry punched her and she fell to the ground where he proceeded to kick her.
“Help! Help, please! Someone!” Daisy screamed as Larry tried to lift her skirt. “Jack!”
Jack staggered over to her and threw a lousy punch at Larry who threw one back at Daisy.
She screamed in pain.
“Jack! Help me please!”
John and Larry ganged up on Jack and hit him until he fell. Then, they ran over to Daisy.
“What do you want with me?” she screamed.
“You come back with me and we can have it all,” Larry said.
“I don’t want to have anything to do with you!”
“You’re going to wish you hadn’t said that.” He slapped her. “What’s it going to be, huh? If you won’t, then tell us where Carolyn is. She’ll come, won’t she John?”
John nodded. “Yeah.”
“Follow me now and I’ll pay you better than I did before. Are you listening to me?” He slapped her. “Are you?”
She didn’t reply but held her hand against her bruised cheek. “Why do you want me?” she screamed. “Am I the only one you could get?”
“Shut up,” Larry said. “I’ve had enough of you. Are you coming or not? You can get away from this street trash Cowboy you’ve been with for 3 weeks.”
“How did you know that?” Daisy asked.
“My buddy Morris told me ‘bout you. That’s how we found you, you know.” He sneered. “Or did you already know that? He’s had his eye on you for a while now. So, are you coming?”
“I’d rather die!” she screamed back.
Larry had had enough. He kicked her hard in the side. “I always knew you were worthless and didn’t know what was best for you!” He kicked her over and over again. She knew that she was screaming but could feel nothing except the pain that Larry was giving her. She tried to look for Jack but he wasn’t there where he had been lying before.
Suddenly, faint sirens could be heard in the distance.
“Damn,” John said, “someone called the bulls.”
“Your last chance, Daisy. You come now and we’ll give you a good life back home,” Larry said.
“You’d better run or the bulls will get you,” she replied wearily. She gathered up her courage and said, “Did you really think that I would say yes to you filthy pigs? I hate you and I always will!”
John kicked her in the side. “We’ll find Carolyn and get her then. Larry never wanted you anyway but you were just so damn cheap that he couldn’t resist.”
Tears streamed down her face as she felt one more blow to the head and blurrily saw Larry and John run down the alley. “Jack?” she whispered. “Where are you?” She tried to stand and used the wall to help herself up. She was very dizzy and couldn’t see straight.
“Daisy?”
She could hear Jack’s voice calling her. “Jack. I’m over here, Jack,” she whispered. Her voice wouldn’t let her yell or scream, just whisper. Suddenly her head became heavy and she couldn’t hold it up any longer.
“Daisy? Where are you?” Jack ran around a corner and saw Daisy collapse to the ground. “Daisy!” he yelled running over to her. “Daisy? Wake up!” He touched her cheek. “Daisy!”
She weakly opened her eyes. “Oh, Jack, where were you? My head hurts… bad, so bad…” she trailed off.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you. I knew I couldn’t take them alone. I yelled to some lady to phone the bulls. I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“You’re here now and that’s all that matters. Stay here with me.” She winced as she spoke each word but was determined to say it. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. What about you?”
“I’m not so good, Jack,” she tried to joke. “I can’t see you clearly.”
“Hold on, Daisy. Help is coming. It’s okay.” He held her head in his arms and stroked her hair.
“Jack, Jack,” Daisy said.
“Shhh. I’m right here. It’s okay. Don’t worry, help is on the way.” He said this more to comfort himself than Daisy.
“My head hurts, Jack.” She looked into his eyes and saw tears welled up. “Don’t cry, Jack. Please, don’t cry.” She tried to reach up and wipe a tear away.
“I’m not,” he said.
“It’s bad enough that I am.”
The sirens had gotten so loud that the sound pierced Daisy’s ears to the point where she screamed, not only in annoyance of the sirens but in pain, frustration, fear, and anguish.
“What’s wrong?” Jack inquired.
“Nothing,” she replied, wincing at the lie.
“What happened?” someone yelled.
“Over here,” Jack yelled. “Come quick! She’s hurt.”
Three people rushed over to where Daisy lay.
“You look bruised up yourself, boy,” one said.
“I’m okay. She needs help.”
“I’m scared, Jack,” Daisy whispered as they ran to get the stretcher.
“Don’t be, Daisy. There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll be right here. They’re here to help you.” Tears were rolling down his cheeks. “Don’t worry, baby.”
They came back with the stretcher and picked her up. Jack saw her, through the flashing red lights of the ambulance, wince in pain. He grabbed her hand and they ran her to the car but Jack was pushed back.
“Sorry kid. We don’t let just any street rat in here,” someone said.
“But I’m her…”
“I don’t care.”
“Jack?” Daisy said, worried.
“It’s okay, Daisy. I’m right behind you. Don’t worry. I’ll be right there,” Jack said, flustered. He held on to her hand tightly.
“Come with me, Jack!” Daisy called as they loaded her into the car.
Jack was pushed away and was forced to let go of her hand.
“We need to get her to a hospital – without you.”
“Jack!” Daisy yelled.
“Calm down,” someone said to her. “It’ll be okay.”
“I want Jack!” she said to the woman.
“I’ll be right there. Just wait!” Jack yelled. He caught a glimpse of her sad, bruised face calling out to him as they shut the door and sped off.
“What happened, son?” a cop asked. “We got a call from someone who said that she heard screaming over here and someone came to her door and told her to call the cops. Was that you? Can you tell me what happened?”
“Can I see my girlfriend?” Jack yelled.
“You can just as soon as you tell me what happened,” the cop answered.
“You got here just in time,” he said. “I didn’t know if I could leave her to yell at that woman to call you. My side was hurting and I knew that I couldn’t take them alone.” He felt the whole story pouring out of his mouth but could only think of Daisy as each word hit the cop’s ear.
“John Touchman and Larry Hughson?” the cop asked.
Jack nodded carelessly.
“We’ve gotten more reports on them in the last few weeks…” he trailed off. “Haven’t been able to find them yet. Do you know where they went?”
He shook his head.
The cop took down his name and where he was “staying” and told him that he would be notified if any more information was needed about the convicts.
“You’re a newsie? The newsie that started all those rallies?”
Jack nodded and the cop stifled a laugh.
“How is this girl going to pay for the hospital bill?”
“Can I please see her now?” Jack could feel the tears welling up at the thought of Daisy.
The cop nodded reluctantly. “Thanks for the information. We’ll have these guys caught in no time with that Morris Delancy telling us about them. The hospital is that way.”
Jack glared at the cop. “I know where it is. You ain’t gonna offer me a ride?”
“We don’t let your kind in a clean cop car unless you’re in there because you’re under arrest. Have a nice night kid. Sell extra newspapers because hospital bills are expensive. Too bad you don’t have any money to keep her alive.” He and the other cop smirked at the joke.
Jack stared at the cop in disbelief. “I can’t believe that you are really a protector of the law. You don’t seem any better than a street rat yourself!”
“Keep it up and I’ll rip this claim up in front of you,” the cop threatened.
Jack rolled his eyes. “You have a nice night yourself,” he said sarcastically. Then he turned and ran all the way to the hospital.
~*~
It was late when he reached the big brick building. It took him a good hour to get clear across town.
“I’m looking for a girl who came in here about a few hours ago. Her name is Daisy.”
The receptionist looked at him strangely. “The doctor over there can help you. You her husband?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“You look like a good kid to me. Tell him that you are. It’s the only way you’ll get any information from him.”
“Thank you,” Jack said, and ran to the doctor. “Did a girl named Daisy come in a couple hours ago?”
The doctor looked at him blankly. “Who are you?”
“I’m Jack Kelly. Her… her,” he stuttered, “her husband.”
“She was asking for you in the ambulance before she passed out.”
“Where is she? Can I see her?”
“Follow me,” the doctor said. He led him to a small room and made him sit down. “She is very sick, Jack. Had Daisy experienced dizziness before the fight? Any fainting or light-headedness?”
Jack tried to think back. “All I know is that I saw her collapse after they left her alone. Oh, I remember her seeming a little out of it this morning. Why?”
“I believe I know what it wrong,” the doctor said folding his fingers.
“What?” Jack almost yelled.
“During the fight, she must have been hit or kicked hard in the side. Her internal organs are not functioning properly at the moment. However, this could be due to her brain. Prior to the fight, I’ve concluded that she was not getting enough oxygen to her brain and that is what caused her to collapse after the fight. It isn’t the fight that is making her so sick, it is the deadly combination of the two conditions.”
“Can I please see her?” Jack said. “I have tried to wait patiently but now I’m tired of pretending to listen. I don’t care about what anyone is saying. I just want to see her. Can you do that for me, Doctor?”
The doctor got up from his desk. “I can. Go across the hall and she is in that room the first bed.”
Jack was out of his chair and across the hall before the doctor knew it.
He ran through the door and saw her lying on a dingy hospital bed. “Daisy!” he said taking her hand in his. “I’m here now.”
Slowly, she turned her head to face him. “Jack,” she whispered.
He touched her cheek but didn’t say anything. He just smiled weakly because he was glad to be with her.
“I’m dying, aren’t I?” she asked.
Jack shook his head. “No, you’re not dying. You are healthy and you’ll get well soon.”
“Jack, do you remember when I told you that you reminded me of someone but I couldn’t think of who?”
He nodded. “Yeah?”
“I remembered,” she said smiling. “I always dreamed of someone coming to rescue me from my life. I hated everything about my life and I always dreamed that someone would come and take me out of it, something aside from reality. I never knew who. I always had dreams of the person taking me away to someplace not real where we were always happy, for eternity. I never knew who would do this but I knew that I would recognize it when it happened, if it happened. And it did, it really did. Jack, that person is you. You remind me of who I’ve always been searching for. You are the one. You took me out of life, into a dream. Now, I know that I can go in peace because I have found everything I’ve always searched for.” She touched his cheek. “I love you, Jack. I love you with all of my heart and soul.”
A tear rolled down Jack’s cheek. “I love you too, Daisy, and you can’t leave now, we’ve only just begun the dream.”
“I have to. You can’t stop what destiny has in store for you.”
“There isn’t a destiny because if there was, you wouldn’t be taken away from me right now!” he cried.
“It’s for the best. I’ve already found my destiny and you still have to figure out yours.”
“I don’t know what my destiny is but I’m sure it’s you and me together.”
“You have the rest of your life to live and…” she stopped mid-sentence.
“Daisy?” Jack asked.
“I love you, Jack,” she pulled his head close to hers and kissed him gently.
“What am I supposed to do without you?”
“Live your life, have fun, love someone…”
“I can’t love anyone but you.”
“Yes you can. Whoever you choose to love is a lucky girl.”
“How can you say this, Daisy? You said you loved me and I said I loved you but you’re saying now that I should love someone else? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Don’t be mad. I know what I’m saying.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to believe it.”
“I know but you have to.” She took in a big breath. “Oh, I’m tired. Could you find the nurse for me?”
Jack wiped his face on the back of his hand and nodded. He walked out of the room abruptly. His feelings were so mixed that he could hardly stand it. He walked through the halls, not knowing where he was going, looking for her nurse. He suddenly realized that he was going around in a circle when he saw the nurse coming out of Daisy’s room.
“She’s sleeping,” she said to Jack.
He nodded silently and walked into the room. Sitting down on a chair next to the bed, he took her hand. He then realized how tired he was. It was mid-morning and outside it was dark. Jack fell asleep while thinking about everything that had happened that day.
~*~
The day was dark and gloomy and the raindrops fell heavily onto the brick siding of the hospital. Jack sat next to Daisy’s hospital bed, clinging to her hand. He had been there for almost 2 days straight since Daisy had gone into a coma. As she slept, he watched her and hoped that she would wake up soon. Jack thought back on the day before when Spot had come over to the hospital.
“Hey,” Spot had said to Jack.
“Hey,” Jack replied.
“Git yourself something to eat. You ain’t looking too good,”
He shook his head. “That’s okay. I ain’t hungry.”
“You have any money or haven’t you been selling papes?”
“Spot, do you really think that I would be selling papes?”
“Here, take some money and eat something.”
He shook his head again. “I don’t want your money.”
“You haven’t eaten for 2 days. You look like a wreck.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. I hope you get up to snuff soon. You know, she ain’t dead.”
He looked up at him with a melancholy look in his eyes. “Get out of here. I don’t wanna talk to you right now.”
Spot had sulked out of the room, feeling guilty for saying something so hurtful to Jack.
Jack squeezed Daisy’s hand. “Daisy, please wake up. I can’t stand you not being here. I know that I didn’t want to believe that what you said was right. I’m still thinking about it and I still don’t know what you mean. I’m not mad at you anymore, I promise, I just didn’t know what to feel when you told me all of that. I just want to talk to you again and see you smile again. I’m just not ready to let you go yet.”
Daisy opened her eyes right then. “I’m ready to go now,” she said abruptly. He jumped. Her face had gained some color and for a split second, Jack could see the old fun-loving girl he had first met. “You have to let me go, Jack.”
Jack’s heart suddenly felt lifted and everything around him seemed to change. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you more.” She smiled up at him.
He smiled back at her.
Then, she closed her eyes, squeezed Jack’s hand, and was gone.
Tears flowed out of Jack’s eyes. Big tear drops of sadness, grief, and loneliness. Aside from the blurring of his eyes, he concentrated on her beautiful, smiling face.
~*~
After a few hours, as Jack was walking out the hospital doors, the nurse ran up to him.
“Jack Kelly?” she called.
He turned around. “Yeah?”
The nurse handed him a note. “She wanted you to have this after she passed away.”
Jack’s stomach lurched and he took the note carefully. He opened it and it read: Jack, go to Santa Fe. It’s your destiny. I love you and I’ll always be watching over you.
He smiled sadly to himself. Tears welled in his eyes as he turned the note over. On the back was a number. He looked up at the nurse. “What does the number mean?”
“Oh, yes, she told me to tell you that it is your bank account that you two started together after your wedding. She said you were a little forgetful.”
“Our wedding?”
“Yes. You two were married, right?”
He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, we were.”
“I’m sorry. She seemed like a very nice girl.”
“She was. The nicest girl I’d ever met.”
She smiled and walked back inside.
Jack turned around and walked away from the hospital.
~*~
Jack picked up a newspaper and began to read it. He had bought it from a newsie on the street for a dollar. The train lurched forward as he opened the front page and caught a glimpse of the headline, Two Men Caught After 6 Major Attacks. He read it further.
The verdict is finally in for John Touchman and Larry Hughson, two men accused of attacking 6 women. Along with their accomplice, Morris Delancy, these men are sentenced to life in prison.
Jack stopped reading and smiled to himself. “Serves them all right,” he thought. He looked out the window at the passing land and thought about everything that was in store for him. He placed his head against the window and became lost in thought.
~*~
Dear Davey,
How is everything going back there? How is Les? He’s 15 now, isn’t he? And Racetrack? I heard that he won a big game of poker and is living good! How’s Mush? Did he really get into acting professionally? Sarah started her own clothing company, didn’t she? She’s good at that kind of thing. And, what about you Dave? How’s college? I always knew you were smart enough to go to college. I heard that Spot and Carolyn’s son, Brooklyn, is going to be a big brother. I still can’t believe that he is almost 3 years old. That means that they have been married almost 2 years! I wish we all didn’t split up after everyone grew up. To tell you the truth, I miss being a newsie and being with all my friends all the time. I’m glad everyone is doing okay, though. Someday, we should all get together again. I don’t know if I already told me but the fortune that Daisy left me brough me down here in the first place but it also bought me my new ranch. Well, I’m a cowboy now, Dave. I have my own ranch and I’m raising horses. Maybe someday you could come visit me down here in Santa Fe. That would be fun. I’ll even let you ride on my favorite horse. She’s really pretty and can run as fast as lightning. I’ve been down here for almost 5 years, and it seems like only a few weeks! I love it down here. The sun is always out and shining and the horses are always willing to go for a run. I hope to hear from you again soon. Give your family my best and say hi to Les for me. Oh, and, tell Spot that he should come visit, too. Brooklyn would love the horses and so will the new baby, I’m sure. It would be nice to see him again. Keep in touch, Dave.
Cowboy