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In Brooklyn, Birdie walked to downtown Brooklyn, where Spot usually sold his papes. She found him and watched him work. She loved to watch him work; he was really good at selling papes. After a few minutes, Spot saw her and walked over to Birdie.
"Hey ya, Boidie" Spot said; he kissed her on the cheek. "How ya doin' dis mornin'?"
"Jist fine," she said. "I got some woik ta do here, but why don't cha meet me at da bridge at six o'clock. Dere's some stuff I wanna tawk about wit' cha."
"Awright, sounds good. I'll see ya at da bridge at six den. I'll walk ya ta yer job now dough," Spot said, taking her arm in his.
"Sounds jist fine, Spot, jist fine," Birdie said.
Birdie and Spot walked together for a while, talking about various things. Then some boys came up to them and they stopped.
"What d'ya want Penn?" Spot said annoyed.
"You know what I want," Penn said.
Birdie rolled her eyes and confronted Penn. "Penn, look here. Ya eidda give us a straight answer, or yer gonna be goin' down." Birdie started to turn around.
"Stay oudda dis, Kathy. Dis is between Spot and me," Penn said.
"Oh, no it ain't. No one calls me Kathy. Me own brodda doesn't even call me dat. Me name's Boidie, and yer gonna be payin fer dat," she said getting ready to punch him out.
"Boidie," Spot started, he knew it was pointless to intervene once Birdie had made up her mind. "Come on, let's git goin'. Ya gotta job ta be gittin' to."
"No, Spot, I'm gonna do dis now." Birdie punched Penn in the stomach and he doubled over. She hit him in the face and backhanded him into a wall. He lay on the ground unconscious. "Dere, now I feel betta." The others that had come with Penn ran off, they'd heard of how Birdie gets when she gets mad. Birdie and Spot continued their walk. Spot left her at her next job and continued selling papes from there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in Manhattan, Specs and Jade were getting along just fine. Specs had showed Jade how to improve the truth a little to sell the papes. They both enjoyed working together.
"So, ya havin fun, Jade?" Specs asked her.
"Yup, I think I really am. I don't think I've had dis much fun doin' work in a long time," she answered.
"What'd ya do befoa dis?" he asked.
"Nottin' important. Let's git back ta woik," Jade said.
Specs nodded and they began selling papes again. The headlines were decent today, so they didn't have to improve them too much. They were just right for a beginner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that evening, Birdie was standing at the Brooklyn Bridge waiting for Spot. She was standing against the railing, looking out over the water and watching the boats go by. A few minutes later, Spot walked up behind her and touched her shoulder. She jumped about five feet.
"Spot, don't be doin' dat. Ya scared me," Birdie said.
"Sorry, Boidie. You musta been real inta yer thoughts not ta have hoid me. I was makin' a lot a noise," Spot said with a laugh.
"Yeah, I was. Well, shall we be goin'?" she asked.
"Shoa, where're we goin'?" Spot asked.
"Tibby's" she answered.
They walked in silence for a while. Spot could tell that Birdie was distracted. It bothered him.
"Boidie, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
"Nothin'," she answered quietly.
Spot stopped. "Boidie, I knows somethin's wrong. Ya cain't hide it from me," he said.
Birdie stood next to him. "Spot, I'm jist remembarin' me folks. I thought dat I saw em dis mornin', but dat's impossible, ain't it?" she said.
"Boidie, I don't think it's impossible, unless dey's dead. You haven't seen 'em in years. Da rest a us, we neva really knew our folks, so we don't know. But you know where yer folks are don't ya?" Spot consoled her.
"Yeah, Spot, I know where dey are. Fileing's Cemetary .... in Santa Fe," she answered. Birdie looked at Spot and said nothing more.
"Boidie, I seems ta rememba last year, some friends a yers came here from Santa Fe, did dey tell ya yer folks was dere?" he asked.
"Yeah, dey did. But it ain't important." She shrugged it all off. "Let's jist go git some dinna wit' our friends, awright?" Spot nodded and they continued on their way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Birdie was in higher spirits when they got to Tibby's. Spot opened the door and they walked in. Jack was sitting in a booth with Race, Vix, Mush, and Angel. Angel had shoulder length white-blond hair and ocean-blue eyes. Vix and Angel were from Birdie's building in Queens. Birdie scanned the room for Specs and Jade, she didn't see them. She walked over to Jack.
"Evenin', Jack," she said.
"Evenin', Kathryn," Jack answered. "How was yer day," he said, getting up to greet her.
"Fine, Jack. Did ya guys have fun sellin' papes taday?" she asked.
"Like awways. We'se poifec gentlemen," he answered, knowing that she was talking about Specs.
Birdie nodded and walked to an empty table. Spot followed her and sat down next to her. A few minutes later, Specs and Jade walked in. All the newsies greeted them with a "ooooooo." Specs had been a gentleman and opened the door for Jade, the others thought it was cute.
"Hey ya, Jack," Specs said across the room.
Jade walked over to where Birdie and Spot were sitting. Birdie was sitting on the inside and Spot was looking at her, talking. Birdie looked over at Jade and Spot looked at her too. Spot narrowed his eyes when he saw her; he remembered her from the night before.
"Um, Boidie, can I tawk wit' ya... um, alone?" Jade said, looking down at the table.
Spot stood up; he was a full foot and a half taller than she was. He looked her in the face and was about to tell her to beat it. Birdie stood up and grabbed Spot's shoulder tightly. She gave him an evil look, telling him to leave her be. He backed off immediately and Birdie took Jade to the other side of the restaurant.
"What kin I do fer ya, Jade?" Birdie asked.
"Well, um, da boy dat I, um, went wit' ta, um, sell papes taday, um, I don't, I don't know his name. And I was, um, wonderin' if you'se could tell me," Jade stuttered.
"Shoa, Jade. Dat's Specs. He's real nice," Birdie said.
"Ya think he likes me?" Jade said.
Birdie looked at Jade almost surprised. "Well, I'm not shoa. I'se kin always ask him."
"Please don't tell him dat I like him. I don't think I could handle it if he didn't and I'd feel weird round him," Jade said.
Birdie nodded. Across the room Specs had struck up a conversation with Spot.
"So, Spot. Whatta ya think a Jade?" Specs asked.
"I'd watch me pocket money if I was you," Spot answered coldly.
Specs was a little confused. "Whatta ya tawkin' bout, Spot?" Specs said.
Spot shook his head and looked across the room at Jade and Birdie. He was watching to see if Jade was lifting anyone's stuff. Jade and Birdie walked over to Spot and Specs. Jade slipped into the seat next to Specs.
Birdie sat down next to Spot and whispered in his ear. "Now, I want ya ta be nice ta Jade. Are ya gonna be nice to her?" she demanded. Spot nodded. "Good," she said and leaned back in the booth. They started a pleasent conversation. One that Spot didn't contribute to too often.
The restaurant was noisy, but nice. Everyone was sharing his experiences of the day and having a good time. All except for Spot. He was still irked that Birdie was being so nice to Jade. She'd stolen her pocket watch for goodness sakes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
At about eight o'clock everyone started to filter out of Tibby's. They all pretty much went to the square. Birdie walked slowly so she could talk with Specs. He always walked slowly. Jade was walking up with Jack. Spot was walking alongside her. Just to make sure she wasn't lifting anything; he still didn't trust her.
"Hey, Specs, ya have fun taday?" Birdie asked.
"Yeah, I shoa did, Boidie," he said, smiling.
"You shoa look like ya did," Birdie said, rather pleased.
"Ya think she likes me? She's got dese great green eyes," he said.
"Yeah, I think dat she does. Whatta ya gonna do bout it?" she asked, trying to get his brain working on the situation.
Specs smiled. Just then they heard a scream. Specs and Birdie looked over to where they'd heard the sound. Spot was holding Jade up by her collar. Jade was struggling violently to get free of Spot's grip. Birdie ran over to Spot and knocked him over. Jade fell to the ground heavily. Specs ran to help her up.
"Spot Conlon, what were ya thinkin'?" Birdie said to Spot as he stood back up.
"I saw her do it," he retorted, nursing his eye which would soon become black.
"Do what?" Birdie asked angrily.
Jade looked at Spot and ran away. Specs ran after her. Everyone looked at Spot like he was evil incarnate. Besides, Jade wasn't so bad.
"I saw her do it," Spot repeated.
"Spot Conlon! If you weren't me boyfriend I'd soak ya right here and now. Why d'ya hafta go and hurt her like dat?" Birdie said.
"I saw her take Jack's watch," Spot said.
Birdie turned to Jack. "Jack, ya gots yer watch?" she asked, still quite annoyed with Spot. Jack put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his watch. Birdie looked back at Spot.
"I'se sorry, Boidie. I thought dat I saw her take it," Spot apologized and looked at the ground
~~~~~~~~~~~~
In an alley, Jade was sitting in the dark, crying. Specs found her and sat down next to her.
"You okay, Jade?" he asked sweetly.
"*sniff* Yeah, I'se jist fine. *sniff* I didn't take nothin' from Jack. Please believe me," she said.
"Don't worry, Jade. I believes ya," he said. He put his arm around her to comfort her.
"Thank you," Jade said quietly between sobs. She leaned against Specs and allowed him to comfort her.
Just then, Birdie walked by the alley. She heard Jade and Specs talking and walked into the alley. Spot was walking behind her.
"Jade, ya okay?" Birdie asked quietly. Jade nodded.
"She's a little upset, but she'll be awright," Specs said.
"Jade, Spot's got somthin' ta tell ya. Don't cha, Spot," Birdie said and turned her head to face Spot.
"I'se sorry, Jade. Bout what happened back dere. I thought ya'd do da same thing like ya did last night. I'se sorry," Spot said, kicking a small stone across the alley.
Jade looked up at him tearry-eyed. "Thank you, Spot. I preciate it," she managed to get out. Spot was still intimidating, even though he was being sincere.
"Jade, we're gonna go back ta Queens now. Ya kin come down when ya want, or ya can stay here in Manhattan. Jack says dey kin accomedate ya fer da night if ya don't feel like ya kin come back," Birdie said. Jade nodded. Birdie took Spot out of the alley and they walked back to Queens.
"You'se gonna be awright?" Specs asked again.
"Yeah, I'm feelin betta awready," she said. She'd stopped crying. Jade stood up and brushed herself off. Specs stood up behind her. They walked back to the Lodging House.
~~~~~~~~~~~
When they reached the Lodging House, everyone was up in the bunk room. They greeted Jade and Specs warmly as they walked in.
"Hey ya, Jade. Ya feelin betta?" Jack asked walking over to her.
"Yeah, thanks, Jack," Jade answered.
"Boidie said dat ya told her dat she could stay here tanight. So she decided ta stay. Dat okay?" Specs said.
"Shoa, I suggested da thing," Jack answered.
Jade walked over to the window and looked out into the street. She pulled her hat off and her strawberry blond curls tumbled to her shoulders. Specs was watching her. He hadn't realized that she was so beautiful.
He walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled. Specs took a deep breath and bent down and kissed her. They kissed for a long time. Jack had been watching them and smiled. He was glad that Specs had a girl, also that Jade was feeling better.
Afterward:
Specs and Jade were really cute together; they were together for a long time. When Birdie and Spot got back to Queens, Spot was in for some serious thrashing. Birdie yelled at him and then he stayed the night. Jade came back the next day. But she told Birdie that she was going to stay in Manhattan, she liked it there. She especially liked being around Specs. Jade never picked pockets again. Unless she wanted to play a joke on someone. But she could never pull it off, she wasn't a very good pickpocket anyway. Everyone else lived happily ever after, yadda yadda yadda!!
The End
if you like my story, e-mail me. if you don't, sorry you didn't but i thought it was an interesting idea.
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