On the roof, Race could see Rhiannon coming. He still didn't know what he would say to her. His mind was still reeling from what Tiger Malone told him.
"Ok Race, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Is is true?"
"What?"
"You with Tiger and his boys. Did you…?"
"Race, I just wanted to help, I…"
"You mean you…with them?!"
"Yes." Rhiannon whispered and looked at her feet.
"Why, you goin' back to bein' a whore?!"
She slapped him. Rhiannon looked into his eyes and they were stone. She saw such anger and disgust in them, her own eyes swelled with tears.
"I did it because I love you, you bastard!" She slapped him again and ran off.
As she ran through the bunkroom, Dutchy ran after her. He put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.
"Rhiannon."
She turned and fell into his arms. "What am I going to do, Dutchy?"
"Oh, mign beminde. You can't help who you fall in love with."
He kissed her head. Rhiannon looked at Dutchy. She had to tell him about Tiger Malone, but she knew he'd be disappointed in her and she couldn't stand that.
"Don't worry, I know about Tiger Malone."
"How did you…?"
"It wasn't too hard to put two and two together."
"You should've seen Race, the look on his face. He hates me."
Dutchy took her in his arms again. "No he doesn't. He wouldn't be acting this way if he didn't care."
A few minutes after Rhiannon ran off the roof, David went up to talk to Race.
"Dave, I know you're tryin' to help, but leave me alone."
"If you don't straighten this out with Rhi, you're going to lose her. You will never truly experience love if you don't give in to it."
"What's with this love thing?! Why do you keep sayin' that?!"
"Why not, you love her, don't you?"
"Of course I do!" Race stormed off. He needed to go somewhere, anywhere to get away.
Two weeks later, Rhiannon was walking to work when Fire and Ice jumped in her path and shoved her in an alley. "What do you want!?" They looked at each other and grinned, making Rhiannon's blood run cold. "You, sweet thing."
"Yeah, we've missed ya."
"Sorry, I don't do that anymore. Try one of the Red Light District girls."
Fire moved behind her now and grabbed her by her waist.
"But we want you, sweet thing. And we're not askin." When they were finished with her, Fire and Ice left her lying in a heap in the alley. Rhiannon was too weak to walk; she could barely will her eyes to stay open. It was gettting dark and cold. 'Why doesn't anyone notice I'm not at work? Don't they know something's wrong? Dutchy, where are you? Dutchy…Dutchy…'
In Tibby's, Dutchy was pacing the floor, worried sick. "Dutch, sit down, you're making me dizzy." Said Pie Eater. He noticed Dutchy wincing a little and rubbing his abdomen.
"You feelin' alright?"
"Something's wrong…I know something's wrong..she'd never miss work unless something'd..."
Just then, Dutchy spotted Fire and Ice walking past the restaurant. Suddenly, he could hear Rhiannon's voice calling him. "Pie, come with me."
They found Rhiannon in the alley, passed out. Dutch was really getting worried because the pain in his abdomen had stopped. They ginerly picked her up and carried her to the Lodging House and put her in the spare bedroom in the lobby. Kloppman called Dr. Maguire, who took care the newsies when they got sick or injured, and he checked her out. All the newsies, even Spot who was there visiting, were waiting for Dr Maguire outside the door. Race stood in the back, trying to be inconspicuous.
When Dr. Maguire walked out, he was bombarded with questions.
"Hold on, hold on. Now, Rhiannon's been through a horrible ordeal. She's been violated several times. Her body will heal in a week or so, but there's no telling about the rest of her. I know you guys will take good care of her, so there's no need to take her to the hospital. Dutchy, go on inside, she's been asking for you."
They thanked the doctor and he left. Dutchy went in the room, followed by Spot. Rhiannon gave them a weak smile. They talked for a little bit, but left to let Rhiannon get some sleep.
As soon as her door was shut, Spot started ranting. "God, I'd give my territory to know who did that to her."
"Fire and Ice, Tiger Malone's boys." Dutchy said coldly.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I saw them walking outside Tibby's right before we found her."
"Fellas, I'm goin' to Harlem to soak some scum. Anyone who wants can come with me." Spot and his small army of newsies, including Racetrack, started to file out of the house when Dutchy stopped Spot.
"I'm going to stay here with Rhi in case she needs me, but do me a favor. When you find 'em, kill 'em."
"My pleasure, Dutch."
A few hours later, Rhiannon heard her door open. It was Dutchy, but he wasn't there to see her, because he headed straight for her bathroom. She lay in bed soundly and kept her eyes closed. She opened them right before Dutchy left and saw he had the first aid kit in his hands. She heard voices outside, so she limped to the door so she could hear better.
"Geez Race, you really tore up your hands."
"Yeah, I got a little carried away."
"A little?!" It was Spot's voice. "It took four of us to pull him off Fire and Ice, I thought he was really gonna kill 'em."
Then she heard Dutchy's voice again. "You almost killed two guys for a girl you won't even talk to?"
"Come on, you know how I feel about her."
"Sure we do, but she doesn't."
Rhiannon heard footsteps leaving the room and Dutchy's voice again. "So, what happened with Tiger? He didn't even try to defend them?"
"That's the best part. Turns out his mother was raped in front of him and he got his scars defending her. When we told him what Fire and Ice did to Rhi, he helped us soak 'em. They're gonna be in bed for a month. It's really late and a long walk back to Brooklyn, can I crash here tonight?"
"Sure."
Rhiannon heard their footsteps go towards the staircase and stop. "G'night, Rhiannon." Dutchy called.
The next day at the Distribution Center, Spot called Race over. "What is it, Spot?"
"You love her, she loves you, what's the problem?"
"Everything. It's just the thought of someone I love so much with you, Tiger, Fire, Ice all of them. I just can't shake it."
"Even knowing she did it for you?"
"That makes it worse. I thought I could deal with it, but…"
"Race, when was the last time you saw me happy, I mean really happy?"
"Right before Mary got sick."
"When she died, a piece of me went with her. I'd give anything to have her back."
"I understand."
"No, you don't. I'd die for the chance you have. Rhi's a great girl, Race. If you don't go for it now, you're going to lose her to someone else, and I know that deep down you couldn't stand that."
A few days later, Rhiannon heard a knock on her door. She put down the book she was reading. 'That's odd, the guys should be out selling.' She thought.
"Come in."
Her heart almost stopped when she saw Racetrack walk through the door. She noticed there were bandages on his hands.
"Hey, uh, can I come in?"
"Sure."
"How are you feeling?"
"Very well. Dr. Maguire says I can start work next week and Dutchy won't let me get out of bed until then."
"Well, I wanted to say I'm really sorry for what I said before. I was way outta line. I really should thank you, I mean no one's ever done anything like that for me, and I know it must've been really hard for you, so thanks."
"You're welcome, but why did you get so mad at me?"
Race looked at her, then the floor, and then her again.
"If I didn't pay Tiger by the end of the week, he woulda sent his goons to soak me good…they probably would've killed me. But I'd rather die than have him or his goons touch you."
Rhiannon just looked at him, astonished.
"Look, I'd better go. I just wanted to say thanks."
The following week, Rhiannon was good as new and back to work.
"Here's your sandwich Boots. Dutchy, your pork chops will be ready in a minute."
"Thanks mign beminde." Rhiannon smiled. "My dear one, how cute."
"How'd you know…?"
Rhiannon shrugged. "You told me."
"How do you guys do that?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, what are you, twins or somethin'?" added Boots.
Dutchy laughed. "Not unless her birthday's in March."
Rhiannon stopped dead in her tracks. "March 7th?"
"1885?"
Jack and Boots cracked up. "They are twins, they even look alike with the blond hair and blue eyes."
"Are you guys sure there's no way you're related?"
"Yeah. My family's been here since the Mayflower."
"And mine died on the way here. That's so odd, but it certainly explains a lot."
Everyone called them the twins from that day on.
After work, Rhiannon was about to walk home, when Race walked out of the shadows.
"Race, what are you doing here?"
"I have a surprise for you."
He smiled and offered his arm, which she accepted. They walked silently to Sheepshead Races.
"What are we doing here?"
"You'll see."
They walked through the park and over to the stables. They stopped when they came to Race's favorite horse, Storm. He was a beautiful grey stallion. He helped Rhiannon before climbing on, grabbed the reins and brought the horse to a full gallop. They rode through the park area, the cool night air whipping through Rhiannon's hair. Rhiannon had no idea how long they were out riding, she was having too good a time to care.
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