STRIKE! ; davey jacobs

ONE

i. MEDDA'S STAR WORKER

JOSEPHINE COBURN WAS UP AND READY
before her father. she had decided to make breakfast while she waited for him to wake up. "good morning, father." she had said, placing a plate in front of him as he sat down at the kitchen table. "i didn't think you'd be up so early." her father had a tendency of waking his daughter up just minutes before she had to leave for work. josephine placed a small cup of syrup down before walking back to the stove. "i needed breakfast today. i have to be at irving hall early today. medda said she wanted me to rehearse some new numbers." josephine explained as she turned the stove off.

her father watched her carefully, she did a lot of the house work- he always told her he'd have someone come and do it, but josephine insisted she'd do better. "josephine, have you taken more thought to the proposal? that young delancey isn't going to wait forever. i want you to be wed by next spring." her father wanted her to be married so that she didn't have to rely on him anymore. he felt bad having his seventeen year old daughter doing house chores like she was a wife.

"father, if i'm being honest, i don't really care for the boy. i don't feel that kind of connection with him. we're set to be engaged and i've barely met him." josephine didn't want to be engaged to someone she didn't even know let alone marry them. her father nodded his head, "i'll talk it over with their father." josephine smiled as she kissed her father's cheek, "thank you, papa. i'll see you at dinner time!"

~~*~~

"jo, practice this one in the dressing room. i think you'll sing this one tonight." medda handed the young girl some sheet music. "hey! i liked this one!" josephine said as she smiled widely. she took the paper and began her way back to the dressing room. she had to practice and get ready for tonight's show. josephine was quietly singing, going over the song a few times when she heard multiple voices talking.

"they sound too young to work here." josephine mumbled, standing up. she had already changed and put on makeup. then she heard medda talking. her confusion disappeared when she locked eyes with jack kelly. "jack kelly!" josephine exclaimed, opening her arms for a hug. "didn't think you still worked here." jack had commented, hugging the young girl. "i was just telling him how i missed seeing him up in the balcony with you, singing along to all my songs." medda awed, smiling at the pair. jack pointed to the two boys beside him, "these are my pals david and les. gents this is josephine coburn, she's beautiful, huh?" jack had nudged david who had been staring at josephine since she walked into the room.

"you're dressed like a princess." les mumbled, staring up at the girl with awe. jack smiled as he raised his eyebrows at david, he had let a chuckle escape his mouth as he did so. josephine smiled, "oh and what do we have here? a knight in shining armor with his wooden sword." josephine said as she pointed towards the younger boy's right hand. josephine smiled as she bent down, "it's good you three got here when you did. every princess needs her knight to protect her!" she pointed out, smiling at the young boy. josephine then stood back up and locked eyes with david. she offered him a small soft smile.

"so medda, would ya mind if we stayed here awhile? just till a little problem outside goes away." jack explained. medda nodded as she linked an arm with josephine, "sure, stay as long as you like. we have a show to put on." josephine waited in the wings along with jack, david, les, and a few other men. medda opened with her song my lovely-dovey baby. josephine loved watching medda perform, she wanted to be just like her when she's older. jack nudged the girl, whispering quietly, "you also singing?" josephine nodded as she glanced over at david who was watching medda. "i'm singing a new song tonight."

when medda finished her song she announced that josephine would be singing next. the crowd went just as wild for her as they did medda. that's what happens when you're young and beautiful- medda's words not josephine's. josephine danced a little too, like medda she had a giant feather fan that matched her pink corset dress. during her entire performance david followed around, making sure he could see her as well as he could from his spot on the side of the stage. jack chuckled slightly as he watched his new friend become infatuated with his oldest friend.

after her performance, josephine was met with the three boys, smiles across their faces. jack gave the girl a kiss on the cheek, "you were wonderful, jo." jack's words were genuine and sincere. josephine gave the boys a small bow as she smiled, "are you guys heading out?" she was looking at jack when she asked. both jack and david nodded their heads. "i'm about to get changed and go home too." "we can wait for you!" les exclaimed, looking up at his older brother. david nodded, "sure." his eyes never leaving josephine. the young girl smiled, "let me go get changed and i'll be out in a few. i won't take too long."

~~*~~

josephine smiled softly as she watched les walk in front of her for a second, holding his sword up. "he's adorable." she whispered, looking up at david. david smiled too, "i think you're the first girl, apart from our sister, that he's talked to." "well, he's sweet. i hope you three enjoyed the show. i hope to see you guys again?" josephine was about to break away from the group until there was a loud crash and a lot of yelling. the four ran in the direction of the noise. "get back, josephine!" les shouted. josephine grabbed onto the boy, holding onto him just in case something bad happened.

"jack! why don't we go back to my place and divy up! you can meet my folks!" david shouted over the commotion. "it's the trolley strike davey! these couple of dumbasses must've not joined or somethin'! maybe we'll get a good headline tomorrow." jack happily exclaimed. josephine watched in horror as the trolley workers started beating each other up. "come on, jack! les is half asleep!" josephine complained. josephine quickly hoisted the boy onto her back, "he's too little to be out this late."

"let me take him." jack offered. josephine held a hand up, "it's the least i can do. he's already asleep, no point in waking the poor baby up just so you can throw him over your shoulder."