STRIKE! ; davey jacobs

TWO

i. DAVID'S FAMILY

DAVID LED THE WAY UP TO HIS
family's apartment. he opened the door to where his family was waiting for him and his little brother. "my god! what happened?" was the first thing said when david opened the door 51. "nothing ma, he's just sleeping." david assured his mother. he took his younger brother from josephine, "i got him." he mumbled, smiling softly at the girl. her cheeks were tinted a light pink as she nodded, smiling softly back. davey introduced everyone, starting with jack and josephine, "this is our friend and selling partner jack and our friend josephine. these are my parents and my sister sarah." mrs. jacobs took her youngest son, carrying him to his bed that was in the corner of the room.

"did you carry les all the way here on your back?" sarah asked as she looked at josephine. she nodded, "yeah. it's the least i could do. i knew it had to be past his bedtime."

"ester, why don't you add some more water to the soup. maybe david's friends would like to stay for dinner?" josephine and jack nodded their heads.

josephine was seated between david and jack. her leg kept brushing against david's every so often. "do you want more?" david asked, pointing to her empty soup bowl. the pair were off in their own world, ignoring whatever david's family and jack were talking about. josephine shook her head, "no, but it was delicious." "i'll make sure to tell my mother." david mumbled. it was funny because his mother had heard their entire conversation. they were off in their own world until jack uttered the words nude and love nest.

both teens turned their gazes to jack. he chuckled before stopping, "sorry. maybe i'm talkin' too much." jack lowered his head, embarrassed. "sarah, go get the cake your mother's hiding in the cabinet." mayer said. ester hit his good arm with her napkin, "that's for your birthday tomorrow!" "i've had enough birthday's. tonight is a celebration."

david stood up, "i'll get the knife." he took off for the kitchen, sarah followed. "i got the plates." "this is only the beginning, papa. the longer i work, the more money i'll make." david happily said. david liked being a newsie and he was having fun. his father had other plans though, "you'll only work until i go back to the factory, and then you are going back to school, like you promised." david's mother gave him a sympathic look and side hug, but ultimately agreed with her husband. sarah tried to change the subject, seeing as how the conversation hurt her little brother, "happy birthday, papa." she said, placing the cake down. david awkward handed his father the knife, "here's your knife." "this is going to heal, and they'll give me my job back. we'll make them." mayer stated.

david waited for his slice of cake before sitting down, a second plate in his hands for josephine. sarah had passed jack his slice and now each teen had their own slice of cake. josephine placed her hand on david's knee, giving him a comforting rub. before the three could dig into their cake, les began singing in his sleep, "come back my lovey dovey baby and coochie-coo with me." the three looked at each before laughing. josephine found it adorable.

"what is this david?" his mother scolded. the three became silent, trying to not laugh again as les hummed still. it was impossible for the boys to stop laughing. "i apologize. i promise i won't allow them back in the theatre to watch if you both would like them to stray away." josephine offered, smiling up at david's family. ester smiled, "you perform?" "oh yes. it's a wonderful time we all have." josephine cheeks burned a bright red as she looked down at her cake. sarah smiled softly as she watched her little brother's smile grow bigger at josephine's shyness.

~~*~~

davey and jack stood out on the balcony, talking. josephine was thanking mr. and mrs. jacobs. "it was a lovely dinner. thank you so much." josephine also said a goodbye to sarah. les had woken back up. "night, josephine." he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "good night, les." as josephine headed for the window, she heard les whisper to his mother, "josephine's a princess and she made me a knight." ester smiled down at her child as she began to sing him a lullaby.

david met the girl at the window, helping her climb out. "jack was just about to leave." he states, pointing over at the boy. josephine reached her hand out to jack, "oh, kelly. it's on the way, if you don't mind?" "like i would let you walk alone." jack playfully rolled his eyes as he took josephine's hand. she needed help climbing down the fire escape stairs- she was wearing heels after all. josephine turned back to david, "goodnight david. i hope to see you and les tomorrow." "us too." david watched the two as they descended from the balcony. he could hear the girl laughing at something jack said. david sighed loudly before climbing back into his apartment, closing the window behind him.

josephine had her arm linked with jack's, "thank you for walking me home, cowboy. i'm sure my father will appreciate it a lot." "you sure he won't be mad you was out so late?" "i mean, i told him i'd be back by dinner time. i'll just explain to him what happened. he shouldn't be too upset." josephine assured, smoothing her skirt out.

jack sighed, "so ya seem to like my pal david." "he's cute, if that's you mean. and maybe i wouldn't mind seeing him again. his family's real sweet. but my father wants me to get married by next spring." josephine frowned as she thought about how much she already knew about david. she's known him one day and already knows more about him than this oscar delancey.

"dave would say yes." jack shrugged, teasing slightly. josephine shook her head, "my father plans for me to marry rich. though he doesn't know i've met david. i doubt david would like to be wed at such a young age. we're only seventeen." josephine tightened her grip on jack's arm, "remember when we thought we'd get married?" jack chuckled as he stopped in front of josephine's apartment house. "do you think it would be too soon to visit at the circulation gate? i'm afraid if i don't see him tomorrow then... i might marry this kid my father wants me to marry."

"does my little jo have a crush?" jack considered the girl to be like his sister. josephine rolled her eyes and she shook her head, "i'm serious, jack!" jack just smiled and nodded, "i'll make sure we're waiting for you."