Brooklyn Baby | Spot Conlon ¹

Chp. 20: Back

Dear Spot,

I know you is mad at me. I can't blame ya. Just know that I really care about ya. If you write back, I'll know that ya care about me too. If ya don't, I'll leave ya alone. Take care of New York for me.

Kenny Sullivan


Third Person Pov

A week later, he still hadn't responded. He was too upset. He couldn't believe she'd just leave him like that. Sure, it was her family, but where had they been all her life? He had learned not to trust people so easily.

"Spot!" Fetch called earlier that week. "Have you seen this?"

Spot snatched a pape out of Fetch's hands, and looked at the front page. It was The Sun, Denton's pape. The bold headline screamed:

LIFE AFTER THE STRIKE: Jack and Kendall Sullivan Related to Vanderbilt?
Both leaders of the recent "Newsie Strike" are ironically related to William Vanderbilt, and were seen getting into a coach with his wife. The two are heading to Asheville, North Carolina, to live with their new-found relatives in the Vanderbilt's summer estate.

Spot crumpled up the pape and threw it back down to Fetch, who just ran off. He was angry. Hurt. Betrayed, and downright sad. His newsies could even sense he was upset. He kept a poker face, and kept on living without her. He stayed in Brooklyn, and kept things under control.

Meanwhile in Asheville, Jack and Kenny could not have a worse time. They were tired, clean, and educated. They hated the clothes, the lessons, the food, and the people.

All the families were downright snobs, and they were fed up with it. Jack and Kenny wanted to leave. They both desperately missed the ones they cared about.

Kenny's Pov

"You want to leave?" Anne asks.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Anne, but we belong in New York, on the streets."

"At least let us give you money,"

"We don't take charity," Jack says.

"Please, just for food?"

Jack and I look at each other. "Okay, but not much."

While in the parlor, I noticed something. William had an umbrella stand, but there were canes in it. I noticed one with a beautiful golden handle, with carvings in it.

"You like it?" William says, sliding it out of the stand. "It's an antique,"

"I do, but it it's special--"

"Oh, please. It's just old," He says, waving me off. "Tell me why you want it,"

"I got in a fight with, um, a guy. He has a thing for canes, so I thought--"

"Here." He hands me the cane. "It was your father's anyway."

"Thanks, Uncle William."

That night, Jackie and I were packed and in the coach, on a trail back to New York. Anne didn't come this time, we left late. Jack grinned, and pulled something out of his pocket. A beautiful necklace.

"Anne gave it to me for Sarah," He says. "Do ya like it?"

"She'll love it." I say. "William gave me a cane fa Spot,"

"He'll forgive ya, sis. Jus' give him time,"

In the dead of the night, we pulled up to the lodging house. All the newsies were sleeping, but some woke up at the sound of us putting our bags down.

"THE KELLY'S!" Race yells, waking probably everyone.

Everyone shot of their beds, and ran over.

"We knew ya would come back!" Mush cried.

"If ya would excuse me, I need to find someone," Jack says, putting his hand in his pocket. I gave him a knowing look, and he left. I decided to visit Spot in the morning.

"How was it?" Race asks.

"Terrible," I say. "They tried to teach us English, and made us dress in really heavy clothes. I had ta wear a corset,"

Race shudders, and I laugh. It's good to be home.

The next morning, I walked across the famous Brooklyn Bridge, and onto the streets of Brooklyn. I finally made it to the dock, where of course, Wiz was standing guard.

"Lookie here," He says. "Little Miss Vandabilt,"

"Come on, Wizzy. I thought we was good. Just let me see Spot,"

"He ain't want anythin' ta do with you,"

"I know, but ya gotta let me through,"

"Wiz, let her through," I heard. I looked behind Wiz to see Bucky, who was crossing his arms. I walked past Wiz and stopped at Bucky. He looked at me, and uncrossed his arms.

"Go get ya boy back," He says with a small smile.

I nod with a smile, and continue walking down the dock. I finally reached where Spot was, looking over the river. I tapped a crate with the cane, and got his attention. His eyes widened when they met mine, but he didn't say anything.

"I got ya somethin',"

He jumps down, and I hand him the cane.

"For ya collection,"

"Why'dja come back?" He asks, holding the cane.

"It was awful," I say. "That just ain't a life worth livin', but one with you is."

He looks up at me, and I wait for his response. "I missed ya so much, Kenny,"

"I missed ya too," I hug him.

"Don't eva' leave me again," He says softly. "Everyone else in my life has, and I can't lose ya too."

"You won't," I whisper.

He pulls away to lean in and kiss me. I smiled into it, not having kissed him for over a week.

"Ya know, I bathed in a porcelain tub," I say with a smirk.

"I's jealous,"

We both laugh before kissing again.

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GUESS WHOS BACK BACK BACK BACK AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN

no ok