Stray on Strike

Dinner with Jacobs: Part 1

Les, Davey, and Jack are talking when me and Katherine walk out of Jacob's Deli.

"Now can I get an exclusive interview with their leader?" Katherine say motioning her hand to Jack. And the boys notice.

Davey taps Les' shoulder and says, "C'mon, Les, the folks are waiting." Then he looks at me. I guess we need to give Jack and Katherine some space. "Yeah. I should be headin' along too. Ya know striking and all dat." I say rather awkwardly my New York accent comes out more than I would have wanted it to.

So I walk in the same direction that the brothers do. Funny that their place is in the same direction as the lounging house. I walk a little faster than them so I don't have to make awkward small talk.

I hear small foot steps run up behind me. Les pops out from under me. "Hiya Stray." I take off his hat and rub his head. "Hey ya Les." I hear louder footsteps running up behind us.

Davey appears and scowls at his little brother. "Les, don't do that. I didn't know where you where going." He looks at me and gives an awkward smile. That's what I was avoiding.

Les tugs on my arms with both of his arms. "Stray, you should have dinner with us." He says looking so hopefully in his eyes.

"You know that's not actually a bad idea, I'm sure our folks would love to have you over." Davey says. I look up at him and look at the ground. "I don't know. I would feel like bother."

Davey pushes Les to the outside so he is walking beside me. "Not at all. I've told my parents about you and all the guys. They would love to meet you I'm sure of it."

I shake my head and Les runs to the other side of me and pulls on my arm. "Please. Please. Please. Please." He pesters me with just one word, but some how it is affective.

"Fine." I need to think of a way to make this funny. "You say your mom was a good cook?"

Les jumps around and becomes really happy all of a sudden. "Oh she is! Her food makes my tongue tingles." I giggle and lean on Davey's shoulder and he giggles at Les' shinanagins. "Well it's good food. He likes it." Davey says pointing to his little brother.

I pat Davey's shoulder and say. "Well good because I expect only the best from the Jacobs." I joke and fake punch him in the upper arm. He laughs and Les runs up to a five step stair case with a green door at the top of those few steps.

He points to it, "This is our building." I nod and follow him up and into the apartment building. All of us walk up the stair case.

We make it two floors without an interruption, but the third floor ruins everything. I see an old lady who used to live in my dad's apartment building. She makes a double take. I swear nervously.

"Denise?" I say nothing. "Denise Sinclair? Harvey's daughter!" That's when I turn around at the mention of my father's name. Davey turns around and notices me.

"That's me." I say stepping towards the lady. She smiles at me like a long lost aunt. She opens up her arms for a hug so I give her a hug. "Oh. It's been so long. I heard you left. It was the talk of the building for a month. And it made me sick how your father didn't even care. So Denise how are you?" She says.

I plaster on a big smile. "Great actually. Leaving him was the greatest thing to happen to me. And I am actually having dinner with my friends, but it was nice talking to you." I say waving her off and then ascending the stairs.

Davey looks at me puzzled. "How do you know Mrs. Britten?" Les asks.

I smile at the kid. "We used to live in the same apartment building." I say. Les smiles. "You used to live in an apartment building. You didn't tell us that."

Davey is not having it. "She didn't tell us a lot of things." He becomes angry like he did at Jack that first day we was a newsie. I whine. "Davey...."

"Who are you?" He snaps. I shake my head at Les. I don't want him to hear this. Davey sighs and says ,"Les go upstairs and tell mom to set out one more plate." Les runs off

I snap my head towards him. "You are letting me stay?"

"Only if you explain yourself." Davey say leading up into a corner of the stair case.

I sigh and take in a deep breath. "My father was an abusive horrible man. Long story short I left. Jack and Crutchie found me on the street and gave me a job and a newsie name. I do not go by Denise; it just reminds me of Synder and my Father. Yes..I was in the refuge. Yes..I am running from my problems. And Yes...I can live with that." I sighs and put my hand on my forehead.

"Denise...That's a really pretty name." Davey says grabbing my hand and pulling it away from my face.

I laugh and say, "Well how about you get to call me that.... Just not in front of the guys!" I rush through that last sentence. He laughs at me and leads the way to his home.