Crippled Words (A Crutchie Love Story)

Chapter 14: I Like My Life

I got to my aunt’s door. Even from outside I could tell she had rented the best room in the place. I knocked on the door. I could hear shuffling coming from inside the room. I waited fiddling with my dress. The door opened. My aunt was standing there in her silk robe and slippers. She stared at me angrily.

                “So, you’ve come to your senses?” she said.

                “I only came to talk,” I said, “Not to stay.”

                “You do realize I’m not letting you leave. I will chain you to my bed if I have to.”

                “That’s your problem isn’t it? Not mine.”

                I walked passed her into the room. It was a nicer hotel room than I had ever seen. The curtains were lace and the bed sheets were definitely silk. I stood in the middle of the room as Aunt Caroline closed the door. She strode over to me. She sat down in one of her chairs and lit a cigarette. She waited for me to speak as she blew out smoke.

                “I know you have this vision of taking me away and turning me into someone that you would see fit to be from our family,” I started, “But I was raised by my father. I wasn’t raised by you. My father taught me to fight for what I believed in and make my life what I wanted. Well I want to stay here and live with Willa’s family and stay with my friends.”

                “You mean those low life street rats you chum around with?” she sneered.

                “They aren’t street rats. They’re orphans and runaways just like me. They’re nice people and more family to me than you’ve ever been. My father wouldn’t want me to go and live with you. I’m not about to shame him by leaving with you.”

                “Your father was a simpleton. He could have had everything if he hadn’t had run away with your mother. Now he’s taught you the same small minded ideas. This is why you need to come with me. Your life would be so much better if you came with me.”

                “I like my life here.”

                “Staying with a family that already has two children? Having friends that eat off the streets? Having a bo that’s a cripple? That’s a life you like. It’s not a life a member of our family should have.”

                “You’ve made it pretty clear that I was never a member of your family in the first place. My father ran away with my mother in order to get away from your family. He didn’t want to be dragged down with the same small minded ideas of the rich like you. He made something of himself.”           

                “You see where that got him don’t you?”

                I took a deep breath. “Look, I’ve never been a big fan of yours. I’ve seen you twice in my lifetime and all I’ve ever known about you is that you’re stuck up and my father and you used to always fight. I don’t want you go with you. I could never be happy with you. I could never love you. You would hate me because you hated my father. If you let me stay here, you’ll never have to be shamed. You won’t have to deal with me. But I have no intention of leaving with you whether you say I can stay or not.”

                “You won’t rather live a life with the newsie, street children than a glamorous life with me?”

                “Yes. Happiness isn’t money, Aunt Caroline. Happiness is where your heart is. You may think they’re street rats. But they’re just children. That’s what my dad taught me and I believe him.”

                She stared at me for awhile. Her eyes scanned over me. She put out her cigarette with a questioning look on her face. “You look like her, you know? Your mother. She had the same facial expressions. The same annoying headstrong personality that wouldn’t back down. It sickened me. She was determined to make her point known when she should have just sat there and looked pretty. You’re just like her.”

                “I take that as I compliment.”

                “You know, I don’t like children. But when I heard your father died, I thought I could mold you into a child I could like. I should have known you would be like your mother and father.”

                “Children don’t like you either, Aunt Caroline. It’s a mutual feeling.”

                Aunt Caroline chuckled. She took a sip of something sitting next to her. I assumed it was liquor. She walked over to a drawer. She took something out of it. It was a folder. She handed it to me.  I opened the folder. It was my folder that she had gotten from the council building in order to get my guardian ship.

                “Take it,” she said, “Give it to Willa’s parents had have then sign for the guardian ship. I wasn’t cut out for children especially not a street rat like you.”

                I smiled despite her insult. “Thank you, Aunt Caroline. I hope you’re happy someday.”

                “Happier than you will ever be.”

                I chuckled. “I doubt it.”

                I walked out of her apartment. I went back down the stairs to the front. The newsies had gathered in front of the house sitting on the stairs. I walked over to them and sat down next to Crutchie. I handed the folder to Willa. She looked through it smiling.

                “You can stay with us?” she smiled.

                “I can stay,” I laughed. Willa hugged me tightly. I laughed and hugged her back. She let go of me. I looked at Crutchie. His eyes were sparkling with the childish joy I loved to see. I kissed him loving the feel of his warm lips against mine. Racetrack started yelling.

                “Alright, alright,” Race said pulling us apart, “Dat’s enough. Ya gonna make me puke.”

                “Don’t you have a girlfriend, Race?” Crutchie said putting an arm around me.

                “Dat’s besides da point. Come on. We got papes to sell.”

                “I think I’ll stay here today.”

                “Me too,” David said putting his arms around Willa.

                Race nodded and left with the other boys. I don’t remember being happier in my life. I looked up at the sky. Somewhere my dad was smiling down at me. I felt he would have been proud of what I had done. He would have been proud of me.