Governor's Daughter (A Mush Meyers Love Story)

Chapter 8: Passing Time

I got up from my chair and threw my napkin down. I stomped off to my room and locked the door. I couldn’t even think right now. I felt like anything could make my father figure out my secret relationship with Mush. Jane wasn’t helping get him off my case either. I grabbed a bag and started putting clothes in it. I opened my window. I made a rope out of my bed sheets. I climbed out my window and landed on the ground on my feet. I ran down the street until I got to town square across the street from the newsboys lounge. I didn’t need to be home right now. I was going to make them wonder where I was.

                I was in the newsboys lounge with Mush and Kid Blink. I was sitting in Mush’s lap and he had his arms around me. It was dark and the stairs were out. I wondered if my father and sister were freaking out that I wasn’t home. Maybe they didn’t even know I was gone. They probably thought I was so mad, I wouldn’t open the door to my room. I was sure to get a lecture on how it was rude to leave the table when we had guests and stuff like that. I laid my head on Mush’s shoulder and sighed.

                “What’s da matter?” Mush said.

                “My father and sister,” I confessed, “I wish they weren’t so quick to judge every little thing that happens to me. If I walked in the house with you on my arm, my father would shoot you on sight.”

                “Dat’s cause I’m a newsie. Buck would be easier ta walk in da door wit.”

                “Well after today, I’m not sure Buck would want to go anywhere with me. Not that I want to go anywhere with him. My sister almost got me in trouble for going to Tibby’s. Now my father is sure to ask me why I never come home with my sister and what am I supposed to say to that.”

                “Your pops probably didn’t think nothin’ of it,” Kid Blink said, “It’s not like any of us can afford Tibby’s anyways. We just hang out outside of it. Ya coulda came up wit a excuse.”

                “Too late now,” I said, “But I don’t want to go back. Going back means talking to my father and I don’t want to do that. Plus I’ll have to talk to my sister because she’ll be on my case and I don’t want that.”

                “You can sleep here,” Mush said.

                “Tomorrow they’ll be a missing person ad in the paper for me.”

                Mush laughed and kissed my neck. I giggled because it tickled a little. Kid Blink watched us. There was something in his eyes (well the eye that I could see) that made him look younger and so much more vulnerable. He looked hurt and unwanted.

                “What’s the matter, Kid?” I asked him.

                “Nothin’,” he lied, “Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

                “What’s the matter?”

                “I don’t got folks dat would care if I was missin’. No one gives a rat’s ass.”

                “But we care about you. You’re our friend. No one could take your place in the newsies gang. We love you.”

                Kid Blink smiled a little. I climbed out of Mush’s lap and laid down on the bed we had been sitting on. I fell asleep soon after my head hit the pillow.