My Newsie Baby Too (A Spot Conlon Love Story)

Chapter 9: Scum

I didn’t go back inside after Jack finished. I sat curled in a ball in the alley until the sun rose over the city. My eyes were red and puffy and cheeks were stained with tears. I heard the boys coming out of the Newsboy Lounge ready to start work. I heard Jack’s voice and flinched. How could he have done this to me? Mush was the only one to see me sitting in the alley. He watched the others leave and came over to me.

                “Les?” He reached out to me, but I moved away from his hand. “Les, it’s me, Mush. What are you doin’ in dis alley? Why ya cryin’?”

                I didn’t say anything. I just shook my head and started crying again. Mush picked me up despite my protests for him to leave me there. He put me in his bed in the lounge. I just laid there, my arms wrapped around myself. I felt filthy and wrong. Mush laid a hand on my shoulder.

                “Ya not gonna tell me what’s wrong?” he asked.

                “I-I can’t…” I whispered.

                “Maybe I could help.”

                “No one could help.”

                “Just tell me what it is. Maybe ya would feel betta.”

                I turned to Mush, the tears stopping at least for that moment. “Jack raped me.”

                Mush’s eyes widened with disbelief. “He what?”

                “He was drunk. He pulled me inta da alley. He started talkin’ about Spot and me and how he was mad dat we were together. Den he…”

                “Jack wouldn’t do dat.”

                “But he did.”

                I closed my eyes trying to block the images out of my head. All I could hear was Jack laughing and see that crooked, drunk grin on his face. Mush stayed with me all day. We didn’t talk and he didn’t try to talk to me. He just watched me making sure I was okay. I just lied in the bed unable to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes at a time. I heard the newsies coming up the stairs and the door open. They were laughing and talking like they normally did. Then Jack walked through the door happy and go lucky. I wanted to slit his throat, but I didn’t want to touch him ever again. Mush stood up and went over to stand in front of Jack. He punched him in the face making him reel back and the rest of the newsies went dead quiet.

                “How could ya do dat to her?!” Mush yelled, “How could ya act like nothin’ happened?! Bastard!” Kid Blink grabbed Mush trying to hold him back.

                “I didn’ do nothin’,” Jack yelled.

                “Yes, ya did. Stop lyin’ to us! I know what ya did! I know what a cold hearted monster ya are!”

                “What da hell are ya talkin’ about?”

                “Ya raped Les, ya scum! Ya raped her then left her in the alley to cry all night!”

                Everyone turned their eyes on Jack. They all either looked hurt, betrayed, or angry. Kid Blink stopped trying to hold Mush back and let him go. He had his eyes narrowed at Jack. Jack looked surprised then seemed to remember something. He put his hand over his mouth.

                “Oh God,” he whispered. He turned his eyes on me laying in the bed. “Les, I’m sorry. I didn’ mean ta…” He tried to walk closer to me, but the newsies blocked his path.

                “No,” Race hissed, “Ya not gettin’ near her eva again.”

                “I was drunk. I didn’ know what I was doin’.”

                “Ya knew exactly what ya was doin’,” Mush snapped.

                “Ya told me how ya felt about Les,” Kid Blink added, “Ya told me ya didn’ like her wit Spot. So ya rape her to stake some claim on her or somethin’?”

                “Jus wait til Spot hears about dis. I’ll be surprised if ya last til Friday.”

                “Get out. Ya ain’t welcome here no more.”

                All the newsies nodded in agreement. Jack looked around to see if there was anyone in the room on his side. No one stepped forward to say they were and no one acted like they were. Jack backed away from the newsies zeroing in on him. He backed out the door and ran down the street. I put my hands over my eyes.

                “He ain’t neva gonna hurt ya again, Les,” Race promised.

                “Not if we got somethin’ ta say about it,” Kid Blink added.

                I pulled the covers over me. I felt somewhat safe with the newsies protecting me. I could hear their indistinct chatter all over the room. But I couldn’t help but feel bad. I had made them turn on their leader. The person who they had trusted the most. I closed my eyes again and wished that was back in Brooklyn in Spot’s arms watching the lanterns light up the harbor.