The Crutch's Sister

Away

I quickly ran up to Les and hugged him tightly. 

"I've missed you so much!" I exclaimed. He gave me a small hug back and let go. I looked at his face. He had tears and sweat running down his cheeks. He pulled his hat down over his face. "What's wrong?" I asked, putting the hat back on his head. 

"D-Davey's leaving New York." he whimpered. My jaw dropped and Jack and Crutchie came up behind me.

"Davey's doing what?!" Jack shouted.

"He told me this morning." Les cried. "He's going across the country." I hugged Les tighter and rocked back and forth gently.  

"We'll take care of this right now, Les." I assured. He started crying more. I looked at him and wiped his eyes. "Breathe, Les." I encouraged. He took a very shaky breath. "Where is he now?"

"At home." he mumbled. I grabbed his hand and started running. 

"Katie!" Crutchie shouted. 

"I'll be back in a bit! Don't wait up!" I shouted over my shoulder. We didn't stop running until we reached their home. I stopped and knocked on the door three times. A woman who had a kind, but frazzled looking face, showed up at the door.

"Les! There you are!" she shouted, bringing him into her arms. "Thank you so much for bringing him home." she said, shutting the door. I quickly stopped the door with my foot.

"Oh, no ma'am. I'm Davey's friend, Kicks. Les came to come get me." I explained. The lady opened the door again and grinned.

"Ohhh! So you're the one David's been talking about." she said. "What am I doing? Come in!"  She extended her arm around my shoulders and gently nudged me inside. It was a small apartment. There was one small kitchen and I saw a hallway with three doors. "Y'know, he hasn't stopped talking about you for weeks." she smiled, ushering me to sit down at the table. I was taken aback as I sat down.

"Really?" I wondered. She nodded.

"Yep. He's been so down ever since he stopped working and going back to school. He says he misses working on the streets." 

"Who's here, honey?" a man's voice called.

"David's friend, Kicks, dear!" she called back. "My husband." she explained, nudging her head to the hallway. I nodded as a kind looking man appeared from the hallway. He smiled at Les and ruffled his hair, kissed his wife's cheek, and smiled at me. He walked over to me and shook my hand.

"So great to finally meet you, Kicks. Davey and Les have told us so much about you." he beamed. I smiled back. 

"Mom?" Les called from the hallway.

"Yes, dear?" she called back.

"Where's Davey?" 

"He ran out to get something. He'll be back in a minute." Her husband answered. I nodded. 

"Tell us, Kicks." the mother started. "How did you become a newsie?" I fidgeted in my seat. 

"Well...my brother Crutchie is a newsie. He became one when he...left...our parent's care. We got separated and we only found each other not that long ago."

"Imagine." the father muttered. "Being separated from your family...absolutely awful."

"But we get along just fine. We all keep each other safe, us newsies." I assured.

"Well, it's a relief to know that you're well taken care of. In case you ever need anything or need a place to stay, our house is your house, okay, sweetie?" the mother said. I nodded, my mind drifting elsewhere. 

I wasn't sure how I felt with a mother calling me 'sweetie'. It felt nice, like a comforting hug, but I wasn't getting my hopes up. I hardly know this woman, but she is treating me so nicely. She only knows me from a second hand description.

"Wait. I've seen you before..." the father said. I looked up at him. "You were in the paper! You're that singer from the theater!" he exclaimed. I smiled and nodded.

"Yep. That's me." I said. 

"Dad loves the theater." Les whispered to me. I heard the door creak open and I turned around.

"Ma, I'm back!" a voice called. Davey stepped in the door, but he didn't see me. He worked his way to his mother and kissed her cheek. He looked up and saw me. "H-Hey Katie..." he mumbled. I could tell he was uncomfortable.

"Let's talk outside for minute." I offered. He nodded and stepped out. I quietly shut the door and turned to face him. Before I could breathe, he was hugging me tightly.

"I missed you so much!" he said. I hugged him back.

"I missed you, too." I released from the hug. "Les told us you were leaving and moving across the country. Is that true?" I asked. He rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. 

"I was offered a good job as a teacher out in Oregon." he started. "It pays pretty good and they're offering me a place to stay. I'm gonna be teaching twenty five kids. I'm gonna be teaching them how to read and write and spell and count."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner? We would've been so proud and happy for you, that you're finally going to see what the world is like outside of New York. I know I'm proud of you." I smiled. He smiled brightly at me. "When do you leave?" I asked.

"Next Monday." he said. "I graduate school on Friday." I looked down. "I-I'd love it if you all could come. It would mean a lot to me." I looked up at him. 

"We'll be there." I winked. I gave him one last tight hug and walked away.

~Le Time Skip~

Back At The Lodging House

I walked in and sat down next to Jack and Crutchie.

"What did Davey need to say about leaving?" Jack asked, seeming a bit upset.

"He's leaving because he got a job." I explained. "He's gonna be a teacher."

"Davey's gonna be teaching stuff to people?" Race asked, walking up to us. I nodded.

"He wants us to go to his graduation." I said, looking around at the boys. They all looked at each other.

"I say we should go." Jack said. "He's our buddy, after all."

"What do you even wear to a graduation?" Specs asked.

"Definitely not that dirty shirt." I grinned.

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