It didn’t take that long to get the results of my doctor visit. I knew before he said it. I knew a she was checking me. I wanted to cry but street kids didn’t cry, they survived. The doctor tried to be happy but I knew he felt sorry for me. A street kid pregnant with no home. It was a nightmare for anyone. I walked somberly to the newsboy lounge. Jack was standing in the alley waiting for me since he was no longer welcome inside. I stood a ways away from him but close enough where he could hear me.
“Congrats, Cowboy,” I said cynically, “You’re going to be a father.”
“That ain’t somethin’ I wanna be congratulated on.”
“Oh but ya should cause this is ya fault!”
“I know. Ya ain’t gotta keep remindin’ me.”
“What am I gonna tell Spot?”
“Da truth. Let him kill me and throw me in da harbor.”
“So ya don’ care at all?”
“Course I care. But ya ain’t gonna let me be involved so it don’ matter if I care, do it?”
I put my hand to my stomach. “No, I ain’t gonna let ya be involved. Dis baby won’t even know who ya are.”
“An ya gonna keep it? Raise it in da streets?”
“It’s betta than takin’ it to an orphanage and have it grow up alone like I did. I wouldn’ wish dat on my baby.”
He put out the cigarette he had in his mouth. His face looked quizzical like he wanted to walk away and argue with me at the same time but wasn’t sure which one he should do. “Ya know before when I said Spot would be a betta father den me? I lied. I was feelin’ sorry for myself. Dat baby Is as much mine as it is yours.”
“No it ain’t. Stay away from me, MY baby and Spot.”
“Ya can’t forget about da truth.”
“But I sure as hell can hide it.” I turned on my heel and walked away. I walked back to Brooklyn and sat in the harbor. The sun was setting on the horizon. My hands fumbled with Spot’s key hanging around my neck. Spot came to join me as he always did when he got back from selling papers. I felt a lump in my throat but I swallowed it down.
“I’m pregnant,” I said abruptly.
Spot turned his head to look at me. “Wait what?”
“I’m pretty sure ya heard me, newsie.”
I could see his shocked face turn to anger out of the corner of my eye. “Ya cheatin’ on me?”
“It ain’t what ya think.”
“Thet what am I supposed ta think?”
“Ya supposed to trust me.”
“How can I trust ya when ya pregnant and I know we never did it?”
“I wouldn’ cheat on you.”
“Den what happened?”
“I was raped.” I closed my eyes trying to hold back the tears letting the sea breeze blow my hair.
Spot’s voice was more calm than I expected. But I had heard that calm before. The calm voice that said there was a deep anger bubbling inside that would soon burst. “By who?”
“Jack.”
“Kelly?”
“Do you know another Jack?”
There was a momentary pause. “I’m gonna kill him.
I finally opened my eyes but I didn’t look at him. “I know. I need to sleep.”
“Les…”
“I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.” I stood up and went to my place at the top of the dock and laid on the old mattress I shared with Spot.
YOU ARE READING
My Newsie Baby Too (A Spot Conlon Love Story)
FanfictionLes and Spot have already been dating for a year. Everything is looking up except for Jack acting more and more irriated by the minute. But could there be another reason he's being so hostile to Les and Spot other than the fact that Sarah left?
